Make-Ahead Breakfast Ideas

I am always looking for recipes that can be made ahead (or at least part of them can).  My family enjoys a hot breakfast in the morning, and I enjoy the nutritional advantage over boxed breakfast cereal (in fact, I can't remember the last time we ate cereal for breakfast as a family).  Here's how I do breakfast ahead of time:

1) Freezer Breakfast Burritos
For each burrito, I use 1-2 slices of cooked bacon, 2 scrambled eggs, shredded colby jack cheese (probably 1/4- 1/2 cup), and 1 flour tortilla (or use your own healthier homemade Soaked Tortillas). 

Directions:

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Lay out bacon on cookie sheet.  Layer eggs and cheese on top of bacon (as if you were laying them inside a tortilla).  Freeze about 15-30 minutes.  Place frozen bacon mixture in the middle of tortilla.  Roll up.  Wrap well in aluminum foil.  Label and freeze.  When ready to eat, bake at 350 for 35-45 minutes.  Unwrap and enjoy a hot breakfast burrito! 

2) Mix up dry components the night before. 
I make a German Apple Pancake on Christmas morning.  The night before, I mix up all the dry ingredients in a tupperware container.  I even slice up the apples and put lemon juice on them, and store in the fridge.  I set my skillet on the stove and put my stand mixer on the counter (I use it to whip up the eggs).  Then in the morning I only need a few minutes for prep time, and I can enjoy a relaxing Christmas morning with my family!  The same thing goes for biscuits, pancakes, waffles, and muffins- you can easily mix up the dry ingredients the night before...

3) If you follow a Nourishing Traditions style diet, you should be soaking your grains.  I've found soaked pancakes and oatmeal to be the easiest.  For soaked oatmeal, just mix your oats, acid medium (1 Tbsp whey, lemon juice, or vinegar) and water in the pot you'll be cooking them, cover with a clean cloth, and leave on the stove overnight.  In the morning, cook as usual.

4) Make a double batch of waffles or muffins and freeze them.  They are best reheated in the oven or toaster oven.  The microwave tends to make them mushy.

These Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins can be frozen and reheated in the oven.

5) Breakfast Strata- Most strata recipes need to be assembled the night before and baked in the morning.  My favorite recipe is adapted from Cooking Light's Goat Cheese, Artichoke, and Smoked Ham Strata. I make it with whole milk and eggs, double the ham, and use feta instead of goat cheese. 

How do you make breakfast ahead of time?

Linked to Tasty Tuesday.

Seed Order 2011!

I am so excited!  I just ordered my seeds from Burpee!  I went a little wild I think, but I know I won't use all the seeds this year.  I love gardening and cannot wait for summer, especially since this winter has been so dreadfully cold. 



Last year's giant pumpkin


Here's what I got:

Seeds (tried to get organic and/or heirloom):
- broccoli
- spinach
- butternut squash
- black beauty squash (zucchini)
- brussels sprouts
- marigolds (for pest control)
- cornflowers (for beauty)
- cilantro
- dill


Plants (just bought the smallest amounts at the best prices they had):
- 25 asparagus roots
- 10 russet potato tubers
- 10 shallot sets
- 300 onion sets (100 each of red, white, and yellow, to split with my neighbor)

Reusable Supplies:
- 25 plant markers
- 2 Tunl Covers (to extend the growing season)


I can't wait to start the broccoli and brussels sprouts in my garage!   My dad got me a lighted tray and it is so great for starting seeds indoors.  Last year I successfully started over 20 tomato plants inside.  This year I'm going to try making my own individual containers out of newspaper, as shown in this video, so I can plant the whole thing directly into the ground.

That is not all I'm growing this year!  I already had quite a few seeds:
- carrots
- corn
- tomatoes
- basil
- kale
- cucumbers
- green beans
- pumpkin

Another exciting new addition is apple trees!  I am planning to order 2 trees through our county's natural resource something-or-other.  We have a terrible time growing trees out here, but I'm hoping that since our county is selling these, they'll have a fighting chance.  I'm planning to get a Lodi tree and a Golden Delicious tree.  Wish me luck, because I'll need it!

