tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91597629806077522492024-03-14T03:46:09.019-07:00Exploring Real FoodLisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14555673137094906043noreply@blogger.comBlogger98125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9159762980607752249.post-72154094137528040542014-06-12T20:10:00.000-07:002014-06-12T20:10:23.742-07:00Shopping Trip to Chuck's ProduceI apologize in advance to any readers outside of the Vancouver, Washington area. This post will specifically focus on a local store which provides some good prices on many "healthy" items we are looking for. However, you may see items in this post that can be found locally for you as well!<br />
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Items I found at Chuck's:<br />
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<i>Rumiano Organic Cheese</i></div>
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This is good cheese, and it's made with sea salt. I first found this at Whole Foods, but it was $6.99 there and at Chuck's you can get it for $4.99!</div>
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<i>Organic high quality unsalted butter</i></div>
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I like <b>good </b>butter for spreading on bread. I buy regular organic unsalted for baking!<br />
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<i>Alpenrose organic milk</i><br />
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Their milk is not ultra-pasturized (high heat treatment which damages proteins) and the whole milk does not have Vitamin A palmitate added (potato derivative).<br />
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<i>Salsa</i><br />
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Both of these salsas have no sugar added and use sea salt.</div>
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<i>Organic hummus</i></div>
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This hummus is made with sea salt.</div>
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<i>Sprouted Wheat Tortillas</i><br />
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Finding a "healthy" tortilla was not an easy job, but this one is it!</div>
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<i>Coconut sugar (bulk)</i></div>
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Coconut sugar is not cheap. Buying it in bulk makes the price more reasonable.</div>
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<i>White Pine Granola</i></div>
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I love granola! Finding a granola made without any sugar (just honey) was a huge discovery!</div>
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<i>Sparkling water</i></div>
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Remember the Izze "soda" they sell at Costco? Make your own with sparkling water and juice! I prefer sparkling mineral water myself, but this will do too.</div>
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I hope this helps you!</div>
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Lisa</div>
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<i><br /></i>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14555673137094906043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9159762980607752249.post-91335303026131790732014-06-12T18:56:00.000-07:002014-06-12T18:56:22.966-07:00Healthy Shopping at CostcoCostco has quite a few things to buy that are good for our "healthy" (no potato - including dextrose or table salt, no corn, no cane or beet sugar, organic when possible) shopping list! The selection varies by store and season, but here is what I found on my most recent trip there.<br />
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<i>Natural Peanut Butter</i> (organic or regular, both are made with sea salt, YEAH! No more buying separate peanut butters just for me!)<br />
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<i>Organic Ground Beef</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj72D2OQBnp7toSY_bRi22CwC0kDpFYa6_dfyGKD_nP4xjE7qO5gsBpF75WhQs-lWDbnQgV7VjISJE6XBHRDL4jz8m1b4MUhbq9iDYIFxIHnEX5w6FWEZ4eCSWWH0ZwKgjB_tdAMfGxmjE/s1600/1401306945825.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj72D2OQBnp7toSY_bRi22CwC0kDpFYa6_dfyGKD_nP4xjE7qO5gsBpF75WhQs-lWDbnQgV7VjISJE6XBHRDL4jz8m1b4MUhbq9iDYIFxIHnEX5w6FWEZ4eCSWWH0ZwKgjB_tdAMfGxmjE/s1600/1401306945825.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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I would prefer it be grass-fed, but organic is much better than non-organic, and $4.49 per pound is a very good price.</div>
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<i>Organic Chicken</i></div>
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In this case I would prefer the chicken to be free range, but again this is better than non-organic.</div>
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<i>Organic Eggs</i></div>
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Free range also would be much better for us, but this is a good price for organic eggs if free range is not an option.<br />
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<i>Organic Produce</i><br />
This all depends on how much your family will eat (will you finish it before it goes bad?) and what they have in this season. You can shop for the "Clean 15" non-organic produce here too (such as avocados, mangoes, asparagus, etc.) Check out the frozen section for fruits and vegetables that you don't have to worry about going bad!<br />
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<i>Almond Flour</i><br />
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If you do any cooking with Almond Flour this is a great place to pick some up!<br />
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<i>Organic canned goods: beans, chicken broth, and so on.</i><br />
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This may be a lot of beans, but at least they stay good for a few years so you have time to get through them!</div>
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I love raisins & grapes are one of the most heavily sprayed crops- go organic!<br />
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<i>Organic Honey & Maple Syrup</i><br />
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<i><br /></i>
A recent investigation found that many stores sell honey of unknown origin & unverifiable ingredients (not really 100% honey)! Many of those honeys could contain added sugars. Kirkland honey says it has been verified at the source and is 100% honey.<br />
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This is the lowest price on real maple syrup for sure! And it is organic too!</div>
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Need a snack? I did find a soda and some crackers that fit our definition of "healthy"!</div>
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<i>Dr. Kracker's Organic Klassic Kracker </i></div>
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There are 2 bags in each box, but I just wasn't ready to spend that much on crackers...</div>
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<i>Izze Sparkling Juice </i></div>
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This is as close to soda as you're going to get- no sugars here though.<br />
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There are other organic finds at Costco, but here is a sample of things to look for next time you are shopping.<br />
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Just hang onto your heart when you get to the check out stand- you know it's going to stop for a minute when you hear the total! <br />
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Until next time,<br />
LisaLisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14555673137094906043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9159762980607752249.post-31762446079695632552014-05-22T00:19:00.000-07:002014-05-22T08:55:08.603-07:00Healthy Shopping at WalmartYou heard me right. As demand for healthy and organic food increases, even Walmart's shelves have been rapidly changing to reflect this. They even have little "Organic" signs hanging off some of the shelves to help you locate the products. I found a lot more organic food than I expected to during this shopping trip, and I would predict this trend will continue. <br />
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In a perfect world I would never shop at Walmart. I have problems with how they do business as well as how their demand for cheap products fosters a culture of "sweatshop" labor in underdeveloped nations.<br />
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However, in the real world the Walmart Supercenter is the closest grocery store to my house. Sometimes I am running late and I'm out of options, so Walmart is where I end up. I also realize that a lot of people shop at Walmart and I wanted to showcase the good things that can be found there! <i> (Remember from my previous post that I am shopping for products without table salt, sugar, corn, or potato.)</i><br />
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<b><u>Walmart Shopping List</u> </b> <i>(in order of how it appears at my Walmart Supercenter)</i><br />
organic lettuce, spinach*, salad<br />
organic baby carrots<br />
grass fed beef<br />
Krema peanut butter<br />
organic tea<br />
Wild Oats organic beans<br />
Muir Glen organic tomatoes*<br />
Muir Glen tomato sauce<br />
Truvia sweetener<br />
Prairie Gold White Whole Wheat Flour<br />
Red Star Yeast<br />
Rumsford Baking Powder<i> </i><br />
<i>**optional products, see below</i><br />
Cascadian Farm organic strawberries*<br />
organic eggs<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<i><u><b>Step by Step Guide </b></u></i><br />
<i><u><b><br /></b></u></i>
organic lettuce, spinach*, salad<br />
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organic baby carrots</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTMGEnGE-iaoqggcX4scbkUYOW_McSKtne_LFwzSUeRtwgYYOwXkkTQYQW17OGLk4b4O7mmj1XcgTBdp5FAbLWj9EeLeYl0M3JCHaGtafX4G8zo31MMbnhhyphenhyphenm8ODVeZrfb7RQvMJOvj6g/s1600/IMG_20140520_124047.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTMGEnGE-iaoqggcX4scbkUYOW_McSKtne_LFwzSUeRtwgYYOwXkkTQYQW17OGLk4b4O7mmj1XcgTBdp5FAbLWj9EeLeYl0M3JCHaGtafX4G8zo31MMbnhhyphenhyphenm8ODVeZrfb7RQvMJOvj6g/s1600/IMG_20140520_124047.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
grass fed beef<br />
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<i>this surprised me! It's not organic, but I was excited about it!</i><br />
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Krema peanut butter<br />
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<i>no salt, no sugar</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
organic tea<br />
<i>{no photo}</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Wild Oats organic beans<br />
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Muir Glen organic tomatoes* (several varieties)<br />
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Muir Glen tomato sauce*<br />
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<i>(remember at Whole Foods how the pizza sauce was the only sauce I could find without sugar and with sea salt? Well, here's another one for much cheaper!)</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Truvia sweetener<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOE8pfZAu1PfBCbp5gf7VCx0-l3xX7zUOinIAELsmvQQlh3vwzCwuZEptzmVZs27zgs4yCdvefpaFTGec3itODRD_6RsVTsY3VpacQojeWaWeumeir4X18EuJaNzTJVhJttEAIkal8eUU/s1600/IMG_20140520_131312.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOE8pfZAu1PfBCbp5gf7VCx0-l3xX7zUOinIAELsmvQQlh3vwzCwuZEptzmVZs27zgs4yCdvefpaFTGec3itODRD_6RsVTsY3VpacQojeWaWeumeir4X18EuJaNzTJVhJttEAIkal8eUU/s1600/IMG_20140520_131312.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<i>(I have heard opinions about whether these refined Stevia products are really "healthy" but if you want to try some Stevia this is the only one on the shelf, and there are several, that does not have added dextrose.)</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Prairie Gold <b>White </b>Whole Wheat Flour<br />
