Feb. 11, 2014
I spent the day on the computer. I needed to catch up on emails and facebook comments. Still haven't responded to all the emails, but I'll get there. It's after nine and I an tired. I did bake two loaves of bread today. They turned out nice. I made hot cereal for breakfast and then sent my hubby to work with a brown bag full of goodies; salad, nuts, raisins, rice crackers, goat cheese, and an apple. I rode my bike for 15 miles and then planked for several minutes. If you don't know what planking is...well it's an exercise. Then I made lunch for the kids, did four loads of laundry, filed my taxes on Tax Act, and milked my goat.
I put a nice roast and potatoes in a crock pot for dinner, but at 6 the meat was still raw so I sent the kids to town for two $5 pizzas. I know, I know, not good for them. I didn't eat it. I made a double batch of Tapioca pudding and ate half of it. That would be 2 1/2 cups of tapioca pudding, yum. Of course it's made with goat milk so the kids won't touch it. That means I get to eat the other half tomorrow. :)
Pizza is definitely a part of the whole foods lifestyle. It is a whole lot of food in just one slice. some days are just like that and it does everyone good to just eat pizza. And none of this spinach stuff, peperoni with extra cheese. Pizza Pizza.
Until next time...
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
Thursday, February 6, 2014
Jan. 6, 2014
I just spent three day in Leavenworth Wa. with my husband Owen. We went away for our 20th year wedding anniversary. We had a wonderful time. We enjoyed cross-country skiing and window shopping in the Bavarian tourist trap. We're not afraid to call it what it is, and we don't mind admitting that we occasionally enjoy the well- marketed places of the world.
However, being there among the trees and the snow made us long to be home. Why? Because home is such a great place! We have so much fun on our farm with friends and family, that we're satisfied and content with the adventures that home- life presents.
We talked most of the way to Leavenworth about our garden, organic gardening, chickens, the chicken house, where to house the pigs this spring and whether or not to keep the milk cow.
We decided that a milk cow was a must because we're serious about clean milk and I couldn't convince Owen that he would enjoy goat milk once he got used to it. Our current Jersey milk cow, however, is not satisfactory, even though she's very sweet and an easy handler. Her milk doesn't have the fat content that we would like. There's never enough cream at the top of the jar for butter. Last summer we sold a milk cow that had great milk fat but she had the nasty habit of laying her bag in mud. This made cleaning her before milking a big and nasty chore. We've gone through three Jersey cows in the 18 months that we have been here. I'm sure that we will eventually find the perfect one.
In the meantime, my three does have kept me in milk year round. I have made butter with the goat milk, and cheese, but we seem to use it up too fast for very much of that. Right now I'm only milking one. My two Alpines will kid this spring and then I'll have lots of surplus milk, perfect for butter and cheese. I hope to grow the herd to five-seven milking does. That way I can stagger the kidding and have fresh does year round with milk aplenty to share with friends.
One topic we returned to several times over the three days of vacation was that of the root cellar. We even spent several hours on the computer in the motel room reading up on it and making plans for the one we own. Root cellars are all but a thing of the past, but as more people; like ourselves, want off the marry-go-round of our current culture, the idea of a root cellar becomes more endearing.
Our farm consists of a large white farm house, a root cellar, a large chicken house and a small cabin/stable that sits right behind the house. The cabin probably housed the original family and their horse while they built the rest of the buildings. All these structures were built in 1904-05 and still hold much of their original grandeur, especially the house. There's also a large red barn that was built later and housed hogs and a "shop" or outbuilding that's also red in color. I wish I knew the whole story on the place. I imagine that the original homestead had a barn, but I don't know if the current two-story barn that sits on the place is original.
But, back to the root cellar. When we looked at the place before we bought it I remember the excitement I felt when I realized the little building with the funny, thick, door was a root cellar! I was so stoked. 18 years of talking about living on a farm and enjoying a "simpler" lifestyle and a root cellar was always a part of the dream. I figured we would build one when we finally got out in the country, so you can imagine the thrill when I opened the old sawdust-filled door and descended three steps into a brick lined root cellar complete with a hundred year old potato box and a few quart jars scattered on old wooden shelves. It makes me tear up to think of it.