Tell me about your garden plans for 2011!  Are you trying anything new?  What's your favorite thing to grow?

Shameless Plug

Hey everyone, check out my friend Jenny's Etsy shop!  She sells handmade jewelry, and she recently added homebaked chocolate chip banana bread!  Yum!

The Osh Kosh- Complete!

In this post I told you about the Osh Kosh- the monster truck with a snow plow on it.  For the last 2 months my husband has spent every "free" moment rebuilding it.  It is finally ready for service.

To give you an idea of how big this thing really is, here's a picture of my son standing next to it:

He calls the truck the Gulf-11, which is what it was called when the Army used it.

The truck itself is taller than my house.  The plow is taller than me. 

This thing will push LOTS of snow.

Just for fun my husband had fake decals made.  He named the plow the Polar Expressway 19 Foot One-Way:

Now we just need a huge snowfall!

The Real Story of America's Infant Mortality Rate

Alert: I am going to get political in this post! 

I am a huge fan of natural childbirth.  I believe in midwives.  Proponents of natural childbirth often argue that America should follow the European model of childbirth (midwives and homebirth are much more common in Europe), because we have one of the worst infant mortality rates among industrialized nations.  But here's the real story:

[W]hat those who create these damning lists never mention is that America considers a premature delivery a ‘baby’ and tries to save it – and is one of the few countries that keep track of early fetal mortality, defined as the survival rate of infants who are born as early as the 20th week of gestation. Most countries don’t even keep track of newborns who die in the first 24 hours, with many European countries labeling them “fetal deaths” rather than live births. America goes to great lengths to save those newborns – other countries are unwilling to spend the resources to do that. Government funded healthcare makes these decisions for parents by assigning a monetary value to life – and often find they cannot afford to save premature babies. So they write them off. We count them.

I am so thankful I live in America, where life is sacred.  We are a great nation!


You can read the rest of this article here.

Menu Plan 2/27 through 3/5

We are gearing up for our busiest time of year- calving season!  I'm looking forward to getting outside with the baby calves in the next few weeks!  In preparation, I've stashed several casseroles in the freezer, as well as some cooked ground meat.  I'll be making good use of my oven and my slow cookers to create meals that are ready to eat as soon as we get home.  Here's what we're eating this week.

Sunday- Pork Roast with mashed potatoes and gravy; fresh fruit on the side
Monday- Pork enchiladas made with Soaked Tortillas; served with homemade sour cream, avocados
Tuesday- Cabbage Roll Casserole, served with homemade sour cream, fresh fruit
Wednesday- Leftovers
Thursday- Homemade Baked Beans, Cornbread
Friday- Broiled Steaks, Fried Potatoes, Carrot Sticks
Saturday- Chicken Tetrazzini (from freezer), steamed spinach with butter

 For more meal plans, visit I'm an Organizing Junkie every Monday.

Starting Solids with Baby # 2

There is so much information out there on starting your baby on solids that it's easy to be confused!  With my son, I was extremely paranoid about introducing solids too early in case he should develop food allergies.  I delayed solids until he was about 9 months old, (much to my in-laws' dismay).  I never thought that rice cereal was a healthy choice for a first food, so I just skipped that.  I thought that I should start with finger foods (as recommended by proponents of Baby-Led Weaning) and let him sample whatever we happened to be eating.  Putting ideas into practice is how I learn best, and I realized that maybe it's not so bad to feed baby with a spoon.  The problem was, the most convenient finger foods are not usually the healthiest.  Cheerios and yogurt melts were staples of his diet.  Those are full of sugars and refined grains that convert into simple sugars very quickly in the body.  Also, sometimes we eat things that babies really can't handle, such as soup that needs to be eaten with a spoon, or really spicy things. 