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<i>(this is not organic, but it's non-GMO and I like cooking with white whole wheat flour. I get the nutrition of whole wheat with the appearance of white. Since I bake a lot I get the 10 lb. bag.)</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Red Star Yeast<i> </i><br />
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<i>(the only yeast that does not contain potato)</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Rumsford Baking Powder<i> (the only baking powder without potato)</i><br />
<i>{no photo}</i><br />
<i><br /></i><i>**If baking bread is too much of a chore and you want to buy bread, I did see this one that seemed to be "legal"; however, at $4.88/loaf, I would much rather spend $1 to bake my own!</i><br />
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<i>**If you are wanting something different to drink, I did find this one Vitaminwater drink which is sweetened without sugar and appears to be fine, ingredient wise. But only this flavor- acai blueberry pomegranate. Sorry the picture is so blurry, I was trying to get a close up of the ingredients! I bought one and it did give me a headache for some reason though...</i><br />
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<i><u>The best water alternative I would recommend is to buy some sparkling mineral water at any other grocery store (I've never found it at Walmart), and mix it in equal parts with 100% juice</u>. <u>Healthy soda!</u></i><br />
<i><br /></i><i>**Amy's Burritos- only the organic beans & rice, non-dairy variety</i><br />
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<i>If you need to have a convenience food on hand, this one is acceptable. I do cringe a bit at the price though!</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Cascadian Farm Organic strawberries*<br />
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<i>*starred items are on the "Dirty Dozen" list of produce with heavy pesticide amounts, get organic!</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
organic eggs<br />
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<i>wow! Walmart's offerings have changed a lot lately, it wasn't that long ago that I could never find any good eggs here, and now there are several brands to choose from.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Now you may think you can buy organic milk at Walmart, but let me tell you the only kind they have is<b> ultra-pasteurized</b>, which is a heat treatment that is so high it actually changes the protein structure of the milk and it is not good for you. <u>Alpenrose</u> has a pasteurized organic milk (not ultra-pasteurized), and the whole milk does not have any added vitamin A palmitate (a potato derivative). I have found this at QFC so far. <br />
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I prefer the milk found in the glass jars at Whole Foods and Chuck's, but my family does not always appreciate it's rustic "cream on top" appearance.<br />
<br />
Where will we shop next? Costco! <br />
<br />
Enjoy!<br />
Lisa<br />
<i><br /></i>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14555673137094906043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9159762980607752249.post-57008246488705795862014-05-19T22:17:00.001-07:002014-05-22T00:19:43.869-07:00Whole Foods Shopping TripI went shopping tonight & decided to take pictures of what I found. This is for my friend who recently found out she needs to avoid sugars, corn, as well as table salt, and certain other items, and is wondering what she can eat! Whole Foods can be an expensive store, but if you shop for store brand items (365 Organic) their prices can be quite reasonable. <br />
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It is quite a challenging task to find items that do not contain either sugar or table salt. But I did find some!<br />
<br />
<u>Whole Foods Shopping List</u> <i> (in order of the store layout, at least I tried to do it that way!)</i><br />
<b>Produce</b>: salad dressing<br />
<b>Meat Counter:</b> sausages, any meats on sale for a good price<br />
<b>Dairy/Refrigerated Case</b>: organic unsalted butter, organic eggs, organic whole milk plain yogurt, (all store brand: 365 Organic), Emerald Valley salsa<br />
<b>Middle Aisles</b>: Maple Syrup (grade B has more minerals, so try it out), organic pizza sauce, organic pasta, organic beans<br />
<b>Cheese</b>: Rumiano cheese<br />
<b>Frozen Section</b>: store brand frozen organic berries (for smoothies?)<br />
<br />
<br />
<i><b>Produce</b>: If you're going to buy organic produce go to the Farmer's Market or Chuck's!</i><br />
If you need a salad dressing, I did find a few there for 2.99 that have sea salt in them & no sugar. <br />
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<br />
However, my favorite easy & cheap salad dressing is equal parts salsa (look for the one I found below) and sour cream (either Daisy brand or Tillamook Natural contain no added ingredients, find them at most stores)<br />
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<b style="font-style: italic;">Meat Counter: </b> If you want to have sausage they have some very good chicken or pork sausages that are made with sea salt.<br />
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Sometimes you can also find other organic meats on sale for a good price here too.<br />
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">Dairy/Refrigerated Case: </i><br />
organic unsalted butter (365 Organic),<br />
organic eggs (365 Organic),<br />
organic plain whole milk yogurt (365 Organic or buy Total if you prefer Greek yogurt, just <u>not</u> the 0% or 2%: <i> add maple syrup, vanilla and cinnamon to flavor it, or coconut, raisins, or fresh or canned fruit), </i><br />
organic Emerald Valley salsa<br />
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<b>Middle Aisles</b>: <br />
Maple Syrup <i>(365 Organic: grade B has more minerals, so try it out), </i><br />
Muir Glen organic <u>pizza</u> sauce,<br />
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<i>It has been impossible for me to find a pasta sauce that does not have sugar, and/or is made with sea salt, this is the closest I could find. We had it tonight as a pasta sauce, and it had a bit too much tomato flavor for me. I think it would taste good if you cooked up the sausage or meat ahead of time with extra Italian seasoning and garlic, and then let them simmer together to meld flavors.</i><br />
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organic pasta (365 Organic),<br />
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organic beans (365 Organic)<br />
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<b>Cheese:</b><br />
<i>I bought Rumiano cheese here, because it is the ONLY cheese made with sea salt that I can find. The kicker is the cost! 6.99 for 8 oz.! I have bought the same or similar cheese at Chuck's, and it may be a little cheaper there, so I will have to see. (If you're making a trip to Trader Joe's they have a store brand Monterrey Jack cheese made with sea salt that is much cheaper.) </i><br />
<i>Don't let the kids touch this cheese, it is for you only! </i><br />
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<i><br /></i>
Now you have at least two easy meal nights: pasta night, and taco night (get organic ground beef and/or chicken at Costco- just don't use those taco seasoning packets: use salsa in your meat or make your own taco seasoning, make some rice to have it "bowl" style- I haven't found "legal" tortillas yet). Add your vegetables and you're ready to roll!<br />
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Enjoy!<br />
Lisa<br />
<br />Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14555673137094906043noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9159762980607752249.post-49331700929520061172014-04-08T15:50:00.000-07:002014-05-22T00:20:10.830-07:00How My Skin Tag Disappeared Using Tea Tree OilA long time ago I shared with you that after <a href="http://www.exploringrealfood.blogspot.com/2012/01/thinking-about-coconut-oil.html" target="_blank">coconut oil made a wart on my leg go away</a>, then I would try it on the skin tag on my neck (it didn't do anything). I have had a small skin tag on my neck for many, many years. It was an annoyance, but not severe enough to merit going to the doctor about it. Recently I had been hearing that there were ways of getting rid of skin tags naturally, so I decided to do a little internet research.<br />
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The first method I settled on involved taking a piece of dental floss & tying a tight knot around the skin tag. The point is to cut off circulation until the tag dies and falls off. I had my husband do the honors of tying, but I don't think it was as tight as it needed to be because I started to feel pain & so he stopped short of making it as tight as possible. The knot either slipped or loosened, because after a few days I noticed that the floss was actually half way up the skin tag, not at the base of it like it should be. I didn't think much about it & after a week or so part of the skin tag did fall off. However, the rest of it was still there. <br />
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It was sensitive to the touch, and I figured it should be disinfected. Since I had also heard that people use tea tree oil to remove skin tags I decided to use tea tree oil daily, applied with a swab, to keep it disinfected. I was using a 100% pure tea tree oil I had ordered through Melaleuca years ago. I didn't expect anything else to happen, but it did.<br />
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After about 5 days I noticed that my skin tag was VERY sensitive and bothering me. This was a Friday. I also noticed it was a dark red color and when I swabbed it there was blood on the swab. I applied tea tree oil to a band-aid and covered it. I was concerned & even called to make an appointment for the next week with the dermatologist to have it removed. (I didn't realize this was part of the process of the skin tag dying.)<br />
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I kept applying a fresh band-aid with tea tree oil morning & night. On Sunday I noticed that the skin tag looked rather flat. It looked like a scab.<br />
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My skin was also irritated from the band-aids and tea tree oil, so I switched to a tiny band-aid. That night the skin tag looked completely dry & as I touched it I could see that it was like a dried scab about to fall off. </div>
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I gave it a little flick with my finger & that's just what it did- completely fell off!<br />
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Tea tree oil did it! This was several months ago & there is no sign of where the skin tag was. The redness/irritation from the tea tree oil went away within a day. I decided to post pictures & my story because although I had read that tea tree oil would take care of skin tags I didn't know how it would happen, so hopefully this will help someone else!Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14555673137094906043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9159762980607752249.post-69846501243754120362013-04-06T11:39:00.000-07:002013-04-06T11:41:43.014-07:00Exploring Weight Gain: is fat or sugar to blame?For many decades now there has been a widely held and accepted belief that over consumption of fat is what leads to weight gain. Thus the proliferation of low-fat EVERYTHING, everywhere you look. Yes, even I used to make brownies with applesauce instead of butter! However, there has always been a counter culture to this, a belief held in the traditional foods community: good fat does not make you fat, in fact it can make you fit! This counter culture movement has been gaining more and more followers in recent years (including myself) and the beautiful thing is that scientific studies are now starting to catch up with what we've held to for years: refined sugars and carbs, not fat, are some of the main culprits in our obesity epidemic.<br />
