Homemade Applebutter

It is apple season and I was able to get a huge bag of free apples from a neighbor of a friend of mine! Yay! Apple butter is delicious, it is great to put on some toast or pancakes.

The first step is to make homemade applesauce:

- 8 large apples or a bunch of small ones

- juice of one to two lemons

- 1 teaspoon cinnamon 

- 1 teaspoon vanilla

- 2 Tablespoons sucannat or raw honey

- 3/4 cup water

1. Skin, cut and core the apples

Fried Oatmeal

Sometimes I never know how much oatmeal to make in the mornings. Some days I don't make enough and other days I make way to much. I don't like to waste food, so for those days when I make too much I like to make the boys fried oatmeal. It is easy and a unique tasty way to eat left over oatmeal. This makes a great snack. I happened to have some leftover buckwheat oatmeal that I used to fry up.

Here is what you are going to need:

- leftover oatmeal

- coconut oil or butter

Homemade Sauerkraut

Making sauerkraut is easy and it is a great way to add some probiotics into your diet. If you are wanting to add more lacto-fermented veggies in your diet I think cabbage is the easiest one to start with to make at home. Fermenting the cabbage not only makes it more digestible but it also adds in more nutrients and probiotics. This sauerkraut tastes like pickles and my boys will all eat it, which is a win for me!  This recipe is from the Nourishing Traditions cookbook by Sally Fallon Morrel.

Here is what you are going to need:

- 1 head of cabbage

- 2 tablespoons of salt ( a little less if you have sauerkraut juice)
- 2 tablespoons of caraway seeds (optional)

-  4 tablespoons of sauerkraut juice from a previous batch (if you have it)

- glass jars

Sourdough "Grape Nut" Cereal

One of my favorite foods growing up was cereal.  I used to have it for breakfast and snacks and I ate it a lot during college. A couple of years ago I gave up cereal because most all of the cereals at the grocery store are highly processed, filled with sugar and hard to digest.  Here is a recipe for a healthier cereal option to fill those cereal cravings.

Here is what you are going to need:

- about 2 cups of liquid (i use water but you could use milk)

- 1/2 c sourdough starter
- 3 cups of flour (I use freshly ground whole wheat)
- 1 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt

Homemade Sourdough Pizza

Pizza would have to be one of my favorite things to eat. I know most pizza is bad for you, but I really like it.  Here is a yummy, simple and healthier pizza that you can make at home and it is a lot cheaper too!!  

I have tried a number of different pizza crusts and I haven't found one that I love. Last night I had some sourdough English muffins dough fermenting because I was going to make tuna melts for dinner, but I changed my mind and decided to see if my English muffin dough would work for a pizza, and indeed it worked and it was tasty!! 

Crispy Trail Mix

We love trail mix in our house. It makes a great nutritious snack. Nuts can be hard to digest but this recipe calls for crispy nuts which are soaked in salt water to break them down and make them lighter and more digestible.

Here is what you are going to need:

The great thing about trail mix is that you can use whatever nuts or dried fruit you like.

- 1 cup raw almonds

- 1 cup raw peanuts

- 1 cup raw cashews

- 1 cup raisins

- 1 cup unsulphured dried apricots
- chocolate chips

5 Helpful Tips to Start Your Day off Well

We all want to have a good day.  We cannot control all the variables in our day, (though we might like to) but here are a few tips to help your day start off right and put you in a position to have a better day.  

1. Pray!  This is the best way to start off your day. Take a few minutes to pray for your day.  I like to ask for the Lord to help order my day.  I also like to pray for grace for me and my children; that I would have a thankful heart and be filled with the Spirit and that I would have the fruits of the Spirit towards my children and husband and whoever else I'm around that day. Praying is amazing! God hears our prayers and He will answer! Matthew 7:7-8 says "ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, and knock and it will be opened to you." Pray for specific things you need help with and ask for blessings on your day. 

Homemade Dry Shampoo

I think that dry shampoo was invented for moms..... I can't tell you how many mornings I did not had time to take a shower and wash my hair, so I ended up putting on a hat and heading out the door.  By putting some dry shampoo near the roots of your hair it can extend the days in between hair washings. My hairdresser was telling me about dry shampoo the last time I got my hair cut. She was telling me that the stuff work really well and that she knows many moms who use dry shampoo and it helps them so much. So I got some and decided to give it a try. I really liked it! The only down side was the one I got was a lighter spray and my hair is pretty dark, so it didn't blend in all that well. Then the other day in my email I was sent a super simple dry shampoo recipe for dark hair. Just what I needed!! Thanks DIY Natural!