When I got pregnant with Baby #2, I decided I would do things differently.  I started reading about Real Food, including Nina Planck's book Real Food for Mother and Baby.  Her food philosophy made sense to me.  She's all about whole foods such as protein (especially salmon roe), good fats, and veggies for the little ones.  She really discourages feeding babies bread and other grains.  I highly recommend her book because it is full of interesting studies and nutrional information that was all new to me.

Since I finished Planck's book I have read quite a bit of material from the Weston A. Price Foundation.  I am using a blend of all this information to guide the food choices I make for my daughter.  The WAPF says you can start solids around 4 months, but I waited until closer to 7.  I'm still not convinced that any food is better than breastmilk, even though WAPF says that the nutritional quality of breastmilk will be affected by the mother's diet.  WAPF recommends starting with lightly cooked egg yolks and then adding raw grated liver.  (Um, yeah, I just can't do the raw liver.)  At first the egg yolks were a hit, but she has not eaten them so enthusiastically in the past few days.  I did give her some hard boiled egg yolk in the airport and she seemed to like it. 

Next in the WAPF plan is mashed bananas introduced after 6 months and meats and vegetables around 10 months.  I am not waiting until 10 months to introduce other vegetables like they recommend, just because I feel like letting her try new things (really well-thought-out reason right?).  She doesn't care much for bananas.  I've introduced her to avocados, which she eats pretty willingly.  

Since it's hard to keep fresh bananas and avocados around I decided to cook some vegetables to freeze in baby-sized portions.  I steamed some carrots, mashed them, and flash-froze them in tablespoon-sized portions.  I've seen some people use ice cube trays but I don't have any!  I did add a little sea salt and butter but they still tasted pretty bland to me. 





Cooked carrots ready for the freezer.

 Once they were frozen I put them all into a freezer-safe ziplock baggie.  I fed her some carrot this morning, and she liked it, but next time I make baby food for the freezer I will puree it.  She had a little trouble with the consistency of the carrots (just mashed). 

She has also tried spaghetti squash, which she liked, and crackers when we're away from home.  I feel more confident about what I'm feeding her than what I fed my son that I am able to relax a little bit about the whole baby food thing and just enjoy watching her try new foods.  It is really funny to see her get so excited about the spoon coming her way, and then to see her make a funny face as she decides whether she likes it or not.  I will probably offer her some flaked fish the next time we have some (which is not often enough at our house).  I believe it's easier for her to handle than even the most tender slow cooked beef.  Once she can handle the flaked fish I'll probably start offering tender chunks of meat.  I'm not sure what to do about the birthdays celebrations that are coming this summer.  I'd really like to get my son an ice cream cake.  Maybe some homemade ice cream sweetened with honey or maple syrup...  I'll let you know when I decide.

I think the most important thing to keep in mind when feeding a baby solid foods is that they will have plenty of opportunities in their lifetime to consume nutritionally void, worthless, downright harmful, junk food.  There is no good reason for us to give them Fruit Loops, ice cream, or soda pop.  Some people interpret a baby's reaching for junk food as a sign we should give it to them.  I disagree.  We are in charge of their health at this point, and we will never have as much control over the foods they eat as we do now.  We must use our power wisely! 

Link Love- The Soy Story

 Think soy is a healthy source of protein?  Think again.  Here's the scoop:

Keeper of the Home wants you to beware The Soy Decoy.

The Weston A. Price Foundation covers many Myths and Truths about Soy.

And finally, Food Renegade exposes The Dangers of Soy.

I've been away...

As you've probably noticed, I've been neglecting this blog for some time.  I've been busy with real life and also have been feeling uninspired.  It seems everywhere I turn there is another blogger who is writing about something I want to write about, and I feel like I would be unoriginal if I were to write about the same topic.  One of my goals here on this blog is to write original content.  I mentioned this to my husband the other day, and he told me "That's how everything is.  You just need to do it better than everyone else."  Sometimes he is so wise and makes me feel good without even trying!  So, it's back to blogging!