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I was having the "fat doesn't make you fat, sugar does" discussion with someone recently, and so I decided to try to cull some of the information from the internet that back up my argument with some facts. I wanted to share this with as many people as possible, so I collected these links here for you to study and evaluate yourself.<br />
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<a href="http://www.caloriesperhour.com/tutorial_sugar.php">How Blood Sugar Levels Affect Weight Loss</a><br />
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<a href="http://authoritynutrition.com/4-ways-sugar-makes-you-fat/">4 Ways Sugar Makes You Fat</a><br />
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<a href="http://technorati.com/lifestyle/article/eat-fat-to-boost-weight-loss/page-2/">Eat Fat To Lose Weight</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.docroberts.com/bg-106-whole-milk-for-weight-loss-.aspx">Whole Milk and Weight Loss</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.foodrenegade.com/good-fat-bad-fat-a-video-tutorial/">Good Fat, Bad Fat (video)</a><br />
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I am sure there is more info out there (such as studies that have shown that nonfat milk drinkers weigh more, studies showing people lose weight faster on high fat/low carb diets vs. low fat diets, etc.) but I think that is a good sampling for you, for now! You could spend a long time researching all of this, but you can begin by shaking out some of the set beliefs about fat you may have accepted because it seemed simple (fat=fat), and to realize that our bodies are much more complex than that!<br />
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It seems to me that to eat foods in their "closest to natural" state (closest to how they were created) is what is most healthy. This is why it makes sense to me that processed sugars, fats (vegetable oils), and other such foods will negatively affect our bodies (we weren't designed to handle them), while "real" food, such as whole fat dairy, eggs, meats, and natural oils/fats can benefit our bodies.<br />
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<img height="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4YkZuKSle4GjOtJ4o0L0EscJaASAdECnC4uDgPaKURZ6mqWA1vNHA28m8Q8JizsDbZ5J9h6MueJqMW_87nOGnyul4NShQKi6iwfFwvufS-f6B7SQ-F5r1nnCJPCHj_lg9wxYt9l4NUYc/s640/Good+fats.JPG" width="640" /><br />
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Let me conclude with some personal examples:<br />
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<b>Example 1:</b> I was 19 years old & I began to read books about how physically damaging sugar is. I decided to completely eliminate ALL processed sugar. I mean no ketchup (read the label), no bread with sugar in it, NO sugar at all. I would eat fruits though. At this time I was about 10 lbs. overweight. Do you know that when I stopped eating all sugars, but ate as much as I wanted of other foods, that the excess weight just fell of me? (Granted, at age 19 our metabolisms are a lot easier to motivate, but let me continue.)<br />
<br />
<b>Example 2:</b> About 3 years ago the fitness center at our office conducted a "Fitness Challenge" for several weeks. At this stage in life I had already started eating a lot of traditional and whole fat, organic foods. But at the beginning of this challenge I changed two things: I started exercising regularly AND I started adding several tablespoons of coconut oil to my daily routine. Do you know that when the challenge ended I ended up being the female who reduced her BMI/body fat by the highest percentage? It is not just about exercise- a lot of people were exercising. Research coconut oil and you will see why I give that oil a lot of credit for that!<br />
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<b>Example 3:</b> In the last month or so I have gotten lax in my daily habits and have been regularly "indulging" in refined sugars: candies, pastries, beverages, etc. I have always eaten plenty of fat in my diet: butter, whole fat yogurt, meats, and so on. But do you know what has happened in the last month? I have gotten "fluffy" around my middle. I have added extra weight and it is all around my tummy. The only change I can attribute this to? Sugar. (Boooo!)<br />
<br />
I am recommitting myself to eliminating refined sugar as much as possible from my diet, as well as my family's (as much as they will let me). This is not just about weight, sugar also affects our moods, energy, and so much more! I am ready to start feeling good again!<br />
<br />
Lisa<br />
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<br />Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14555673137094906043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9159762980607752249.post-70531318862334932872013-02-23T15:07:00.002-08:002013-02-23T15:07:59.674-08:00The Recipe Box is Back!If you have used a recipe from this blog in the past I wanted to let you know that the Recipe Box on the new blog has been updated! I had to put all the links back in for each one because of the new blog name/location. So, go ahead and explore in there & you should be able to find everything you are looking for. What are you looking for? Chocolate Roasted Almonds? Buttermilk Syrup? Baked Oatmeal? Honey Dijon Chicken? Ranch Dressing? It's all in there (and more of course). Just click on the Recipe Box at the top of the blog.<br />
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Enjoy!<br />
LisaLisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14555673137094906043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9159762980607752249.post-7874162358120703882013-01-17T22:10:00.002-08:002013-01-17T22:10:57.563-08:00Makeover Time!I just received a copy of my last post in my email inbox... eww! That didn't really work, now did it? I went into my blog & did a little makeover-- the most significant of which is that my blog now has a new name! It used to be called "Come Walk with Me" (which seemed confusing and not really descriptive of the true point of the blog) and the web address was walknt.blogspot (the nt being for Nourishing Traditions). Now the blog's NEW name is<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Exploring Real Food</b></span>,<br />
<br />
and our website is <a href="http://www.exploringrealfood.blogspot.com/">www.<span style="font-size: large;">ExploringRealFood</span>.blogspot.com</a> -- now isn't that better? <br />
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Come check it out! Not a whole lot has changed but I still like my blog's new look! And please let me know if you see any bugs in there too~<br />
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Enjoy!<br />
LisaLisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14555673137094906043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9159762980607752249.post-24123994414431740202013-01-16T20:40:00.000-08:002013-04-06T12:48:02.657-07:00Our Favorite Sourdough BiscuitsMy family loves these biscuits. Making homemade biscuits is not that difficult, especially with a few shortcuts I'll share with you! You will need to make these ahead of time so they can "sour" for several hours before baking in order to get<a href="http://www.simplebites.net/the-health-benefits-of-sourdough-bread-recipe-whole-grain-sourdough-bread/"> the full benefits of sourdough</a>. Most biscuit recipes instruct you to use chilled butter, which you then have to cut into the dough. I hate this step! Too much work for me! The original recipe that this came from also required this, but I found that I can make good biscuits using softened butter and just mixing it in (I have even used melted butter). You should try it too!<br />
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<b>Sourdough Biscuits</b><br />
2 1/2 cups flour (we use a mix of white and whole wheat)<br />
1 Tablespoon sugar (preferably unrefined, such as sucanat, you could also use honey*)<br />
3/4 teaspoon salt<br />
2 teaspoons baking powder<br />
1/2 teaspoon baking soda<br />
1/3 cup butter<br />
1 cup sourdough starter<br />
up to 1 cup milk<br />
<br />
In a large mixing bowl , mix together the flour and sugar. <i>*If you're using honey instead of sugar, you should add it with the sourdough starter.</i> Add butter (melted or softened) and sourdough starter, mixing into dry ingredients. Slowly add just enough milk to make biscuit dough. Allow dough to rest (covered with oiled plastic wrap or under a lid) for 5 to 6 hours.<br />
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In a small bowl combine salt, baking powder and baking soda. Sprinkle over dough & work in by hand. Another way I save time on biscuit making is to just hand-form the biscuits (like hamburger patties, but smaller and thicker) instead of rolling & cutting. I am not lazy, I am just efficient, right? Ha! I place a piece of parchment paper on a cookie sheet and place biscuits on sheet.<br />
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When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375. Remove plastic wrap and bake biscuits for about 30 to 35 minutes. When they come out of the oven you can spread butter on top while still warm if you like. These (like all bread of course) taste best if you eat them while they're warm!<br />
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Enjoy!<br />
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LisaLisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14555673137094906043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9159762980607752249.post-7207554939481476872012-05-12T13:20:00.000-07:002012-05-13T10:12:33.351-07:00Sourdough Bread TipsSometimes I wonder if I shouldn't call this blog the "Sourdough Blog" since a huge majority of my posts seem to have sourdough in them! That is my life right now though, my sourdough starter is always out on the counter and it gets used almost every single day. We have 6 people in our family, plus additional workers who eat some meals with us, so I am feeding at least 7 if not 10 people at every meal. I make two loaves of homemade bread about every other day. Other days I am making <a href="http://walknt.blogspot.com/2012/02/gluten-free-or-nearly-gluten-free-big.html">sourdough pancakes</a>, <a href="http://walknt.blogspot.com/2010/04/grrr-granola-bread-yeah-crackers.html">sourdough crackers</a>, sourdough muffins, sourdough biscuits, <a href="http://walknt.blogspot.com/2011/06/sourdough-oatmeal-cookies-or-scones.html">sourdough desserts</a>, etc*. My husband really has noticed a difference in the eczema he has had on his fingers and skin problems with his feet. He thinks he is sensitive to gluten and sourdough reduces the effect.<br />
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If you are making sourdough bread I want to share with you a few tips that may make it a little easier for you. Start out with my favorite & go-to bread recipe, which you can see on <a href="http://walknt.blogspot.com/2010/10/sweet-on-sourdough.html">this post here</a>.<br />
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*I always include at least 6 hours of "souring" time even if the recipe does not instruct you to do so. This is the minimum time needed to allow the sourdough starter to do it's job working on the flour.<br />
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<ul>
<li><b>Did you know that eggs are a natural dough conditioner? </b>I always add an egg now to my <a href="http://walknt.blogspot.com/2010/10/sweet-on-sourdough.html">sourdough bread recipe.</a> I like it not only for the little bit of added nutrition, but also because it helps condition the dough.</li>
