Abundant Life

things i am loving today

2012-01-24T10:14:00.000-06:00

* Sprouted wheat waffles with almond butter and bananas.

* Sunshine...especially since we have three days of rain ahead

* The thought of rainy days. Love them!

* The fact that the laundry is actually caught up for a day.

* Encouragement from fun blogs.

* This post...possibly the most heart-wrenching and beautiful one I have ever read.

* Lentil soup with smoked sausage and kale.

* Hearing my 7-year-old read.

* Knitting baby sweaters.

* My little girl's babbling.

* Birds singing outside the window.

* Filling out the order form for garden seeds.

* Little boys' imaginations.

* God's grace in the midst of everyday life.

Happy Tuesday to you!

sunday praise...because of who He is

2012-01-22T06:46:00.001-06:00

It's difficult sometimes, on these grey January days, to keep your spirits up. The bustle of the holidays is over, the promise of spring still seems far away, and life has settled into what can become a dull routine of school, laundry, housework, cooking, answering a thousand questions and moderating a thousand squabbles.

Yesterday while I was fixing supper, Ethan came to me and said, "I don't know why, but for some reason I just feel mad." I don't think mad was exactly the word, but it was the closest that he could come to to describing his January blahs.

The teachable moment leaped out at me. This was where I could begin to teach him that he is not the victim of his emotions. It is a lesson that I often fail but one that that I do know the answers to.

We cranked up praise music on Pandora. Then I asked him to help me unload the dishwasher before supper. Praise plus service is the answer to the January blahs.

You know what? In five minutes, he was singing along to Jeremy Camp and cheerfully putting silverware away.

The days are still grey. The world is still, in many ways, a really rotten place. There is nothing like an election year to bring that fact clearly into focus. The temptation to succumb to depression or to hide my head in the sand and ignore what goes on around me is great. Praising God doesn't necessarily change the fact that I have heard children argue fifty-six times in the last sixty minutes or that the president covertly signed away yet another of our freedoms over the weekend.

But it changes me.

Today my Sunday praise is not my own words but the words of a man who many years ago lived through pain and difficulty and emerged as a man after God's own heart.

"Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name."

"Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice."

"He is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved."

"For thou hast been a shalter for me and a strong tower from the enemy."

"For thou, O God, hast heard my vows: thou hast given me the heritage of those that fear thy name...so I will sing praise unto thy name for ever."

stand aside, Julia (or my latest foray into gourmet cooking)

2012-01-20T08:58:00.001-06:00

In times of crisis, it is really hard to eat well. It's so much easier, when you're physically and emotionally exhausted, to stop by the closest frankenfood joint and pick up a box or a bag of chemical-laden carbohydrates to ~~nourish~~ feed your family. I will admit that we did that a few times this week. However, after about day two, we were all ready for some real food.

Tuesday morning, I took a chuck roast out of the freezer and threw it in the crock pot with a little water. Then I cooked it all day. No searing to seal in the juices, no onions, no seasonings. Meat + water.

When Stephen tasted it, his first words were "this is just like my Mama used to make!"

I kid you not. It was so good.

I plan to make this recipe again. Many times.

rejoice

2012-01-18T14:35:00.000-06:00

The two littlest ones are down for naps and I take a few minutes to sit down and breathe. It's been an exhausting week. Our trip to the emergency room with Anwyn on Saturday was only the beginning of a scary quest to identify and treat a bacterial infection that racked her little body. We spent all of one day at the pediatrician's office and hospital while they ran tests. The next night, we sat up for hours with her while she trembled and babbled with a high fever. Yesterday afternoon, the powerful 36-hour antibiotic injection that the doctor gave her finally began to take effect and she turned a corner for the better. Actually, we truly believe that if was the effectual, fervent prayers of many saints that are the reason for her recovery. We are grateful for the doctor and the medicine, but ultimately healing comes from God, whatever avenue He chooses to use.

For the clasp of her tiny hands, for the sweet smell of the hair that curls around her ears, for the smile that greeted us this morning and the sound of her happy voice...I rejoice. For the mercy of God, I rejoice.

easy and fun

2012-01-17T16:05:00.000-06:00

This is my favorite go-to meal for days when I'm in a hurry or forget to thaw something for supper. Favorite salad greens plus lots of toppings plus bread or crackers. I always keep canned chickpeas on hand for a quick, easy protein. The boys love this meal because they get to fix their own plates and it makes me happy, even though they skip the greens, to see them fill up on a rainbow of veggies.

sunday praise

2012-01-15T09:52:00.000-06:00

We spent four hours in the ER last night with our sick little girl. A cold and cough developed into a high fever, listlessness and raspy, irregular breathing and we decided to play it safe and take her in to make sure that she didn't have pneumonia. We almost lost Philip to pneumonia at four months so we are extra-cautious about anything like that.

Praise the Lord, the chest x-rays came back clear and she tested negative for RSV. They sent us home with an antiobiotic for her ear infection. We plan to lay low for a few days and get in lots of rest and snuggling.

I am so grateful for friends and family who help in a time of crisis. My dad and mom and some friends from church came to the hospital and sat with the boys so that Stephen and I could both be in the back with Anwyn. They bought them snacks from the vending machines, played endless games of make-believe and delayed their own suppers until after 10:00. It is humbling to receive help, but oh so sweet as well.

Bright and early this morning, we received word that another little girl in our church was taken to the hospital for an emergency appendectomy. Once again, the church family rises to the occasion to offer help and support in every way possible. I love to see the Body of Christ in action!

As I walked up and down our long driveway yesterday during my exercise time, I was overwhelmed with the goodness of God. From the stark January beauty around me to the people, both big and small that He has put into my life, He has poured out His blessings. Even in the tough times, even through the difficult people, even through relationship challenges and moments of spiritual dryness and crisis situations...His hand is at work. At the time that I walked, I didn't know that we would be headed to the hospital in a few hours. But He was there. He was with us. And He was still good. Had the outcome not been such a good one, He would still be good.

This sunny Sunday morning, home alone with my feverish little girl while my guys are at church, I sit in the stillness and I offer praise.

simple toys

2012-01-14T13:28:00.000-06:00

On a recent excursion to my favorite resale shop, I discovered this old wooden box that begged to be opened.

Inside were blocks. Not the cheap, colorful plastic blocks of today but the old, solid wood kind. The kind that provide scope for the imagination.

So far they have provided hours of entertainment for three very happy little boys. Simple is best, yes?

24 hour chicken stock

2012-01-13T14:58:00.000-06:00

This is how I make my chicken stock. It may not be the best way, but it works great and fits in with my busy schedule.

On grocery day, I usually buy a rotisserie chicken. Yes, I am aware that this is not the most healthful chicken in the world, but I currently can't shell out the $$ for pastured birds. We use the chicken for a couple of meals...usually one supper and one lunch (It's great for chicken and dumplings!). Then I stick he carcasse in the crock pot, cover it with water, add a splash of apple cider vinegar and set it on low for 24 hours.

Most people add onion, carrot and celery, and sometimes parsley at the end. It probably adds to the nutritional value and flavor, but frankly, I just don't have time to mess with it.

After 24 hours, I turn the crock pot off and let it cool. Then I strain it into a container with a wide opening. I have some plastic pitchers that hold half a gallon and work really well. Stick it in the fridge overnight to let the fat rise to the top and solidify. Skim the fat and pour (or spoon, depending on how well the stock gelled) the stock into quart-sized zip-loc bags. Lay flat on a cookie sheet and stick in the freezer until frozen solid.

I like to use the zip-locs because they stack easily in the freezer. I normally try to use as little plastic as possible, but this works really well for me and again, I am not striving for perfection here.

I use most of my stock in soups and stews and to cook beans and rice. The recipe in Nourishing Traditions for coconut chicken soup is sooo good and so easy. It's just chicken stock, coconut milk, lemon juice, fresh ginger and salt. I love to drink it from a mug when I'm feeling under the weather. Or anytime, for that matter!

a small favor to ask

2012-01-11T15:41:00.000-06:00

This blog gets quite a few hits. At least what I would consider quite a few for a blog that isn't really advertised or promoted in any way. But it very rarely gets any comments. I am trying to figure out how many regular readers I actually have. So I have a favor to ask of anyone who reads Abundant Life even somewhat regularly.

Would you leave a comment on this post telling me what you would like to see more of on the blog in 2012? Family stuff? Real food information? Recipes? Crafty posts? More pictures? Fewer pictures? Better pictures? Walking with God? Anything at all...I would like to narrow my focus a bit and make this more about you, my readers, and less about my rambling thoughts.

Thank you so much!

kombucha update

2012-01-09T13:08:00.000-06:00

When I bottled my first batch of kombucha, I liked it but I didn't love it. It wasn't nearly as fizzy as I had hoped, and it had a slightly bitter flavor, reminiscent of cranberry juice.

The great news? After a couple weeks in the fridge, this stuff is awesome! While I would still like to increase the carbonation, it is decidedly fizzier and the bitterness has disappeared. The even greater news? Stephen likes it. He told me last night, "At last you make some of your healthy food stuff that I actually like!" We are wanting to increase the amount of fermented foods/good bacteria that we consume, but he isn't a fan of yogurt or fermented veggies. I am thrilled to find something that teems with enzymes and probiotics that he can really enjoy.

My second batch is bottled and in the fridge. This time, I used the double fermentation method and made one jar with strawberries, one with blueberries and one with ginger. They look beautiful and I can't wait to try them, but I want to give them a few days so that I can get the full flavor effect.

I stored my mother scoby away in a scoby hotel to use as a backup, should something go wrong with the baby that I am currently using. The last baby I tossed in the compost, but the next one I will save...I am thinking that I will need to double production soon. Philip tried drinking some the other day and he liked it too...I don't want the boys to drink much of it because of the caffeine content, but I would be thrilled if they will drink a little.

I apologize for the weird angle on the photo. I was trying to show the scoby on top and the new one growing underneath, but it's still hard to see. I had to peel them apart. And how about that terrific glass jar?! $7.00 at Wal-Mart. Can't beat that.

right now...

2012-01-08T06:14:00.000-06:00

...I am

Sitting at the kitchen table next to the warm wood stove.

Anticipating three days of forecasted rain. Love, love, love rainy days!

Drinking Cafix sweetened with stevia.

Rejoicing in the fact that I was able to knock a sinus infection this week without antibiotics.

Reading Ephesians chapter 1.

Marvelling in the fact that God chose me, predestined me and redeemed me.

Resting in the fact that He works all things according to the counsel of His will.

Loving the new sweater that I'm knitting for Anwyn.

Planning an adult sweater project. Maybe something cotton for spring.

Craving quiet. I've always been a person who needed a certain amount of quiet time and in a household of six, it is a rare thing!

Hoping that today will run smoothly. Other pastors' families, you know what I mean.

Serving blueberry muffins for breakfast.

Knowing that I am blessed beyond measure.

This post inspired by soulemama.

not your grandma's ear warmer

2012-01-07T14:20:00.000-06:00

I was blessed with an old-fashioned Grandma. She sang us "shave and a haircut, two bits!", mailed lamb-shaped cakes and cookies with m&ms in them on our birthdays, and was the queen of crochet. She made ear warmers for my sister and me from slippery red and white acrylic yarn that tied under our chins. We wore them when we played in the sandbox on chilly winter afternoons. She also taught me to crochet, persevering through the tears of a perfectionistic seven-year-old until I could make little round rugs for my dollhouse.

While waiting for my knitpicks order to arrive, I took up some leftover wool blend yarn that lingered on my sewing table, and thanks to a little inspiration from ravelry, crocheted an ear warmer for Anwyn.

Grandma's been gone for ten years now and I still miss her. For some reason, the last few weeks have been filled with memories of her, and this little project brought her close again.

randomness (or what goes through my head at 11:00 p.m. when Anwyn won't sleep)

2012-01-03T09:34:00.000-06:00

I've included some random Christmas pictures in this post, just because. They have nothing to do with my random thoughts. The baby girl is cutting her top front teeth so the other night at bedtime, we gave her some ibuprofin to give her some relief from the relentless pain. Instead of calming her down and helping her sleep, she was amped for the next two hours. Go figure. Anyway, here is a glimpse of what I talk to myself about when I am sleep deprived and no one else is around.

A handknit sweater is like a hug that you can wear all the time. If I am ever diagnosed with a terminal illness, I will knit sweaters for all of my children. Yes, I do think morbid thoughts like that.

Could I give knitting lessons? I think that would be so much fun, but I don't know if there would be enough interest in our area.

Obviously I have knitting on the brain.

I have ordered yarn from knitpicks for my next three projects and am impatiently waiting for it to arrive. I literally pace the living room floor in the evenings, wishing for one of those projects to be in my hands.

If a person deliberately creates a very creative, unconventional atmosphere in which to raise their children, does it make the children better people or does it simply turn them into social misfits? Should one worry at all about what the rest of the world thinks, or should they just do their own thing and let the chips fall?

As one who was raised in an unconventional home, I have mixed feelings about this. On one hand, I love the fact that I am different from the rest of the world and can do many things that most other people can't do. On the other hand, there are moments in a crowd when I can't relate to all of the "normal" people and I feel very alone and wish that I had been raised more normally.

Raising children is the most terrifying thing I have ever done. Will I get enough things right that they will be functioning, productive members of society?

Is it possible to be healthy on a vegetarian diet, especially while pregnant and breastfeeding?

My brothers used to make beautiful wooden spoons. I want to make some.

My biggest goal for the New Year is to be less goal-oriented. I am completely OCD about accomplishing what I need to accomplish. As a result, I have a permanent ache between my shoulderblades because I can never relax. My prayer and desire for the coming year is that I will be able to give myself to the rhythm of life and family and view it as a process rather than a goal to be achieved. I have no idea if that makes sense to anyone but me...but then again, I came up with it while functioning on only a portion of my brain cells.

By way of explanation on the photos...Anwyn got her first doll for Christmas. She opened it, looked at it, smiled and then began to beat it in the face. This is currently how she shows affection. The poor doll has also been turned into a slingshot by the older brothers.

Owen was the little drummer boy in our church Christmas program.

Stephen bought the boys a ton of stickers and display boards and they had so much fun creating their own scenes. My husband is the greatest Daddy in the world.

clean eating day four (the good, the bad and the ugly)

2012-01-01T17:01:00.000-06:00

We successfully navigated the donut pitfall at church this morning and stayed pretty true to the course. I cooked lunch in the crock pot instead of going out for pizza or something equally unhealthy. I think this will become a tradition. i hate dealing with Sunday afternoon restaurant crowds anyway.

Breakfast: sprouted wheat toast, eggs, milk

Snack: Peanut butter carob chip balls

Lunch: Crockpot chicken stew, veggies with ranch, sprouted wheat bread ad butter, tootsie pops (a gift from a sweet lady at church...she hands out candy to all of the kids each week and I simply do not have the heart to say no. Neither do I have the heart to take it away from my kids when we get home. Yes, I am a big softie.)

Snack: Healthy peanut butter cups a la The Nourishing Gourmet.

Supper: We haven't eaten yet, but it will probably be leftovers and snacky stuff. Sunday evenings are generally informal around here. I might make the boys some popcorn.

A mostly good start to the new year!

a fresh start

2011-12-31T16:42:00.000-06:00

I am not a fan of worn out New Years Resolutions that we never really intend to keep (How many years in a row can a person resolve to lose weight?!), but I love the fact that a new year is a fresh start of sorts and I love to make plans and goals for the coming twelve months. When I was growing up, we had a tradition of writing down individual lists of goals every year, and then as a family we would write a list of desires...these could be as realistic or as unrealistic as we wanted. It might include "a new chicken house" and it might include "a trip to Europe" but the idea was that nothing was beyond the realm of possibility. While we never made it to Europe (or haven't yet, anyway!), it was amazing how many of those seemingly impossble dreams came true. My dad kept them in a little notebook that he brought out year after year and we would read them together and marvel at God's provision and goodness.

We've had a wonderful New Years Eve so far. The temperature reached 70 and we spent lots of time outside. The boys built things in the shop with nails and scraps of wood. I finally finished shelling the pecans from my parents' tree that have been sitting on my counter for two months, and I made bread and organized my school supply closet in preparation for a new semester. It's been one of those days when you wish that time could stand still, if only for a little while.

Tonight I plan to cook a good supper and then spend some time thinking about, praying and planning for the year ahead. There are a few things that I already know will be on my list of goals:

* Continue eating a clean diet. I plan to systematically weed out the junk food that we eat, especially regular things like donuts at church on Sunday morning and eating out after church. I plan to utilize my crock pot and cook nutritious Sunday afternoon meals from now on!