No one but God could have known how badly I wanted a root cellar and only He would have known that the brick lined walls and wooden potato box were to me a treasure better than gold. It was a very spiritual moment. You know, those moments; like a breath of frigid air, when you know that God is so real and that He loves you dearly. I think that God will have fun with my mansion in heaven. It won't be full of gold and diamonds, but pottery and plants and a few really beautiful quilts. Natural things and old things. Yep, that's me. No foo foo shoo shoo, just simple and elegant, naturally elegant.
Anyway, back to my root cellar. It's in great shape, but needs some new mortar a good vacuuming and it will be ready to go. From what I've read, late fall is the best time to start filling it and I hope to store six months of provisions by the first freeze. Of course a root cellar is for root produce, but can be a great place to store canned goods to. The idea is to "put up" enough foods during the summer and fall months to get you through until summer when food is growing aplenty again. Yes, you can just buy it at the store, but how much more rewarding to know that a good summer's time of work can last the cold days of winter. I think it especially useful if one wants to know what is in the food that one eats. If one grows it, cans it, and puts it away, then one can eat with confidence. It's also much cheaper but is a trade of time for money.
I do not presume to think I will, in fact, grow every thing that I "put up", but I will have the advantage of hand- selecting the produce and using recipes that ensure health.
I love the term "put up" because it comes from a dear friend of mine, Sharon Carter, who lives in much of the way that I aspire to live. She uses the phrase "put up" when referring to her many jars of preserves, peaches, and pickled goods. Whenever I use it I think of her. That's one of the wonderful things about learning and developing homemaking skills, I get to meet so many wonderful women and their influence in my life is remembered every time I use one of their techniques. What a privilege to be surrounded by such a cloud of remarkable women of God! Every task I endeavor to do reflects the teacher it came from.
One thing I read is that it's important to know the temperature and humidity levels of the cellar. The reason for this is that certain foods store better under certain conditions. Once the temp and humidity of the cellar is established then I will have a better idea as to which foods to plan to store. I put the meter in the cellar a couple hours ago. I'll go out and check it now.
According to the meter it is 28 degrees F and 50 % humidity. The outside temp is 33 degrees F and it's snowing hard. Hmmm. That is not good. The cellar is supposed to stay above freezing. The perfect temp for a cellar is 34-45 degrees and the humidity is supposed to be at 95%. I'll wait until morning and check it again. The meter is new and may not be working. It's a good thing that I'm checking during the winter months. One hard freeze in your cellar would be the end of dozens of quart jars of food and produce. I may have to insulate the cellar or look for ways in which the cold is getting in. It will have to wait for daylight.
Now is the time to repair and make ready my cellar. I think I have my work cut out for me tomorrow, and the next day, and the next...
Until next time...
I just spent three day in Leavenworth Wa. with my husband Owen. We went away for our 20th year wedding anniversary. We had a wonderful time. We enjoyed cross-country skiing and window shopping in the Bavarian tourist trap. We're not afraid to call it what it is, and we don't mind admitting that we occasionally enjoy the well- marketed places of the world.
However, being there among the trees and the snow made us long to be home. Why? Because home is such a great place! We have so much fun on our farm with friends and family, that we're satisfied and content with the adventures that home- life presents.
We talked most of the way to Leavenworth about our garden, organic gardening, chickens, the chicken house, where to house the pigs this spring and whether or not to keep the milk cow.
We decided that a milk cow was a must because we're serious about clean milk and I couldn't convince Owen that he would enjoy goat milk once he got used to it. Our current Jersey milk cow, however, is not satisfactory, even though she's very sweet and an easy handler. Her milk doesn't have the fat content that we would like. There's never enough cream at the top of the jar for butter. Last summer we sold a milk cow that had great milk fat but she had the nasty habit of laying her bag in mud. This made cleaning her before milking a big and nasty chore. We've gone through three Jersey cows in the 18 months that we have been here. I'm sure that we will eventually find the perfect one.
In the meantime, my three does have kept me in milk year round. I have made butter with the goat milk, and cheese, but we seem to use it up too fast for very much of that. Right now I'm only milking one. My two Alpines will kid this spring and then I'll have lots of surplus milk, perfect for butter and cheese. I hope to grow the herd to five-seven milking does. That way I can stagger the kidding and have fresh does year round with milk aplenty to share with friends.
One topic we returned to several times over the three days of vacation was that of the root cellar. We even spent several hours on the computer in the motel room reading up on it and making plans for the one we own. Root cellars are all but a thing of the past, but as more people; like ourselves, want off the marry-go-round of our current culture, the idea of a root cellar becomes more endearing.