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<li><b>What's the easiest way to slice a loaf of bread? </b> <u>Upside down!</u> First, always allow your loaf to cool completely before slicing. (<i>Ahem, although I must admit that one of my favorite treats is to cut the end piece off of the still very warm loaf & drag it through some butter. Mmmm, warm sourdough bread & butter- I love it!</i>) Next, make sure you use a long serrated knife made for slicing bread (trust me). When you flip the loaf over you are slicing through the softer side & ending at the crust; instead of trying to force the knife through the crust & smashing your loaf in the process. Just flip it!</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><b>Ever run out of time to make sourdough? </b>Making true sourdough bread requires some advance planning since it takes <i>at least </i>8 hours. I know that if I don't get my dough started by 2pm that I'm going to be up late at night waiting to bake it, cool it, store it. You have a couple of options here. #1 is to add a tiny bit of commercial yeast to your dough, like 1/2 teaspoon, to speed up the rise. I do not prefer this option, so let me suggest instead option #2. Skip the first rise of your bread & put your dough directly into greased loaf pans. Sometimes there still isn't enough time, so what I will do is make my dough right before bed and let it rise in the loaf pans while I'm sleeping. When I get up in the morning I go right to preheat the oven & then bake the bread while I'm getting ready & making breakfast. This has worked well for me, if you're kitchen is cooler than mine, or you want a longer rise time, then you'll need to plan accordingly. Try it out & have some fresh baked bread with your morning eggs!</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><b>How do you keep the bread from sticking to the pan? </b>Always keep your butter wrappers! After I use a cube of butter I fold up the wrapper & put it back in the refrigerator. Next time I need to grease a pan I wipe that wrapper all over the pan & it works great. I have been using my <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000SSWXPO/ref=oh_details_o06_s00_i01">stainless steel pans</a> & I love them. When I grease them with butter the loaves just fall right out. Have you thrown out your non-stick pans yet? The toxins in non-stick cookware should motivate you to have a goal of replacing any non-stick coated pans as you are able.</li>
</ul>
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Those are some tips I wanted to share with you today. Do you have any great bread tips you want to share with us?</div>
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Keep on baking!</div>
<div>
Lisa</div>
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<br /></div>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14555673137094906043noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9159762980607752249.post-7034737932021914312012-04-07T01:04:00.000-07:002012-05-12T11:54:28.557-07:00Shake up your KetchupMost ketchup on the store shelves contain high fructose corn syrup (unless you can find an organic one). When I am able to, I buy organic ketchup in bulk. However, here in Rwanda I don't have that option. There also may be times when you have run out of ketchup & need a stand in. I would like to share with you a recipe for ketchup that you may decide you like better than the stuff in the bottle anyways! With the added spices it makes for an interesting flavor, plus it is sweetened mostly with honey which makes it better for you too. (Try to use local raw honey to help boost your body's immune system.) <br />
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<b><br />
</b><br />
<b>Ketchup with a Little 'Tude</b><br />
6 oz. tomato paste*<br />
6 Tablespoons white vinegar (you can just fill the empty tomato paste can!)<br />
6 Tablespoons water (again I use the can to measure)<br />
1/4 cup honey<br />
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice<br />
1 teaspoon salt<br />
1/2 teaspoon sugar (optional)<br />
1/4 teaspoon onion powder<br />
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder<br />
1/8 teaspoon paprika<br />
1/8 teaspoon pepper<br />
1/8 teaspoon cumin<br />
1/8 teaspoon clove powder <i>(I don't have this, so it is definitely optional.)</i><br />
<br />
Combine all ingredients in a glass jar. Mix well. Store in the refrigerator. That's it! <br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
<i>(The original recipe called for simmering this mixture for 15 minutes, but I've found that to be unnecessary because I don't mind it a little thin. If you want your ketchup thicker then bring it to a boil and simmer, stirring often.)</i><br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
Enjoy!<br />
Lisa<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">*There is one problem I have with this recipe: using canned tomato paste. BPA in cans, especially tomato products, is not a good thing. If you can find tomato paste not in a can, or in a BPA-free can you'll be better off. But sometimes we just have to do our best with what we've got!</span></i>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14555673137094906043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9159762980607752249.post-83261738885938833102012-02-26T23:17:00.001-08:002012-02-28T08:45:17.600-08:00Gluten Free or Nearly Gluten Free Big Batch of Sourdough PancakesPreviously on this blog I posted a recipe called <a href="http://www.walknt.blogspot.com/2011/03/transitional-sourdough-pancakes.html">"Transitional Sourdough Pancakes"</a>, which I had created as a compromise for my family when they didn't like the taste of <i>completely </i>sourdough pancakes. However, I have a new favorite pancake recipe for our family, and no compromise is required! In fact, these pancakes are so good I can eat them as is, without any syrup or adornments at all. However, you may want to try them with <b>homemade fruit syrup</b> (see below) or <a href="http://www.walknt.blogspot.com/2011/04/buttermilk-syrup.html">buttermilk syrup</a>.<br />
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This recipe makes a large batch: big enough for our family of 6. Even if your family is not this large, I would suggest making a big batch of pancakes because once they are cool you can freeze them (put parchment paper between each one and put in an air tight container). Then when someone needs a quick snack, or you find yourself running late one morning, you can just grab them, pop them in the toaster & in a minute you'll have pancakes!<br />
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If you have a gluten free sourdough starter going, then these will be completely gluten free. If you're like me and keep a wheat sourdough starter then these will be "nearly" gluten free (<a href="http://www.gofrolic.org/gofrolic/food_blog/Entries/2008/11/28_Sourdough_and_Gluten_II.html">sourdough breaks down some of the gluten in wheat</a>). This recipe started out as one from the <a href="http://www.cookingtf.com/2012/01/26/real-food-storage-sourdough-pancakes/">Cooking Traditional Foods Menu Mailer</a> website. I modified it slightly, made it a much bigger batch, and arranged the ingredients and instructions so it was easier for me (and hopefully you too).<br />
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<u style="background-color: yellow;"><b>Tip</b></u>: the night before you make these pancakes you want to make sure you have enough sourdough starter for the next morning. I normally only keep about 1 cup of starter going on my counter, so what I do is get another jar (see my reused peanut butter jars in the photo?), divide my existing starter between the two jars, and then add another cup of flour and water to each. Be aware that with such a big feeding your starter is going to get really excited and will grow quite a bit beyond where it starts; allow enough space for it to nearly double its size during the night. <i>I put my jars in a small bowl just in case they overflow- because that's a mess I have experienced a few times & it's not fun!</i><br />
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<b>Big Batch Sourdough Pancakes</b><br />
1/2 cup<b> </b>butter or coconut oil<br />
<br />
1/2 cup coconut flour<br />
1/2 cup tapioca, bean, or other gluten free flour<br />
2 teaspoons baking soda<br />
1 teaspoon salt<br />
<br />
4 cups sourdough starter<br />
4 eggs<br />
4 tablespoons honey<br />
1 cup milk (or milk substitute)<br />
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1. Put your frying pan on low heat and melt the butter or coconut oil in there while you complete the rest of the recipe. Once melted set aside in a measuring cup to cool slightly.<br />
2. In a <i>large </i>bowl whisk together the flours, baking soda, and salt; removing all lumps.<br />
3. Add remaining ingredients (including melted butter or coconut oil) and whisk to combine.<br />
4. Turn heat up to medium on your frying pan. Once pan is hot, place a desired amount of pancake mix on to cook. If you prefer thinner pancakes (as we do) use your measuring cup to smooth/spread the batter on the pan.<br />
5. Flip once the bubbles on the surface begin to pop. Cook an additional minute or two. Keep warm on a plate in the oven (with the light on or just slightly warmed & turned off) while you cook the rest of the batter. <br />
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<i><b>Variations</b></i>: When you add in the wet ingredients you can also add 1 cup fruit or vegetable puree. Such as smashed ripe bananas, applesauce, sweet potato, squash, etc. Add a bit of cinnamon too if you do!<br />
<br />
<b>Fruit Syrup</b><br />
3 cups frozen berries (such as: blueberries, raspberries, or a mixture)<br />
1/2 cup real maple syrup<br />
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon<br />
<br />
Combine all ingredients in a small pot over medium heat until berries are juicy. You can put it in a blender if you want a thin syrup instead of with fruit bits. Serve warm. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.<br />
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<u><i>*This syrup is also a great flavoring for homemade yogurt or cream cheese. Yum!</i></u><br />
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Enjoy!<br />
LisaLisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14555673137094906043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9159762980607752249.post-32247910403834894882012-01-22T13:10:00.000-08:002012-05-12T11:55:09.760-07:00Thinking About Coconut Oil...Wow, I have been so quiet on this blog! I feel I owe you an explanation, even if it is a little weak. Most of my day is scheduled with homeschooling my two oldest children in high school classes. Once I cook dinner and we eat, I am just too tired to blog much of the time! Not to mention the fact that we have slow internet here which sometimes is just impossible to use. But I am still here!<br />
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I have been thinking about posting about coconut oil. Many of you may have heard of coconut oil and may know about it for cooking (if you don't, it is so good for you)! When I placed my first order from Tropical Traditions they sent me a book that is full of testimonies about the health benefits of coconut oil. It is amazing!<br />
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Now I have my own testimony to share with you. For a long time I had something on my leg- either a skin tag or a wart, I don't know. But every time I would shave I would nick it & it would get bigger. Eventually it was nearly the size of a small pencil eraser & dark in color. Sometime last year I started using coconut oil exclusively as my lotion for my skin. Time went by and then one day I realized something- my bump on my leg was getting smaller! It continued to get smaller and now I can tell you that bump on my leg is completely gone without a trace & I am sure it was the coconut oil. If it was a wart maybe it was the antiviral properties of the coconut oil, I really don't know, but I wanted to share this testimony with you.<br />
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Now I just realized I have two skin tags on my neck (which I hate) so I am going to start applying coconut oil to them & see if they don't pack their bags & git! I'll let you know!<br />
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Here are a couple of other websites that I recently saw talking about using coconut oil:<br />
<a href="http://www.cookingtf.com/2012/01/16/six-uses-for-coconut-oil-you-might-not-know-about/">Cooking Traditional Foods</a><br />
<a href="http://www.hybridrastamama.com/2012/01/160-uses-for-coconut-oil.html">160 uses for coconut oil </a>(found this post in the comments of the previous post)<br />
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Enjoy!<br />
LisaLisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14555673137094906043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9159762980607752249.post-59100954283340341772011-11-06T21:02:00.000-08:002011-11-06T21:02:23.693-08:00The Granola Bar That Will Have You Leave Candy Crying at the Altar...Am I exaggerating? Ok, maybe just a little bit, but these granola bars were fantastic! They have chocolate, sweetness, and none of the blood sugar crash you would get from candy. And did I mention they have protein and you don't have to bake them? Oh yeah! <br />
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I started with <a href="http://www.naturallyknockedup.com/chocolate-cranberry-nut-granola/">this recipe from Naturally Knocked Up</a>, but I adjusted it. I decided I wanted some oats in my bars (instead of them being grain free), and I did not have enough nuts anyways. I also did not have cranberries, so I subbed in dates (which I think were part of the key of how good these were).<br />
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<b>Chocolate Granola Bars</b><br />
4 Tablespoons butter<br />
1 Tablespoon coconut oil <br />
3/4 cup honey<br />
1 cup sucanat (unrefined sugar)<br />
2 teaspoons vanilla extract<br />
1/2 teaspoon salt<br />
3 cups roughly chopped nuts (I used a mixture of almonds & walnuts)<br />
2 cups uncooked oats (not steel cut)<br />
3 Tablespoons cocoa powder<br />
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1 cup chopped dates or other dried fruit<br />
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In a medium saucepan combine: butter, coconut oil, honey, sucanat, vanilla, and salt. Place on the stove over low heat until mixture begins to simmer. Simmer longer for harder bars, less time for "chewy" bars (I think I let it simmer just a few minutes for my soft bars). In a large bowl stir to combine nuts, oats, cocoa powder, and dried fruit. Pour the sugar mixture over the top & stir thoroughly. Pour the mixture into a 9x13 pan and spread evenly (use oiled fingers to press it down into the pan). Allow to cool completely & then cut. I kept my bars stored in the refrigerator.<br />
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Next time I might try peanut butter in place of the butter...<br />
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Enjoy!<br />
LisaLisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14555673137094906043noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9159762980607752249.post-76414745883542233772011-10-07T07:21:00.000-07:002011-10-12T00:03:19.840-07:00"Faux" Apple Pie (uses zucchini!) and Sourdough Pie CrustDid you know that apples are the #1 <a href="http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/list/">pesticide containing produce</a>? For those times when you're craving apple pie but can't afford to buy organic apples, it may sound crazy, but zucchini makes a great substitute!<br />
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One year I was looking for recipes to use up all my garden zucchini & I found this recipe for "faux" apple pie that uses zucchini instead of apples. My husband loves apple pie & couldn't believe it (after he tried it) when I told him I made it using zucchini. The key is to use lots of spices & the zucchini pick up the flavor of the spices. My 13 year old loves to take this to school in her lunch, offer samples to her friends, and THEN tell them they just ate zucchini! I also want to share with you a recipe for sourdough pie crust (since I'm trying to <a href="http://walknt.blogspot.com/2011/02/sourdough-peanut-butter-chocolate.html">use sourdough</a> in most of my baking now for health reasons).<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKjpu8WzKWnO9naSBqiTlC0GPfvm0sODsprkGBNc1-L6KrGAWaSE34IprCUJ5Zi-7nIeSKcUebpEvntBU-jDHqDyvRJIWgiVPkVbOpENYue8QB_Vk0OV-o8-eBmydjlZWLIT_r9ub9gGo/s1600/024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKjpu8WzKWnO9naSBqiTlC0GPfvm0sODsprkGBNc1-L6KrGAWaSE34IprCUJ5Zi-7nIeSKcUebpEvntBU-jDHqDyvRJIWgiVPkVbOpENYue8QB_Vk0OV-o8-eBmydjlZWLIT_r9ub9gGo/s320/024.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><b>Sourdough Pie Crust</b><br />
1/2 cup wheat flour<br />
1/2 teaspoon salt<br />
1/4 teaspoon baking soda<br />
1/2 cup butter or coconut oil (I used coconut oil)<br />
1/2 cup sourdough starter<br />
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With a fork, mix together: flour, salt, baking soda. Cut in the butter or coconut oil. Add the sourdough starter & mix thoroughly. Cover & allow to rest on the counter for 6 hours.<br />
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<b>Faux Apple (Zucchini) Pie</b><br />
2 (9 inch) pie crusts<br />
4 cups zucchini: peeled, cored/seeded, & thinly sliced<b>*</b><br />
3/4 cup unrefined sugar<b>**</b><br />
2 tablespoons tapioca<br />
1/4 cup lemon juice<br />
1/2 teaspoon salt<br />
2 teaspoons cinnamon<br />
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg<br />
2 teaspoons cornstarch<br />
2 tablespoons butter <br />
1 tablespoon milk<br />
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Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Roll out your pie crusts (if you haven't already) to 9 inch circles. Place the bottom crust inside your pie pan. Combine the sugar, tapioca, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cornstarch together in a <i>large </i>bowl. Add the zucchini and lemon juice and mix well. Pour mixture into the pie crust. Dot with butter. Place second crust over the top and pinch the edges together to seal. Cut 4 vents in the top of the crust. If desired, brush with milk and sprinkle with additional sugar.<br />
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Bake at 400 for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 and bake for an additional 50 minutes, or until top crust is lightly browned.<br />
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*This is very important: make sure you peel & remove the core of your zucchini. You do not want zucchini seeds in your pie! Plus, once you've peeled & cored it, then cut each slice in half, you get a nice "C" shape which more resembles cut apples.<br />
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**If you want to play with this recipe a little bit, and pump up the apple flavor, you can reduce the sugar & replace the 1/4 cup lemon juice with 1/4 cup apple juice. Combine apple juice, zucchini, tapioca, & spices & let sit for 15 minutes so the zucchini can "soak up" the flavors. By the way, I didn't have any lemon juice, or tapioca, when I made the last pie, so I just left both of them out & it was still fine!<br />
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Enjoy!<br />
Lisa<br />
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This post is a part of:<br />
<a href="http://www.thenourishinggourmet.com/2011/10/pennywise-platter-thursday-106.html">Pennywise Platter Thursday</a><br />
<a href="http://www.foodrenegade.com/fight-back-friday-october-7th/">Fightback Friday </a><br />
<a href="http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/2011/10/monday-mania-10102011/">Monday Mania </a><br />
<a href="http://simplysugarandglutenfree.com/slightly-indulgent-tuesday-101111/">Slightly Indulgent Tuesday </a><br />
<a href="http://wholenewmom.com/traditional-tuesday/traditional-tuesdays-nutritious-and-delicious-october-11-2011/">Traditional Tuesdays</a>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14555673137094906043noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9159762980607752249.post-34257675484916605532011-09-09T11:30:00.000-07:002011-09-15T23:34:34.020-07:00Baked Oatmeal, Sourdough & non-Sourdough versionsBaked Oatmeal is a great meal to add to your breakfast line up. It's almost like cake for breakfast! In fact, the other day my 12 year old came home from school, saw a bit of leftover baked oatmeal and sliced herself a piece for a snack. She commented to me, "Mom this is really good!" To which I replied, "Yea, it's baked oatmeal." This froze her in her steps, because she refuses to eat oatmeal in any form, so the joke was on her! (And, no she still refuses to eat baked oatmeal even though she knows now that she likes it- kids!)<br />
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Baked Oatmeal can be enjoyed as is, or covered with milk or yogurt. I actually like it better once it's been refrigerated. Lately I've modified my recipe to add sourdough starter to the soaking stage of the oatmeal. It doesn't make it sour at all, and although I'm not sure how much the sourdough starter benefits us by being in the oats- I'm sure it doesn't hurt & probably helps to make it more digestible. Try some baked oatmeal- besides it's great taste, the spices in here will make your kitchen smell wonderful! Perfect for fall mornings...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBl9EKr8FLOoNCZ8FPO3OZQ747wuRj9Slzk7duJbOhdol5fjVsL7WtX_ho37ME0XEHOssrmwu2RdliAXM7RPa7LGWXP_F98JpiCESmYrPAA1vgc1DF5UqSlazdUWCDWUQJ6fsUilG5Lyk/s1600/DSCF4796.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBl9EKr8FLOoNCZ8FPO3OZQ747wuRj9Slzk7duJbOhdol5fjVsL7WtX_ho37ME0XEHOssrmwu2RdliAXM7RPa7LGWXP_F98JpiCESmYrPAA1vgc1DF5UqSlazdUWCDWUQJ6fsUilG5Lyk/s320/DSCF4796.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><b>Baked Oatmeal</b><br />
2 cups oats<i> (for non-sourdough version use 2 1/2 cups oats)</i><br />
1/2 cup sourdough starter<br />
1 1/4 cup buttermilk<i> (for non-sourdough version use 1 3/4 cup buttermilk)</i><br />
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<u>The night before</u>: combine oats, sourdough starter (if using), and buttermilk in a stainless steel or glass mixing bowl <i>(or do what I do- save dishes by mixing it in a glass 9x13 dish & covering with plastic wrap til morning)</i>. Allow to soak on the counter (not in the refrigerator) overnight.<br />
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1/2 cup coconut oil or butter (softened)<br />
4 eggs<br />
1/2 cup sugar or maple syrup (I use 1/4 cup honey, 1/4 cup unrefined sugar)<br />
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In the morning: preheat oven to 350. Beat the oil or butter, eggs, and sweetener in a separate bowl until glossy <i>(or if you're really lazy, like I am sometimes, just throw them on top of the soaked oats without beating first...)</i>. Then add:<br />
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1 teaspoon baking powder<br />
1/2 teaspoon salt<br />
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon<br />
1/2 teaspoon dried ginger<br />
dash nutmeg<br />
2 teaspoons vanilla<br />
<u>optional add ins</u>: 2 cups raisins, 2 cups chopped apples or bananas, 2 cups chopped nuts (I like nuts for the extra protein & crunchy texture, but my son doesn't like it that way.)<br />
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Combine with oats <i>(if you haven't already just thrown it all together)</i> and pour into a 9x13 baking dish <i>(if it's not already in one)</i>. Bake for 30 minutes.<br />
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Enjoy!<br />
Lisa<br />
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This recipe is linked to <a href="http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/2011/09/monday-mania-9122011/">Monday Mania</a>, <br />
<a href="http://wholenewmom.com/traditional-tuesday/whole-foods-healthy-living-healthy-recipes/">Traditional Tuesdays</a><br />
<a href="http://kellythekitchenkop.com/2011/09/real-food-wednesday-9142001.html">Real Food Wednesdays</a><br />
<a href="http://gnowfglins.com/2011/09/14/simple-lives-thursday-61">Simple Thursdays </a>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14555673137094906043noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9159762980607752249.post-33946494719031668002011-08-12T23:12:00.000-07:002011-08-12T23:18:45.080-07:00French Toast with Chocolate Whipped Cream and Raspberry SauceSometimes it's fun to make a special breakfast. Whether it's "just because" or for a birthday or to celebrate an accomplishment, here is a recipe for an extra-special breakfast. This would be great for Valentine's Day too!<br />
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Note: make the whipped cream & raspberry sauce before you make the french toast. <br />