* Revamp to some degree the way that we are doing school. My sister has written a timely post about this...I had already been thinking in this direction, and I feel like her post is confirmation that I should pursue it. I don't see us ever becoming hard and fast unschoolers, but I'm thinking of ways to incorporate school into real life as opposed to some of the rigid seatwork that we have been doing.

* Memorize more Scripture with the boys. I taught them the books of the Bible this year and was amazed at how quickly they learned them, especially Owen. At three years old, he can't even pronounce some of them, but he tries to say every one. I have seriously underestimated their memorization capabilities, and this year I plan to cram their little minds with the Word of God! The cool thing about teaching your kids is that you learn along with them, so I will hide more of it in my heart as well.

* Spend less time online and more time really living.

* Grow a good garden. We now have a tiller and I can't wait to get my hands in the dirt!

That's the start of my list. More to come. Have a happy and safe celebration tonight!

anwyn's sweater

2011-12-31T13:23:00.000-06:00

I don't think I've ever had a project that I loved so much...both the making of it and the finished product.

I can't wait to make more. The next one will be chocolate brown heather Peruvian wool. And I'm thinking maybe some cotton pastels to wear over sundresses when the weather warms up.

clean eating day two

2011-12-30T13:29:00.000-06:00

The day isn't officially over yet, but the menu is set so I will go ahead and post.

Breakfast: Oatmeal with honey, butter, raisins and cinnamon

Snack: Peanut butter carob chip balls

Lunch: Strawberry smoothies, pretzels (I had salad leftover from last night.)

Snack: Apple slices with dessert hummus (recipe coming soon...it sounds gross but it is sooo good!)

Supper: Pinto beans and corn cakes

The hot water heater is fixed, thanks to my fabulous husband. The baby girl said "Dada" for the first time this morning. We're planning our garden and the hubby found a tiller on Craigslist that looks like it might be just what we're wanting to get. The weather is beautiful. The boys did well on their spelling tests. God has blessed me more than I will ever deserve. Happy Friday, everyone!

clean eating day one

2011-12-29T18:57:00.000-06:00

So after throwing out or giving away most of the junk that lingered in our cupboards from the holidays, we started fresh today with a new resolve to improve our family's health. Here is what we ate:

Breakfast: Sprouted wheat toast, homemade yogurt sweetened with maple syrup, carrot/apple juice

Snack: Peanut butter carob chip balls

Lunch: Leftover chicken, orange slices, leftover mac 'n cheese

Snack: apples, Annie's natural rabbit crackers

Supper: Broiled salmon, oven fries, sweet potato fries, salad, strawberries

I am happy to report that all three boys not only ate salmon but they asked for seconds. I did let them dip it in ketchup as a compromise, but it was organic ketchup and free of high fructose corn syrup. They also all ate sweet potato fries.

I may or may not have bought myself a Green and Black 85% dark chocolate bar and snuck a few squares after supper when everyone was outside. Ahem.

In other news, something went wrong with the hot water heater and our hallway is currently flooded. Hubby and boys have gone to Lowes for parts and hopefully we will be up and running before bedtime. In the meantime, I am sadly unable to wash supper dishes. Please do not come over tonight. My house is not pretty.

confessions

2011-12-28T16:00:00.000-06:00

Since I'm feeling particularly honest today, I thought I'd share a few of the last week's happenings with you. Not in any particular order.

We have eaten a.lot.of.sugar. A lot. Did I mention that it was a lot? Mostly in the form of my Grandma's fabulous English toffee, peanut butter bon-bons (rice krispies, powdered sugar, cheap peanut butter and butter all mixed together, rolled into balls and dipped in melted butterscotch or chocolate), sugar cookies sandwiched with jam and drizzled with icing, cinnamon rolls, pretzels dipped in white chocolate, and peppermint patties.

We are all sick. We've actually been sick for a month, and the glut of sugar certainly hasn't helped. In addition to a wicked flu, the youngest two are now battling something that suspiciously resembles pinkeye.

After a sleepless night of being up with a sick, screaming baby, my hubby went to the store and bought us supper last night. We ate bbq ribs and kraft mac 'n cheese and pillsbury frozen biscuits. No judgment, please. I don't think that my brain cells could have connected enough to follow a recipe yesterday.

The boys' bedroom looks like a war zone in the aftermath of Christmas. I plan to have a toy purge and reorganizing party in the next few days. It will have to be on a day when the boys go off to do manly stuff with Daddy. Otherwise, this is what I will hear as I work: "But Maaammmaaa! That fragment of a happy meal toy that I got three years ago and immediately broke and that has been in the bottom of the toy box ever since is my long-lost favorite toy ever and you can't get rid of it!"

I've had to face the fact that in spite of my best efforts, I now have three boys who for the most part refuse to eat wholesome food. It has gotten worse and worse and has become painfully evident this week. Cookies, candy, Grandma's jello salad and Kraft mac 'n cheese are inhaled, while my more humble soups, veggies, and even almond butter and jelly sandwiches are rejected. Tomorrow begins a new era in our home. The Christmas cookies will be sent to church tonight and unhealthy options will simply not be available. I'm not going to force-feed broccoli or something that they simply detest, but they are going to learn to eat normal food. Not having that junk around won't hurt my waistline either.

I have made kombucha! Yes, I bottled it a few days ago and it tastes like the real thing. I am so excited. It's not quite as fizzy as the stuff that I bought at the health food store, so next time I am going to do a longer secondary ferment. But it is absolutely drinkable. I also have a beautiful baby scoby in addition to the mother that I grew from a bottle of storebought GT brand. I never did a lot of science experiments in school so this has been really, really fun. Even if I don't brew the stuff long-tem, I feel like I have accomplished something so cool.

Ethan's reading has been improving by leaps and bounds and he has finally started reading on his own for fun. He got an Animal Encyclopedia from the Grandparents for Christmas and last night he sat on the couch and read us interesting facts about animals, without suggestion or encouragement. Since he has been a somewhat reluctant reader, I am beyond excited.

I am knitting a grey wool sweater for Anwyn using this pattern that I found via Soulemama. This is by far the funnest knitting project that I have ever done. It is detailed enough to hold my interest, small enough to complete in a short amount of time, and simple enough that I can work on it with little people talking around me. I can't wait to see her wear it!

she speaks!

2011-12-14T19:54:00.001-06:00

After weeks of trying to get Anwyn to say "Mama" or "Daddy" or "hi", she says her first word. One that she came up with all on her own.

She claps her hands together and says (with great enthusiasm),"Yaaaaay!"

So much for suggestions. This little girl has a mind of her own.

grain-free chocolate chunk cookies

2011-12-12T16:32:00.000-06:00

When I was a kid, we always had chocolate chip cookies in the cookie jar. Always. They are still the ultimate comfort food in my book. I loosely adapted this recipe from one that I found online. Sweet, chewy and deliciously addictive!

2 c. almond butter (I used Maranatha)
1 c. rapadura
2 eggs
1 t. soda
1 T coconut flour
1/2 c.shredded unsweetened coconut
1 c. homemade chocolate chunks (if you're in a hurry, you could substitute dark chocolate chips)

Mix together almond butter, rapadura and eggs. Stir in soda, coconut flour and coconut. Stir in chocolate chunks or chips.

drop by tablespoons onto greased or parchment paper-lined cookie sheets, about 2 inches apart. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes, or until edges are browned. Let cool for a few minutes on cookie sheet before removing to wire rack to cool completely.

These cookies are very moist, so I stored them in the fridge.

down but not out, and some fun weekend links

2011-12-10T14:26:00.000-06:00

I spent the last two days propped up in a recliner with severe muscle cramps in my neck. Trying to remain basically immobile is not the funnest thing in the world at any time, but when you have four kids--well, let me just say that it is in the top ten of my hope-to-never-do-again list. On the bright side, my awesome hubby is able to be home and is taking such good care of me, and I have had time to do a little reading and knitting that I wouldn't otherwise have managed. The weather is cold and cloudy and it's a good time to be curled up by the fireplace. Today has been better and I have been able to get up and carefully do some light work around the house. It feels so good! You don't fully appreciate mobility until you lose it!

Anywho...

I've found some terrific things online lately and thought I'd share a few.

Coconut Flour Pancakes...as I've said before, I'm not worried about eliminating grains from our diet completely, but I do think that we would benefit from cutting back on the amount that we eat. So I've started making some of our pancakes using coconut flour and this recipe from Cheeseslave. Even my picky eaters love them. Of course, what wouldn't be good slathered in raw butter and drenched in maple syrup?!

This post from Anne Voskamp. We are making some changes to our holiday celebration this year so this really resonated with me.

Blueberry Banana Bread. I have never been a huge banana bread fan, but this recipe has converted me. I have made it using half unbleached white flour and half sprouted wheat flour and it works fine. I have also substituted flour for the cornmeal when baking for people with corn allergies, and that works fine too. I've substituted both rapadura and honey for the sugar. Today, I baked it in an 8-inch round cake pan to serve for a quick Sunday breakfast cake. It's a very versatile recipe. Not too much sweetener, not too much oil, moist, dense and delicious.

Have a lovely weekend!

the granny squares are done! and homemade laundry soap revisited

2011-12-07T12:27:00.000-06:00

This blanket was such a fun project and I love the way that it turned out. I ended up making it 8 squares wide and 9 squares long, which is a perfect throw/baby blanket size. Anwyn likes it and I will admit to stealing it a few times to cover my legs while I'm reading on chilly evenings! There's something about making blankets for your family that is so satisfying...like you can somehow cover them with the love that you put into each stitch.

In other news, I wasn't thrilled with the liquid/gel laundry detergent that I made. Even after I blended it with the stick blender, it had clumpy lumps of soap in it and no matter how careful I was when I used it, it dripped and made a mess in my laundry room. So I tried this recipe from Soulemama and I LOVE it. The clothes are clean and sweet smelling and there is no mess. So far, I have only used unscented soap, but I can't wait to try lavendar or peppermint.

my big boy!

2011-12-01T12:37:00.000-06:00

Last week, my Owen turned three.

He was born late on a chilly November night into his Daddy's arms. We were blessed to have an awesome homebirth, in spite of the fact that Owen was in a hurry to see the world and didn't wait for the midwife to get there!

Every day, I thank God for this little bundle of joy that He has entrusted to our care.

He was our easiest baby. I love his easygoing, sunny personality. And the fact that he is 100% all-American boy. Dirt, frogs, lizards, horses, dogs, cowboy boots...these are the things that he loves most. And his brothers, who he calls "my boys".

Happy, happy birthday, little man!

the world has gone mad

2011-12-01T06:52:00.000-06:00

I don't normally get political on this blog, but I recently received this email and was so appalled that I had to share it. It comes from The Homeschool Legal Defence Association, which defends parents' rights in many ways (not just homeschooling), and it is relevant to anyone who cares about the health of their family. Not only is the legal aspect and the arrogance of over-zealous doctors and judges absolutely unbelievable, but the information about supposed cancer-treating drugs was eye-opening to me...and I already knew some stuff about their effects. Please read and be outraged!

Dear HSLDA Members and Friends,

Who should make very difficult decisions for children? Parents or doctors?

In March of this year, 8-year-old Jacob Stieler was diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma, a dangerous bone cancer. His parents took him to a highly-rated children’s oncology center in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Jacob had surgery to remove the tumor, which was followed by several rounds of chemotherapy. The treatment was incredibly difficult, and Jacob’s mom, Erin, told me that when she looked her son in the eyes, she knew in her heart that he simply could not survive many more rounds of these drugs.

Erin and Ken, Jacob’s mom and dad, joined by hundreds of others, prayed for Jacob and his complete recovery.

After all of these rounds of chemotherapy were completed, there was a PET scan done to check on the status of the cancer. There was no evidence of cancer detected in Jacob’s body. Jacob’s family and friends rejoiced in his healing—praising God for this wonderful outcome.

But the doctors wanted to give Jacob several more rounds of chemotherapy and radiation, despite the clean PET scan. When asked why they wanted to keep giving Jacob these incredibly dangerous drugs, the doctors replied that this was “the standard of care” for his illness.

Jacob’s parents begged the doctors to make an individual diagnosis, rather than simply following unbending standards. But the doctors were steadfast. All children with this cancer needed multiple rounds of these drugs—regardless of PET scan results, the doctors contended.

Jacob’s parents did extensive study of the side effects of the five different chemotherapy drugs that the doctor wanted to administer. And they believed that the risk of the drugs was far greater than the risk of recurrent cancer, since Jacob had a clean PET scan. They said no to the doctors. No more chemotherapy treatment for now.

But the doctors would not take no for an answer. They called child protective services in Jacob’s county and asked the agency to file charges against the family for medical neglect.

After looking into the matter, both the local CPS agency and the local prosecuting attorney refused to file charges. They believed that the parents were making reasonable decisions for Jacob.

The doctors still would not take no for an answer. They called higher authorities in the state level CPS agency. The doctors had to make several calls before they finally found someone who would agree with them.

As a result of all of these calls, the local CPS agency was pressured into filing medical neglect charges against the parents.

The local prosecutor still refused to take a case against the family, so the state level CPS officials hired an independent private lawyer to serve as the prosecutor against Ken and Erin Stieler.

A jury trial is scheduled for early January to determine if the doctors will be given the authority to take over the medical decision-making for Jacob.

When I heard about this case—and checked out the facts—I knew that I could not sit on the sidelines and watch this family be overrun and parental rights be trashed by well-meaning but overzealous doctors.

I recently flew to Michigan and took the depositions of all three doctors who were scheduled to testify against the family.

Jacob’s treating physician is the key.

I prepared for the depositions by obtaining copies of the official “package inserts” that the FDA requires all drug companies to give to physicians and patients. Undoubtedly, you have seen these inserts when you have picked up prescriptions for your children.

The inserts tell you several things:
Indicated uses—that is a list of the diseases for which there is evidence that the drug is a safe and effective treatment.
Warnings—these are strong cautions that indicate serious potential issues.
Side effects—these disclose all of the potential consequences that arise from taking the drug.
Approved for children—there is a specific disclaimer on many drugs that indicate whether the drugs have been proven to be safe and effective for children.

“Have all of these drugs been approved by the FDA as safe and effective for children?” I asked Jacob’s treating oncologist.

“Yes,” she replied, they have been FDA-approved for children.

According to the official package inserts that we were able to obtain, she is just flat wrong.

She wanted to continue to give Ifosfamide to Jacob.

The FDA disclosure for this drug says: “Pediatric Use: Safety and effectiveness in pediatric patients have not been established.”

The oncologist wanted to give Jacob a weeks’ worth of Etoposide.

The FDA disclosure says: “Pediatric Use: Safety and effectiveness in pediatric patients have not been established.”

The warning on the drug Doxorubicin says: “Pediatric patients are at increased risk for developing delayed cardiotoxicity.” This means that the drug can cause severe harm to a child’s heart—at even higher rates than it can in adults.

In fact, as it turned out, the treating doctor had never even seen, much less read, these official FDA-required package inserts. She did state that she had seen similar information from other sources.

Most of the drugs did not list Jacob’s form of cancer as an “indicated use.” This means that these drugs had not been tested and validated as safe and effective for this particular kind of cancer—even for adults, much less for children.

And then we get to the official warnings and side effects.

In addition to the strong warnings about “congestive heart failure” from Doxorubicin, other drugs the doctor wanted to give were known to have caused cancer—new forms of cancer—in patients being treated for an original cancer. Vincristine’s label is typical of these warnings: “Patients who received chemotherapy with vinchristine sulfate in combination with anticancer drugs known to be carcinogenic have developed second malignancies.” The warning labels say that sometimes these second cancers develop years after the treatment.

All five of the drugs that the doctors want to give Jacob are either known to cause other cancers or have not been fully tested.

Some of the other side effects for these drugs include:
Damage to the cranial motor nerves
Serious infections
Failure of boys to sexually mature
The inability to father children
Anorexia

It would take pages to recite all of the warnings and side effects.

Parental rights are increasingly being lost in the medical arena. I am beginning to wonder why physicians even bother asking for parental consent if they will just do an end run around the parents whenever it is convenient for them to do so.

This is not an easy case. It is not a case where a child has a current illness and the treatment is tested and proven to be safe and effective—those cases are easily resolved. The best evidence is that Jacob no longer has objective evidence of cancer. And not a single drug that the doctors want to give Jacob is FDA-approved for children for his kind of cancer.

This is a case where there must be a judgment call—a balancing of risks.