Our farm consists of a large white farm house, a root cellar, a large chicken house and a small cabin/stable that sits right behind the house. The cabin probably housed the original family and their horse while they built the rest of the buildings. All these structures were built in 1904-05 and still hold much of their original grandeur, especially the house. There's also a large red barn that was built later and housed hogs and a "shop" or outbuilding that's also red in color. I wish I knew the whole story on the place. I imagine that the original homestead had a barn, but I don't know if the current two-story barn that sits on the place is original.
But, back to the root cellar. When we looked at the place before we bought it I remember the excitement I felt when I realized the little building with the funny, thick, door was a root cellar! I was so stoked. 18 years of talking about living on a farm and enjoying a "simpler" lifestyle and a root cellar was always a part of the dream. I figured we would build one when we finally got out in the country, so you can imagine the thrill when I opened the old sawdust-filled door and descended three steps into a brick lined root cellar complete with a hundred year old potato box and a few quart jars scattered on old wooden shelves. It makes me tear up to think of it.
No one but God could have known how badly I wanted a root cellar and only He would have known that the brick lined walls and wooden potato box were to me a treasure better than gold. It was a very spiritual moment. You know, those moments; like a breath of frigid air, when you know that God is so real and that He loves you dearly. I think that God will have fun with my mansion in heaven. It won't be full of gold and diamonds, but pottery and plants and a few really beautiful quilts. Natural things and old things. Yep, that's me. No foo foo shoo shoo, just simple and elegant, naturally elegant.
Anyway, back to my root cellar. It's in great shape, but needs some new mortar a good vacuuming and it will be ready to go. From what I've read, late fall is the best time to start filling it and I hope to store six months of provisions by the first freeze. Of course a root cellar is for root produce, but can be a great place to store canned goods to. The idea is to "put up" enough foods during the summer and fall months to get you through until summer when food is growing aplenty again. Yes, you can just buy it at the store, but how much more rewarding to know that a good summer's time of work can last the cold days of winter. I think it especially useful if one wants to know what is in the food that one eats. If one grows it, cans it, and puts it away, then one can eat with confidence. It's also much cheaper but is a trade of time for money.
I do not presume to think I will, in fact, grow every thing that I "put up", but I will have the advantage of hand- selecting the produce and using recipes that ensure health.
I love the term "put up" because it comes from a dear friend of mine, Sharon Carter, who lives in much of the way that I aspire to live. She uses the phrase "put up" when referring to her many jars of preserves, peaches, and pickled goods. Whenever I use it I think of her. That's one of the wonderful things about learning and developing homemaking skills, I get to meet so many wonderful women and their influence in my life is remembered every time I use one of their techniques. What a privilege to be surrounded by such a cloud of remarkable women of God! Every task I endeavor to do reflects the teacher it came from.
One thing I read is that it's important to know the temperature and humidity levels of the cellar. The reason for this is that certain foods store better under certain conditions. Once the temp and humidity of the cellar is established then I will have a better idea as to which foods to plan to store. I put the meter in the cellar a couple hours ago. I'll go out and check it now.
According to the meter it is 28 degrees F and 50 % humidity. The outside temp is 33 degrees F and it's snowing hard. Hmmm. That is not good. The cellar is supposed to stay above freezing. The perfect temp for a cellar is 34-45 degrees and the humidity is supposed to be at 95%. I'll wait until morning and check it again. The meter is new and may not be working. It's a good thing that I'm checking during the winter months. One hard freeze in your cellar would be the end of dozens of quart jars of food and produce. I may have to insulate the cellar or look for ways in which the cold is getting in. It will have to wait for daylight.
Now is the time to repair and make ready my cellar. I think I have my work cut out for me tomorrow, and the next day, and the next...
Until next time...
Friday, January 31, 2014
Jan. 31, 2014
My internet has been down. It seems to come on about 9 in the evening and then go off about 8 in the morning. Frustrating since most of those hours I am sleeping. Today is a red letter day that it came on so early.
I made three loaves of bread on Wednesday. I chose wheat because the spelt was not going to work for me so I figured I may as well give the rest of the family wheat. Spelt doesn't cook up as nice so it isn't worth using if you don't have to. I use hard, red, winter, organic wheat. The bread looks wonderful and the kids love it. A piece of toast with butter and honey is the breakfast of choice around here. Makes me happy since it's such an easy option.