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Do I need to give you a recipe for <b>french toast</b>? The technique we have in our house I learned from my husband: use one more egg than you have people to feed (this works for up to about 6 people, after that you may want to add a few more). Whip the eggs thoroughly in a dish or pan that is wider than your bread slices (day old or not too soft bread works best). Add milk- a little less than the amount of eggs you see. Add a dash of cinnamon and a dash of vanilla. Whip it all up. Pre-heat your pan over medium heat with a tablespoon of butter or coconut oil in it. Quickly dunk a slice of bread in the egg mixture, flip it if neccessary, then place it on the hot pan (my husband uses a fork for dunking the bread, I prefer to use my fingers so the bread doesn't rip as easily). After a couple of minutes check the bread to see if the bottom side is browned. Flip to cook the other side. Repeat. You can place the french toast on a try in the oven with the light on to keep them warm while you finish cooking the rest of the slices.<br />
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Now for the fun part. (Yes, it melts quickly!)<br />
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<b>Chocolate Whipped Cream</b><br />
3 cups heavy cream<br />
1/4 cup sucanat or other raw sugar (this makes a "dark" chocolate, if your family needs more sweetness, add to taste)<br />
1/4 cup cocoa powder<br />
1 teaspoon vanilla extract<br />
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With your mixer, beat the cream until it starts to get thicker (but not stiff yet). Add the sucanat, cocoa powder, and vanilla. Taste & add more sucanat if needed. Beat until stiff peaks form. Will keep for a few days in the refrigerator.<br />
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<b>Raspberry Sauce</b><br />
3 cups frozen unsweetened raspberries<br />
1/2 cup <i>real </i>maple syrup<br />
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon<br />
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Place all the ingredients in a pan over medium heat. Cook until berries are juicy & sauce is steaming hot. Allow to cool slightly. <br />
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These recipes are enough for about 4 or 5 people. You <b>will </b>have leftover whipped cream (unless your crew <b>really </b>likes whipped cream)! Oh, but there are so many good things to do with leftover chocolate whipped cream... add it to your coffee, mmm, use it for a fresh fruit dip, or let it freeze for some "faux" ice cream! (Stir every 30 minutes to break up the ice crystals.) I also had about a 1/2 cup of leftover raspberry sauce. I would suggest that after an hour of freezing, when you are stirring up those ice crystals, add in the raspberry sauce so you will have some awesome chocolate raspberry ice cream!<br />
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Enjoy!<br />
LisaLisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14555673137094906043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9159762980607752249.post-46032750856152626172011-06-21T19:46:00.000-07:002011-06-24T16:49:19.210-07:00Sourdough Oatmeal Cookies or SconesI found some information about the benefits of sourdough at this post on the <a href="http://www.simplebites.net/the-health-benefits-of-sourdough-bread-recipe-whole-grain-sourdough-bread/">Simple Bites blog</a> and you may want to check that out if you're interested in sourdough. In previous posts I have talked about why I am using more sourdough in my baking. I have also been exploring a lot of sourdough recipes, including the somewhat unexpected "dessert" category. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvq0rThUMADltSoZtjC8ouT8JPHTdAjGwOuiyTQkqo4sfhThwzVu8gAmS5Tm7CTF0BrppM8M28AgZd2SDqE99C37xk5CR52XiHHRUsdXgRqzsd9RKGHwdnBoYAxsVme3VYZF1tvBONQSA/s1600/sd+cookie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvq0rThUMADltSoZtjC8ouT8JPHTdAjGwOuiyTQkqo4sfhThwzVu8gAmS5Tm7CTF0BrppM8M28AgZd2SDqE99C37xk5CR52XiHHRUsdXgRqzsd9RKGHwdnBoYAxsVme3VYZF1tvBONQSA/s320/sd+cookie.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">these cookies were a batch I made without raisins, but I like them much better with raisins</span></i></div>Sometimes I find recipes that include sourdough starter, but do not include a "souring" or "soaking" stage- which means the sourdough is only there for flavoring? I have been adjusting some of these recipes to include a souring stage, thus getting the most health benefits out of using sourdough. This recipe was one of those & I was pleased with how nicely it turned out (I also reduced the amount of sugar & substituted honey for half of the sugar). The texture is very similar to a scone, but you can also enjoy it as a dense cookie, or even a snack cake (the first time I made it I was too lazy to do anything other than pour it into a pan & it turned out great, just extend your cooking time).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8tHGzpg6JzsygEjtXHx4TOVRBnefqYBPvszW3oDUsTUlRzpfncPcVYBPuBk9tqa9xHf4Lx6komg_3IfDxfMY7y2EhILlMCViSxiMirE-ILZO5pTtaPoYromqQXZrS9FVtmGBKQMhcBmg/s1600/sd+cookie2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="222" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8tHGzpg6JzsygEjtXHx4TOVRBnefqYBPvszW3oDUsTUlRzpfncPcVYBPuBk9tqa9xHf4Lx6komg_3IfDxfMY7y2EhILlMCViSxiMirE-ILZO5pTtaPoYromqQXZrS9FVtmGBKQMhcBmg/s320/sd+cookie2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">my scone version</span></i><br />
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<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Sourdough Oatmeal Cookies or Scones </span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">2 cups sourdough starter</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">1/2 cup honey</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">1/2 cup butter</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">1/2 cup coconut oil</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">3 cups rolled oats</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">2 cups flour</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">1/2 cup unrefined sugar</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Thoroughly combine above ingredients & allow to rest (covered) for 6 hours.</span></span></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">1 teaspoon cinnamon</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">1/2 teaspoon ground cloves*</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">1/2 teaspoon allspice*</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">1 teaspoon baking soda</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">1/4-1/2 cup raisins (optional)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Pre-heat the oven to 375. Mix the spices and baking soda in a separate bowl. Add to oats mixture along with raisins (you may have to "knead" the dough to get everything well combined). *I did not have cloves or allspice, you could also try ginger and a dash of nutmeg.</span></span></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Roll into small or large balls, depending on if you want cookies or scones (for scones I made them the size of biscuits). Bake on greased cookie sheet for about 12 minutes (longer for scones). Makes 12 scones or 36 small cookies.</span></span></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Enjoy!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Lisa</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">P.S. for those of you who follow this blog, despite my long silence, I am still here! The last month and a half (and more) have been spent working on finalizing our oldest daughter's adoption, as well as getting ready to come back to the states for summer vacation. Busy!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">This post is a part of <a href="http://kellythekitchenkop.com/2011/06/real-food-wednesday-62211.html">Real Food Wednesday</a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.thenourishinggourmet.com/2011/06/pennywise-platter-thursday-62311.html">Pennywise Platter Thursday</a></span></span><br />
<a href="http://www.foodrenegade.com/fight-back-friday-june-24th/"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Fight Back Fridays </span></span></a></div></div>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14555673137094906043noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9159762980607752249.post-14856359275807528722011-04-19T08:02:00.000-07:002011-04-20T14:10:56.129-07:00Buttermilk SyrupThis recipe originally came to me from Millie over at <a href="http://realfoodforlessmoney.blogspot.com/2010/04/buttermilk-syrup.html">Real Food for Less Money blog</a> but I have changed a few things about it (less sweetener, less butter) for our tastes. This syrup is a nice change of pace from the traditional maple. I've also made it with honey instead of sugar, but the honey in Rwanda has a very strong flavor that I am not a fan of, so I use a mix of honey & sugar.<br />
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The other day I made this buttermilk syrup & I think it's rich flavor is almost carmel- like. Try this on other foods besides pancakes & waffles. We give two thumbs up to <u>pouring it over oatmeal</u>! Millie suggests it on <i>ice cream</i> & I think that idea sounds great. For ease, store any leftovers in a glass container. The butter will seperate & solidify in the fridge. When you want to use the syrup you'll just want to place the glass container in a pot of very hot water to make it liquid again.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPqy73oJR3j_CxDscj7V4LjG2MY3a1AjglAg187627vcCo3c5RHMeoowbwgbiMtFH7pN7B0ejci1QsRmRlFgq3tm47gRBYvZC4nBwlFXnhsdPGZGuuO8dsQbEboIoH9pOqqG5g-M9R_mY/s1600/tpancakes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPqy73oJR3j_CxDscj7V4LjG2MY3a1AjglAg187627vcCo3c5RHMeoowbwgbiMtFH7pN7B0ejci1QsRmRlFgq3tm47gRBYvZC4nBwlFXnhsdPGZGuuO8dsQbEboIoH9pOqqG5g-M9R_mY/s320/tpancakes.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<b>Buttermilk Syrup</b><br />
1/4 cup unrefined sugar<br />
1/8 cup honey (if you have a mild honey you can try this with 1/4 c. honey & no sugar)<br />
3/4 cup buttermilk<br />
1/4 cup butter<br />
1 teaspoon baking soda<br />
2 teaspoons vanilla<br />
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Combine all ingredients <b>except </b>vanilla in a medium pot (this mixture will get foamy & expand from the baking soda, so don't use a small pot). Bring to a boil over medium high heat and boil for 8 to 9 minutes or until thickened.<br />
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Remove from heat and add vanilla. Pour into serving container & serve.<br />
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Enjoy!<br />
Lisa<br />
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This recipe is a part of <a href="http://kellythekitchenkop.com/2011/04/real-food-wednesday-42011.html">Real Food Wednesdays </a>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14555673137094906043noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9159762980607752249.post-76728824302686619602011-03-26T06:23:00.000-07:002011-04-01T13:38:39.576-07:00Transitional Sourdough PancakesI would like to share this recipe that I came up with as a compromise for my family, because I am sure there are other families out there who, like mine, are not complete fans of sourdough. I have shared with you <a href="http://walknt.blogspot.com/2011/02/sourdough-peanut-butter-chocolate.html">why I use sourdough</a> for most of my baking now, and although some families may like sourdough pancakes, mine were not totally sold on it. So I came up with this compromise that is satisfactory for all of us. I call them “Transitional Pancakes” because they are for families who are transitioning to healthier choices. <br />
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If you have pancakes leftover simply freeze them (either in a plastic ziploc bag, or in a plastic container, separated by parchment paper. When you need a quick breakfast or snack, you can heat them quickly in the toaster, or for a minute or less on each side in a hot pan (works better with thinner pancakes, obviously, because they will reheat quicker).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGTi0yRqu19L7iMyIrFRwtiZGGs3FX7bq1rHZwpMQfCQw8-BoCI6mWzEf3ptn4gVzZ2qhh_PU3Md44zzORuOXKDNsUw3mODY-ABv3h9SXLiDgG1W5aQOx1V6aiazjd0aMPy9fzxUmJz0I/s1600/tpancakes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGTi0yRqu19L7iMyIrFRwtiZGGs3FX7bq1rHZwpMQfCQw8-BoCI6mWzEf3ptn4gVzZ2qhh_PU3Md44zzORuOXKDNsUw3mODY-ABv3h9SXLiDgG1W5aQOx1V6aiazjd0aMPy9fzxUmJz0I/s320/tpancakes.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<b>Transitional Sourdough Pancakes</b><br />