Who makes that call?

The doctor told me during the deposition that she thinks that she should make the call—for every child in this situation. And she would give the same answer every time, rather than making an individual judgment.

I can’t imagine a more clear case of the need for parental rights. This is a decision that requires the wisdom of God.

HSLDA was established to defend parental rights in the context of homeschooling. But the assault on parental rights comes to us on many fronts. This is why we have set up the Homeschool Freedom Fund to enable us to fight important cases for the broader principle of parental rights. Our regular membership fees do not stretch far enough to cover these kinds of cases. We truly need your help to be able to fight for the principles we all hold dear.

If you would like to stand with us in this critical battle for parental rights, I would ask you to send the very best gift you can to the Home School Foundation’s Homeschool Freedom Fund. All gifts to HSF are tax-deductible.

This trial is coming soon—we will send out email alerts if there is any change in the schedule.

Fighting a case of this magnitude is an expensive proposition. I hope you will be as generous as possible so that we may cover travel costs, local counsel, and deposition expenses—for this case and future cases where justice demands action to preserve freedom.

Our nation was founded upon the traditions of Western Civilization. This civilization was founded on the principles of the Word of God. God gives children to parents—not to the state, and not to doctors. In cases like this one, our legal system must remain steadfast in following the principle that God has delegated these kinds of decisions to parents, not to doctors, social workers, or courts.

Please pray for the Stieler family’s case and help as best you can. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Michael Farris
HSLDA Chairman

what should I feed my baby?

2011-12-01T06:38:00.000-06:00

My mom has pictures of me and my four siblings tasting our first bite of solid food. It was pasty white rice baby cereal and in every picture, we are screaming like someone is torturing us. When my first baby reached the magic age of six months, I too bought him pasty white rice baby cereal, along with delicious pureed peas and something called "turkey dinner" in a jar that smelled like canned dog food.

Fortunately, Ethan would have none of it, so I ditched conventional wisdom that told me that my baby must eat these foods, and I began to just feed him off of my own plate. You know what? He thrived on it. I threw out the baby food and have fed every one of my babies real food. They have suffered no ill effects as a result of not being force-fed rice cereal. In fact, they are all strong, healthy and excellent eaters.

So how exactly does this work?

Well, Anwyn has just recently begun to take an interest in solid food so I can chronicle our journey to date. My first advice to new moms is don't force the issue. Doctors and so-called nutritional experts will recommend that you start your baby on rice cereal at four months. Don't do it! Your breastmilk provides the perfect nutrition for your baby for at least the first six months of their life. At six months, I offered solid food to Anwyn and she wasn't the least bit interested. I continued to offer it but didn't make her eat it and about two weeks ago, she finally lost her ambivalence. Now I can't eat anything without her wanting some.

What does she eat? Bits of sweet potato, banana and avacado. Homemade yogurt. Egg yolks and bits of scrambled egg. Liver pate (yes, this is actually one of her favorite foods! It makes me so happy!). Instead of cheerios, I give her tiny pieces of sprouted wheat bread, pancakes, or oatmeal. Tiny pieces of cooked chicken or hamburger meat. Soup. Creamy butternut squash soup is another of her favorites. She also loves halved pinto beans (soaked a la Nourishing Traditions and cooked in chicken stock). Basically, if it is good, nutritious food and isn't crunchy or easy to choke on, I give it to her. And you know what? She hasn't turned down anything. All of my kids have typical likes and dislikes when it comes to food, but they all eat a wide variety of foods, including fruits and vegetables.

There is some controversy over whether you should start your baby on grains and dairy before the age of one year. To this I would say, it's up to you. Do your research and make an informed decision. Our family doesn't have a history of food sensitivities, but if we did I would probably wait a little longer before introducing these foods. Also, remember to never give honey to a baby under the age of one year. I have to really watch this because I use honey in most of my baking and it's easy to forget and feed Anwyn a bite of whatever I am eating.

Most people recommend introducing one new solid food at a time for up to two weeks in order to make sure that your baby doesn't have an allergy or sensitivity to it. I haven't followed this rule rigidly, but I do try to be careful not to overload their systems with too many new things or even too much of one new thing until I see how they will handle it. For instance, the first time I gave Anwyn beans, I just gave her a few bites. The next day, I gave her a few more. She didn't have any tummy trouble so now I don't really worry about it.

It comes down to common sense, really. What did pioneer mothers do? What did our great-grandmothers do, in the years before Gerber came on the scene? They followed their instincts and their babies' cues, and they raised strong, happy, healthy children. Trust yourself and do the same!

kombucha!

2011-11-26T06:10:00.000-06:00

After reading about the health benefits and delicious flavor of this drink on many blogs and traditional food sites, I finally bought some at the health food store a few weeks ago.

Oh. My. Goodness. I am in love. I wake up every day craving the stuff. If you haven't tried it, the original flavor tastes something like a slightly sweet, fizzy, diluted apple cider vinegar. I know, it sounds weird. But it is sooo good!

The gingerade flavor is even better. Like a sweet-tart gingerale. I haven't drunk soda for years because it makes me feel so icky, but this fizzy drink makes me feel amazing. I've read that it will also help with sugar cravings. I haven't drunk it consistently so I can't vouch for that, but it is certainly worth a try.

Among other things, this fermented tea is high in B vitamins and probiotics and is said to be a cancer-fighter. Ronald Reagan and Alexander Solzhenitsyn both claimed to cure cancer by drinking it. You can read more about its amazing benefits here.

Since a bottle costs almost three dollars, I don't see myself buying it in quantity. However, there is a cost-effective solution: Brew my own! Yep, I am about to open a home brewery. Kristen, over at the Food Renegade Blog, gives instruction for growing your own "Scoby", or "Mother" to ferment your own, using a bottle of plain kombucha from the health food store and a cup of sweet tea. I am giving it a try. My Scoby has been on the counter for almost a week now and I can see it growing...since my house is chilly, it may take a few weeks before it's thick enough to use.

I can't wait. I wish I had a glass now!

giving thanks

2011-11-23T17:24:00.000-06:00

"It has seemed to me fit and proper that they (gifts of God) should be solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American people. I do, therefore, invite my fellow-citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens." [October 3, 1863]--Abraham Lincoln

Happy Thanksgiving!

unplugged

2011-11-20T06:55:00.000-06:00

I am not anti-technology. I am grateful for the opportunities that it provides, for the lives that it has saved, for the ways that it makes life easier, for the connection that it gives us with faraway friends and family. However, I think that the current generation's dependence on and addiction to technology is a tragedy.

We have lost, to a large degree, the ability to connect with people on any kind of a deep level. Our attention span has been reduced to the length of a facebook status or a tweet. We reject books. Our eyes are strained from constant staring at a screen. And we have become incredibly rude. I find it so annoying to try to carry on a conversation with someone who is constantly texting or checking their facebook via their smart phone.

I recently deleted my facebook account. There were several reasons, the main one being that I simply wasted too much time on it. I am embarrassed to admit what a big step this felt like. And the response that I got from other people was similar to what I would expect if I was to move to a third world country.

"Please don't!"
"I really respect you for doing this."
"Wow, this is big...you must be a strong person to take such a drastic measure."

Really? It's a stinkin' social media site, people! Have we become that obsessed?

One benefit that I hadn't expected was how much it decluttered my mind...I had no idea how much mental energy I was expending on useless bits of information from people that I barely knew. I'm not saying that I think everyone should delete their facebook...but I will say that it has been awesome for me personally.

I want my children to learn their way around the internet. I want them to be able to function comfortably with technology. But first of all, I want them to learn to live without it so that once they have it, they are not owned by it.

I want them to know what a real friend is.
I want them to savor the smell of woodsmoke, freshly baked bread, damp autumn leaves, the clean, raw smell of rain.
I want them to play board games. I want them to read good books.
I want them to love good music.
I want them to know how to study and how to carry on a deep conversaion.
I want my children to experience real life, not someone else's version of life on a screen.

Does it make you a bit of an oddity? Sadly, yes. Just not being on facebook leaves me feeling "out of the loop" at times. But you know what? At the end of my life, I will not wish that I had posted more facebook statuses. I will not wish that I had gotten a newer phone. I will not wish that I had spent money on a kindle or an ipod. But I will wish that I had gone for more walks with my husband, read more stories to my children, sat and talked more with my friends.

I will wish that I had spent as much time and energy focusing on my faith and on preparation for eternity as I spent reading blogs (yes, I'm shooting myself in the foot here!).

So here's my challenge to you. Unplug. Or at least plug in less. Really live. It will be so worth it.

right now...

2011-11-17T10:20:00.000-06:00

I am loving wood heat. Nothing beats an old-fashioned fire in a fireplace...on of my favorite features of our current house.

I am wearing my favorite old, almost falling apart Eddie Bauer jeans. I will be so sad when they finally bite the dust!

I am looking forward to Thanksgiving. We will also be celebrating Owen's third birthday that day.

So I am planning the horse cake that he has requested!

I am going grocery shopping this afternoon. Since this is practically my only day out (other than church), I really, really look forward to it! I usually take one of the boys so that we can have a little one-on-one time. They love this, especially since I let them pick a treat in the grocery store checkout line.

I am hoping that we aren't sick for Thanksgiving. Since the flu hit our house, we have been down with one thing after another. Currently it's just coughs and stuffy noses...hopefully they will dry up in the next few days and we will avoid any other nasty viruses.

I am wishing that the new jeans I ordered would come in the mail today. Since they just shipped yesterday, I highly doubt that will happen.

I am sewing a new dress for Anwyn out of a soft turquoise corduroy. Pictures to follow, as soon as I figure out why I can't get buttonholes to work on my sewing machine.

This post inspired by Soulemama, via The Frugal Girl.

grain-free recipes

2011-11-16T09:35:00.000-06:00

I tried this recipe from Cheeseslave this week. These crackers are fabulous! I used a mix of almonds, walnuts and sunflower seeds, and baked them in the oven since I was short on time. The only thing I will do differently next time is try to get them a little thinner. So good with pate or cheese!

And I am loving this recipe from the Healthy Home Economist. These gingernaps have a slightly chalky texture/flavor from the arrowroot, but they are incredibly addictive. I just might have eaten ~~most~~ a good part of the batch all by myself.

And last but not least, my newest favorite food is a very simple butternut squash soup that I created this week. I don't have a picture to show you...dark, rainy days in my dark house make good pictures with my little point and shoot camera nearly impossible. Just picture the look and texture of uncooked pumpkin pie filling. That is what it reminded me of.

I medium-sized butternut squash
About 4 cups chicken stock
1 c. heavy cream
1/2 t. cinnamon (or more, if you prefer)
1/4 t. nutmeg
salt to taste

Cut squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Put cut side down on a greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for about an hour, until it pierces easily with a fork. Remove from oven and cool.

Scoop squash flesh into a medium-sized saucepan. Add chicken stock and bring to a simmer.Remove from heat and add cream, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Puree soup until thick and creamy. I used a handheld blender, but you could use a blender or food processor. Add additional chicken stock if it seems too thick. Return to pan and reheat. Salt to taste.

This post of part of Real Food Wednesday.

in love

2011-11-14T15:37:00.000-06:00

If this little girl gets any cuter, I am just going to melt into a puddle of sentimental goo. Being a mom is definitely the hardest thing I have ever done, but the rewards are out-of-this world wonderful. When she opens her mouth and gives me big, slobbery kisses, I instantly forgive the hours of screaming that we endured the night before. I think that maybe she has learned to play me. Just a little.

sunday praise

2011-11-12T20:48:00.000-06:00

I am thankful for:

* The time change. Yes, it took a few days for us to adjust but oh, how I love earlier bedtimes and long, quiet evenings!

* Abundant firewood this year. Unfortunately, it comes from some oak trees in the yard that succumbed to a blight plus drought over the summer...but we won't have to buy or find firewood for quite some time.

* Handwork. I've been having a blast putting together my granny squares into a little blanket for Anwyn. I actually think it may make a cute, lightweight rug for her bedroom. And I have a couple more projects in the works that I am super-excited about.

* Chocolate. I could live without it, but it does make life sweeter.

* Hot tea.

* A wedding shower to go to tomorrow. I love to be part of the birth of a new Christian family!

* A fun evening with my parents last night, that ended with Grandpa teaching the boys to play marbles.

* The Book of Titus. Stephen is preaching out of it tomorrow and it is one of my favorites. Love, love, love Titus 2!

* The fact that I grew up without a computer or TV. I heard the other day that we have an entire generation of bibliophobes...meaning that young people today are afraid of/bored by/intimidated by books. They can't handle anything longer than a Facebook status or a tweet. I plan to devote an entire post to this topic soon. So sad.

* God's mercies, which are new every morning. Every. Single. Morning. It doesn't get better than that!

primal chili: a non-recipe

2011-11-10T19:49:00.001-06:00

I am not a huge fan of the whole grain-free movement that has swept like wildfire through the traditional foods camp. I don't believe that grains, when properly prepared, are as evil as they have been made out to be. However, I've been doing some reading and I do agree with the fact that we eat way more grains now than people used to, simply because they are so readily available. I've been paying more attention to how many grains we eat and it is a lot, mostly in the form of bread. I don't want to cut out grains completely, but I would like to reduce the amount that we eat and replace them with quality protein, healthy fats and fruits and vegetables.

Part of my motivation for this is purely vanity. I have a few pounds of baby weight hanging around that I would really like to go...and baked goods are my biggest weakness. Show me some good homemade bread and butter, tortillas, pancakes or cookies and all self-control flies out the window.

I spent a long time yesterday reading some primal/paleo blogs and websites and they are incredibly inspiring, not to mention full of delicious recipes. Supper last night was loosely based on some of the recipes that I found...a very simple chili without beans. I call this a non-recipe because I can't give you amounts on anything except the meat and tomatoes. Everything else is simply to taste.

1 lb. ground beef
1 can diced tomatoes (I used Muir Glen organic fire-roasted)
chopped onion
minced garlic
chili powder
salt
pepper
dried oregano

Brown ground beef with onion and garlic. Drain the fat and add tomatoes, spices to taste and enough water to simmer. Let simmer for thirty minutes to an hour, adding water if necessary.

This hit the spot on a chilly (no pun intended!) evening.

no pictures...again

2011-11-08T06:33:00.002-06:00

I hate pictureless posts. But oh, well. This week, the effort to actually download them to the computer, edit and resize, and then add them to a post has been too much to even consider. And I missed doing a Sunday praise post again. Drat.

So here we go: Tuesday Praise, The Stomach Virus Edition.

I am thankful for:

* Ginger Ale and Saltines

* Chicken Soup

* Warm Socks and Sweaters

* Cozy Throws

* New Movies (Despicable Me, anyone? It's my new favorite!)

* Quiet Autumn Afternoons

* My Washing Machine

* Crocheting

* My Awesome Husband (How many guys would clean up after sick kids while they are so sick themselves that they can hardly stand up?)

* The Fact That We Are Feeling Better!

Today is supposed to be rainy and cool and I am looking forward to snuggling with my babies and getting back to our normal routine. Have a wonderful Tuesday, everyone!

just popping in...

2011-11-05T13:41:00.000-05:00

...to say hello, and I am alive! This week has consisted of:

*A visit from my sister and her husband and their five kids. The husbands went to a three-day conference and left us home to visit and babysit. First time we've had that much time together since before I got married, over eight years ago, Neither of us had even met each others latest babies. Nine kids in the house means lots of craziness. But in a fun way!

* Throwing up. Yep, one day into the visit, Owen came down with the stomach flu. He still isn't over it. We also had various and sundry children and mamas with fevers, coughs, runny noses, headaches and general aches and pains. We spent our days making and eating chicken soup and doing laundry, in-between racing the vomiting child to the bathroom and trying to keep him away from everyone else. Netflix is my friend.

* Planning for Orphan Sunday. Unfortunately, the week's events kept me from getting everything done that I intended...and it looks like I will not even make it to church tomorrow unless we experience some sort of miraculous recovery. But I did manage to make my first ever slide show using Windows Power Point, featuring pictures of children available for adoption. I am so proud of myself.

* Building fires. We mostly heat with wood and I was slightly apprehensive about the hubby leaving me in charge of the fireplace on some very chilly nights. Wilderness survival skills are not my strong suit. But I managed to get fires going in the fireplace and the wood stove and even roasted us out a few times.

So there you have it. And now you know why I haven't blogged this week. I plan to be back at it as soon as the laundry is caught up and the two-year-old can keep something down besides toast and water.

it gets easier!