We had grilled cheese with salad and tomato soup for lunch. I haven't found a source for organic cheese yet, but I'll work on that. I would make it myself, but cheddar is very time consuming so I opt to purchase it.
We haven't seen any relief in Owen's symptoms, but the weight loss is enough to keep us going. Time is on our side. We continue to pray that God will heal Owen, and then we do our best to be responsible with what He does give us.
I have been using a natural shampoo and conditioner from the Crazzy Woman. I really like it. It leaves the hair feeling a bit waxy, not sure why, but for me and my hairstyle it's perfect. I usually use a hair product from Redken called Rough Paste to give my hair a waxy texture. While using this product I haven't had to use any Redken product on my hair. Saves me money and I'm sure its better for me not to have to use extra product. It leaves my curls soft and defined.
After a week of using her (Crazzy Woman) "Nice Pits" cream I am still very happy with it. My daughter used some for a few days and loves it. I think the jar I have will be going off to college on Sunday. If you want to try some you can find her on Etsy.com I think she goes by Crazy Woman.
Until next time...
My internet has been down. It seems to come on about 9 in the evening and then go off about 8 in the morning. Frustrating since most of those hours I am sleeping. Today is a red letter day that it came on so early.
I made three loaves of bread on Wednesday. I chose wheat because the spelt was not going to work for me so I figured I may as well give the rest of the family wheat. Spelt doesn't cook up as nice so it isn't worth using if you don't have to. I use hard, red, winter, organic wheat. The bread looks wonderful and the kids love it. A piece of toast with butter and honey is the breakfast of choice around here. Makes me happy since it's such an easy option.
We had grilled cheese with salad and tomato soup for lunch. I haven't found a source for organic cheese yet, but I'll work on that. I would make it myself, but cheddar is very time consuming so I opt to purchase it.
We haven't seen any relief in Owen's symptoms, but the weight loss is enough to keep us going. Time is on our side. We continue to pray that God will heal Owen, and then we do our best to be responsible with what He does give us.
I have been using a natural shampoo and conditioner from the Crazzy Woman. I really like it. It leaves the hair feeling a bit waxy, not sure why, but for me and my hairstyle it's perfect. I usually use a hair product from Redken called Rough Paste to give my hair a waxy texture. While using this product I haven't had to use any Redken product on my hair. Saves me money and I'm sure its better for me not to have to use extra product. It leaves my curls soft and defined.
After a week of using her (Crazzy Woman) "Nice Pits" cream I am still very happy with it. My daughter used some for a few days and loves it. I think the jar I have will be going off to college on Sunday. If you want to try some you can find her on Etsy.com I think she goes by Crazy Woman.
Until next time...
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Jan. 28, 2014
It's beginning to happen! You can smell it in the air. You can feel it, like a subtle adjustment or shift in the atmospheric conditions. Spring is coming! I was out his morning milking my goats and I felt it, like a strange presence, an eerie something and I realized that things were waking up! I'm just being funny, but I do think that things are beginning to stir.
It made me start thinking about my garden. This year I want to plant a more successful garden. Last year was a good start, but I would love to have twice the produce this year. I have a huge learning curve ahead of me but it's fun to think about. One thing I'll do different is plant less variety. We like zucchini, cucumber, tomato, lettuce, spinach, eggplant, and cabbage.
I also want to raise foods that will store through the winter. I have a wonderful 100+ year old cellar on my place and I plan to fill it to full by the end of the summer. My sister has this cool thing that she started several years ago. She made a list of every item that she uses in the house, like a giant shopping list. She made the list on the computer. When she gets ready to go shopping she goes over the list and checks her supply of all those items. If she's low on something she keeps it on the list, if she has plenty, she deletes it. When she's done she has her base shopping list that she then prints. I thought this was a great idea because how often do we go to the store and come home, AGAIN, without any light bulbs, or something other item that we forget to add to the list. The reason I am mentioning this is because it's a good idea and, it would be a great way to decide what to grow and store up in the cellar.
It's my goal to store six months worth of food and supplies in the cellar. It's a good idea because one never knows when things will get tough and even if they don't, think of the money and time one can save through the winter if one owns ones own store. Just a little thing I learned from some hippy friends.
Well, enjoy the thought that spring is almost here and let your mind wander to the sunny, creative, time of the year. It's never too early to start planning.
Until next time...