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">(serves 6 to 8)</span></i><br />
6 Tablespoons butter or coconut oil<br />
2 teaspoons baking soda<br />
¾ cup water<br />
1 ½ cups white flour<br />
1 teaspoon salt<br />
2 cups (whole wheat) sourdough starter, fed the night before & stirred down<br />
1 cup milk (or water- use less if you like a thick pancake)<br />
2 Tablespoons honey<br />
2 eggs<br />
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Place your pan on the stove over low heat and put the butter or coconut oil in the pan to melt. Get ¾ cup water (I use a one cup measure with a ¾ cup line) and mix in the baking soda. <u>Set aside</u>. In a large bowl use a fork to stir together the flour and the salt. Make an indentation in the flour mixture and add the sourdough starter, up to 1 cup milk, honey, and eggs. Using the fork still, mix completely, but do not overmix. While stirring, pour in the melted butter/oil from the warm pan. Increase stove temperature to medium.<br />
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Right before cooking the pancakes, add the water/baking soda mixture and stir in. (The batter will expand slightly as the baking soda and sourdough react.) Use your cup measure to pour out the desired size pancakes on the warm pan. When bubbles on the surface are just beginning to pop, they’re ready to flip.<br />
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You can keep finished pancakes warm until you’re ready to serve by placing them on a metal tray in the oven on the lowest setting (or just with the light on if your oven doesn’t go below 200).<br />
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My favorite way to enjoy these pancakes is with peanut butter, sliced bananas, and either real maple syrup, or homemade syrup. The syrup pictured above is homemade <i>buttermilk syrup</i> (recipe to follow soon). <br />
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Enjoy!<br />
Lisa<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrNUo0Fijw9G6oReojzGURcpc_TG0rVVsyYJ6MvXs_QRgQYBi5pGTDoHV5pn8YU6WvrAZJUWxu9zIub0STuQOxqad5VsFzZJJvAxdqY2YwfJjvGMbZnwYmqzSc5jZXU9J4asG6YgLLTQo/s1600/tpancakes2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrNUo0Fijw9G6oReojzGURcpc_TG0rVVsyYJ6MvXs_QRgQYBi5pGTDoHV5pn8YU6WvrAZJUWxu9zIub0STuQOxqad5VsFzZJJvAxdqY2YwfJjvGMbZnwYmqzSc5jZXU9J4asG6YgLLTQo/s320/tpancakes2.jpg" width="320" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This post is a part of <a href="http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/2011/03/monday-mania-3282011/">Monday Mania</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://kellythekitchenkop.com/2011/03/real-food-wednesday-33011.html">Real Food Wednesday</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.foodrenegade.com/fight-back-friday-april-1st/">Fight Back Friday </a></div>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14555673137094906043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9159762980607752249.post-23980106649382450022011-02-26T03:04:00.000-08:002011-03-11T05:36:27.826-08:00Sourdough Peanut Butter Chocolate CookiesHere is a recipe that originally called for no "soaking" or "souring" stage for the dough, but I have modified the recipe to include that stage so we get the most <a href="http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/2010/03/05/food-for-thought-health-benefits-of-sourdough/">sourdough benefit</a> (if the starter doesn't have time to work on the flour it seems pretty pointless to me to use sourdough starter at all- but you'll find those recipes out there). I also modified the amount of sugar by replacing more than half with honey. This is a lightly sweet cookie that my family gobbles up, but if you want it sweeter you may add a sprinkle of sugar to the finished cookies before baking them. The cocoa is also optional (you can just make them peanut butter cookies) but we like it with the cocoa!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHCwNRMyM4tjgzdFrAcvcprIABHnkmEoqcqOsyq969zTGHtzPd591VnLXmCuA2Ku_G-wEVJaUkWnQ-3RThC6jq6AlI7yWXmVHEnwYEeUFx9qCr5TImmrGaSKBp8MWxIb9jpamu2mxhqDo/s1600/sourdough+coco+cookie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHCwNRMyM4tjgzdFrAcvcprIABHnkmEoqcqOsyq969zTGHtzPd591VnLXmCuA2Ku_G-wEVJaUkWnQ-3RThC6jq6AlI7yWXmVHEnwYEeUFx9qCr5TImmrGaSKBp8MWxIb9jpamu2mxhqDo/s320/sourdough+coco+cookie.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><b>Sourdough Peanut Butter (Chocolate) Cookies</b><br />
1 cup sourdough starter <br />
1 cup peanut butter (or other nut butter)<br />
1/2 cup honey<br />
1/4 cup sugar<br />
2 eggs<br />
2 cups flour (whole wheat or otherwise)<br />
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<i>In a medium bowl mix the above ingredients well, cover, & allow to rest for 6 hours. When you are ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350 and add the remaining ingredients to the sourdough mixture:</i><br />
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1 teaspoon vanilla<br />
1 teaspoon baking soda<br />
3 to 4 Tablespoons cocoa powder (optional)<br />
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<i>Mix well. The dough may be very sticky at this point (if it's too sticky you can refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes to make it easier to handle, but I don't...) Drop by spoonfulls onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet (space at least 1" apart). Bake for 12 to 15 minutes.</i><br />
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Enjoy!<br />
Lisa<br />
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This post is a part of Kitchen Stewardship's <a href="http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/2011/02/25/soaked-grain-recipes-a-gallery-from-everywhere/">Soaking Grains</a> Gallery, <a href="http://www.foodrenegade.com/fight-back-friday-march-4th-2/">Fight Back Friday</a> at Food Renegade, and <a href="http://www.thenourishinggourmet.com/2011/03/pennywise-platter-thursday-310.html">Pennywise Platter Thursday</a> at Nourishing Gourmet.Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14555673137094906043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9159762980607752249.post-88455051155122576292011-02-26T02:04:00.000-08:002011-02-28T11:00:55.115-08:00"Soaked" Snickerdoodle CakeThe other day I was having a serious craving for snickerdoodle cookies. Some of you may not know about these sugar cookies with a cinnamon crust on the outside, but if you like cinnamon then "snickerdoodles" should be on your radar! I searched & searched the web for a recipe that involved soaking the flour (see the tab above for "why soak"). What I did finally find was a recipe for a snickerdoodle cupcake that included buttermilk in the ingredients (perfect medium for soaking flour). I modified the recipe to soak the flour and reduced the sugar as well. This produces a tender cake that will hopfully hit that "snickerdoodle craving" when you may have it!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC6mOy5V7RC3q0W5CxKOtzApykXWaD3mgy9O-xAx5_NTL728srrn94ayJXZUjQxfxL9ljUbX9k87n611gEZQ0PRLDuotLmjEFpmAfb3aCj7w1SAnMgpRLqyU-q8AyMT7NGfss6YBmotsk/s1600/DSCF4650.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC6mOy5V7RC3q0W5CxKOtzApykXWaD3mgy9O-xAx5_NTL728srrn94ayJXZUjQxfxL9ljUbX9k87n611gEZQ0PRLDuotLmjEFpmAfb3aCj7w1SAnMgpRLqyU-q8AyMT7NGfss6YBmotsk/s320/DSCF4650.JPG" width="281" /></a></div><br />
<strong>"Soaked" Snickerdoodle Cake</strong><br />
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour<br />
1/2 cup butter or coconut oil, softened<br />
1/2 cup buttermilk (or milk + 1 1/2 tsp. apple cider vinegar, could also substitute yogurt or other soaking medium)<br />
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<em>In a small bowl combine these ingredients thoroughly, cover, and allow to rest at room temperature for 12 to 24 hours. When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350, and add to the flour mixture:</em><br />
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2 eggs<br />
1 teaspoon vanilla extract<br />
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<em>Mix well, then add in the remaining ingredients:</em><br />
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1/2 teaspoon cinnamon<br />
1/4 teaspoon salt<br />
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder<br />
1/2 cup unrefined sugar<br />
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<em>When well combined, pour into a greased pan (I used a 10x10, you could use 9x9 for a thicker cake, or 9x13 for a thinner cake). </em><br />
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<em>For the topping, stir together in a seperate bowl:</em><br />
1 tablespoon sugar<br />
1 teaspoon cinnamon<br />
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<em>Sprinkle on top of cake. Bake in oven for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Allow to cool.</em><br />
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Enjoy!<br />
Lisa<br />
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This recipe is linked up to Kitchen Stewardship's<a href="http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/2011/02/25/soaked-grain-recipes-a-gallery-from-everywhere/"> Soaking Grains</a> Gallery and <a href="http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/2011/02/monday-mania-2282011/">Monday Mania</a> at the Healthy Home Economist.Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14555673137094906043noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9159762980607752249.post-13578629491274396302011-02-05T11:50:00.000-08:002011-02-11T01:32:56.131-08:00Cultural ExperiencesI thought this post title was a cute play on words, considering we are living in Rwanda and having so many different cultural experiences, but what I am talking about is yogurt cultures. I would subtitle this post: <em>"The easiest way ever to make yogurt. Why make it complicated when you don't have to?"</em> And when I say easiest, I mean EASIEST. <br />
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I have made yogurt in the past, tried to warm the milk to the right temperature, add the right amount of culture, keep it at the right temperature for the right amount of time, and so on. My results? Epic failures! My last batch of yogurt (I used raw milk & tried to keep it "raw") was so bad that my daughter made me promise to never make yogurt again. Honestly, it tasted horrible, like mold.<br />
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I had heard about the two kinds of yogurt: thermophilic (making yogurt by cooking) and mesophilic (made at room temperature). I had heard that Cultures for Health has a mesophilic yogurt culture called <strong>Viili</strong> that is mild & had a nice texture. But I hadn't been ready to try it until we were preparing to leave the US for Rwanda. I've lived here before & I know I don't like the yogurt they make here. I ordered some <strong>Viili</strong> and put the little packet of dried yogurt starter in my suitcase.<br />
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There is no complicated formula for making Viili, I said it was the EASIEST, remember? You mix it with one cup milk, let it sit for 24 hours, voila, yogurt! Want more? Just mix one tablespoon from your batch for every one cup of milk & you can make as much as you want. You just keep using some of the last batch to make the next batch & that's it. Subsequent batches don't take 24 hours, usually half that.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcO_RVe9ppmOEfL7Ap5k7VbWf-zNjlZHvMpx8lFewVrD7GZoa2gMWy8LOD62DO2LfjfitwSa9P-srSIvHX3Ew0M615jGDOJ-n92yo0asTd8ljNTY1qSDil6tQVW1PaAT6UqYMdr22n3ks/s1600/DSCF4576.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcO_RVe9ppmOEfL7Ap5k7VbWf-zNjlZHvMpx8lFewVrD7GZoa2gMWy8LOD62DO2LfjfitwSa9P-srSIvHX3Ew0M615jGDOJ-n92yo0asTd8ljNTY1qSDil6tQVW1PaAT6UqYMdr22n3ks/s320/DSCF4576.JPG" width="180" /></a></div>This is one of my batches of Viili yogurt. Why would anyone want to make yogurt any other way? I don't know, I love it! And just like everything else that I make homemade, I love knowing exactly what is in it.<br />