2011-11-01T06:16:00.000-05:00

I was thinking as I fixed supper tonight how far we have come in our journey to more nutritious eating habits. Not that we have arrived, by any stretch--and I never expect perfection--but so much of what we do now is habit, which makes life a whole lot easier than it was when we first started out.

Tonight's supper is grass fed burgers on the grill (no buns...I like to make buns from sprouted flour, but since they are time-consuming, we usually just do without), oven fries made from organic potatoes, and salad made from organic spinach, lacto-fermented carrots, organic broccoli, black olives and locally grown cucumbers, and the boys will drink raw milk. With our burgers and fries, we will have organic ketchup, free of corn syrup. Yes, it is made with sugar. And Stephen will probably add a dollop of Kraft mayo. But like I said, I don't expect perfection. Pretty good is good enough for me.

A couple other meals that we have had recently:

Quesadillas made from sprouted wheat tortillas, diced chicken and shredded cheddar cheese, along with a raw veggie plate and some leftover beans cooked a la Nourishing Traditions.

Pancakes made from sprouted flour, served with raw butter, maple syrup, and a glass of raw milk.

Red beans and rice with a raw veggie plate.

These are all meals that we would have eaten in our pre-traditional diet days, but with a few changes, they are so much better for us. Organic vegetables as much as possible. Sprouted or soaked grains. Soaked beans, cooked in chicken stock. The changes have come slowly, gradually, and as I've incorporated them regularly into my shopping and cooking routines, they have become a normal part of our lives.

So take heart! Take baby steps! Rome wasn't built in a day and neither will your healthful lifestyle...but keeping moving toward it and you will find yourself farther down the road than you ever imagined you could be.

a few of my favorite things...

2011-10-28T21:31:00.000-05:00

Links that I've found this past week:

Date Butter...so simple and sooo good.

Healthy Snacks...a video from Sarah, over at The Healthy Home Economist. I made some of her gingersnaps today. My house smells awesome!

How To Tie A Scarf...great advice for the fashioned challenged like myself.

sprouted sandwich bread

2011-10-27T07:00:00.002-05:00

Finding a good, healthy sandwich bread recipe has been one of my greatest challenges in the kitchen. For years, I have made regular whole wheat bread, but when I learned about the dangers of phytic acid, I set out on a quest to make a better whole wheat bread, one that didn't prevent our bodies from absorbing nutrients.

I have tried sourdough and love to make it, but at this time in my life, keeping up with a sourdough starter and dealing with long, long rise times just isn't practical. So my next best option is soaked or sprouted flour. The problem that I've had with that is that the finished bread tends to be gummy and heavy, not light like sandwich bread should be.

Not long ago, I read that soaking and sprouting deactivates the gluten in wheat, and a lightbulb went on. I know that gluten is necessary for good yeast bread. So what would happen if I added gluten back into it?

It worked! Here is my newly revised bread recipe. I use half sprouted wheat flour and half unbleached white flour and finally have a nutrient-dense bread that my whole family will eat. I plan to increase the sprouted flour gradually and see how it works.

2 3/4 c. warm filtered water (not hot)
1 T dry yeast
1 T sea salt
1/4 c. olive oil
1/4 c. honey
3 c. sprouted wheat flour
I T vital wheat gluten (available at Wal-Mart)
about 3 c. unbleached white flour

In a large bowl, mix water and yeast and stir to dissolve. Add salt, oil and honey and mix well. Stir in sprouted flour and gluten. Then stir in enough unbleached flour to make a soft dough. Turn out on a floured board and knead, adding flour as necessary, for about 10 minutes, until smooth and elastic.

Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top, cover with a towel or saran wrap and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.

Punch down, knead briefly and divide in half. Shape each half into a smooth loaf and place in well oiled bread pans (I think mine are 9x5x3"). Let rise until doubled...the dough should be rounded over the tops of the pans just a little bit.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes, until loaves are browned and sound hollow when you tap on them. Let sit for about 5 minutes, then remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

This post is part of Pennywise Platter Thursday.

His strength is perfect

2011-10-26T06:54:00.001-05:00

She is up every hour. All. Night. Long.

It has been this way for weeks. It started with teething. Now she has two teeth, but the night waking continues. Habit, now, maybe?

Being a mom shows you how selfish you really are. At 3:00 a.m., I don't have the mental capacity to fake patience. Every fiber of my body is screaming for sleep. Every fiber of her body is screaming for me.

I am angry. Frustrated. I am so tired of living in a state of perpetual exhaustion.

My life is not my own. I have been crucified with Christ. Except a grain of wheat fall to the ground and die...

Die to myself, to my flesh, to my desires. Live to Christ. Live to serve. Live in supernatural strength when my own is gone.

For all of you weary moms out there...we can do this. Through Him, we can get through another day. We can get through another night. We can conquer the laundry. We can pull ourselves out of the rut of self-pity that we so easily fall into and we can smile at our children.

The house is quiet and the baby girl sleeps at last. I pray for forgiveness for my impatience and I draw strength from a few moments alone with Him.

sunday...er, monday praise

2011-10-24T14:55:00.000-05:00

Better late than never, right?

I praise God for more rain!!! We had a nice shower Saturday night.

I am so grateful for my home.

The boys had an impromptu campout in the front yard last night. I really didn't expect the two younger ones to do it, but they slept in their tent all night long. I praise God for courageous sons!

I received a very generous gift this week from an anonymous giver.

So thankful for the Word of God that is living and active every day.

We have food to eat. Sometimes too much food. That is more than so much of the world can say. I am thankful that my children don't have to experience starvation.

Excited and thankful for an upcoming visit from relatives.

School is going well and Ethan's reading is much improved. If you knew what a struggle he has had, you would know what a huge praise this is!

A dear sister in our church is wheelchair-bound due to a rare form of MS. I am thankful for her Godly spirit in the midst of great adversity, and I am grateful for the use of my own legs.

I helped in the church nursery yesterday...so thankful for those wonderful babies and for the opportunity to care for them.

granny squares

2011-10-22T06:38:00.000-05:00

I've never been a big fan of crocheting. My grandma crocheted voluminous afghans that were wonderful for wrapping up in when I was cold or sick. She taught me how to do it, but for some reason I always preferred knitting over crocheting. Until now.

I wanted a quick, easy and portable project. Between four kids and homeschooling, my spare time is pretty much non-existent. So it needed to be something that I could grab for three minutes at a time and actually make progress. Oh, and it had to be mindless enough that I could do it while answering my two-year-old's non-stop questions.

Enter the granny square! I am officially obsessed. In the last few weeks, I have managed to crochet around 50 of these babies. That's halfway to a throw-sized blanket for Anwyn.

I'm using cotton yarn, which just happens to come in the colors of Anwyn's exersaucer. Pink, green, bright blue, purple, yellow, orange. So vibrant and cheerful.

I can make one in less than 30 minutes. I can sit on the porch and make them while I watch the kiddos play. I can make them in the car. I can make them while we watch a movie.

You will need one ball of cotton yarn. This makes roughly 6 granny squares, 4 to 6 inches square, depending on the size hook you use. I am using a US size I.

I started to type out the instructions for a granny square, but it's much easier for you and me both if I just send you here.

Happy Saturday to you!

orphan sunday--november 6th

2011-10-21T16:55:00.000-05:00

Do you feel pain that while your children are happy and loved, other children--some right in your own neighborhood--are not?

Do you feel pain that while you have to limit the number of snacks your kids get every day, other children go to bed hungry?

Do you feel pain that while your children are snuggled into bed at night, other children sleep on the streets--alone?

Do you feel pain that while your children know the secure love of a father and a mother, others pray every day for a family to call their own?

You can make a difference in the life of one of these "others"!

Check out www.orphansunday.org to find out how you and your church can get involved. Please consider uniting with others across the country on November 6th to answer the cry of the orphan. This, Scripture says, is pure religion.

homemade laundry soap

2011-10-16T22:16:00.000-05:00

This week, I made my first attempt at homemade laundry detergent. I love it! So easy, free of nasty chemicles, and even cheaper than the cheapo Sams Club detergent that I normally buy. It's not perfected yet, so I'll try to post updates as I learn more. I found this recipe online somewhere.

1 bar of castile soap (I used Dr. Bonners, from the Health Food Store)
1 qt. boiling water
2 c. borax
2 c. washing soda (available at Wal-Mart)
2 gallons cold water

Grate soap with a hand cheese grater. Add to boiling water and stir until completely dissolved. Stir in borax and washing soda and stir until well mixed. Stir in cold water. I mixed all of this in an old detergent bucket. You could use any large plastic bucket.

At first, what I had looked like cloudy water with a thick layer of white foam on top (undissolved borax or washing soda??? Not sure). By the next morning, it had gelled quite a bit but was still watery underneath with chunks in it. Stephen took my stick blender and blended it all up and that helped a lot. It now looks like a thick, white gel detergent. I do have to stir it before I use it because it separates a little bit, but from what I read online, that's normal.

The original directions say to use 1/4 c. per load of laundry. I've been using a little more just because that seemed kinda skimpy. So far, the laundry smells and looks fresh and clean. I haven't tried it on any hard stains yet, so we will see!

I'm still working on bigger pictures, as well as bigger font size...and I think I like the new look.

sunday praise (and an attempt at bigger pictures)

2011-10-16T06:35:00.000-05:00

All of the more professional bloggers that I've read say that bigger pictures are one of the keys to a good blog. So I am trying...I just figured out how to edit the HTML and actually make them bigger, which is huge for a non-techie like me. They may be a little fuzzy until I figure out what I'm doing. So bear with me.

This is Bella, our Great Pyrenees/Anatolian mix. We originally bought her to keep coyotes away, but she turned out to be worth her weight in gold as a watchdog. She loves our boys. At times, she is a little too protective of them. For instance, when they are playing outside, she doesn't want the other dog, our little corgi, anywhere near them. When a stranger pulls into the driveway, Bella positions herself between the car and our boys and growls warningly until Stephen or I come out of the house and tell her that it's ok.

So number one on my list this morning: Bella!

I praise God for cooler weather. We had a brutal summer. This week our lows are supposed to dip into the 30's. Oh, yeah!

I praise God for what He has done in the lives of our family spiritually this week. He continues to lead, to grow, to change.

I praise Him for good, sound, teaching from His Word.

I praise Him for a rainy morning last week...drought makes you grateful for every. single. drop.

I praise Him for peace in the midst of uncertainty.

My oven has been on its last legs and yesterday, He provided us with a new one. It's a wall oven, so we weren't too hopeful that we would find a good used replacement. Well, not only did we find one within 30 miles of home, but it is a high-dollar one that we got for about a fourth of the original price. And it works great. The owners only sold it because they upgraded to stainless appliances. No more baked goods that are burned on the outside and raw on the inside!

I praise Him for joy.

I praise Him that He is sufficient, no matter what.

I praise Him for another day to serve, to fellowship, to worship. Every breath is a gift.

What do you praise Him for today?

yes!

2011-10-14T15:07:00.000-05:00

A must read. And please watch the video at the end.

Jesus is enough!

simple food: hot tea

2011-10-13T14:15:00.000-05:00

I love this time of year for multiple reasons, and one of the best ones is that I get to pull out my hot tea collection and enjoy a quiet cup in the mornings before the kids wake up. This is one of the simplest and least expensive indulgences that I can think of. I like to sweeten mine with a pinch of stevia or a little honey and then add a splash of milk.

Obviously the spiced flavors are high on my list at the moment! Bengal Spice is the only one that Stephen likes...it is a more robust blend than the others. More manly. He and I are both craving cinnamon right now.

I do love the blueberry. These three herbal blends get double duty because I drink them cold in the summertime as well. It's ridiculously easy to make cold tea without the trouble of boiling. Simply stick a couple of tea bags in a quart jar of filtered water, screw the lid on tightly and refrigerate overnight. The next morning, you have tea!

I can't do a tea post without including these two. Red Rasberry leaf is good for female health, especially when you are pregnant or breastfeeding. And Mother's Milk is pretty self-explanitory. It has a strong anise flavor that took me awhile to get used to, but now I like it.

And here is my new tea kettle! I've been using a little aluminum one, but since I try to avoid aluminum in the kitchen, I was excited to find a glass tea kettle from Lehman's Hardware. It was on sale for $7.99 and it works like a charm. Highly recommend it.

what if?

2011-10-11T12:20:00.000-05:00

What if I gave up my own plans and dreams for how I want to color my life and let the Author of life fill it in instead?

What if I looked to Him with surrender and happy expectation instead of trying to blend my own colors and hope that He approves?

What if I truly believe that His way and His will is best?

What if He can design things that I never knew existed, far beyond my power to imagine?

What if I just let go?

What could He do with me then?

simple food: roasted cauliflower

2011-10-10T16:41:00.000-05:00

Forgive the really ghastly picture. My kitchen has terrible lighting, and a food photographer I am not!

I love veggies in just about every form, but I have to say that the discovery of roasted cauliflower has ruined me forever where this particular veggie is concerned. Steamed or boiled simply cannot compare. And it is sooo easy.

Cut your cauliflower into bite-sized florets. Toss on a cookie sheet or cast iron skillet. No oil needed. Roast at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes, or until the edges of your florets are browned and crispy. Serve hot with a dipping sauce such as bbq sauce, spicy mustard, salsa or melted butter. Really, you could dip these in practically anything. I tried peanut sauce and that was terrific!

sunday praise (10 things)

2011-10-09T06:31:00.000-05:00

Yesterday some friends came over to help us cut down a huge dead tree in the front yard.

No more worries that it will fall on the house during a storm. And enough firewood to probably last us the whole winter.

I am thankful for:

* The friendship, kindness and generosity of the people that God has put in our life.

* A way to stay warm in the coming winter months.

* Incredibly beautiful Autumn days to finish some outdoor projects

* The wonder of God's creation...like the three geckos who appear on the outside of my kitchen window every night to eat bugs.

* My husband and children, who make every day specal.

* Enough to eat, when so many around the world go hungry.

* My home.

* The opportunity to worship God today without fear of perscution

* Quiet Sunday mornings to reflect, read the Word and prepare for the day ahead

* The fact that He brings joy, even in the midst of the tough stuff of life.

Have a joy-filled Sunday, soaked in His presence!

early morning reading

2011-10-08T06:47:00.000-05:00

"Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:13,14

I have been so struck lately by the brevity of life, by the temporary-ness (new word!) of everything here on earth. It truly is a vapor. And if I can wrap my mind around that concept, if I can really grasp the truth in my heart, how will it affect he way I live?

Unless Jesus returns sooner, I am guaranteed to stand before Him in 50 years, give or take a few. On that day, will it matter that I had a few sleepless nights because of a teething baby? Or will the important thing be that I was obedient in caring for one of His precious children with patience and love, even at 3 a.m.?

Ethan broke a plate the other day. I had warned him to be careful, but as 7-year-olds will do, he tried to hang on to it and take his shoes off at the same time. Standing amid shards of glass, his eyes held a look of panic. "I'm so, so sorry."

On that day, will it matter that a plate is broken? Or will the important thing be how I taught a lesson that the temporal things of this world don't really matter, that grace and love and forgiveness and an eternal view are all that matter?

Robert Moffat said, "We shall have all of eternity in which to celebrate our victories, but only one swift hour before the sunset in which to win them."

I press toward the mark.

And just the beginning glimpse of that is changing the way that I view everything.

simple food: oatmeal

2011-10-07T06:39:00.000-05:00

As a child, I hated oatmeal. It was a texture thing...I just couldn't get past the slime. My mom served it with lots of brown sugar and milk, which to me didn't improve it at all. You now had sweet slime. It wasn't until just a few years ago that I was able to truly embrace oatmeal...and the secret for me is proper preparation and cooking. I am so glad now that I can enjoy this frugal, nutritious food. Lately I've been eating it every single morning.

Here's how I make my morning oatmeal. The night before in a small saucepan, I mix 1/2 c. old fashioned rolled oats, 1 c. filtered water and about a tablespoon of whey (leftover from making greek yogurt). There are a couple of reasons for soaking it this way. One, it neutralizes the phytic acid, which is in whole grains and nuts and prevents us from absorbing the nutrients from our food. This also makes the oats more digestable. And two, it makes them cook up super-fast...not quite as fast as instant, but more like quick oats. Did you know that oatmeal boxes used to include instructions for soaking overnight? It used to be a common practice...now lost in our age of convenience.

The next morning, I turn the heat on low under the saucepan and simmer the oatmeal for about three minutes, or until it's thick. That's it!