Here is what you are going to need:

- 1/2 cup cornstarch (organic is best)

Optional add ins--

- 3-4 drops essential oils for scent

- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (for dark hair)

- 2 tablespoons cinnamon (for red or auburn hair)

Crock Pot Refried Beans

Refried beans are great to make to use for lunches or dinners or freeze for later. In my quest of eliminating canned foods from my pantry, I have been making my own refried beans and I have been using this recipe.  These refried beans are healthier, cheaper and tastier than the canned variety! 

Here is what you are going to need:

- 1 lb of dried pinto beans

- half of a large onion, chopped

- 5 garlic cloves, minced

- 2 1/2 teaspoons cumin

- 1 teaspoon paprika

- 2 teaspoons sea salt

- 2 teaspoons chili powder

- 1/2 teaspoon pepper

- 3 to 4 cups filtered water

Breakfast Pastries

Here is another fun breakfast recipe. My oldest son is always asking me to make these. They are a bit like a small cinnamon roll. Soaking the flour overnight in butter and kefir helps to break down the flour an make it more digestible.  I took this recipe from the Nourishing Traditions cookbook. These are also called Rugelach, which is a Jewish pastry.

Here is what you are going to need:

- 1/2 cup softened butter

- 3/4 cup kefir (see how to make it here)

- 2 cups flour

- 1/2 cup rapadura sugar (a little less if you don't want it quite as sweet) I like to use less sugar an put a teaspoon of stevia in.

- 1 tablespoon vanilla

- 3/4 teaspoon salt

-1/4 cup butter 

-2 teaspoons cinnamon

- 1/4 cup raisins
- 1/4 cup crispy pecans (optional) I don't really like nuts in my baked goods, so I usually don't add them in.

Influences Affect that Your Immune System

Feeling run down? Here are some things that run down your immune system.  This list is helpful as to know what to limit and cut out.  If you keep reading you will see what is helpful to do if you are trying to stay healthy and keep that immune system strong! It matters what you eat, and it is great to be active and spend time outside!

Here are 10 influences that damage immunity:

1. Sugar and everything containing it: sweets, soft drinks, confectionery, ice cream, etc.

2. Processes carbohydrates: cakes, biscuits, crisps, snacks, breakfast cereals, white bread and pasta.

3. Chemically altered artificial fats: margarines, butter replacements, cooking and vegetable oils, processed foods prepared with these fats.

4. Lack of high quality protein in the diet from meats and fish, eggs, high quality dairy products, nuts and seeds.

5. Exposure to man made chemicals: cleaning and washing chemicals, personal care products, paints, fire retardants, petrochemicals, pesticides, etc.

6. Exposure to man made radiation: electronic screens (TV, computers , play stations, etc.) mobile phones, high powered electricity lines, nuclear stations and nuclear wastes.

7. Drugs: antibiotics, steroids, antidepressants, painkillers, anti-cancer medication, anti- viral drugs, etc.

8. Lack of fresh air and physical activity.

9. Lack of exposure to sunlight.

10. Lack of exposure to common microbes in the environment. Living in a too sterilized environment is strongly associated with compromises immunity. The immune system needs constant stimulation from the microbes in the environment.  

This morning I was reading a book about John Wesley to my boys and in the book it talked about how John Wesley would have a nagging cough or feel ill and he would jump into a nearby stream and he would also spend as much time as he could outdoors in the fresh air. These two things helped him quickly recover from sickness. Unfortunately many of the freshwater streams today are polluted, but if you find one nearby you that is not polluted, getting in the water is a great immune builder!  

Here are 10 influences which boost immunity:

1. Fresh animal fats and cholesterol rich foods (butter, lard, tallow, egg yolks)

2. Cold pressed oils: olive oil, coconut oil, nut/seed oils

3. Onions and garlic

4. Freshly pressed vegetable & fruit juices

5. Regular consumption of greens: parsley, dill, coriander, spring onions, garlic, etc.

6. Probiotic supplementation & fermented foods

7. Contact with animals

8. Swimming in unpolluted, natural waters

9. Physical activity in the fresh air

10. Exposure to sunlight and sensible sunbathing

These lists are helpful to know how to keep your family strong and healthy!

**These lists were take from Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride in her Gut and Psychology Syndrome Book.  

Effective Homemade Deodorant

For years I have heard of the bad effects of commercial deodorant, mostly because of the aluminum and also the other chemicals in it too. I really didn't want to use the store bought kind and I didn't know if the "natural" ones at the store were all that much better and they were expensive. I also didn't want to stink, so I continued to use the cheap deodorant from the store. Then, a couple months ago I came across an easy deodorant recipe and gave it a try. It was easy to make and it works well. By husband was a little reluctant to try it, but he did and he likes it too! I was so excited about it. If you have been wanting to try a natural deodorant, here is your chance. You might have most of these ingredients in your home already!  

