Merry Christmas!

I wanted to wish all of you wonderful people a Merry Christmas before I take a blogging break until the new year. I hope you have a joyous season remembering the Reason and make some great memories with your loved ones!

Homemade Eggnog (refined sugar-free!)

Like everyone else in my family, I love eggnog and look forward to savoring it each holiday season. We've always just bought it at the store (even though it's loaded with sugar), but last year my mom figured out this recipe, which uses raw sugar instead of refined, and ensures the eggs are pasteurized. She made it for us last year when we were visiting and I decided it's better than store-bought! (I shouldn't have been surprised, since most things are better homemade.) I haven't tried making it yet, but I will shortly...

Homemade Eggnog

7 large eggs
½ c. plus 2 Tb. raw sugar crystals
¼ tsp. salt
6 c. whole milk
1 Tb. vanilla extract
½ tsp. nutmeg

Whisk eggs, then add sugar and salt while whisking. Continue to whisk while pouring milk in slowly. Turn burner under pan on medium low and stir continuously until reaches 160 degrees F. Pour straight into a strainer over a large bowl to remove any egg bits. Add vanilla extract and nutmeg. Stir. Pour into a container with lid and refrigerate until well chilled.

The Emotion Code

I am reading this book right now and my moderate skepticism and non-understanding is turning into enlightenment and excitement. Welcome to a whole new world of health and healing!

My mother found out about this method a few months ago from the NAET specialist she is being treated by (who has almost completely cured her chronic headaches!). It struck a cord with her and after reading the book and learning how to detect and release trapped emotions, she began treating herself and family members. It sounded a little weird to me at first, but I was open to the idea, since I had read the NAET book and was acquainted with the ideas and truths behind non-Western ("alternative") healing*. And I was further intrigued when I learned how it had helped my parents and young siblings in surprising ways. As Mom told me more about it, I realized it was definitely worth trying on my oldest daughter, in particular, and on myself. So I was quite excited when I got a hold of a copy of the book over Thanksgiving.

I love how Dr. Nelson explains the real science behind trapped emotions and all the havoc they can cause on the body, and why his methods work to heal people. On first glance, I'm afraid this sort of thing looks bizarre to a lot of people and psychic-like. But it's really not like that at all. It's real, powerful stuff that everyone needs!

I keep thinking of people I know who had something terribly traumatic happen to them when they were young and are still suffering the affects of it. Or adults who have experienced failed marriages or long-term job loss and are inwardly hurting from their perceived failures. Or individuals who are suffering from chronic pains or allergies that continue to baffle doctors and for which no treatment has alleviated their symptoms. Or teenagers who are just having a difficult time with life. Or children with irrational fears or behavior problems. Honestly, since everyone experiences trials and difficulties, there probably isn't anyone who hasn't developed one trapped emotion or another. And it's intriguing how many of these emotional blockages are causing chronic and serious health problems.

The coolest thing about the Emotion Code for me is that I was able to actually experience it firsthand over the Thanksgiving break, thanks to a treatment by my mom one day, and then more intensively another day by the nurse who is treating her. At the conclusion of both sessions, I felt lighter--even thinner--and happier and more content. (My husband even commented on how happy I seemed afterward.) But the biggest difference I noticed was the improved nature of my relationship with my oldest daughter and her improved response to me, other adults, and different situations. And though things aren't perfect or completely free from difficulty, that improvement has been permanent. My belief is that, due to the difficult nature of my pregnancy and labor with her, and the very dark and difficult few weeks following her birth, some of those negative emotions I felt during that time were trapped inside my body and hampering my relationship with her. It is so good to be free of them after all these years! (Don't get me wrong, though: I'm sure there are many others I need to work on.)

Even without knowing at the time if I completely believed in the Emotion Code or the idea of releasing emotions, I discovered that it does work and it is powerful. I look forward to continuing to learn how to find and release trapped emotions in myself and my family to improve all of our health and well being!

I encourage you to feed your curiosity and learn more at the following websites:

The Emotion Code Introductory video
Dr. Nelson's official website
The Emotion Code website
Pure and Simple Healing (another blogger's review and explanations)

*NAET and the Emotion Code are not affiliated with each other but have some similar elements.