This makes one generous serving. When I make it for the whole family, I use 2 c. oats, 4 c. water and a couple tablespoons of whey. This is what I usually fix on Sunday morning because it is a simple, one-pot meal that I can throw on the table before we head out the door for church.

My boys love it with butter, honey, cinnamon and raisins. Sometimes for a treat I sprinkle theirs with unsweetened carob chips instead of raisins. My current favorite combo is oatmeal/sliced banana/almond butter. Another favorite is sliced banana, a drizzle of tahini and some chopped unsweetened baking chocolate. It sounds weird, but don't knock it til you try it!

Don't be afraid to experiment. I actually got a lot of ideas from reading vegetarian/vegan blogs. I may not agree with their nutritional views, but those ladies know their oatmeal! Mix in some canned pumpkin or applesauce at the end of the cooking period. Add a swirl of peanut butter. Try sprinkling the top with ground flax seed or sunflower seeds. The possibilities are endless.

I do find that adding a little protein and fat, usually in the form of a nut butter, makes oatmeal stick with me much longer than it would otherwise.

My local health food store sells 25-pound bags of organic rolled oats for $25.00. I don't know what that comes out to per serving, but a bag will last our family of six for several months. Even with the cost of add-ins and toppings, that's a pretty cheap breakfast.

simple food: home canned chicken stock

2011-10-06T06:51:00.002-05:00

To simplify our lives and to spend less money on ourselves in order to have more to give to others, we are trying to eat more simply. This is easier for me to do in cool weather because we can make lots of soups and stews which are inexpensive but still nourishing. Of course, the base of a good soup is the stock. Not only does homemade bone broth, or stock, add terrific flavor to whatever you put it in, but it is so good for you. An African proverb says, "Good broth will raise the dead".

The problem with using homemade stock is that it is time-consuming to make. I have been trying to make it and freeze it to have on hand, but there is the problem of freezer space and what kind of containers to store it in...I try to avoid plastics, and I've had glass jars break when I use them for freezer storage.

Last week, I realized the obvious solution: can it!

I used a chicken carcasse and made a big batch of chicken stock in the crock pot. At the same time, I made a pot of beef stock using soup bones from the steer that we butchered in the spring. Carrots, onion, celery, a splash of vinegar and simmered for 24 hours...mmmmm!

Skim the fat from the top, if you don't want it in there. A lot of people like the added nutritional value of the fat...I have an aversion to greasy soup, so I skim it off. Pour into hot quart or pint canning jars, leaving 1 inch headspace. Put on the lids and process in the pressure canner at 10 pounds pressure, 20 minutes for pints and 25 minutes for quarts.

Easy-peasy, and now I have stock to grab when I need it, no need to thaw or take up the space in my freezer.

If you've never used a pressure canner, don't worry...they are so simple to operate once you have done it a few times. Mine just came from Wal-Mart. Follow the instructions that come with it and you can't go wrong. Your local extension office can help you. Or better yet, find an older lady in your church or community who can teach you...most of them grew up with home-canned food and are thrilled to have an opportunity to share their knowledge!

This post is part of Pennywise Platter Thursday, hosted by The Nourishing Gourmet.

clarity

2011-10-04T15:08:00.000-05:00

Hello, ladies.
It's been a long time!
I apologize. But I don't apologize, really, because I have needed this time. I have so needed it. Sometimes we get wrapped up in everyday life and we lose focus. We forget what life is really all about. And we need to step away from distractions in order to hear God's voice more clearly.

I contemplated closing the blog altogether. To be honest, the only reason that I didn't several times is because there are so many recipes here that I refer to and don't have written down anywhere else! It has seemed self-centered, self-serving and arrogant to presume that I could put anything on the web that 1) hasn't already been written and 2)would benefit someone, when I am so flawed myself.

But just this week, I believe that God has given me a new vision for the blog.

I'll write more about what I want to do in the days and weeks to come. But for now let me say this: I believe that if I am to continue writing, it should be for HIS glory and it should be to further HIS kingdom. That is my new criteria for posting. Not simply a yummy recipe. Not simply my thoughts that I want to throw out there and receive feedback on.

Because while cooking and homemaking and taking care of these wonderful little people is important...

HE is the most important thing. And if my home, my family, my kitchen, my words, my entire life isn't about HIM, then it is all useless.

brazilian fish stew

2011-04-08T17:28:00.005-05:00

Our local grocery store has started carrying wild-caught salmon, cod and flounder. Only problem is that it costs anywhere from four to five dollars a pound and we have some fish lovers in our family. I am not cool with spending ten dollars on meat for one meal!

Enter fish stew, a way to stretch a pound of fish to feed our whole family. I found this recipe online and we loved it! Well, Stephen and I did anyway. The boys are skeptical but I am confident that we can win them over. Hey, I have one sweet-potato hater now eating sweet potatoes as proof that their tastes can change!

I cut back on the onions in this recipe and left the peppers out completely, since several in our family aren't crazy about them. It was still good. Also, the original recipe called for garlic in the marinade which we also left out, because we felt like it would just be too much. I'm afraid it would bother Anwyn's tummy anyway.

Brazilian Fish Stew

3 T lime juice
1 T cumin
1 T paprika
1 t salt
1 t pepper
1-2 lb. firm white fish, cut into bite-sized chunks.

Mix together, cover and marinade in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes, up to 24 hours.

2 T olive oil
2 onions, chopped
4 sliced bell peppers
1 can diced tomatoes with juice (I used fresh tomatoes, about 2 c.)
1 can coconut milk (14 oz)
chopped cilantro

In a large saucepan, brown onions in olive oil. On top of the onions, layer tomatoes, peppers, and marinaded fish. Pour coconut milk over the top and simmer for 15 minutes. Add desired amount of chopped cilantro and simmer for an additional 5-10 minutes, until the fish is cooked through.

I served this with fresh sourdough bread, but I'll bet homemade tortillas would be terrific too. I also think that it would be good with something spicy added--maybe red pepper flakes, or even jalapeno, if you like a little heat.

This post is part of fight back friday, hosted by Food Renegade.

A is for Anwyn...

2011-04-08T15:03:00.004-05:00

also for adorable...

also for adored...

which she very much is!

random thoughts

2011-04-07T06:40:00.003-05:00

* Anwyn is growing like a weed. She is officially out of newborn clothes now. Her brothers love her so much, which thrills me...Ethan says that he doesn't want her to grow up, he just wants her to stay little forever. Philip calls her "sweetheart". Owen tells me almost daily, "I just love Anwyn!" Any loser guys who might have an interest in her when she gets older? They won't have a chance.

* The weirdest thing...I didn't have any huge cravings while I was pregnant, but I have them now. And they are mostly for healthy fats that I never even liked that much before. Whole milk. Olives. Mayonnaise. Fried eggs. I guess I must need them if I'm craving them that much. I'm even eating green olives, which have been the only item on my "can't stand" food list for most of my life.

* Monday we took a steer to the locker, which means that in a week or so we will have grassfed beef to last us a long time. Yay.

* My lettuce is almost ready to pick and my zucchini plants are up. Due to a certain little person making her appearance in February, I don't really have time to garden this year, but I'm planting as much as I can in pots. In addition to a few veggies, I also have rosemary, cilantro, basil, oregano and lemon balm. Love, love, love fresh herbs! Rosemary is my favorite.

* No raw milk for awhile.:( My dad and mom's cow is due to calve in June so they dried her up until then. Fortunately, I was able to make quite a bit of raw butter to put in the freezer and I also froze a little milk for the boys to drink over the next couple of months.

* Anwyn seems to have a sensitivity to milk right now so I am not eating dairy for the first time in my life. The first week was torture ("How can I live without butter?!") but it has gotten easier and I must say I think it will help me lose my baby weight. I am really looking forward to cheese again though.

* Apparently I have a really great sourdough starter. My goal is to let the bread rise for at least eight hours. I started out using 1 c. of starter in my standard bread recipe and it rose in just a couple of hours. So I cut it back to 1/2 c. This increased the rise time to a whole four hours. I am now using only 1/4 c. of starter and the last batch of bread that I made rose for 18 hours. Not only does this make it so much more digestible, but it gives it a stronger sourdough flavor, which I love.

* All of this food stuff is making me hungry for breakfast. See ya later!

perfect mayonnaise!

2011-03-27T16:39:00.004-05:00

I really, really hate pictureless posts but I am going to post one anyway. Life with four kids definitely leaves me less time for things like photography...not that I am much of a photographer in the first place, but pausing in the midst of hectic meal prep to take a picture of our food, then upload it to the computer, then edit and resize it...not happening much these days. Half the time I am nursing the baby while I fix supper. I have gotten pretty good at multitasking, but haven't yet figured out how to breastfeed, peel carrots and take pictures at the same time. I would like to be an octopus at this stage of my life, with eight arms so that I could do many things at once!

Anyway, on to mayonnaise.

I have made the recipe from Nourishing Traditions several times, using olive oil. It was good, but not as thick as I would have liked, and even with a very light oil, it had a strong taste. Another one of those recipes that I would eat but the rest of the family wasn't crazy about. Stephen is a Kraft man and I wanted something that resembled what he is used to.

So I combined several recipes and came up with this. It is awesome, if I may say so myself. It looks like mayo, it smells like mayo, it tastes like mayo. And I don't feel guilty about eating it because not only is it made with nourishing ingredients, it is lacto-fermented so it is full of beneficial bacteria!

I used the stick blender method, which is definitely the way to go. No adding the oil one drop at a time...I don't have any more time to do that than I do to take pictures! If you don't have a stick blender, it is well worth your while to get one for this recipe alone. I think Wal-Mart has them for around $20.00

The perfect mayonnaise recipe:

3 egg yolks
1 T apple cider vinegar
2 t. maple syrup
1/2 t. salt
1 T whey
1 c. expeller pressed sunflower oil

Bring egg yolks to room temperature. This is very important--if they are cold, your mayo will not get thick. Actually, all of your ingredients need to be at room temp. The only thing that was cold in mine was the whey because I forgot to pull it out of the fridge.

In a widemouth quart jar or other fairly narrow container (my stick blender came with a narrow container that it will just fit inside), put egg yolks, vinegar, maple syrup, salt and whey. Pour oil on top but do not mix.

Put your blender inside, all the way to the bottom and turn it on high for 10-15 seconds. The mayo will start to get thick at the bottom. Slowly pull the blender up to incorporate the oil on top...if the mayo gets really thick, you may have to pull it up and down a few times to get everything mixed properly. It takes 30 seconds max. Seriously. None of that drop by drop business!

Cover tightly and let sit at room temperature for 7 hours. This ferments the mayo, which makes it thicker and makes it last much longer in the fridge.

Refrigerate and use as needed! Yum!

salad!

2011-03-22T06:47:00.003-05:00

I am currently obsessed with tahini so I thought I'd share one of my favorite salad dressing recipes. Like so many of the things that I make, amounts are general and can be adjusted according to your taste. I like salad dressing with a kick so I do more vinegar than most people.

Creamy Tahini Dressing

1/2 c. olive oil
1/2 c. apple cider vinegar
2-3 T. tahini
1 clove garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste

Whisk together until emulsified.

You can add dried or fresh herbs, if you want. Because of the olive oil, this dressing tends to get really thick in the refrigerator so it's better to get it out a half hour or so before you need to use it. Stir well before using.

Tahini is available from most health food stores and from Azure Standard.

oh. my.

2011-03-12T14:16:00.003-06:00

I've been reading for some time about the wonders of coconut butter...this is not the same thing as coconut oil or coconut milk...it is basically coconut that has been ground like nuts into a smooth, sweet butter. It is extremely versatile and can be used to make icing like this recipe from the Gnowfglins blog.

However, buying coconut butter like this brand won't happen on my grocery budget. So I had resigned myself to living without it.

This week, I di scovered this. I can make my own for a fraction of the cost! I can buy a 10-oz. bag of unswetened coconut at the health food store for $2.24. Not bad, huh?

So I tried it today. And oh my goodness, it is so good. I only had to process it for about 10 minutes, but I was worried about burning up my food processor so I would let it run for about 2 minutes, then let it rest for about 1.

It made about a cup of butter, which if I'm careful will last me for awhile. I can't wait to try it out in many different recipes!

coconut clip art courtesy of food clip art.

new baby survival menu plan

2011-03-08T17:01:00.003-06:00

Having a new baby in the house, as wonderful as it is, presents a whole new set of challenges when it comes to eating healthfully. Anwyn is two weeks old now and I am more than ready to get back into the swing of things. We've eaten what I would probably call a 50/50 diet during these two weeks...50% real food and 50% processed food...I will admit that we have had some fish sticks, and our cold cereal intake has definitely increased! Time to get back on track.

Anwyn sleeps a lot during the day, which definitely helps. But her awake, fussy time seems to be around five or six o'clock in the evening. So I have started fixing supper--or at least as much of it as I can--earlier in the day, while she is asleep. This includes cutting up raw veggies or making a salad, cooking soup, making bread, etc.

I don't expect our diet to be perfect right now. For the sake of everyone's sanity I am willing to make allowances! But I do want to eat as well as we can...so I've been working on a menu plan that is simple and nutritious and doesn't require a lot of prep.

Breakfasts: oatmeal
baked oatmeal
yogurt and toast
fruit and toast
smoothies
granola and milk or yogurt
scrambled eggs and toast (I can do this if the baby sleeps in!)

Lunches: peanut butter and jelly or honey
quesadillas
hard-boiled eggs, cheese, bread and butter, fruit or veggies
leftovers
smoothies

Suppers: quesadillas (always a hit and super-easy!)
red beans and rice (I'll compromise here and use canned beans and boil-in-
bag rice if I have to)
spaghetti
soups and stews that can be made in the crock pot
chicken/pasta salad

Snacks: hard-boiled eggs
peanut butter balls
string cheese
fruit
pretzels
leftover pancakes, waffles or biscuits
yogurt
banana chocolate pudding
toast
almonds
dates or raisins
carrot sticks

Ethan has hit a point where he eats non-stop, so coming up with nutritious snacks is a real challenge. I shudder to think what life will be like when I have three teenage boys! Either I will spend every waking moment in the kitchen, they will have to learn to cook for themselves! Of course, if grocery prices keep going up the way that they are, they may just have to learn to love beans.:0)

baked french toast

2011-03-08T09:28:00.003-06:00

This is perfect for those stale ends of sourdough that you really don't want to throw away. Plus, you mix it up the night before so all you have to do is pop it in the oven for a quick, hot breakfast. All three of the boys liked it, which is always a huge plus!

4-5 thick slices of sourdough bread
1 c. milk
2 eggs
dash vanilla
cinnamon

Cut bread into 1-inch cubes and spread evenly in a buttered 8x8" pyrex pan. In a bowl, whisk together milk, eggs and vanilla. Pour over bread cubes. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

The next morning, uncover and bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until set and browned on top. Serve warm with maple syrup.

links

2011-03-07T16:45:00.003-06:00

If you love reading real food blogs as much as I do, check these out:

Wholesome Gal

Heather Eats Almond Butter

I have only one complaint: they make me hungry!

single serving carob coconut bark

2011-03-07T13:27:00.004-06:00

Maybe you have a craving for something sweet but don't have time or energy to mix up a big batch of something. Maybe, like me, you're trying to lose baby weight and don't want the temptation of having a big batch of something around. Enter single serving dessert! I can mix this up in a matter of minutes and stick it in the freezer to have as a mid-afternoon pick-me-up. It's full of healthy fats and only has a teaspoon of raw honey so it's also a guilt-free treat!

In a small bowl mix together:

1 T coconut oil (or half coconut oil, half butter...I like to do this for added richness and flavor)
1 t. raw honey
1 1/2 t. carob powder
1 T unsweetened coconut flakes

Spread thinly on a wax-paper covered plate and freeze until firm.

live!

2011-03-03T09:54:00.004-06:00

Changes are in the wind around our house.

Our kids watch too many movies, especially too many silly cartoons. Stephen and I spend too much time online. We had a serious talk yesterday about how we want our family to operate, how we want our kids to grow up and turn out, what is essential and what it not. Right now we have a lot of questions and are thinking through answers...but this we know: we do not want our children to grow up in the shallow fantasy world of movies and video games that so many young people today live in. We want them to be mature, to be responsible, to have a good work ethic, and to live their lives to the very fullest.

We are not anti-technology. We don't want to retreat to some luddite commune and isolate ourselves from the world. But we want real relationships. We want to be in touch with real life, real people, real food, real work...not to live a dream vicariously through something we watch on a mind-numbing screen.