Here is what you are going to need:

- 6-8 tablespoons coconut oil (in a solid state, so a little less if the oil is in the melted state)

- 1/4 cup baking soda

- 1/4 cup arrowroot powder or cornstarch (organic is best)

- optional essential oil ( I used tea tree oil)
- old deodorant containers or a small bowl with a lid

"Sun Dried" Tomatoes

We have a small garden and we are harvesting a good amount of tomatoes his year! Yay! I love fresh tomatoes. They are delicious plain or cut and sprinkled with salt and pepper. I also like the flavor that "sun dried" tomatoes add to dishes.  Many of the tomatoes labeled sun dried at the store are not really dried in the sun but they are still called sun dried.  I used a dehydrator for mine. I know we cannot eat all the tomatoes in our garden right now so I'm going to dry some for later.

Here is what you are going to need: 

- tomatoes, I used 12 Roma tomatoes (Roma work best because they are less juicy, but any will do, you just might have to take the seeds out)

- salt and pepper to taste

- basil (I have some from my garden too and I am going to dry it with the tomatoes)

- dehydrator or warm oven

Sourdough Chocolate Chip and Cranberry Aebleskievers

When I was growing up we would go visit my grandparents in Santa Barbara, CA. I always loved going to visit that city, it is beautiful, it has a beach, and the weather is usually great.  When we would visit, we would drive up to a town about an hour away called Solvang. It is a quaint Danish town.  They have lots of fun shops as well as great restaurants. We were introduced to aebleskievers  "apple skeevers" which are like spherical pancake. My dad liked them so much that he bought a cast iron aebleskiever pan so he could make them at home. I loved it when he would often make them for breakfast on the weekends. A couple years ago he passed the pan along to me and I have been making them for my boys. This morning I made some with mini chocolate chip and orange flavored crasins. Yum!!

Here is what you are going to need:

- 2 cups flour

- 2 cups oats

- 1/2 cup of sourdough starter

- 1 1/2 to 2 cups water

- 2 eggs

- 1/4 cup melted butter or coconut oil

- 3/4 teaspoon salt

- 1 teaspoon baking soda

- 1 teaspoon vanilla

- 1/2 cup honey, stevia or sugar (more or less, depending on how sweet you like it) I used a mix of honey and stevia.

- 1 cup mix of chocolate chips and orange flavored dried cranberries (I get them at Trader Joe's). Feel free to use whatever you like or have on hand, raisins, blueberries, strawberries would all work well.

Good First Foods for Baby

(my youngest son eating mashed avocado)

There are many theories about the best foods to feed baby.  With my first 2 sons, the first food they got was rice cereal. We were instructed by our pediatrician as well as other books to start off with rice cereal.  I started mixing it with breast milk, then mixed it with water and I often heated it in the microwave. (until we ditched our microwave, read about that here)  My oldest son had lots of constipation in his first 6 months of eating real foods. To this day he is still a bit sensitive to grains.  The Nourishing Traditions Book of Baby and Child Care has a whole chapter on feeding growing children. I really wish that they had the book available when I had my oldest sons.  They recommend starting to feed baby around 4-6 months. There is a fad going around of exclusive breastfeeding up until the first year. This may be tempting because it is so much easier and less messy to nurse than to feed solids. However, the results from holding off on feeding solids can result in an anemic baby who can be timid and clingy. The main reason for this is because at 6 months baby runs out of iron and breast milk cannot supply them with enough iron to meet baby's needs. In most traditional cultures one of the first foods given to baby was liver that was pre-chewed by mom.  Liver is high in iron and b vitamins. Another weaning food was a grass-fed egg yolk, loaded with vitamins and cholesterol.

Why We Ditched our Microwave

Microwaves are a staple kitchen appliance in most American homes.  The past few years I have been hearing all the negatives about microwaves and when our microwave broke 3 years ago we never fixed it or replaced it.  Truthfully, I do not miss it all that much.  It is just as easy to heat left overs up on the stove or use the toaster.  Plus I have more room in my kitchen without the bulky microwave and we save a bit of energy.  

Sourdough Crepes

These crepes are great. I found them here on the Gnowfglins website, they have so many great sourdough recipes. These crepes make a nice lunch rolled up with a nut butter and jelly or refried beans and cheese. You could also fry them up and make chips! We often use these in place of tortillas. They would also make a delicious breakfast if you add in a little sweetener to the batter and then stuff with fruit and top with whipped cream. This recipe makes roughly 9 crepes.

Here is what you are going to need:

- 1 cup sourdough starter

- 3 eggs

- 3 tablespoons butter or coconut oil

- 3 pinches salt

- milk to thin 1/4 cup (more or less)

Sourdough Blueberry Waffles

I think breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. I love pancakes, waffles, French toast, bacon, grits, oatmeal and the list could go on and on. I could eat breakfast foods all day long! Here is a great recipe for easily digested waffles they are easy and yummy!  I found this recipe from the Gnowfglins website here.