On that note, I'd like to share about how sneaky my 2-year-old has been lately!  Today after lunch my husband got some cookie dough out of the freezer.  My son immediately asked for some, even though he had hardly eaten his meal.  My husband told him that if he would finish his turkey he could have some dough.  My son protested a bit, then finally shoved about 3 bites' worth into his mouth.  Husband dropped a spoonful of cookie dough on the plate and turned to put the dough away.  Son quietly held his hand up to his mouth and let the turkey slide out.  He started to put it back on his plate, staring at the cookie dough.  I laughed and showed my husband what our son was doing.  He couldn't help but laugh too.  After more protests, the turkey was eaten, as was the cookie dough.  He's got a big sweet tooth, just like his mom!

It seems there is a pattern forming here.  A couple of nights ago his dad was eating chocolate pie and he wanted some, so we told him to finish his dinner and then he could have dessert.  I walked out of the room to tend to the baby.  When I returned, his plate was clean.  "Good job finishing your food!"  I dished up his dessert as promised.

About 20 minutes later, while doing the dishes, I noticed food in the sink- the same food that had been on my son's plate!  What a sneaky little boy!

Meal Plan Jan 30- Feb 5

Brrrr.... it is COLD here!  And the next two days are going to be even colder!  They're predicting wind chill readings of -50 degrees tomorrow night.  Yikes!  So glad to have a nice stack of firewood and the makings for some yummy soup!  I have made more soup this winter than ever before.  It's a frugal and healthy meal choice, especially when prepared with homemade broth.  To read about the health benefits of homemade broth, click here. 

Here's what we'll be eating this week:

Sunday- Mexican Beef Soup (new recipe), Cornbread
Monday- Venison/Beef Bolognese Sauce over pasta, Steamed Peas with butter
Tuesday- Roast Beef with Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, Carrots
Wednesday- Burritos made with leftover roast beef, avocados, sour cream, cheese
Thursday- Homemade BBQ Pizza made with leftover roast beef (an experiment) , Steamed Spinach with butter
Friday- Tuna Burgers on Homemade Buns, Cauliflower au Gratin (new recipe)
Saturday- Broccoli Cheese Soup, Homemade Wheat Bread

Link Love- Sugar-Free Edition

Are you trying to kick your sugar habit?  Here are some links from the blogosphere to help:

Slay the Sugar Monster in Four Doable Stelps by The Healthy Home Economist

The Nourishing Gourment just held a week-long Sugar Free Challenge; here is the Recap  of the challenge, including inspiring success stories.

Keeper of the Home has 21 Ways to Eat Less Sugar as well as some links to other bloggers' posts about cutting out the sugar.

Happy Sugar-Free cooking!

Maintaining a Good Breastmilk Supply

In this post I wrote about establishing your milk supply.  But what about maintenance?  How do you keep the breastfeeding relationship going as long as you want?

There is one simple thing you can do.  It doesn't cost any money.  You can do it in your sleep. 


You ready?


Here it is:


Nurse your baby in your bed at night.


That's all! 

That is how millions of women around the world from the beginning of time have raised their babies.  Out of the breastfeeding moms that I know, the ones who kept baby in bed with them (and nursed throughout the night) were able to nurse as long as they wanted- a year at the shortest, 5 years at the longest.  Mom was able to decide how long to nurse, instead of running out of milk and finding the decision had already been made!  Some of these women went back to work a few weeks after birth.  Even if Mom (or baby) is too busy to nurse during the day, nursing throughout the night will keep up the supply of breastmilk, providing baby with all the wonderful benefits of breastfeeding. 

On the other hand, I know a few moms who encouraged their babies to sleep all night without nursing and they could not keep up with baby's demand.  Not nursing at night AND trying to pump instead of nurse during the day?  That's really a recipe to lose your milk supply.  Now, this does not happen to every mom, but why risk it?