We want our children to be happy with simple entertainment, to enjoy doing things together as a family, to entertain themselves using imagination and to grow into young adults, not old children.

In past cultures, children grew up without the luxuries that we enjoy today. And their lives as adults were a testimony to the fact that it worked. Heroes rose out of those simple homes. Where are the heroes coming out of our society?

We know that it has to begin with us, as the parents. We have to lead by example. We have to live--really live--in such a way that the children want to follow. We can't tell them to play outside while we sit in the house and surf the web. We can't tell them to read a book while we watch a movie. We can't tell them to go build something out of blocks while we text a friend for two hours.

What we can do is to go outside with them. We can grow a garden. We can brush the horses. We can go for walks and explore the woods. We can cook healthful food and let them get their hands dirty while they help. We can read them great literature. We can build forts and play games. We can invite friends over for cookouts and tell stories and show the next generation that it is ok to just be, without being constantly entertained.

I'm rambling here...my thoughts are in no way conclusive or concrete at this point. But if we intend to make changes, the time to do it is now. With every day that goes by, we are developing our children's appetites and character. I'm thinking that life is about to get simpler and richer at our house as we discipline ourselves to make a break from some harmful habits. And I'm excited!

since my brain is slightly fuzzy...

2011-02-28T11:16:00.007-06:00

...and since I'm not doing any cooking. Or baking. Or decorating. Or crafting at the moment...maybe a few pictures will suffice for this post. I have, however, been doing some reading and thinking on the whole natural living/chemical free thing, so I'll be posting about that soon.

Yes, we think she is absolutely adorable.

Philip tells us, "Oh, I just love our new baby so much!"

Ethan can't get her name straight. At one point we had considered calling her Ava, and that's what he calls her. It may become a nickname!

Owen has had the biggest adjustment, mainly because he is a real snuggler and he hates the fact that I can't lift him right now. He's done pretty well with it though. It took him awhile to warm up to the idea of a new baby...his expression here pretty much says it all...but now he says that he loves her. He told me this morning, "I love her tiny hands."

introducing...

2011-02-25T11:21:00.004-06:00

Anwyn Gabrielle
Born Feb. 22, 2011
7 lb. 5 oz.
20 1/4 " long

Blogging may be light for the next couple of weeks...for obvious reasons. Lots of snugglin' going on around here!

why I homebirth

2011-02-21T17:42:00.003-06:00

If everything goes as planned, we will be having our fourth homebirth in the next few weeks. I love, love, love homebirth. Here are just a few of the reasons why:

* I can be in my own bedroom. I hate hospitals, hate their sterility and coldness. I love my bedroom. I can relax in there in a way that I don't think I ever could in a hospital.

* I am surrounded by people that I know and love. Of course, Stephen is there. But also my awesome midwife and her assistants...who are personal friends. No strange nurses or doctors participating in one of the most intimate events of my life.

* I can labor at my own pace. There is no pressure to progress at a certain rate, no fear of unnecessary c-section.

* I can labor in my own way. I am not hooked to five thousand monitors and IVs. I can walk if I want to, sit if I want to, stand or squat if I want to, get in the tub or the shower...whatever feels best.

* I am safer. There is a lot of controvery over this, but statistics show that homebirths have far fewer complications than hospital births. This is largely due to less medical intervention. Plus, in my own home I am not exposed to a lot of strange germs.

* I can relax afterwards in my own bed, eat my own food and have my family and friends around me. There is peace. No beeping monitors or strangers in the next room. The baby stays tucked in next to me.

* Stephen and I can create the birth experience that we want. No one is trying to force us to do something (medical or otherwise) that we are not comfortable with. While we are definitely under the care of professionals, we are in control of the environment and atmosphere of our birth and I love, love, love that.

Did I mention that I love homebirth?

*

sourdough cinnamon rolls revisited

2011-02-18T12:36:00.003-06:00

I've been craving cinnamon rolls. I made some with sourdough a long time ago using my regular bread recipe and while they were good, I've been wanting to try them using a richer dough. This is the result. And I could eat the entire pan by myself. I still need to tweak amounts so won't post the recipe just yet, but look for it in the future!

simple lives thursday--hand stitching

2011-02-18T08:35:00.003-06:00

With my due date only two weeks away, I find myself sitting down a lot more than I used to. I have to pace myself through the day...work for awhile, sit for awhile. I needed a project to work on while I am resting so I decided to make our little girl an Easter dress.

I have always loved to piece quilts by hand but I have never done any other kind of hand sewing (other than cross stitch and embroidery). Since this is a baby dress that won't get a lot of wear and tear, I decided to stitch it by hand so that I can work on it wherever I want to.

Sewing machines are a wonderful invention. I love mine. But there is something about hand stitching that is so relaxing. It forces you to slow down and to focus on the simple motion of in and out...while creating something beautiful.

This post is part of Simple Lives Thursdays.

raw milk love

2011-02-14T06:07:00.005-06:00

One of the greatest things about living where we do is that we have an unlimited supply of raw milk from my dad and mom's milk cow. They are empty nesters and actually use very little milk themselves but my dad, bless his heart, continues to milk every day for his children and grandchildren...he gets up at the crack of dawn in order to do it before he goes to work every morning. We go through at least four gallons a week and sometimes more, and while I do cook with it, we try to consume as much of it raw as possible.

Pasturizing milk destroys the enzymes that aid with digestion. That's why a lot of people who are lactose intolerant can drink it raw. Pasturization also destroys many of the vitamins in milk and , according to Nourishing Traditions, reduces the availability of milk's mineral components.

Here are just a few of the ways that we use our milk:

Drink it! I know, that's fairly obvious. But I do try to give it to the boys with every meal and sometimes in-between. I'm not much of a milk drinker, but lately I have actually been craving it...maybe it has something to do with pregnancy.

Vanilla milk. This is the easiest thing in the world and so good...just mix a glass of raw milk with a pinch of stevia and a drop of vanilla.

Raw milk warmers. Mix together milk, honey and cinnamon or cocoa or carob powder and heat until just warm but not hot. This is a good substitute for hot cocoa on cold mornings!

Smoothies. Most smoothie recipes call for yogurt but I just use milk...it's easier and I don't have to add extra sweeteners to compensate for the tartness of the yogurt.

Smoothie popcicles. Freeze leftover smoothie mixture in popcicle molds.

Raw Yogurt. I adapted the recipe from Nourishing Traditions: Heat milk to 110 degrees. Stir in about 2 T yogurt per quart of milk. Pour into clean quart jars and cover tightly. Leave in the dehydrator at 95 degrees for about 5 hours, or until set.

Raw Yogurt Cheese. Make yogurt. Then let the whey drain out through a cloth of coffee filter for about 8 hours or overnight. Use as a spread, dip, or anywhere you would use unheated cream cheese.

Raw butter. Butter is good. Enough said.:)

Creme Fresh. Mix 1 pint heavy raw cream with 2 T cultured buttermilk and let sit at room temperature for about 24 hours or til thick. Use as a sour cream substitute. This is really, really rich but oh, so good.

Use raw milk, cream and butter liberally on oatmeal, poured over cake, slathered on good bread (sourdough is the best!), on fruit, rice veggies, anything that it would go on where it isn't heated or cooked. And don't feel guilty!

what's new in the kitchen?

2011-02-10T16:06:00.005-06:00

Well, more sourdough experiments, for one thing. This is bread using my white flour starter and about 1/2 whole wheat flour. I almost let it over-rise...after about 13 hours of rising, it looked like it was about to fall so I hurried and baked it. It had an air pocket under the top crust and was a little crumbly. Next time I will probably bake it after 11-12 hours of rising.

And this morning we had sourdough bagels! I was tickled with the way these turned out. The only problem is that I got the recipe online and can't remember where, so I can't share it. These were made with all unbleached all-purpose flour. Maybe next time I will try whole wheat.

All I feel like is fresh, raw food right now. I'm having a hard time getting down the protein that late pregnancy requires. Anyway, I had some fresh cranberries left from Christmas so I made a raw cranberry sauce in the food processor. It's a snap to make...cranberries, chopped apple, an orange, raisins and honey to taste. I left the honey out because I don't mind if it's fairly tart. Yum! This would be so good with a dollop of whipped cream (raw, of course!).

I also made these raw granola-type bars. I was inspired by a recipe that I found on a blog that was basically the same ingredients, only it was baked. I thought, why not leave everything raw and get the added nutritional benefits? All I did was to blend up a mixture of 1 c. almonds, 1 c. pumpkin seeds, 1 c. sunflower seeds and 1/2 c. walnuts in the food processor until finely ground. Then I added 1/2 c. coconut oil and 1/3 c. raw honey and blended it until it held together in a "dough". I dumped it in a bowl and added chopped dates and some whole pumpkin seeds for crunch. Then pressed it into a 9x9 inch pan and chilled until firm. They're a little crumbly--I think I might add a little more coconut oil next time--but oh so good!

Speaking of raw food, this week I also made the raw yogurt from Nourishing Traditions and it turned out great. I love to feed the boys yogurt even more now, knowing that they get the benefits of unpasturized milk. Sweeten it with a little maple syrup, add blueberries and almonds and you have a gourmet breakfast!

the sugar-free challenge: keeping it going

2011-02-07T06:20:00.005-06:00

I posted awhile back about the sugar-free challenge going on at The Nourishing Gourmet. Even before this challenge, one of my New Years goals was to significantly reduce the amount of sugar in our diets. I am happy to report that we are making progress! It's not perfect yet, mind you, but we are eating waaayyy less than we were before.

The biggest help for us, I have found, is simply to not make it available. I do keep white and brown and powdered sugar on hand and even an occasional brownie or cake mix for the days that I cook for church meals or for someone else, but I don't use them for us. If I bake cookies, I use sprouted flour and rapadura, maple syrup or honey.

I find that the less refined sugar the boys eat, the happier they are with healthful alternatives. Philip wasn't thrilled about healthy oatmeal cookies at first but now he eats them with enthusiasm. Of course, when given a choice they will always choose the junk food, but if they don't have a choice, they're happy with whatever we have.

I would like to reduce the amount of sweets that we eat overall--even healthy ones--but I figure that will come with time. I am trying to gradually switch to non-sweet snacks like cheese and crackers, fresh fruit and veggies, etc.

I don't make myself the sweets police when we go out somewhere. If we want to buy the boys an ice cream, we get them an ice cream. If we are at a church dinner, I let them choose a dessert like the other kids. But at home, that stuff is gradually going away. And I am loving it!

recommended viewing

2011-02-05T07:01:00.003-06:00

If you, like much of the nation, are buried under a blanket of snow and surviving sub-zero temperatures, maybe you need a good movie recommendation to help pass the time today.

Stephen and I recently watched this one as a Netflix watch instantly selection and it gave us a lot to think about. While we were already concerned with the way that we eat, this renewed our commitment to eat organically, locally (as much as possible) and to eliminate MSG and genetically modified foods from our diet.

By the way, do a google search for all of the ingredient names that MSG falls under. Wow. It is virtually impossible to find a single processed food that doesn't contain it, sometimes from two or three sources.

total randomness

2011-02-03T14:31:00.008-06:00

*I woke up this morning to the news that I have a new nephew! My older sister had a chunky monkey little boy (9lb. 2oz.!), who joins three sisters and one very excited brother. This is the first time that she and I have been pregnant at the same time and it has been fun.

*Yes, like much of the nation our backyard has turned into the frozen tundra. It is freezing. I tried to walk a little while ago but in about 5 minutes my face was numb and my head hurt from the wind so I gave it up. The boys are stir-crazy after days of being cooped up in the house so Stephen took them to work with him.

*I have spent much of my day keeping fires burning in the wood stove and fireplace. Believe me, this is no easy task for someone as boy scout-challenged as I am. The fireplace and I have a love/hate relationship but I think I am about to master the art of keeping it going.

*I took advantage of the empty house and did some cleaning. Well, mostly it was organizing and decluttering. But it felt good. Fortunately I did not have to dust or vaccuum the living room because I did that yesterday. Yay, me.

*I love the look of quilts on cold winter days, even when I'm not curled up in them.

*I also love the colors of fresh fruits and vegetables. If I didn't believe that it would be detrimental to my health in the long run, I would be a total raw foodist. After you've learned to eat a high percentage of raw food, most cooked stuff seems to blah. And it's all the same color!

*It is so much easier to clean the boys' room when they aren't home! I had to organize Owen's stuffed animals. He is obsessed with these animals. Before naptime and bedtime, he takes inventory and if one is missing, he can't go to bed until it is found and in it's proper place. There's barely room for him in the bed any more.

*I sorted through some of the boys' many, many drawings and had to decide which ones to keep and which to throw away. It gets harder and harder--they are all so cute! This one is Philip's...I believe it is an Indian horse with a rider on its back.

*And this one is Ethan's. His current passion is survival in Alaska. I used to think I would like to live in Alaska, but after this week I'm not so sure. The lack of fresh air is starting to get to me.

Happy Thursday, everyone!

pennywise platter thursday--snack foods

2011-02-03T10:05:00.006-06:00

Ethan is six now and is entering the stage where he is seemingly a bottomless pit. He can eat a huge meal and thirty minutes later ask for a snack. If you've shopped for snack foods lately, you know that they aren't cheap. And if you try to buy healthy snack foods--well, let's just say that our budget won't even begin to go there. The last time I shopped at the health food store, I stood in line behind a lady who had four kids with her and obviously had a much larger grocery budget than I do. Her buggy was filled with what I would estimate to be a week's worth of natural, organic convenience foods. Her bill was over $400.00. Ouch!

Over the last couple of months, we have made a big effort to get rid of processed foods in our house, paying special attention to anything that contains MSG. That means that I have had to come up with some affordable snacks for the boys that are filling and don't break the bank. I won't say that these are cheap to make, but the price is comparable to the unhealthy stuff.

The above picture is what we simply call "treat balls"...I don't really have a recipe for them, but they are just dried fruit, almonds, carob powder, coconut oil and coconut thrown into the food processor and blended, rolled into balls and refrigerated. I think I used prunes in those because that's what I had on hand, but dates work the best. The taste is similar to Larabars. The two oldest like them, but Owen doesn't.

This is probably my favorite homemade cracker recipe. They do have a large amount of fat in them so they aren't cheap to make, but they are rich and satisfying...it takes us awhile to go through a batch of them. The boys all like them either plan or with peanut butter. I eat them with liver pate or cheese. Yum.:)

This is a whole batch. It will last us for several weeks. We would probably go through $6-$8 worth of storebought crackers in the same amount of time.

We're also doing a lot of fruit. This time of year, we can get those wonderful little clementine oranges, which we literally eat by the gallon. Apple slices, banana and kiwi are favorites, and sometimes I splurge and get blueberries.

Smoothies are cheap, fast and filling. I just blend up raw milk, frozen bananas and frozen blueberries when I am in a hurry...if I have more time, I add ground flax seed, egg yolks and cod liver oil for added nutrition. Sometimes we just do smoothies for lunch and the boys love it. They feel like they're getting milkshakes!

Whenever I make sprouted wheat waffles or pancakes, I try to make a big batch and the boys snack on those. I reheat them in the toaster and sometimes they eat them with butter like bread, sometimes with butter, date sugar and cinnamon. We also do lots of leftover muffins or toast for snacks.

A couple things that I do still buy that I know are not the greatest as far as nutrition goes but aren't absolutely terrible are pretzels and string cheese. I buy the pretzel sticks because they don't have the hydrogenated oil that the curvey ones have...I guess they need the fat to make them flexible?? Anyway, sometimes the boys eat those with peanut butter. And I can't find string cheese that isn't low-fat, meaning that it's made with part-skim milk, meaning that it has powdered milk added to it, which isn't the greatest. But I consider it to be a transition food and it's still vastly better than cold cereal and pop tarts.:)

This post is part of Pennywise Platter Thursdays, hosted by The Nourishing Gourmet.

real food wednesday--salad dressing

2011-02-02T12:05:00.003-06:00

As you make the transition to a real/traditional foods diet, one of the easiest things to replace is storebought salad dressings. There are so many terrific recipes out there to make your own with healthful ingredients. The easiest one, of course, is simply an olive oil vinaigrette with garlic, herbs, salt and pepper.

This recipe is a little more complicated but still easy to whip up. I adapted it from one in a raw foods cookbook that I have and it is one of my favorites. It has fresh lemon juice instead of vinegar, which is also very good for you. It's crazy to me that lemons actually have an alkalizing effect on the body when they are so acid, but they do. And like any citrus, they are a good source of vitamin C.