Here is what you are going to need:

- 2 cups of sourdough starter

- 1/2 teaspoon salt

- 2 tablespoons of sweetener like sugar or honey

-1/4 cup melted butter or coconut oil

- 2 eggs

- 1 teaspoon of baking soda mixed with 1 tablespoon water

- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

- 1/2 cup to 1 cup blueberries

Homemade Kefir Smoothie

I make this smoothie nearly every day for lunch. My husband can take it to work for a quick and easy lunch to have while he is working away and my sons love it. I love that it is so nutritious and it is easy to make. I adapted this recipe from the Nourishing Traditions Cookbook.

Here is what you are going to need: 

- Raw milk kefir (go here to see how I make it)  I use 2 (about 24 ounce) jars of kefir for my smoothies. 
- 1 cup fruit (I use all kinds of fruit; strawberries, blueberries, mango, bananas, pineapple) I usually use frozen fruit but fresh works too.
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon Stevia (I use the spoonable stevita)
- 1 tablespoon cod liver oil (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla (optional, only if you use banana)

Grain-Free Brownies

Here is a recipe that uses a secret ingredient to make these brownies grain-free and gluten-free.  Any guesses?


 Keep reading to find out...

Milling Grains at Home

A few years ago I was getting into making tortillas and muffins and waffles from scratch.  A friend of mine had a grain mill and made her own flour at home.  At first it sounded so intense to me to make flour at home, but I was intrigued and wanted to learn more about homemade flour.  I didn't like the whole wheat flour at the store that much and I didn't want to just use white flour. I thought it would be fun to make my own flour.  Reading through the Nourishing Traditions Cookbook I learned that grains can quickly go rancid after grinding and they lose many of their nutrients after sitting on the shelf for a while.  I really wanted a grain mill and talked to my husband about it and we decided to invest some of our tax return money into a grain mill.  It has been a great purchase. I've used it nearly every week for over 3 years!  I love that I can buy many different kind of grains and I love that I can use flour that is fresh and has the most nutrients in it.  I have the Nutrimill and I love it!!  We bought it here in Amazon.  I buy my grains in bulk from Azure Standard and occasionally when I run out, I buy grains from the bulk bins at Whole Foods.  I have milled all kinds of grains in my mill; wheat berries, spelt, buckwheat, and rice.  It is nice to be able to use any grains and to be able to mix them together.  The type of wheat berry you use depends on what you are going to do with the flour.  If you are going to be making cakes and pastries then a soft white wheat works great for that.  If you are going to be making breads then you can use a hard wheat like red or white and rye berries work well in sourdough.  I usually use either hard red wheat berries or hard white wheat berries and rye berries.  I use most of my flour for making sourdough English muffins or sourdough pancakes.  

My Top 5 Favorite books about food and health

I have always liked cooking and making things in the kitchen.  I love reading and learning about food and trying different recipes. The last few years I have been reading books about the best ways to prepare foods and the most nutritious foods for my body and for my family.  Here are my top 5 books on food (for now)

1.  Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon

I have learned soooo much from this book, it has tons of recipes in it and it also tells the best ways to prepare foods so that your body can get the most vitamins out of them and digest them the best.  I highly recommend reading this book if you are interested in preparing healthy meals and snacks for you and your family!!

Savory Sweet Potatoes with Bacon

A couple of my favorite foods right now, sweet potatoes and bacon. I know there is controversy around bacon right now. In the Maker's Diet, Jordan Rubin says to avoid all pork products because The Lord calls them unclean in the Bible. For a long while I too avoided pork products, but during my 4th pregnancy I really craved bacon so I started eating it again, and I'm really enjoying it for now. Who knows, maybe next year I won't be eating bacon.... we will see.  If you do not eat pork feel free to use turkey bacon.  I found this recipe here and adapted it a little bit.

Here is what you are going to need:

- 1/2 pound of bacon cooked and crumbled

- 2 pounds of sweet potatoes

- 2 tablespoons coconut oil

-  4 cloves garlic

- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

- dash of cinnamon

- salt and pepper to taste

- one green onion chopped

- a dash or two of red pepper flakes (depending on how spicy you like it)

- the juice of one lime ( I didn't have a lime so I didn't use one)

Why We Drink Raw Milk

Got milk?

There is lots of debate and controversy around milk these days.  Growing up we drank milk, and I liked it.  I think we drank 2%. Then in college I switched to skim milk (I thought fats were bad and going to make me fat).  When my husband and I got married we stopped drinking milk because he felt like he did not digest it that well.  So we tried soy milk for a while, but stopped that because it was expensive and we thought it tasted a little funny.  There were a lot of years where we really did not drink milk and we did not think much of it.  Then we had children and the doctors recommend to give children 1 year old and up whole milk.  So we gave our boys whole milk and I began to hear about the stories behind the milk at the store and wondered if I should be giving it to my children.