It's beginning to happen! You can smell it in the air. You can feel it, like a subtle adjustment or shift in the atmospheric conditions. Spring is coming! I was out his morning milking my goats and I felt it, like a strange presence, an eerie something and I realized that things were waking up! I'm just being funny, but I do think that things are beginning to stir.
It made me start thinking about my garden. This year I want to plant a more successful garden. Last year was a good start, but I would love to have twice the produce this year. I have a huge learning curve ahead of me but it's fun to think about. One thing I'll do different is plant less variety. We like zucchini, cucumber, tomato, lettuce, spinach, eggplant, and cabbage.
I also want to raise foods that will store through the winter. I have a wonderful 100+ year old cellar on my place and I plan to fill it to full by the end of the summer. My sister has this cool thing that she started several years ago. She made a list of every item that she uses in the house, like a giant shopping list. She made the list on the computer. When she gets ready to go shopping she goes over the list and checks her supply of all those items. If she's low on something she keeps it on the list, if she has plenty, she deletes it. When she's done she has her base shopping list that she then prints. I thought this was a great idea because how often do we go to the store and come home, AGAIN, without any light bulbs, or something other item that we forget to add to the list. The reason I am mentioning this is because it's a good idea and, it would be a great way to decide what to grow and store up in the cellar.
It's my goal to store six months worth of food and supplies in the cellar. It's a good idea because one never knows when things will get tough and even if they don't, think of the money and time one can save through the winter if one owns ones own store. Just a little thing I learned from some hippy friends.
Well, enjoy the thought that spring is almost here and let your mind wander to the sunny, creative, time of the year. It's never too early to start planning.
Until next time...
Monday, January 27, 2014
Jan. 27, 2014
I have an update on my post a few days ago regarding stinky pits. A friend from church put me on to a pit cream that her sister makes and sells through etsy. It is amazing! I love it! Can't say enough about it. It actually works! I had a busy day in town grocery shopping with lots of temperature changes in and out of stores and at the end of the day I smelled as good as when I put it on in the morning. I am so impressed! It's called "Nice Pits" cream.
I went to her website and checked out her other products. They look great, and I would definitely recommend checking it out. The address is, http://crazzywoman.weebly.com/contact-me.html Her name is Kathy Johnson and she lives in northern Washington. I had the privilege of meeting her and her husband several years ago and visiting their place with Karen and John. Their wholesome way of life has been a reminder and resource over the years as Owen and I have dabbled in Off-grid living. (I'm still seriously considering a bath house, but you would have had to be there to know what I am talking about. ;)
I am finding that this newish lifestyle is really fun to me. I love to learn new recipes and try new things. I am totally a believer in "reduce, reuse, recycle" and my latest kick is to try to observe ways in which we waste things that can be used again.
When one is on a tight budget there are two ways to make more money. One is to work harder and one is to work smarter. One can either figure out how to make more money or how to save more money. For instance, I can either get another job or just look around and see ways in which we are wasting money. Here's a big one. Lattes. They average $4 apiece. I'm not a huge latte drinker, but each time I go to town I get one. I average $10 a week in lattes. So, a couple days ago I bought a travel mug for $4 and decided that I would take coffee with me on the road. That will save me $40 a month. (Of course the mug I bought was safe. Make sure you by one that is BPA free, etc.) That's just one example. There are so many ways we can make money by saving money.
How about the plastic bags from Walmart. Don't throw them away. Use them to line your wastebaskets. That will save having to buy liners. Just remember that your time is also a commodity, don't do things that save a little bit of money but cost a lot of time, what you do has to make sense. I would love to hear your ideas.
Until next time...
I have an update on my post a few days ago regarding stinky pits. A friend from church put me on to a pit cream that her sister makes and sells through etsy. It is amazing! I love it! Can't say enough about it. It actually works! I had a busy day in town grocery shopping with lots of temperature changes in and out of stores and at the end of the day I smelled as good as when I put it on in the morning. I am so impressed! It's called "Nice Pits" cream.
I went to her website and checked out her other products. They look great, and I would definitely recommend checking it out. The address is, http://crazzywoman.weebly.com/contact-me.html Her name is Kathy Johnson and she lives in northern Washington. I had the privilege of meeting her and her husband several years ago and visiting their place with Karen and John. Their wholesome way of life has been a reminder and resource over the years as Owen and I have dabbled in Off-grid living. (I'm still seriously considering a bath house, but you would have had to be there to know what I am talking about. ;)
I am finding that this newish lifestyle is really fun to me. I love to learn new recipes and try new things. I am totally a believer in "reduce, reuse, recycle" and my latest kick is to try to observe ways in which we waste things that can be used again.