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If you want to try some of this yourself, you can click on the Cultures for Health banner on the right side of my blog. I would recommend their products to you no matter what, but if you click through my blog then I get credit for referring you. Cultures for Health is also where I got my Kefir grains from (I dehydrated those grains & brought them to Rwanda too, but their demise is a sad story. The house helper saw the little paper packet & thought it was trash. Out it went... sigh!) If you've been intrigued by all my talk about sourdough but haven't made your own starter, you can find sourdough starter there as well. <br />
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I am not trying to sell you anything, but I love to share with others when I find something great, and making yogurt this easy had to be shared. <br />
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Enjoy!<br />
Lisa<br />
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This post is a part of <a href="http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/2011/02/monday-mania-272011/">Monday Mania</a> and <a href="http://www.foodrenegade.com/fight-back-friday-february-11th/">Fight Back Fridays</a>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14555673137094906043noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9159762980607752249.post-55499824187891930102011-01-31T01:19:00.000-08:002011-02-04T01:59:27.777-08:00Sourdough BagelsIf you've been following this blog you know I am baking a lot with sourdough now, as I talked about it in <a href="http://walknt.blogspot.com/2010/10/sweet-on-sourdough.html">this post</a> and why. I am actually keeping two sourdough starters right now: both a whole wheat and a white flour one. The white flour one I made to give to someone who works for us and was asking me how to make this "bread without yeast" that I make all the time. She never took her starter home, but I have maintained it & use it for two reasons.<br />
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<i>One</i>: my kids, especially the Rwandan ones, are not huge fans of whole wheat (ok, the Rwandan kids don't like it at all- it's not used here). So, I usually go half & half with whole wheat and white flour in my baking, just to compromise. I need the white flour starter to do this when I make sourdough pancakes & also because of reason number <i>Two</i>: whole wheat flour is not sold in stores here. I get mine (lucky for me) from a friend who gets it directly from the flour mill in bulk. But sometimes I run out before I can get more from her.<br />
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You will notice in the picture that these bagels are all white flour- this is one of those weeks when I was completely out of whole wheat flour for several days. Oh, how my kids loved having all white bread, but that's over now, I've got my whole wheat flour again- ha!<br />
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Back to the bagels- bagels really are easy to make- just as easy as bread, with only one extra step and that is to boil them before you bake them. Simple & yummy! The depth of "sourness" in these will depend on how long you let the dough rest. The minimum of 6 hours will not be near as sour as say the 10 or so hours mine had. Mine had a defnite "San Francisco sourdough" twang to them. We had ours with fried eggs for breakfast, sandwich style. Yum!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmoTfFP5_U2Jas6lcs088UPgYJzbkb8uAuR9cNvAgZ29IBQyv8cxJxS4vqnpuh6x01RDcb0BQGONWAsrnOifX_U0_0wW8Wgg1utF0sKkbjNnP8ETo1VfRymzjk3qRPjJJIy6v4KdjMXhA/s1600/DSCF4573.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmoTfFP5_U2Jas6lcs088UPgYJzbkb8uAuR9cNvAgZ29IBQyv8cxJxS4vqnpuh6x01RDcb0BQGONWAsrnOifX_U0_0wW8Wgg1utF0sKkbjNnP8ETo1VfRymzjk3qRPjJJIy6v4KdjMXhA/s320/DSCF4573.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<i>I cruised the internet quite a bit looking for a bagel recipe which did not require me to measure flour in grams & such, and finally found this recipe archived at a cute blog called <a href="http://willowtreecreek.wordpress.com/2009/03/22/sourdough-bagels/">WillowTreeCreek Farm</a> which now has moved to <a href="http://www.eggsandherbs.com/">http://www.eggsandherbs.com/</a>.</i><br />
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<b>Sourdough Bagels</b><br />
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1 cup sourdough starter<br />
1/4 cup oil (I used olive)<br />
1/4 cup warm water<br />
2 teaspoons salt<br />
2 to 2 1/2 cups flour<br />
1 egg<br />
optional: spices or seeds for topping<br />
1/8 cup salt for boiling water<br />
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In a medium mixing bowl stir together the starter, oil, water, 2 teaspoons of salt, and 2 cups of flour. Add more flour if needed to make a smooth, not sticky, dough. Knead dough for a few minutes. Place dough back in bowl & cover well. Allow dough to rest for 6 or more hours (<i>note: my dough did not rise very much, so yours may not either)</i>.<br />
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Prepare your work area: either dust your counter with flour or lay out a piece of parchment paper. Divide your dough in half, each half in half again, and each of those in half again. Now you have 8 equal pieces of dough to shape into bagels. If you prefer bigger bagels you may want to only make 6. Roll each piece of dough into a ball. Poke your finger into the middle & work it around to make the size of hole you want. Set on the flour dusted counter top or parchment paper. Once all bagels are formed, cover with an oiled piece of plastic wrap (or damp towel?) and allow to rest for 30 minutes.<br />
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Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 425 and put water into a large pot to boil. You may also get out toppings if you're using any. Once water has come to a rapid boil, add 1/8 cup salt & stir to combine. Gently drop the bagels into the bowling water, up to 4 at a time if your pot is big enough. Boil for about 2 minutes and remove to a rack using a slotted spatula (<i>I don't have a rack, so I just placed them on the clean counter</i>). Repeat with remaining bagels.<br />
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In a small bowl whisk an egg. You can either brush the egg on top of the bagels, or do what I did: pick up the bagel & dip the top half into the egg. If using toppings, dip your bagels into those. Place on a baking sheet lined with cornmeal or parchment paper (or a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Silpat-Jelly-Roll-Liner-11-by-17-Inches/dp/B00032S0HK?ie=UTF8&tag=com037-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Silpat</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=com037-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00032S0HK" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important;" width="1" /> in my case). Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden in color.<br />
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Enjoy!<br />
Lisa<br />
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This recipe is a part of <a href="http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/2011/01/monday-mania-1312011/">Monday Mania at the Healthy Home Economist</a><br />
<a href="http://gnowfglins.com/2011/02/01/tuesday-twister-29/">GNOWFGLIN's Tuesday Twister.</a><br />
<a href="http://kellythekitchenkop.com/2011/02/real-food-wednesday-1211.html">Real Food Wednesday at Kelly the Kitchen Kop </a><br />
<a href="http://www.foodrenegade.com/fight-back-friday-february-4th/">Fight Back Friday at Food Renegade</a>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14555673137094906043noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9159762980607752249.post-3234995689038490472011-01-27T10:50:00.000-08:002011-01-27T12:47:36.963-08:00Grain-Free Nutbutter Brownies with a Cheesecake SwirlRecently <a href="http://www.foodrenegade.com/grain-freecheesecake-swirl-brownies/">Food Renegade</a> posted this recipe, via Megan Keatley of the blog <a href="http://www.health-bent.com/treats/cheesecake-swirl-brownies">Health-Bent</a> (her blog subtitle: "Paleo friendly recipes that don't look or taste like dog food"- love it!) I tried out the recipe and I just have to share it with you, in case you missed it, because it is really sooo good! She recommends using a 9x9 pan, but all I have is a 10x10 pan so mine are thin, but still delicious! Next time I may try them in a muffin tin - if you have a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wilton-Recipe-Right-Mini-Muffin/dp/B000SABX12?ie=UTF8&tag=com037-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">mini muffin tin </a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=com037-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000SABX12" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important;" width="1" />you could make brownie bites. Just make sure to watch them carefully in the oven because you'll have to reduce the cooking time.<br />
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You can try any nut butter you prefer: here in Rwanda we have something similar to peanuts (just called "ground nuts") that they make a nut butter from. For the "cream cheese" I used yogurt cheese made from plain yogurt drained through a coffee filter inside a strainer (left in a bowl in the refrigerator- save the whey for "soaking"). And we don't have chocolate chips so I didn't add any of those in, but these're great already without them!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgASJIP4YJApZ9luHfrBiFeyXw7h_l9iL0DbPz516gqzwc5FU1zNMXjG_o6ilRUbtHLkq04Oa2w97BVAZ3D1Qr3DJfw6CkB4e9daYuUtdKF1v_I-RLGx7vxOgqmQt-enmqkQQokME5kzHg/s1600/DSCF4577.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgASJIP4YJApZ9luHfrBiFeyXw7h_l9iL0DbPz516gqzwc5FU1zNMXjG_o6ilRUbtHLkq04Oa2w97BVAZ3D1Qr3DJfw6CkB4e9daYuUtdKF1v_I-RLGx7vxOgqmQt-enmqkQQokME5kzHg/s320/DSCF4577.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<b>Nutbutter Brownies with a Cheesecake Swirl</b><br />
<i>Brownie layer: </i><br />
1 cup nut butter (almond butter, peanut butter, etc.)<br />
2 eggs<br />
1/3 cup cocoa powder<br />
1/2 cup unrefined sugar (i.e. raw sugar, turbinado, sucanat)<br />
1/3 cup chocolate chips or chopped chocolate (optional)<br />
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<i>Cheesecake layer:</i><br />
8 oz. (1 cup) cream cheese or yogurt cheese<br />
1 egg<br />
1/3 cup unrefined sugar<br />
2 teaspoons vanilla extract (optional: substitute with mint, almond, orange, etc.*)<br />
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Preheat your oven to 350. Oil or butter a 9x9 pan (or whatever you are using).<br />
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Mix together all the brownie ingredients in a medium bowl. Stir or whisk until smooth. Pour into prepared pan. <i>(then lick the bowl clean... oh wait, did I say that?)</i><br />
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<i> </i>Stir or beat cream cheese until smooth, then add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Drop by spoonfuls all over the top of the brownie batter. Use a toothpick or knife to lightly draw through the cream cheese mixture, swirling & circling as desired <em>(don't overdo it or instead of nice designs you'll just have it all mixed together).</em><br />
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Bake for about 35 minutes (less if using a different size pan)<i>. </i>The top will be cracked and the cheesecake mixture just starting to brown. Cool completely & then refrigerate. Serve cold (like cheesecake).<br />
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Enjoy!<br />
Lisa<br />
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*another option to try with this recipe would be to add shredded coconut & coconut extract to the cream cheese layer. I think that would taste great as well!Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14555673137094906043noreply@blogger.com3