How we save money on our cell phone bill

We have used a couple of different cell phone providers over the years. We always felt overcharged and felt like they did not have the plans we wanted or needed. About 4 years ago our contract was ending with AT&T. We had heard about a no contract company called Page Plus Cellular from a friend of ours. Page plus uses Verizon phones and the Verizon towers so you get the same service that you would with Verizon. We were interested because we really wanted to save money and get out of those 2 year contracts. We have been so happy with Page Plus. They provide great service at a great price. We bought refurbished smart phones online.  This has been one of the ways we have been able to save money each month on our phone bill and we were able to keep our old phone numbers.

Check out Page Plus here.

A few months ago my husband wanted to cut our phone bill even lower to he started researching wifi texting and calling apps. He tried most of the apps out there and found that he really liked one called Text Now. You need a new, separate number but as long as you are in a place that has wifi you can receive calls for free an you can buy like 100 minutes to call out in a wifi area for $3 and you can text for free!!  The number that my husband primarily uses right now is his text now number since he is usually in a wifi area. 

Check out Text Now here.

Using these ways to call and text has saved us lots of money over the years.  When we were in contracts we would pay over $100 a month and we would always get charged extra for going over on minutes and texts and it seemed they were also adding in extra taxes and fees.  We now pay around $45 for both of our smart phones and there are never any surprise bills or taxes or fees.  If you are looking to save money on your cell phone bill, consider checking these options out!

Homemade carrot baby food

Baby food is something that is easy to make and it is healthy and inexpensive. Sometimes I make my own baby food and sometimes I buy it at the store.  I prefer to make baby food at home because I know all the ingredients in it and it is much cheaper, but I like the convenience of buying the baby food at the store. I like to add a little broth in to help with baby's digestion, add minerals, and add flavor and I also like to add a little Real Salt or Celtic Salt to add in minerals in too. You could make baby food with most any vegetables you would like to feed to your baby!  Carrots, green beans, sweet potatoes, squash, and peas are some of my favorites to make.

Here is what you are going to need:

- organic carrots (I used 4 large)

- 1/2 cup of broth (click here to see how to make homemade broth)

- 1/2 cup to 1 cup water

- dash of salt

Natural All Purpose Cleaner

I love having a clean house but I don't love all the chemicals in most of the cleaning products at the store.  I have been using this natural all purpose cleaner for the last several years it works well on the counters, windows, and mirrors. The only thing it isn't quite as good at is cutting through the tough grease. I like that I can give the spray bottle to my boys to let them help clean and not have to watch them like a hawk making sure that they do not ingest the chemicals or spray them in their eyes or something.

Here is what you are going to need:

- a spray bottle (I bought this one at the dollar tree)

- white distilled vinegar

- water

- dish soap

- essential oils (I usually put some orange essential oils in, tea tree oil or lemon would be nice too, but you could use whatever oils you have or like the smell of )

Add about 1 1/2 cups of water and about 1 cup of vinegar to the spray bottle, then add a couple drops of dish soap and I use about 5-10 drops of essential oils. Then give it a shake and that's it, pretty simple. Now you are ready to clean!

Soaked Oatmeal

I think my boys' favorite breakfast is oatmeal, they ask for it nearly every day.  We usually eat it once or twice a week.  I have always enjoyed oatmeal for breakfast, it is inexpensive and delicious.  Oats can be hard to digest and they contain many anti-nutrients which means that our bodies cannot absorb all the vitamins and minerals in the oats unless they are soaked in an acidic liquid for at least 7 hours to break down the anti-nutrients. (it's kind of like letting the acidic liquid break down and pre-digest your food first)  For a while we were eating steel-cut oats but they seemed much harder to digest even when we soaked them first.  So for right now we make oatmeal with rolled oats.   When the oatmeal is soaked overnight the oats cook up really fast in the morning!


Here is what you are going to need:

- 5 cups oats
- juice of one large lemon
- 6 cups water
- other additions like cinnamon, raisins, blueberries, etc.

In a large pot place the oats, the juiced lemon and the water into a pot and stir and cover with lid.  Let the oats soak for at least 7 hours.  I usually do this before I go to bed. (I usually fill the water until it just covers the oats)

white rice or brown rice?

Right now it seems there is some debate on which is the better rice to eat.  I grew up eating white rice and I liked it.  Then when I got older brown rice was all the rage because it had more nutrients and fiber and everything white was considered "bad" mostly because of the lack of nutrients and because of the high glycemic index.  So for a number of years I ate brown rice and I liked the nutty texture.  Then, last year I came across this article and this article and another one here which got me thinking....  For a while I was trying to soak my brown rice but it did not seem to be breaking down the rice much.  So for the last few months we have switched over to white rice and my husband and children love it.  White basmati or white jasmine rice are a good option for white rice.  I like to cook my rice in broth to add in more nutrients and add some great flavor.  For now, we have made the switch to white rice because it is so much easier to digest and it is so much tastier.    