When one is on a tight budget there are two ways to make more money. One is to work harder and one is to work smarter. One can either figure out how to make more money or how to save more money. For instance, I can either get another job or just look around and see ways in which we are wasting money. Here's a big one. Lattes. They average $4 apiece. I'm not a huge latte drinker, but each time I go to town I get one. I average $10 a week in lattes. So, a couple days ago I bought a travel mug for $4 and decided that I would take coffee with me on the road. That will save me $40 a month. (Of course the mug I bought was safe. Make sure you by one that is BPA free, etc.) That's just one example. There are so many ways we can make money by saving money.
How about the plastic bags from Walmart. Don't throw them away. Use them to line your wastebaskets. That will save having to buy liners. Just remember that your time is also a commodity, don't do things that save a little bit of money but cost a lot of time, what you do has to make sense. I would love to hear your ideas.
Until next time...
Saturday, January 25, 2014
Jan. 25. 2014
I am proud to announce that Owen has lost a total of 13 pounds. That's half a pound a day. All we have done is remove processed sugar and add whole, mostly organic, foods. Yesterday we had a really yummy meal. We ate pork chops, with broiled pears on then, sweet potatoes fried in coconut oil, and roasted broccoli. We love eating sweet potatoes fried in coconut oil. I just wash the sweet potatoes and cut them thin, then fry them in coconut oil in a cast iron pan. I love cast iron. It gets nice and hot for frying and stays with even heat. I fry the potatoes until they begin to caramelize in their own sugars. I use a spatula to turn the potatoes over instead of a spoon that stirs them. This keeps the potatoes more intact.
The broccoli recipe came from a friend. You put a few tablespoons of olive oil and a couple cloves of crushed garlic into a container with a lid. Add broccoli florets and shake up. Pour contents onto a cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Yum!!
I have to admit I haven't mastered pork chops yet. They always end up a bit dry, but really tasty. As for the pears, I just sliced them onto an oven-safe dish and put them under the broiler for about 5 minutes or until browned and soft. The pears were really good on the pork chops and it all looked really nice on the plate.
That was lunch. For dinner I boiled a chicken. We raised the chicken here on the Frost Farm. After the meat was cooked I took it out and added organic carrots and rice noodles to the broth. When the chicken was cooled a bit I took the meat off the bones and added it back to the soup. Ten minutes later we had chicken noodle soup. Madisen made gluten free biscuits and whole wheat biscuits. They were a bit heavy so we'll have to work on perfecting a fluffy whole wheat biscuit.
For dessert I made a wonderful peach upside down cake. I'll share the recipe with you. When I made it I made it with frozen blueberries instead of peaches because I didn't have peaches, so any fruit would work. We also made one recipe with gluten free flour and it turned out great!
Here's the recipe:
Topping:
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
2 cups peaches
Place butter, honey, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a small saucepan. Stir over medium heat until the butter is melted. Pour mixture into bottom of 8" square cake pan. Make an even layer of peaches over the honey-butter mixture.
Batter:
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/3 c maple syrup
1/4 cup oil
1 egg
3 Tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp lemon peel grated
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl and spoon over topping.
Bake at 350 for 1 hour or until golden brown. When done, flip pan over and allow to cool with topping on top.
This is a great recipe. It's important to use fruit that has a lot of moisture so the cake part is moist.
Until next time...
I am proud to announce that Owen has lost a total of 13 pounds. That's half a pound a day. All we have done is remove processed sugar and add whole, mostly organic, foods. Yesterday we had a really yummy meal. We ate pork chops, with broiled pears on then, sweet potatoes fried in coconut oil, and roasted broccoli. We love eating sweet potatoes fried in coconut oil. I just wash the sweet potatoes and cut them thin, then fry them in coconut oil in a cast iron pan. I love cast iron. It gets nice and hot for frying and stays with even heat. I fry the potatoes until they begin to caramelize in their own sugars. I use a spatula to turn the potatoes over instead of a spoon that stirs them. This keeps the potatoes more intact.
The broccoli recipe came from a friend. You put a few tablespoons of olive oil and a couple cloves of crushed garlic into a container with a lid. Add broccoli florets and shake up. Pour contents onto a cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Yum!!