But isn't cosleeping dangerous?  Actually, there are some studies that show cosleeping is beneficial to baby.  They say Mom's breathing helps regulate Baby's breathing and that intentional cosleeping reduces the risk of SIDS  You can find more information on  Dr. Sears' website about cosleeping.  To make your bed as safe as possible for your little one, use common sense.  Cosleeping should be intentional (that means don't fall asleep with baby accidentally).  There is little risk of you (the non-smoking Mom) rolling over onto your baby unless you have been drinking, using drugs, are overtired, or are severly obese.  However, I don't recommed putting baby between mom and dad (or a sibling).   I'm not convinced Dad or a sibling wouldn't accidentally roll onto the baby.  You should have a rail or a net to keep baby from rolling out of bed.  Keep the floor clear so that if baby does happen to roll out she won't become trapped or suffocate (piles of clothing, trash cans, etc).  Never put your baby on the side of bed next to the wall as she could become trapped between the bed and the wall.  The safest option is to sleep on a mattress on the floor.


Two excellent breastfeeding/cosleeping resources:

Kellymom- a website devoted to breastfeeding and natural parenting

La Leche League- Their book, The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding, includes practical tips for cosleeping.  Even if you choose not to cosleep, this book is essential for the breastfeeding mother!

What about you?  How did you maintain your breastmilk supply? 

Disclaimer:  I am not a medical professional, just a mom who has nursed two babies.  Please consult your physician for advice on safe cosleeping.  I assume no responsibility for any outcome, good or bad, that results from this advice.

Linked to WFMW and Real Food Wednesday.

Homemade Cream Cheese (from Raw Milk)

I took a big step on my Real Food journey today: I made cream cheese and whey from raw milk!  The process of making cream cheese and whey is called culturing or fermenting the milk.  Basically you let the milk sit out at room temperature until it naturally separates.  

But isn't that dangerous, you might be asking?  Well, according to Sally Fallon Morell, author of Nourishing Traditions,

Without pasteurization or refrigeration, milk sours and separates spontaneously.  This is due to the process of lacto-fermentation during which lactic-acid-producing bacteria begin digesting or breaking down both milk sugar (lactose) and milk protein (casein).  When these friendly bacteria have produced enough lactic acid to inactivate all putrefying bacteria, the milk is effectively preserved from spoilage for several days or weeks..."   

In fact, she writes that people all over the world used to consume soured milk for the health benefits.  She writes:

Research has shown that regular consumption of cultured dairy products lowers cholesterol and protects against bone loss.  In addition, cultured dairy products provide beneficial bacteria and lactic acid to the digestive tract.  These friendly creatures and their by-products keep pathogens at bay, gaurd against infectious illness and aid in the fullest possible digestion of all food we consume.

A few days ago my in-laws found a jug of raw milk in their walk-in cooler that was a little older than the rest.  They gave me their blessing to make cream cheese and whey with it.  I put the jar in the cabinet above my fridge (past experience led me to believe it needs to be at least 65 or 70 degrees to culture).  This morning (2 days later) I took the jar down and this is what I saw:

I put a flour sack cloth in a bowl and dumped the soured milk into it:

Then I gathered up the cloth and secured it with a rubber band.  I needed a place to hang it.  Our kitchen cabinets don't have knobs, and our sinks seemed too shallow, so I fastened it to the snow blower in the garage:

Then I let the liquid drip out for about 2 hours.  This is the liquid (whey) that came out:

I think I could have let it drip longer, but I was ready to be done with it.  Here's the "drip-dried" cloth with the cream cheese inside:

Ahhh, fresh cream cheese! 

I ended up with about 5 cups of liquid whey, which I'll use to soak my grains.

I didn't measure, but I'd guess I ended up with about 2 1/2 cups of cheese:

I kept one contained and gave the other one to my in-laws.  They were very reluctant to eat it.  I whipped it with a fork to give it a more pleasing texture.

It tastes like....  sour cream.  Tangy and smooth.  Yum!