Crispy Almonds

Nuts are a great snack. Unfortunately they can be hard to digest due to the antinutrients like enzyme inhibitors which can be broken down in the soaking process.  I found this recipe in the nourishing traditions cookbook and I make these crispy almonds all the time.

Here is what you are going to need:

- raw almonds 

- filtered water

- about 1 tablespoon salt

- a medium to large bowl

- dehydrator (or a cookie sheet and a warm oven)

5 things I wish I had known before I had my first baby

1. Breast feeding is hard and painful. Have a lactation consultant help you as soon as possible after having your baby.  Before I had my first son my goal was to nurse him for at least a year. No one told me how hard and painful breast feeding would be. I had a really rough time nursing my first son. He had a short tongue and I had no idea what I was doing. I really wish I would have had a lactation consultant there to help me in that first hour of learning how to feed him. I was doing the latch all wrong. I was cracked and bleeding for many` of the first 40 days. Once I passed the 40 day mark breast feeding was great, I loved it. Some of my most cherished moments with my boys have been breastfeeding.  It is such a special time and breast milk is so healthy for the baby.  If you stick with it through those first 40 days it will be worth it!!  Click here for 10 helpful breastfeeding tips.

Homemade Kombucha

Kombucha is a refreshing fermented tea drink that is packed with beneficial bacteria and probiotics.  My husband and I first tried it a few years ago, we would by the bottles of GT Kombucha at Whole Foods.  It was a treat for us since they were about $3 a bottle!! I was excited when I found a Kombucha recipe in the Nourishing Traditions Cookbook.  This recipe is adapted from hers, I just have changed the amounts to a 2 gallon jar because we go through lots of Kombucha now that I found a frugal way that we can drink it often.  There are many health benefits from drinking kombucha. The SCOBY or kombucha mushroom feeds on sugar and caffeine and produces acetic acid and lactic acid and also detoxifying substances like glucuronic acid. This refreshing drink is a great replacement for sugary sodas!!

I have a 2 gallon glass jar that I think I bought at Walmart so this recipe fits the 2 gallon jar.

Here is what you are going to need:

- a large stock pot

- 2 gallon glass jar
- white dish towel
- large rubber band
- 2 2/3 cups white sugar
- 11 organic black tea bags (I do half black tea and half green tea)
- 8 quarts of filtered water
- kombucha SCOBY or mushroom (you can buy this online or get one from a friend)
- 1 cup of kombucha from a previous batch


Here is what you are going to need if you are doing a one gallon jar or bowl:

- a large stock pot
- 1 gallon glass jar or bowl (the picture at the top is a one gallon brew of kombucha in my 1 gallon glass bowl)
- white dish towel
- large rubber band
- 1 cup white sugar
- 4 organic black tea bags
- 3 cups of filtered water
- kombucha SCOBY or mushroom
- 1/2 cup kombucha from a previous batch

*it is important to use organic tea as non-organic tea is high in fluoride.

1. First thing you are going to do is make sweet tea.  In a large stock pot bring 4 quarts of water to a boil. (or 2 quarts if you are doing a one gallon jar)

2. Once you have a rolling boil going, stir in all the sugar, be sure to mix it well.

3. Turn off the heat and throw in the tea bags and let steep for about 5 minutes.

.

4. Remove the tea bags and let the sweet tea cool.  I like to then add the other 5 cups of filtered water (or 1 cup of water if you are doing one gallon) to cool down the tea faster.

5. while the sweet tea is cooling take the brewed kombucha out and put in separate jars, be sure to leave in about 3/4 cup or so for the next batch.  (sometimes I leave the SCOBY in the jar while I take the brewed kombucha out and sometimes I put the SCOBY in another glass jar covered with the 3/4 cup brewed kombucha and covered with a dish towel so I can clean out my brewing kombucha jar.)

6. Once the sweet tea is about body temperature pour it over the SCOBY and put the towel on and secure it on with a large rubber band to keep the fruit flies out.  I leave a couple inches at the top of my jar because I do not want my SCOBY touching the towel on the top because the fruit flies can sometimes lay eggs right onto your SCOBY through your towel, yuck!!

6. In the picture above you can see the difference of the kombucha on the right with the sweet tea I just added to the SCOBY.  Let the Kombucha ferment for about 5-8 days depending upon how warm your house is. It will ferment faster in the summer.  Take a taste test to see if it is ready.  It should taste kind of like apple cider but with a vinegar tang at the end. The beauty of homemade kombucha is that you can make it just how you like it, if you like it sweeter or if you like it to have more of a vinegar kick to it.  Apparently SCOBYs like a quieter environment so we let ours brew on a dresser in our master bedroom.  If you like kombucha that is nice and bubbly leave your brewed jars out on the counter for another day or two instead of sticking them immediately in the fridge.