I have to admit I haven't mastered pork chops yet. They always end up a bit dry, but really tasty. As for the pears, I just sliced them onto an oven-safe dish and put them under the broiler for about 5 minutes or until browned and soft. The pears were really good on the pork chops and it all looked really nice on the plate.
That was lunch. For dinner I boiled a chicken. We raised the chicken here on the Frost Farm. After the meat was cooked I took it out and added organic carrots and rice noodles to the broth. When the chicken was cooled a bit I took the meat off the bones and added it back to the soup. Ten minutes later we had chicken noodle soup. Madisen made gluten free biscuits and whole wheat biscuits. They were a bit heavy so we'll have to work on perfecting a fluffy whole wheat biscuit.
For dessert I made a wonderful peach upside down cake. I'll share the recipe with you. When I made it I made it with frozen blueberries instead of peaches because I didn't have peaches, so any fruit would work. We also made one recipe with gluten free flour and it turned out great!
Here's the recipe:
Topping:
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
2 cups peaches
Place butter, honey, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a small saucepan. Stir over medium heat until the butter is melted. Pour mixture into bottom of 8" square cake pan. Make an even layer of peaches over the honey-butter mixture.
Batter:
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/3 c maple syrup
1/4 cup oil
1 egg
3 Tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp lemon peel grated
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl and spoon over topping.
Bake at 350 for 1 hour or until golden brown. When done, flip pan over and allow to cool with topping on top.
This is a great recipe. It's important to use fruit that has a lot of moisture so the cake part is moist.
Until next time...
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
Jan. 22, 2014
Yesterday I bought spelt berries at Andy's market and this morning I ground them into flour and made two loaves of bread. They turned out beautiful. I chose spelt because it's a grain that some people, who are allergic to wheat, can digest happily. I have tried it before for myself. It seemed that I still suffered from joint pain and swelling when I ate spelt, but I'm giving it another try. If I can find a flour source that we can all eat, then it makes baking much easier for me. Up to this point I have baked with whole wheat for them, Gluten free for me.
There is a difference between being Gluten intolerant, allergic to wheat, and Celiac's disease. When I was tested I was tested positive for a wheat allergy, but not a sensitivity to Gluten. However, I find that gluten tends to puff me up, so I have stayed clear of all glutenous grains and chosen a gluten-free diet up to this point. Being gluten free is hard though, and sometimes is not the healthiest option when baking for oneself. It would seem the best thing to just remove all need for baked goods since it causes such a fuss, but easier said than done.
Right now I am eating a hot-out-of-the-oven slice of bread with margarine and honey on it. We will see if I have any adverse affects. It will take a couple days to really tell.
My bread recipe is really easy and I only measure two ingredients. I learned the recipe from my mother who did all our baking and cooking from scratch.
You take a large mixing bowl, fill it about a fourth to a third of the way full with warm water. The more water you use the more loaves you will get. You then add two teaspoons of yeast and about 1/4 cup of honey. You adjust the yeast and honey to how much more or less bread that you make. Set the bowl aside in a warm place and allow the yeast to act. It will get bubbly and you will smell the strong yeast scent. Then add two teaspoons of salt. I always do the same measurement for yeast and salt. They seem to correspond well. Don't add the salt before you allow the yeast to act because salt can kill the yeast. Then pour your choice of oil to cover almost the whole surface of the water. Add two eggs. (this recipe does fine without eggs if you are vegan) I add egg to up the protein and add moisture since it is 100% whole grain.
Now, just add flour. If you are using a big mixer then allow the mixer to mix until the dough is firm. I always finish the dough with hand-kneading. Mixers just don't get things even. Oil a large bowl and roll the dough in the oil to coat the whole surface of the dough ball. This is important. The oil will keep the top of the dough ball from developing a crust. Let the dough rise until it fills the bowl. Punch down and let rise at least one more time. Knead the dough again to press out any air bubbles and cut into loaf sizes. Oil loaf pans and allow to rise half-way and then bake at 325 for one hour.
This recipe has been faithfully successful for years and does well to accommodate all kinds of flours or additives. You can use apple sauce instead of egg for moisture or add wheat germ or oats etc. The options are endless. If the bread is too yeasty, next time use less yeast. If you want it sweeter, use more honey, if you want it fluffier, do half whole wheat, half white flour. You will develop a loaf that will be your favorite and you'll feel like Betty Crocker because it always turns out.