Then I realized the bagels I'd made last week were molding, so now I have to make some more to go with my fresh cream cheese.  Sigh... A woman's work is never done (especially if she's trying to feed her family Real Food made from scratch!)


*I should mention that you can only make cream cheese and whey from yogurt, whole-milk buttermilk, piima milk, or raw milk.  You cannot do this with pasteurized milk.

Linked to Monday Mania

Meal Plan Jan 23-29

After a few weeks without a meal plan, I am ready to get organized!  It is so much harder to eat healthier when you don't plan ahead!  The kids and I have been sick, although we are recovering now. 

At this very moment I am straining some homemade cream cheese and whey for the first time!  I will share more about that tomorrow. 

Here's our meal plan for the week!

Sunday, Jan 23- Leftover Buffet
Monday, Jan 24- Venison Chili with Cornbread, carrot sticks
Tuesday, Jan 25- Mexican Ham and Bean Soup with Cornbread
Wednesday, Jan 26- Pork Carnitas on Soaked Tortillas with avocado, cheese, and sour cream
Thursday, Jan 27- Broiled Steaks, Fried Potatoes, Steamed Spinach
Friday, Jan 28- Salmon Patties on Homemade Buns, Steamed Peas
Saturday, Jan 29- Leftover Buffet

Green Pastures Products Giveaway

Head on over to The Healthy Home Economist for a chance to win $70 worth of Green Pastures products- a 25 ounce jar of coconut ghee plus your choice of fermented skate or cod liver oil!  This giveaway is open until midnight, January 31.

Establishing a Good Breastmilk Supply

Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional, just a mother who has nursed 2 children.  Please consult your doctor before trying anything new with your baby.  I assume no responsibility or liability for any advice herein.

Once again I'm inspired by my friend, a brand-new momma, to write about babies.  I talked to her husband a few days after the birth.  Very casually, he said, "Yeah, her milk ran out today.  She just stopped producing."  Huh?  I could not wrap my head around the idea of a brand-new mother running out of milk so soon after giving birth. My memories of the immediate post-partum period include leaking, wet shirts, lots of towels.  I kind of stuttered, "Um, well uh, what does the doctor say?"  As he told me they had not asked the doctor, I listened to the background noise.  I could hear other people talking.  Her family was at their house. 


After we hung up, I thought about how my friend has been spending her first few days as a new momma.  She lives very close to her tight-knit family.  I could picture them coming in and out all day long, while she sat on the couch.  I looked at some of her pictures on Facebook.  There were about 20 family members and friends at the hospital when she gave birth, and they all wanted a turn holding the baby.  Suddenly my vision grew crystal clear.  Everyone wanted to help her by holding the baby so she could 'rest' on the couch and chitchat.  Her family thought they were helping her out, but really they were helping her out of a successful breastfeeding relationship!  Grandma (or Aunt, or Cousin, or Friend or Neighbor) likes to be able to connect with the baby, which is understandable.  But from a health standpoint, it is more important that Mom connect with baby in those first few days.


I wrote her a quick email and advised her to tell her family to let her rest with the baby.  Family members can do all kinds of other things to help Mom- bring a home cooked meal over, do the dishes, do the laundry, answer the phone, go grocery shopping, bring water and fresh cut up fruit to Mom, vaccuum, clean the toilets, dust, sweep, mop, take out the trash, clean out the car, bake bread, take care of older kids, answer the phone, make breakfast- you get the idea!   

 To paraphrase Dr. Bradley, author of Husband Coached Childbirth,

Mom and baby need to snuggle together in bed, nurse alot, and just rest for 3 days.  It's not because you are sick, but it's to help you bond with your baby. 

For the sake of establishing a good milk supply, mom and baby should rest together.  Sleep as much as possible with your baby.  Try to figure out how to nurse laying down.  If you have trouble nursing laying down, then sit up and nurse.  But stay in bed for the most part.  When you do get up, put your baby in your baby carrier and take a walk outside for some fresh air. 