**  Here is a great video on how to make kombucha and the benefits behind it, check it out!

** You can make your own SCOBY at home with a bottle of GT kombucha with a culture in it.  Stay tuned for a post on that soon...

** SCOBY stands for a Symbionic Colony Of Bacteria and Yeast- which means that the SCOBY or mushroom feeds on the sugar and caffeine in the sweet tea and leaves behind beneficial bacterias and acids.

**Here is a picture of what our SCOBY looks like, I know it looks a little scary and this deters some people from making their own kombucha, but trust me it is not that scary and it is worth it for this delicious beverage which is sooo much healthier than a soda.  Every time you brew a new batch of kombucha you will have a new layer form (a baby) on top of your SCOBY which you can keep or share with a friend.

Homemade Fruit Snacks

I have always loved fruit snacks but I don't love all the ingredients in the ones at the store.  A couple weeks ago I found some homemade fruit snack recipes here and here and I wanted to give it a try, I kind of did a combination of both of the recipes to make this recipe. The fruit snacks turned out great and my boys were asking for more. They really are not that hard to make.  Gelatin is a great super food.  It is packed with protein and gelatin really helps to repair your digestive system.

Here is what you are going to need:

-2 1/2 cups fruit fresh or frozen. This time I'm using cherries but strawberries, blueberries would work well or any other fruit of choice.

-1/3 cup juice I had some cranberry juice on hand (fresh made juice is better)

-1/3 to 1/2 cup unflavored gelatin I get mine from azure standard or you can get it from amazon

-1/3 cup kombucha click here to see how to brew your own kombucha

-2 tablespoons of raw honey 

-1/4 teaspoon probiotics (optional)

-1/2 teaspoon Calm Magnesium powder (optional)

-Small sauce pan

-Some molds or ice trays or a parchment lined 9 x 13 glass baking dish, I'm going to use a cute duck mold I got off amazon and some ice trays I had in my cabinet.

Chicken stock, broth, and remouillage recipe

One easy way to stretch out a whole chicken into a bunch of meals is to make chicken broth and soups.  Chicken stock and broth is very nutritious and very healing for the digestive system.  I'm going to show you my process of cooking a whole chicken, while making chicken stock, chicken broth, and a remouillage. (which is a weak chicken broth) To learn more about remouillage click here.  To learn more about the stocks and broths click here.

Here is what you are going to need:

- A whole chicken
- chicken feet (optional)

- Veggies (I usually use carrots, celery and onions)

- Salt 

- Filtered water

- raw apple cider vinegar

- a crock pot

- a ladle

- some glass jars or containers (sometimes I use plastic but I'm trying to make the switch over to all glass)

Sourdough pancakes

Right now we have a tradition of having pancakes on Saturday mornings.  For a while I was making soaked pancakes and I was soaking the flour in lemon juice and water but it seemed that it made some of my family gassy. Then I tried to mill buckwheat and make buckwheat pancakes and those turned out ok but were a little lacking in flavor. So then we tried sourdough pancakes and they were flavorful and easily digested by the family. Yay!  I adapted this recipe from here, and if you want a little more info about sourdough, click here.

Here is what you are going to need:

-3 cups flour (I use freshly ground)

-About 1/2 to 3/4 cup sourdough starter

-2 to 3 cups of water (depending on what kind of flour you use and how thick you like your pancakes. I use whole wheat flour and we like a thinner pancake so I use closer to the 3 cups if water)

- 2 eggs

- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- add ins like blueberries, raisins, strawberries, chocolate chips, etc.

Homemade Elderberry Syrup

Elderberry syrup is a great immune booster, it is high in vitamin A, B, and C which stimulate the immune system and it is also used to help prevent and speed up recovery of the flu.  Elderberry syrup can be kind of expensive at the store, so this is something that is great to make at home to save a bit of money.  I found this recipe here.

Here is what you are going to need:

- 2/3 cup dried elderberries (I bought mine on amazon)

- 3 1/2 cups filtered water

- 2 tablespoons of ginger root (chopped or grated)

- 1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder

- 1/2 teaspoon cloves

- 1 cup of raw honey

- Sauce pan 

- strainer

- funnel

- glass bowl or jar

mexican beef and rice dish

My husband loves Mexican food and he loves rice.  So I'm always on the lookout for meals he would enjoy.  I was headed to a BBQ the other night and needed to bring a side dish, I was about out of food since I was headed to the store the next morning, so I needed to raid my freezer and pantry to come up with something to bring.  I made a dish similar to this only I did not add beef since we were barbecuing meat and it was a side dish.  It turned out really well, it was easy and everyone liked it, this time I added beef to make it an easy complete dinner meal.