Sleep Training Infants

Before our third baby was born earlier this year I read another couple of books on sleep training and, for lack of a better term, "baby scheduling." Our first child did pretty well with sleeping, but our second threw us for a loop. In the very long process of figuring out what was wrong and how to fix it, I read an excellent book back then that helped immensely. Third time around, I didn't want to leave anything to chance if I could help it!

In the years between baby #2 and baby #3 I'd learned about the Babywise method and read up on it on a friend's exceedingly popular blog. I have a cousin who used this method with her first son, and seeing how well it worked, I wanted that! So before my baby came I read On Becoming Baby Wise: Giving Your Infant the Gift of Nighttime Sleep. I didn't agree with all of it, but I felt it had some good information, and overall, it definitely seemed worth trying. I liked how it took the middle road between being slave to a rigid schedule, and having no predictability by letting baby determine everything all the time. I felt that that middle road fit my personality and my family's needs.

The second book I read was the Secrets of the Baby Whisperer: How to Calm, Connect, and Communicate with Your Baby. I was quite impressed with this book and particularly by the woman who wrote it. It's no wonder she's called the "Baby Whisperer"--she's amazing! I read several parts of the book numerous times, trying to ingrain them in my head, since I had to take the book back to the library. My problem was that the book is built around the premise that you know your baby and therefore know which personality type he/she is, and thus how to approach sleep training. Since my baby wasn't born yet, I could only guess and try to imagine different scenarios and how to handle them. All I was asking was that our experience with #2 just not be repeated!

In case you haven't noticed, I'm one of those people who likes to have things planned out beforehand as much as possible. So I was doing my best to be prepared in this case too, but of course I knew that babies have their own agendas and their little personalities aren't always very moldable (at least in my family). I wanted to know as much more as I could about how to foster good sleep in infants, but realized that sometimes new babies are just difficult.

After the first couple weeks with my newborn, I began trying different techniques with these two methods that I thought might work. Some things worked better than others, but I kept being frustrated by my baby's inability to be molded into any schedule whatsoever for more than a few days at a time. I was trying to be as flexible with him as I could and sensitive to his needs while still trying to help him maintain a schedule that his body could get used to. But it was hard to be consistent because I have other children who need me. So it was frustrating, as many of you understand.

Finally, after deciding that my baby wasn't made to be "Babywise," and even doubting that he could ever learn to nap on a semi-regular schedule (fortunately, he slept well at night almost from the start), we gradually fell into a routine that works for both of us most of the time. Now that he is almost 7 months old he has learned how to put himself to sleep and doesn't hate his bed like child #2 did. What blessings! When baby sleeps, Mama gets some downtime, which means that when baby wakes, Mama is glad to see him again, and he her. Both of us are renewed and able to cope with the other stuff in our day.

So...what I re-learned from this experience is that I can learn a lot from books and other people's experiences--gaining a knowledgeable foundation on which to build--but my children and I have to find our own groove. I still feel that this approach is different from ignorantly winging it, since that often leads to bad habits (like sleep crutches). We were able to find our own groove because I knew what the signs of sleepiness are, how much sleep my baby needs for his age, and whether his cry is hungry or tired (which is a big one to figure out with each child), among other things.

Sleep is such an important factor to one's health, no matter how small the person! And, especially after reading Kurcinka's book, we make our children's sleep a priority. (If bad behavior is frequently an issue with a child, I would check the amount of sleep they are getting before anything else.) I know I certainly can't function properly or maintain my health if I'm not regularly getting the hours of sleep I need!

Secrets for the Perfect Pie Crust

Making pie crust is not my favorite activity and is actually something I historically have tried to avoid. As a result, I haven't had the kind of practice that would help me make beautiful, flaky, delicious crust. But this Thanksgiving, I wanted the crust on my pumpkin pie to be as good as possible, so I looked up tips online to see what I could learn. I knew from my aunt's pie crust recipe that making it with butter rather than Crisco greatly improves the taste, but without a lot of experience, I wasn't sure I could make that work and look pretty, since such pastry falls easily when baked. I found this website with step-by-step instructions, photos, and explanations as to why these steps are important. It made perfect sense and I learned a lot! I wished I'd known this stuff a long time ago.

So in your holiday baking, if you don't already know these secrets, be sure to check them out!