My son and me

Another thing you can do to build up a good milk supply is to delay using a pacifier and bottle.  There will be plenty of time for these a few weeks down the road!  Don't rush into using these just so that other people can hold the baby.  If other people need to bond with baby, they can bathe the baby, change diapers, get baby dressed or hold the baby while Mom showers.  The only one feeding the baby immediately after the birth should be Mom.  (Ya'll, I'm talking about normal births where Mom is able and desires to breastfeed.  I know there are special situations where this isn't possible).


By focusing all your energy on establishing a good milk supply, you are laying the foundation for a long and successful breastfeeding relationship


Do you have any tips for establishing (and maintaining) your milk supply?

Linked to WFMW.

Anybody Home?

Our Real Food Journey- an Update

In this post I wrote about my some goals I had set for my family's eating habits.  I thought I'd update you on the status of our "real food journey".  I hope you will be inspired by the baby steps I've been taking!  Here they are, in no particular order:

I was making my own chicken stock before I got into Real Food, and I have contined to make it.  This winter I have made soup from scratch several times.  I am proud of myself for incorporating more soup into our diet. 

I am eating more seafood than ever before.  I even tried shark on New Year's Eve!

I switched to real maple syrup on my pancakes.  With a pat of butter, it's actually pretty good. 

We have switched over to raw milk, but only because my in-laws are buying it and drinking it too.  My husband and I don't go to town often enough to buy it ourselves! 

I can't remember the last time I cooked with vegetable oil.  I now use beef tallow as much as possible.

I have given up my cup-a-day habit (coffee).  I still drink it occasionally, but I've gotten out of the habit of drinking it first thing in the morning.  My energy level is about the same, maybe a little more than before, but definitely not less. 

For the New Year I have given up chocolate, at least for 30 days, but probably longer.  I realized I have a serious problem with it.  So far, so good.  Only one major chocolate craving so far (although I do miss it)!

Something I tried and liked:
- soaked lentils in lentil soup
- soaked whole wheat pancakes

Something I tried and did not like:
- broccoli cheese soup without the Velveeta. 

Something on my list to try soon:
- spelt flour.  I bought some, now I gotta figure out what to do with it!
- make beef stock


It feels good to look back and see improvements, especially when I'm feeling uninspired in the kitchen.  I'd like to continue to update once a month. 

How's your Real Food journey going?

Linked to Monday Mania.

Raw Milk

Recently I had the opportunity to try farm fresh, unpasteurized milk. 

AKA Raw Milk. 

For a city gal like myself, it was a little scary. 

Looks okay....

Smells okay...

Tastes.... like store bought milk.

My son's verdict:  "Raw milk is GOOD!"

I still don't care for the taste of milk without some sort of flavoring (never have), so I'll be drinking my raw milk with a little vanilla and (gasp) white sugar.  I plan to wean myself off the flavorings over time, the same way I taught myself to drink cafe au lait without sugar.   

Why drink raw milk?  Well, lots of things happen when milk is pasteurized.  Molecules change, enzymes are destroyed, nutrients are lost.  The "good stuff" is less available to your body.  For more information on raw milk, visit Real Milk. 

I'll let you know when I'm down to pure milk.

The First Rule of Natural Childbirth

My friend gave birth to a beautiful baby girl yesterday.   Her experience reminded me once again of the first rule of natural childbirth: you have to decide it.  Unless the baby comes too fast, you have to decide ahead of time to refuse the painkilling drugs. 

I have given birth twice without pain meds.  And that was only because I decided to. 

If you go into the hospital thinking, "I'd like to have a natural childbirth, but I'll just see how it goes," you are going to end up with an epidural or other pain meds. 

Childbirth hurts!  It is scary!  You will get tired!  And the kindly nurses will ask you if you'd like anything for the pain, even if you write on your birth plan that you don't want them to ask you that. 

If you want the pain medication, that is your choice.  But if you truly want a natural birth, you must decide to give birth without pain medicine.