This time of year, the cilantro that I get in the grocery store doesn't have a very strong flavor. If you don't like cilantro or you just prefer a milder flavored dressing, you can substitute parsley.

1/2 c. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 T soy sauce
1 t. sea salt
pepper to taste
1 bunch fresh cilantro
about 1/2 c. raw sunflower seeds (soaked and dehydrated would be best, but I don't always have time for that)
water

Mix all ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Thin with water, if desired.

I could eat this stuff with a spoon!

This post is part of Real Food Wednesday.

links

2011-01-28T10:20:00.001-06:00

Yesterday the FDA deregulated genetically engineered alfalfa. You can read more about it here.

And after reading this, I don't think I will ever eat at Taco Bell again!

sourdough!

2011-01-27T09:26:00.006-06:00

Last summer, my fabulous sourdough starter died when temperatures reached 90+ in our unairconditioned house. I finally got around to making another starter this week and baked bread for the first time with it yesterday. While it needs to mature, I was happy with the way that it turned out for the first time.

I'm often guilty of "winging it" in the kitchen, so I couldn't remember exactly how I made my last starter or what bread recipe I used the last time I baked with it. I really should take notes! I do know that my last starter was whole wheat and this time I made it with unbleached white flour. I read that white flour starters are more stable and less fragile than wheat starters. I also baked this first batch of bread with unbleached flour because I knew that it would probably not be the greatest and I wanted to ensure some measure of success. From now on, I will use some percentage of freshly ground whole wheat.

Starter:
1 c. unbleached white flour
1 c. filtered water

Mix together in a plastic or glass bowl and cover with a clean dish towel. Set in a warm place (I put it on a chair next to our wood stove). Every day for the next week, stir it down and add 1/2 c. flour and 1/2 c. water. After a day or two, you should start to see some bubbling action and it should start to get a sourdough smell. By day seven, my starter was completely foamy when I stirred it. I had never had it do this before...maybe it had something to do with the white flour???

To make bread, I used my regular basic sandwich bread recipe only left the yeast out and substituted sourdough starter for some of the liquid.

1 c. sourdough starter
1 1/2 c. filtered water (room temperature or slightly warm)
1 T sea salt
1/4 c olive oil
2 T honey
Enough unbleached flour to make a soft dough

Stir together starter, water, salt, oil and honey. Add enough flour to make a dough that holds together but is not stiff...you want it to be nice and soft. Turn onto a floured surface and knead until smooth, about five minutes.

Generously grease two glass bread pans with coconut oil or butter. Divide dough in half, shape into loaves and put into pans, pressing down to smooth the edges. Brush tops with olive or coconut oil to prevent a skin from forming as it rises. Place in a warm place and cover with a dish towel.

My bread took about 13 hours to double in size. After about 4 hours, I was beginning to wonder if it was going to rise at all, but by 6, I could tell that it was growing. I actually think that it could have risen for another couple of hours and made larger loaves, but it was bedtime and I was tired so I went ahead and baked it.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes. Let sit in pans for 15 minutes. Turn onto wire racks and cool completely before storing in plastic bags.

This bread isn't perfect. I do wish that the loaves were a little larger and of course, whole wheat flour would be much better. But it's a start and I will make changes as my starter develops and improves.

My plan--which worked beautifully with my last starter--is to store the remaining starter in a glass jar in the fridge. Next time I want to make bread, I will bring it to room temperature and feed it small amounts of flour and water throughout a day until it's nice and bubbly and I have enough to make the bread.

This post is part of Pennywise Platter Thursdays. If you've priced healthier breads at the grocery or health food store, you know that it is waaay cheaper to make your own. And so much more satisfying!

real food wednesday--breakfast banana pudding

2011-01-26T06:31:00.006-06:00

This is one of the easiest things in the world to whip up and it is sooo good for a quick breakfast.

1/3 c. yogurt cheese (recipe at the bottom)
1 ripe banana, cut into chunks
1 T honey (optional--I leave it out, but sometimes the cheese can be a little tart)
1 T cocoa or carob powder
assorted toppings such as berries, chopped nuts, pumpkin or sunflower seeds, etc.)

In a bowl, mash together yogurt cheese, banana, honey and cocoa until smooth. Sprinkle with toppings and enjoy!

This could easily be doubled or tripled for more people and even blended in a food processor in larger amounts.

Yogurt Cheese:

1 quart plain yogurt (preferably homemade, but storebought will do)

Pour into a clean floursack dishtowel or several layers of cheesecloth. Gather the corners and tie with a string. Hang from your kitchen faucet or from a hook with a bowl under it to catch the whey (I use a towel rack next to my sink) and let drip for about 8 hours or until very thick. Salt to taste. I use this for everything--dips, "cream cheese" icings, spread on toast, whatever your imagination comes up with. And the whey that drips off of it is used for soaking grains and lacto ferments. Nothing goes to waste!

Alternatively, you can pour your yogurt into a cloth-lined colander and let it drain in the sink. However, you will need to stir it from time to time to make sure that the thick stuff on the bottom isn't keeping the whey from draining through. I find that the weight of hanging helps it to drain better.

This post of part of Real Food Wednesdays.

want to make a quick baby craft?

2011-01-24T16:43:00.002-06:00

How adorable are these?

I can make a pair in about an hour. And the best part? Once the pattern is purchased, I can make a pair for under a dollar.

I see a rainbow of shoes in our baby girl's future!

simple lives thursday--how much does a baby need?

2011-01-20T12:28:00.004-06:00

Our awesome church is giving us a baby shower in a couple of weeks and of course, everyone is asking what we need. It's funny how my ideas about what I need have changed with each child. Even though this is our first girl, I actually want and need less than ever before. My answer to people's question is "girl clothes and diapers!" I don't think they really believe me, but it's true...I'm just not interested in a lot of the gadgets that I used to think I had to have.

With baby #1, we were given a beautiful crib. Of course, that meant buying bedding for it. We had a diaper stacker and a mobile and lots of other little things to make the baby's life better. We received kits to preserve his handprints in plaster of paris and little blue bear figurines and stuffed animals. We had a swing and a stroller and a snugli.

Now if any of these are things that you like or enjoy, I'm not knocking them! But for me personally, I found that there was a vast difference between the paraphenalia that I owned and what I actually used on a regular basis. With each baby, I have pared down what I had. Here is the list of necessities that I have come up with for this little girl:

clothes
blankets
diapers
burp cloths (all of my babies have been big spitter-uppers:P)
pack n' play with basinette attachment (this is what they sleep in for the first 18 months or so until they move to the toddler bed)
diaper bag
car seat

The baby will be in our room at first so I'm not decorating a nursery. None of my babies would take a pacifier. I breastfeed so bottles aren't an issue. I've never used baby monitors (do some research on the radiation that they put off...it's scary!). I just can't think of anything else that I need. I do have a small swing that someone gave me with Owen that I used for a short time and I'll probably hang onto that, but I don't consider it a necessity.

To me, adding another baby to the family should be an easy, natural transition...not surrounded by loads of stuff but by peace, love and lots of snuggles.

This is my first time to participate in Simple Lives Thursdays!

real food wednesday--going sugar free

2011-01-19T11:00:00.004-06:00

I posted a few days ago about going for a week without refined sugar and I said that I hadn't noticed a huge difference in the way I felt. Well, I had an experience on Monday that assured me that it is indeed making a difference, whether I immediately recognized it or not.

We were moving some horses from our old house to our new house and were in town at lunchtime with the munchkins so we stopped for pizza. I didn't eat a huge amount, but I did have dessert, which was some kind of dessert pizza and some chocolate pudding. By 3:00 that afternoon, I was an emotional wreck. I was trying to do schoolwork with the boys and it was all I could do to keep from biting someone's head off...I couldn't believe how irritable I felt. When I thought back over the past week, it had been one of the most even weeks emotionally that I could remember having--especially during pregnancy. One good dose of sugar affected my mood more than I ever expected it to.

That evening, I went to a dinner and Bible study where I once again had some sugar, and by the end of the evening, I could not believe how horrible I felt. Seriously, my head was stopped up, my stomach ached, all I wanted to do was to get home and crawl into bed. I woke up the next morning feeling bloated and miserable, but after eating a really good, clean diet all day, I was nearly back to normal--not just physically, but mentally and emotionally as well.

So it's making a difference. I am excited. I am working on cutting it out of the boys' diets too, which is a little more difficult since they don't like alternative foods as much as I do. But I am determined. For the sake of my family, for the health of my children, for the future!

This post is part of Real Food Wednesday.

giveaway!

2011-01-18T06:49:00.001-06:00

Kelli, over at Kitchen Kop, is hosting an awesome giveaway from Wilderness Family Naturals. Oh, how I would love to win this! Check it out!

check this out

2011-01-17T14:08:00.002-06:00

Mary Enig, co-author of Nourishing Traditions, talks about healthy versus unhealthy fats:

sugar-free challenge!

2011-01-17T06:55:00.004-06:00

Kimi, over at The Nourishing Gourmet, is hosting a sugar-free challenge this week. It starts today, so if you want to participate, hop right over there and sign up! She makes easier by giving three different levels of participation that you can choose from. I chose the first one because I don't feel like I need to cut out fruit or grains, especially since I'm pregnant.

Here's the deal though: I didn't really plan this, but I have actually not had any refined sugar since last Sunday! I am so proud of myself. Ok, let me clarify...I think I have had a few things that had sugar in them, like some canned kidney beans. But I haven't had any desserts or made anything with refined sugar. Healthy chocolate and carob no-bakes have saved me from turning to the bad sweets several times. I haven't really noticed a huge difference in the way I feel, other than the fact that I don't get those yucky sugar crashes that I normally get after eating a dessert, but I know that it is better for me and for the baby.

I plan to continue this week, with the exception of tonight...I have a social function to attend where sugar will probably be unavoidable. My goal for this week is to cut back on the amount of unrefined sugars that I'm eating, and to beef up the veggies and protein. Also, I plan to read more labels and avoid the hidden sugar in non-sweet foods.

How 'bout you?

basic chocolate

2011-01-14T13:31:00.005-06:00

Unsweetened baking chocolate has become my best friend! I can use it to make all kinds of nourishing treats that don't include processed sugars. With a bit of experimentation, I have come up with a basic formula for a versatile chocolate that can be eaten plain or used for many recipes, like the mounds bites pictured above.

4 squares unsweetened baking chocolate
1/4 c. raw honey
1/2 c. heavy cream or coconut milk

Finely chop chocolate and mix with honey and cream. Place over very low heat and stir until the chocolate is just melted...the mixture should be warm to the touch but not really hot.

You can add coconut, dried fruit, chopped nuts, or whatever you want to jazz this up. It's terrific for homemade peanut butter cups. When stored in the fridge, it has a soft, creamy consistency...for a harder chocolate, store it in the freezer.

And while I'm at it, I'll include the recipe that I have finally settled on for homemade chocolate chunks.

4 squared unsweetened chocolate
2 T butter or coconut oil
1/4 c. raw honey

Heat/melt together the same as the previous recipe. Spread to about 1/8" thick on a wax-paper covered baking sheet. Refrigerate until almost firm. Cut into small squares with a pizza cutter or sharp knife. Chill until very firm. Store in the freezer. These can be used in chocolate chip cookies, or eaten--ahem!--straight out of the bag!

pregnancy update

2011-01-13T13:01:00.005-06:00

At 33 weeks, I've reached the point in pregnancy when I become slightly obsessed with the whole topic of birth...I'm sure that it annoys the heck out of other people, but really--it's at the forefront of my mind most of the time. These next weeks will be a time of mental, emotional and spiritual preparation as I look forward to our little girl's birthday. This week has been a good time to start...the snow has hung around for days with temperatures hovering around freezing, so I've had some time inside to think, reflect, read, knit and do a good bit of introspection.

While this has been my most difficult pregnancy to date in some ways, in others I feel like I am in better shape than ever before. I had horrendous morning sickness that lasted into the sixth month and have had some issues with vericose veins, as well as the usual heartburn, leg cramps and indigestion. But my midwife has commented that I look healthier this time around than with my others, and I feel more nourished overall. I started out the pregnancy at a higher weight than I did with my others, which I wasn't thrilled about, but if it's beneficial for the baby, I can live with it!

For the first few months, I was so sick that healthful eating pretty much went out the window and I ate whatever I could get down. Just the thought of cooking a whole chicken would send me to bed! I did lots of canned chicken, and tons of carbs...they were pretty much all that tasted good and that didn't send me over the edge with their smell. As the sickness got better, I was able to go back to more traditional foods and now that I'm 7 1/2 months, I am eating in a way that I feel really good about.

I am thrilled to find out that I don't have to take iron supplements this time around--at least not so far. That is a first for me. I have been trying to focus on high-iron foods like liver, blackstrap molasses, eggs, peanut butter and leafy greens and it seems to be paying off. In addition, I am trying to drink raw milk every day (something that I don't normally do) and eat lots of healthy fats. Fats are so important for brain development and function. I read the other day that this week, our baby's head will grow 1/4 inch because of rapid brain development. Wow. It makes me more determined than ever to provide her with the nutritional building blocks that she needs.

Over the next few weeks, I plan to continue with my eating along the same general lines, making sure that I focus on protein and high-iron foods and avoid as much processed stuff as possible. I will put together my birth kit (we are planning our fourth homebirth) and collect baby girl clothes, get the basinette set up next to our bed and the infant carseat washed and ready to go. And I will do a lot of thinking, praying and dreaming. I don't want to waste one moment of this anticipation!

real food wednesday--busy mom's lacto-fermented sourkraut

2011-01-12T06:56:00.006-06:00

If you've researched traditional diets at all, you know the tremendous benefits of lacto-fermentation. One of my biggest challenges as a mom, however, is finding the time to actually do it...all of that chopping and pounding can be overwhelming. Recently I discovered a way to make sourkraut (which is my favorite lacto-fermented food) quickly and easily! No pounding required!

Step number one: Enlist the help of some cute children. Cabbage leaves make great hats! I believe that the more I include my kids in food prep, the more interested they will be in eating nutritionally as they get older. I try to explain the "whys" of what we are doing as we go along. They love the idea of beneficial bacteria (which they think of as little bugs!).

Step number two: shred a small to medium-sized head of cabbage in the food processor. This is important. I don't think you would get the same results if you chopped it by hand...it needs to be finely chopped. I like to use purple cabbage because it looks so much prettier.

Step number three: Dump your cabbage into a bowl and mix well with 1 Tablespoon sea salt. Then leave it for 20 minutes or so. The salt pulls the moisture out of the cabbage. When you come back, it should look moist and when you press it with a spoon, you should be able to see liquid. It won't look like a lot, but it will be enough.

Step number four: Add 4 Tablespoons whey and mix well. Mash it around with your spoon a little, and this is what it should look like:

See?! Liquid, with no pounding!

Step number five: Put into a clean quart jar (it may or may not fill it completely up...you want at least one inch of head space) and press down with a spoon until the liquid covers or at least mostly covers the cabbage. I've found that a little of my cabbage will float, but don't worry about that. Tightly screw on the lid and let sit on your kitchen counter for three days. After a day or so, you will probably begin to see little bubbles in the liquid. This is good. It means that fermentation is taking place!

After three days, transfer the sourkraut to the refrigerator where it will keep for months. Serve as a side with meats, on salad, with liver pate on crackers or bread, or straight out of the jar!

This post is part of Real Food Wednesdays, hosted by Kelly.

shades of white

2011-01-09T16:53:00.007-06:00

This is the view out my living room window this afternoon. After a busy Sunday morning, I am so enjoying the quiet stillness...

...working on a sweater for the baby girl...

...cafix with cinnamon, honey and milk in my favorite mug (a ten cent garage sale find!)...

...and later, a warm bed next to my awesome husband, sleeping little boys and the peace of a snowy night. I am so very thankful!

a few quick links

2011-01-08T16:53:00.005-06:00

I've made some new recipes lately, as well as a few old ones that have become favorites. I can't take the credit for most of these...the two at the end are my own, but the rest come from some of my favorite traditional food blogs, so I'm sharing the links. Enjoy the recipes and spend some time exploring these blogs...they are full of great information and inspiration!

For Christmas Eve dinner, I made a deep dark chocolate tart from The Nourishing Gourmet. Hands down, this is my favorite dessert ever.

For breakfast the other morning, I tried baked oatmeal from The Nourished Kitchen. YUM! This was my first time to try steel cut oats and I love them. I'm planning to use this recipe a lot after the baby comes because it is easy, nutritious and makes a lot so you have leftovers to reheat.