Just like the manna in the desert, this bread will not keep like your store-bought loaves, so eat it quickly or freeze it for later. I only make two loaves at a time. they get eaten within two days. After two days they are crumbly and dry. But never fear, your bread is still valuable. It makes great French toast and if you cube it and dry it in the oven you can season it for stuffing or croutons. Waste not!
That makes for a good lesson on peace. Jesus said that He is the Bread of Life. If we consume Jesus in the same way that we consume bread then we will have all that we need and won't have to get by on yesterday's grace. We need to consume the things of God every day. His mercies are new every morning and are designed for what that day holds. When we don't devote time to read the Word and pray then we do not have what we need to face the day. Jesus has bread to serve to us daily, all we need to do is sit at the table and be served!
Well, happy bread making.
Until next time...
Yesterday I bought spelt berries at Andy's market and this morning I ground them into flour and made two loaves of bread. They turned out beautiful. I chose spelt because it's a grain that some people, who are allergic to wheat, can digest happily. I have tried it before for myself. It seemed that I still suffered from joint pain and swelling when I ate spelt, but I'm giving it another try. If I can find a flour source that we can all eat, then it makes baking much easier for me. Up to this point I have baked with whole wheat for them, Gluten free for me.
There is a difference between being Gluten intolerant, allergic to wheat, and Celiac's disease. When I was tested I was tested positive for a wheat allergy, but not a sensitivity to Gluten. However, I find that gluten tends to puff me up, so I have stayed clear of all glutenous grains and chosen a gluten-free diet up to this point. Being gluten free is hard though, and sometimes is not the healthiest option when baking for oneself. It would seem the best thing to just remove all need for baked goods since it causes such a fuss, but easier said than done.
Right now I am eating a hot-out-of-the-oven slice of bread with margarine and honey on it. We will see if I have any adverse affects. It will take a couple days to really tell.
My bread recipe is really easy and I only measure two ingredients. I learned the recipe from my mother who did all our baking and cooking from scratch.
You take a large mixing bowl, fill it about a fourth to a third of the way full with warm water. The more water you use the more loaves you will get. You then add two teaspoons of yeast and about 1/4 cup of honey. You adjust the yeast and honey to how much more or less bread that you make. Set the bowl aside in a warm place and allow the yeast to act. It will get bubbly and you will smell the strong yeast scent. Then add two teaspoons of salt. I always do the same measurement for yeast and salt. They seem to correspond well. Don't add the salt before you allow the yeast to act because salt can kill the yeast. Then pour your choice of oil to cover almost the whole surface of the water. Add two eggs. (this recipe does fine without eggs if you are vegan) I add egg to up the protein and add moisture since it is 100% whole grain.
Now, just add flour. If you are using a big mixer then allow the mixer to mix until the dough is firm. I always finish the dough with hand-kneading. Mixers just don't get things even. Oil a large bowl and roll the dough in the oil to coat the whole surface of the dough ball. This is important. The oil will keep the top of the dough ball from developing a crust. Let the dough rise until it fills the bowl. Punch down and let rise at least one more time. Knead the dough again to press out any air bubbles and cut into loaf sizes. Oil loaf pans and allow to rise half-way and then bake at 325 for one hour.
This recipe has been faithfully successful for years and does well to accommodate all kinds of flours or additives. You can use apple sauce instead of egg for moisture or add wheat germ or oats etc. The options are endless. If the bread is too yeasty, next time use less yeast. If you want it sweeter, use more honey, if you want it fluffier, do half whole wheat, half white flour. You will develop a loaf that will be your favorite and you'll feel like Betty Crocker because it always turns out.
Just like the manna in the desert, this bread will not keep like your store-bought loaves, so eat it quickly or freeze it for later. I only make two loaves at a time. they get eaten within two days. After two days they are crumbly and dry. But never fear, your bread is still valuable. It makes great French toast and if you cube it and dry it in the oven you can season it for stuffing or croutons. Waste not!
That makes for a good lesson on peace. Jesus said that He is the Bread of Life. If we consume Jesus in the same way that we consume bread then we will have all that we need and won't have to get by on yesterday's grace. We need to consume the things of God every day. His mercies are new every morning and are designed for what that day holds. When we don't devote time to read the Word and pray then we do not have what we need to face the day. Jesus has bread to serve to us daily, all we need to do is sit at the table and be served!
Well, happy bread making.
Until next time...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)