Here is what you are going to need:

- 2 cups of rice (I use white jasmine)
- 3 tomatoes
- 1/2 bell pepper any color, chopped
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- 2 tablespoons butter, lard, or coconut oil
- 1/2 pound to 1 pound of ground beef (I had some I had cooked the day before)
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- optional Cayenne pepper if you like it spicy
- 4 cups of water and/or broth
-saute pan
-saucepan or rice cooker

Why I love sourdough

I love sourdough!!! I love that it is easy and it is a healthy way to eat baked products.  I have noticed that not all of my family does well with store bought bread products and there are lots of ingredients I don't like in the store bought breads.  I have found that we do not digest the sprouted bread all that well either.  Thankfully we all seem to do well with sourdough.  Here is a great video on the how and why and science behind sourdough.  

There are many health benefits to sourdough bread.  Before commercial yeast was available at the store people used to make bread through natural leavening or sourdough.  Sourdough is a fermented food and there are a lot of health benefits to consuming fermented foods like the probiotics and also to help balance gut flora.  Fermented foods have lots of lactic acid which help preserve the food and more importantly it helps our bodies absorb the most amount of nutrients.

Sourdough English Muffins

I really like sourdough, you can read more about the benefits of sourdough by clicking here.  This, is one of my favorite recipes, sourdough english muffins, I make these a few times a week.  I have always loved English muffins and I found this recipe here on the gnowfglins website and I have adapted it a little bit. 

Here is what you are going to need:

- a glass bowl, I love my kitchen aid glass mixing bowl (sourdough does not do well in plastic bowls or metal bowls)

- 2 cups of flour (I use freshly ground whole wheat flour)

- 1/2 cup sourdough starter  (to start your own sourdough starter click here )

- 3/4 cup to 1 cup of water

- 3/4 teaspoon unrefined sea salt

- 1 teaspoon baking soda

Homemade raw milk kefir

Homemade kefir is easy to make.  We buy raw milk from a local farmer, Clover Hill.  Their milk has a lot of cream (as you can see from the picture below) and I know it really is very nutrient dense because the cows are on an orgainc pasture fed diet with occasional sprouts and hay.  I adapted this recipe from nourishing traditions by Sally Fallon.  We use this kefir for our homemade kefir smoothies for lunch as well as a yogurt substitute in foods.

I usually use old spaghetti sauce jars or old coconut oil jars, whatever I seem to have on hand. I you can see the fermented kefir on the left side and the raw milk on the right.  The kefir grains work best if you use them most every day but if you need to you can store them in a jar of fresh milk or water in the fridge. The coolness of the fridge will put the kefir grains to sleep.

Here is what you are going to need:

1 jar (I usually use an old spaghetti sauce jar which is 24 ounces) 

1-2 Tablespoons milk kefir grains 

about 2 1/2 cups of milk, or however much to fill up your jar but leave a little room at the top (preferably raw milk)

I can usually tell when the kefir is done by holding it sideways like this to see if it has solidified a bit or by doing a taste test.  This kefir was a little more done than I would like, probably because it is so hot in my kitchen right now.

The kefir grains kind of float on the top like this.

 

Here is what the grains look like when you scoop them out. (I always use a plastic fork because sometimes the grains do not seem to like metal.)  Just take them out and put them in the room temperature milk.  (you can put your jar of cold milk in a pan of simmering water to heat up the milk for a couple minutes or you can do what I usually do by leaving the milk out on the counter for a couple hours to warm up.  Occasionally I have put the kefir grains into cold milk and they seem to be ok, it will just take a little bit longer to ferment the kefir.)

 Here is what the grains look like in the fresh milk.

After I transfer the grains, I put the lids on and keep them on the counter or in my cabinet.

Let them sit and ferment for anywhere from 12 hours to 48 hours depending upon how warm it is in your kitchen.  In the summer the ferment time could be 12 hours and in the winter as long at 48 hours.

**There are many benefits of adding raw milk kefir to your diet.  Kefir is a fermented food and has a lot of probiotics in it which can help to strengthen our gut flora and strengthen our immune systems.  There are some strains of bacteria in kefir that are not found in yogurt.  In our society with so many people taking antibiotics we are all in need of more probiotic foods in our diet.  Kefir has naturally occurring bacteria and yeast which usually occurs in items that are fermented.  Kefir has many vitamins and minerals and is a protien that is easy to digest.  Kefir can often be consumed by lactose intolerant people because the yeast and bacteria provide the enzyme lactase which is an enzyme that eats up most of the lactose during the fermenting process.  

If you live in the KC area and would like some kefir grains, let me know. I might have some extra you could have!