From Life As A Plate via the Kitchen Kop blog, I made this African Chickpea Stew. I like it...the rest of my family isn't crazy about it. I do think that if I make it again, I'll cut back on the peanut butter. The combination of peanut butter and coconut milk is super rich and the peanut flavor was a little overpowering to me. However, I didn't have cardamom or coriander, both of which are pretty strong spices, so maybe if those were included, it would cut the peanut butteriness (how's that for a new word?).

Also from The Nourishing Gourmet, I made healthy Mounds bars. I had made the peanut butter version before, but never the coconut ones. I did change this recipe a little...for the chocolate, I melted together unsweetened baking chocolate, honey and coconut milk instead of using the coconut oil/cocoa blend that the original recipe calls for. This makes a more stable chocolate that doesn't melt the moment your hand touches it...which is important to me when I have three little boys eating it!

I also made sprouted wheat tortillas and easy soda bread, both of which I posted about before.

Happy reading! We have a few days of very cold, icy and possibly snowy weather predicted so I am looking forward to doing some myself, as well as some knitting, blogging, time with my family...and of course, real food!

2011-01-07T06:51:00.005-06:00

We had a crisis at our house last night. I had gotten Ramona and Beezus from Netflix for a fun, feel-good movie night. I have always been a fan of Beverly Clearly! (By the way, for those of you who care...the movie was cute, but I like the books waaay better). We were sitting there watching it and Philip, who is four, was on my lap. When we got to the part where Picky-Picky the cat dies, I didn't think anything about it...my boys are fairly acquainted with death and we have lost several cats and dogs in the last few years.

Well, I became aware that Philip was sobbing into his hands. Not his normal five-minutes-and-he's-over-it kind of tears, but deep, gut-wrenching sobs. In answer to my questions, he wailed, "I just wish that we had a cat!"

When I finally got him calmed down, he looked at me through swollen eyes and said, "I wish we still had Sophie!" and the sobs began again. Sophie is not even the last cat that we had. Sophie was two cats ago and died when Philip was probably two...I didn't even know that he remembered when it happened. He has always been the tougher one about things like that...while Ethan cried for hours when we found Sophie dead, Philip may have said something mournful but he moved on pretty quickly...so this caught me completely off guard. More rocking, more holding, more talking. I finally got him calmed down again.

We finished our movie and they had a bedtime snack and were headed into the bedroom to get into bed when Philip stopped and looked up at me. I could see the chin start to quiver. "When do we get to go to heaven?" he asked, and the heaving sobs began again.

"I don't know," I told him. "Why do you ask?"

"I just want to see So-o-o-phie!"

We sat on the edge of the bed and I held him on my lap and we talked. I told him that God cares about even the smallest animals and that He could take care of Sophie way better than we could, so we didn't even need to worry about it. This seemed to set his mind at ease. The tears finally stopped and by the time we tucked him into bed, his infectious giggle had returned...although it was slightly pathetic when paired with his swollen, red eyes.

This week has been a really tough one as far as ministry goes and one of the things that we have dealt with is the reality of death and its affect one people that we love. When your husband is a pastor, I think that is an issue that you come face to face with more than other people might. Funerals, counseling, terminal illness and hospital visits are a part of everyday life and you see many different responses to the whole idea of heaven and what happens after death. Fear is probably the most common response. I have experienced it myself...even though I know in my head that heaven is a far better place than this, it is such a great unknown.

I love the simplicity of Philip's question: "When do we get to go to heaven?" No fear, no doubt, no hesitation. Just the simple belief that it will be good. And that, my friends, is all that we really need to know.

chocolate coconut bites

2011-01-05T19:06:00.006-06:00

This recipe was inspired by my 10-year-old neice who has a dairy allergy. I had made my own chocolates before but had always used cream. This slightly modified version uses coconut cream--the thick stuff on the top of a can of coconut milk. I added unsweetened shredded coconut for some texture but that is optional. I think they would also be really good with chopped almonds.

4 squares unsweetened chocolate
1/2 c. coconut cream
1/4 c. raw honey
1/2 c. shredded unsweetened coconut

Finely chop chocolate and mix in a saucepan with coconut cream and honey. Over very low heat, heat and stir until chocolate is melted...if the chocolate is chopped finely enough, this happens before the mixture even gets hot. I like that because the enzymes in the raw honey are preserved. Remove from heat and stir in shredded coconut. Drop by teaspoonfuls into a mini-muffin pan with paper liners. Chill until firm. Store in the refrigerator.

Excuse the poor picture quality. My camera is dying so I had to use my cell phone!

getting ready for baby

2011-01-04T09:44:00.005-06:00

At about this time in pregnancy, I start getting obsessive over baby preparation. Not only do I have a need for calm and quiet in order to prepare myself emotionally, mentally and spiritually for the intensity of birth, but I also start nesting like mad. While I always relax a little on nutrition after a new baby, I do like to keep us on as much of an even keel as possible and this time around, since we are incorporating more traditional foods into our diet than ever, I am trying to figure out how I can keep us on that general track. I haven't completely worked it all out in my mind yet, but this is what I have come up with so far:

Start stocking up on healthy sweeteners, fats and other things that I can only get at the health food store. Our health food store is an hour away and we don't get down there often...I expect to be making the trip even less once the baby is here, and I don't want Stephen to have to worry about it.

Around the first of February, start making extras of everything and putting them in the freezer. This would include breakfast foods (pancakes, waffles, muffins, etc.), sandwich bread, tortillas, cooked beans, soups, stocks and cooked meats.

Teach my 6-year-old to do some simple cooking. He has made muffins (with help) and I think that he is capable of something like pancakes, as long as I am close enough to closely supervise. Besides, he's learning fractions and that would be a good way to help him grasp the concept!

Make a basic menu plan--something that either Stephen or I could follow that doesn't require a lot of work.

Make sure that I have plenty of crispy nuts and sprouted flour made up and put away.

Make some lacto ferments. I had some made up that got thrown away when we moved, so I need to restock.

Buy some convenience foods that aren't too bad for us for the days when things are too crazy to even think about cooking...I don't mind doing this when we have a new baby if it enables us to maintain our sanity.

I would love to hear tips from other moms...how do you maintain a traditional diet during times of transition?

This post is part of Pennywise Platter Thursday, hosted by The Nourishing Gourmet.

happy 2011!

2011-01-03T16:45:00.005-06:00

Whew, the last six months have been crazy and I obviously have neglected my poor blog terribly...however, with the onset of long, cold winter days and the slower pace of late pregnancy, I am hoping to get back to posting regularly. We moved in October to a much larger home close to the church that Stephen pastors, which has been wonderful...we found out that we are having our first daughter after three little boys (!)...we've had family and friends visit from out of town...we had a good holiday season...now we are ready for a new year and all that it will hold. Life is a crazy, wild ride but isn't that what makes it meaningful?

My main nutrition goal for the coming year is to seriously cut out refined sugars. It won't be possible to completely cut them out because we have too many social occasions where they are readily available, but at home for everyday use, I want to make the switch to mainly honey and rapadura. In addition, I want to get to a point where I soak or sprout the majority of my grains. Right now, I probably do it 50% of the time, which is great, but I could do better. It requires a lot of planning ahead but I know that once I make it a habit, it will become second nature.

We have started juicing again a little bit, which I love. I know that there is a lot of controversy surrounding the whole juice thing...but Stephen and I both feel so good when we drink a carrot/celery/apple blend every day. In moderation, of course. The boys are excited about drinking it too and I am hoping that it will be a way to get some veggies into my picky little eaters.

In non-food related goals for the coming year...I want to finish some knitting projects and take advantage of winter days to feed my creative side over these next two months. After the baby comes...well, I don't really have any goals other than to get some sleep and figure out life with four kids!

yes, it's really me

2010-07-22T08:30:00.003-05:00

Life has a way of taking over sometimes, to the point that I have to let some things go, and this blog has been one of them over the last couple of months. I told Stephen recently that I felt like a hampster on a treadmill...running, running, running and I can't get off! However, with the discovery that baby #4 is on the way and the onset of pretty horrible morning sickness, I have been forced to slow down for awhile so I'm hoping to get back to regular posting.

In spite of the busyness, we have continued to make progress in our journey toward more healthful eating. I've cut out almost all refined sugar at home, done more lacto-ferments, adapted more recipes to sprouted or soaked flour, and enjoyed tons of fresh veggies from our little garden. On the downside, the heat in our house (we don't have central air) was too much for my sourdough starter and it died.:( I plan to start another one when the weather cools off.

I have all kinds of posts buzzing around in my head...stay tuned for more!

recommended viewing

2010-05-18T16:38:00.002-05:00

I apologize for the light posting lately...we are having computer and internet issues to the point that I can't post unless I borrow the computer in Stephen's office like I am doing today. I miss it, but it does give me more time in the kitchen! Hopefully we can get things resolved soon, but until then posting may be sporadic.

We don't have tv at our house, but not long ago Stephen remembered a BBC cooking show that he watched years ago called "Two Fat Ladies". Lo and behold, the DVDs are available from Netflix, so we have been watching these together. Anyone who likes to cook and is a fan of real food and full-fat diets will love this show.

While not blatantly promoting local, farm-fresh food, this show encourages the use of pastured meats, fresh vegetables, raw milk and cream, organ meats and butter. Lots and lots of butter. It does have some recipes that include sugar and vegetable oil, but for the most part, food is made from natural, local, wonderfully fresh ingredients. A few clips like this one are available on youtube.

A disclaimer: the humor on these shows can be slightly irreverent and bawdy, so be aware if you are sensitive to that sort of thing.

If you can overlook it, I think that you will be encouraged and inspired in the kitchen by these two ladies!

real food wednesday--sprouted wheat tortillas

2010-05-05T06:19:00.006-05:00

I grew up in Arizona, where homemade tortillas were a staple in just about every kitchen. Unfortunately, my mom's recipe calls for white flour and crisco...both of which I am trying to avoid. I've tried different whole wheat tortilla recipes, but they turned out stiff and flavorless and just not like the real thing. So last week, I set out to create the perfect healthy homemade tortilla. I am thrilled with the results! In honor of Cinco De Mayo, I give you this recipe.

I did use half unbleached white flour in order to maintain the right texture. Unbleached flour is a compromise food for me...I don't like to use a lot of it, but it has been a lifesaver in creating some dishes that are familiar enough that my family will actually eat them, but still light years ahead of the junk you get in the store.

2 1/2 c. sprouted wheat flour
2 1/2 c. unbleached white flour
1 T sea salt
1/4 c. butter
1/4 c. coconut oil
water

In a large bowl, stir together flours and salt. With a fork, cut in butter and coconut oil until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Add enough water to make a fairly stiff dough. Getting just the right amount will take a little practice. Bear in mind that the following steps will make the dough softer and more elastic, so if it seems a little too stiff, don't panic.

Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead until smooth, 6-8 minutes. Rub dough liberally with coconut oil and wrap in saran wrap. Let rest for 15 minutes, preferably in a warm place.

Now divide the dough into 24 pieces and roll into balls. Rub each ball with coconut oil and cover with saran wrap. Let rest for 30 minutes. In the meantime, begin to heat a heavy cast iron skillet. You will want it pretty hot. Again, once you have made these once or twice, you'll get a feel for the right temperature.

After the dough balls have rested comes the fun part. Take a ball and roll into a thin circle, as thin as possible. You can cook it just like this if you don't mind a thicker tortilla. If you are used to super-thin ones like I grew up with, you can carefully stretch the dough to make it even thinner. This takes practice...you work it around and around on your hand and have to be careful not to tear the dough, but it isn't really hard, once you get the hang of it.

When the tortilla is the shape and thickness that you want, lay it carefully on the hot skillet. Use a fork to quickly pull out any wrinkles. The tortilla should puff and bubble a little.

Cook briefly on the first side...usually less than a minute. Then flip with a fork and cook the other side for about the same amount of time. Don't worry if you get little black spots or popped bubbles...these are normal and make them authentic!

Place cooked tortillas inside a folded towel that has been lined with plastic. I cut the sides of a plastic bag, but you could also just use saran wrap. This will keep them warm and pliable.

These are best served warm, but are good any time. I love to make soft tacos with them, serve them with soup or beans, make rollups for lunch, breakfast burritos, spread with butter and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon...the possibilities are endless.

Don't get discouraged if you don't get perfect results the first time. Tortilla-making is an art that improves with time, just like anything else!

This post is part of real food wednesday.

breakfasts for busy moms

2010-05-01T07:30:00.004-05:00

We know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Even if the rest of the day is not-so-great on nutrition, I don't stress too much if I've given my kids a good breakfast. However, as a busy homeschooling mom of three, I can't spend two hours in the kitchen every morning frying bacon and eggs. Yes, I do that sometimes. But most mornings, I need something that requires minimal prep and cleanup. Here are a few of my favorite ideas. I know that I've shared many of them before, but I know that I get in a rut sometimes and need a refresher.

Toast. We do toast a lot, most recently using sourdough bread (did I mention how excited I am about my sourdough results?). I make it with lots of butter and sometimes all-fruit jam or honey. The boys especially like cinnamon toast, which I make with date sugar and a sprinkle of cinnamon. With the toast, I usually give them some fresh fruit or applesauce, and a glass of raw milk.

Cinnamon rolls. This is a new discovery that I am super-excited about...it's my first attempt at using my sourdough bread dough for something besides just bread. I rolled out the dough, brushed it with melted butter and sprinkled on rapadura, cinnamon and raisins, rolled it up and sliced it. The rolls rose all day (about 8 hours) and baked up beautifully. They weren't super-sweet...more like cinnamon-raisin bread. I had intended to make honey butter or sweet cream cheese to put on top, but we ended up eating them plain and they were yummy! I made these the day before I planned to have them for breakfast, along with some bread, but you could also let them rise all night and serve them hot the next morning. Mmmmmm...

Pancakes or waffles with sprouted flour. I make a big batch of these and freeze them, then pop them in the toaster to thaw when I want to serve them. We use them not only for breakfast but for snacks, lunches, and sometimes for pb and jelly sandwiches. The boys especially like waffle sandwiches.

Tortilla rollups. Spread a tortilla (preferably soaked or sprouted wheat) with natural peanut butter and jelly, or peanut butter and mashed banana. Add a sprinkle of cinnamon, roll up and slice. My boys think that this is the greatest treat.

Smoothies. Always a good choice, especially in warmer weather, these are quick and easy. I boost the protein by adding a couple of raw egg yolks to mine (be sure your eggs are from a clean source), and if I have the time, I like to add ground flax seed. Lately, I've been making either blueberry or carob smoothies and adding a few leaves of lettuce or spinach from my garden. The darker color hides the greens and I am thrilled to get them into my salad-hating children!

Scrambled eggs. These do require a little cooking, but I still consider them to be a quick breakfast. Usually I do them with toast.

Breakfast casserole. If you like egg casseroles, make a huge one and reheat as needed.

Soaked oatmeal. This is one of my favorites...soak your oats in filtered water with a splash of whey overnight. The next morning, add a pinch of salt, turn the heat on underneath and they cook up in just a few minutes. The boys like theirs with lots of butter, date sugar and raisins, or cooked with chopped apple and cinnamon.

Yogurt. I like to sweeten it with maple syrup, but when I don't have any (which is often, since it's so expensive), I do use white sugar. I hope that the health benefits in the yogurt outweigh the bad sugar!

Hard-boiled eggs. For some reason, my boys will only eat the whites, so I don't do these too often. But if your kids will eat them, an egg and some fruit or toast will keep them going all morning long.

Peanut butter balls or bars. Mix together peanut butter and honey to taste, then stir in enough soaked and dehydrated oats to make a stiff dough. Roll into balls or press into a pan and cut into bars. Refrigerate until firm. This is my favorite on-the-go breakfast, for mornings when we have to be somewhere early and don't have time to sit down and eat. The boys love it because they feel like they're getting cookies for breakfast! You can add just about anything you want to them--raisins, flax seed, pumpkin seeds, carob powder or cocoa, etc.

Leftovers. I have been known to have leftover homemade pizza for breakfast. Why not?!

Don't rule out savory breakfasts, such as sprouted wheat crackers and cheese. This is another great one for on-the-go. Think outside the box...really, what makes a breakfast food a breakfast food? I have even been known to have a salad for breakfast. Go with what your family loves and get creative!

gone fishing

2010-04-16T12:25:00.002-05:00

I'll be out of pocket for the next few days as we take a long awaited and much anticipated trip to visit Stephen's family in Georgia. Yes, we might even squeeze a little fishing in. See you when we get home!