Pumpkin Pie

As I mentioned here, this year's Thanksgiving dinner didn't include any refined sugar for our family.  It was wonderful! I was in charge of the pumpkin pies and found a great recipe online to help me in my first efforts at creating them with honey. (I didn't want to go into it completely blind this time when I was feeding others.) The only modifying I did was to add spices according to my aunt's tried-and-true recipe. My pie plates are a smaller size, so this recipe made two pies for me.

PUMPKIN PIE

2 c. fresh pumpkin puree (or 15 oz. can pumpkin puree)
4 large eggs
1/2 c. honey
1/2 c. whole milk
1/2 c. heavy cream
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ginger
1/8 tsp. ground cloves

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In large bowl, beat the eggs until just mixed, then add all remaining ingredients and beat until smooth.

Pour carefully into unbaked pastry and then carefully lift into the oven. (I like to place pies on cookie sheets, just in case of spillage.)

Bake for 45 minutes, or until center is just set. (Custard will set up further during cooling.)

The Doctor of the Future

I found this visionary quote the other day and wanted to share it:

"The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, in diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease."

-Thomas A. Edison

Harvest of Gratitude

This year as Thanksgiving has been approaching, it has struck me more than ever before why it is so appropriate that we have this tradition of giving thanks at this time of the year with an abundance of food. I guess my family, in a sense, lived closer to the land this summer, as our garden was the biggest we've had so far. And since a good portion of it was root vegetables, which are now in storage, I have felt the tremendously gratifying feeling that comes from providing for one's own family and preparing for a "rainy" day. This year, more than ever, I feel the spirit of thanksgiving and the desire to celebrate my gratitude with family and friends. I've never thought about it quite that way before.

May you also feel that special feeling and enjoy this beautiful tradition with your loved ones!

Perfect Pumpkin Bread

This bread is seriously addicting! My friend, Jennalee, sent the recipe link to me and I've made it twice now.  Since we harvested our pumpkins, I've been wanting more pumpkin recipes, so I was excited to try this. And honestly, this is a recipe that can't be improved upon.  It tastes perfect--both ways I made it. I modified it, as usual, to substitute whole wheat for white flour and honey for refined sugar.

The first time I made it, I think my pumpkin puree was too watery, and I put more cloves than the recipe calls for. Though the bread sunk because it was too moist, it still tasted amazing. The second time, I did the spices right, cut the butter amount in half, and added 50% more pumpkin. That batch was scrumptious too. So, I've concluded that if you like pumpkin, then however you make this recipe, it will be perfectly delicious.

PERFECT PUMPKIN BREAD

3 c. whole wheat flour
1 tsp. ground cloves
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 c. honey (I even used only 1 c. and it was tasty)
1 c. butter, very softened
3 large eggs
2 c. homemade pumpkin puree, or a 16 oz can

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease two loaf pans.
In a medium bowl, mix flour, spices, salt, baking soda, and baking powder, and set aside.
In a stand mixer bowl, cream together butter and honey. Add eggs and beat well. Add pumpkin and mix again.
Add dry mixture gradually, mixing between each batch.
When all mixed thoroughly, pour into two prepared pans.  Bake side by side for about 1 hour or until passes the toothpick (or knife) test.

School Lunch: Are You Kidding Me?

Have you seen this?  (Maybe I'm the only one without TV here...)



I, who have not had TV reception for over a year, sadly had not heard much about Jamie Oliver and his "Food Revolution."  So when I watched this clip of his experience in WV, I was as horrified as he was.  I so wish I could do what he is doing--boy, does our country need a revolution!--but since I can't, I'm glad someone has the guts and the ability to do it.  Too bad it had to be someone from outside our country!

On one of my favorite nutrition blogs a while back, the author wrote about this very topic and even mentioned Jamie Oliver.  His post came at a time when I had just withstood the temptation to enroll my daughter in the free school lunch program.  I'm so glad I didn't give in to that so I can continue providing her with the healthful food she needs and enjoys.  I don't want that one meal outside the home to sabotage my efforts! 

I realize there are some schools that are making positive changes in their school lunch programs (like the school in OH where my daughter attended), but most are feeding their kids crap.  And I don't use that word anymore.


I also don't use the phrase Jamie uses at the end of this video--but that's exactly how I feel too.  These kids have no concept of good nutrition and are literally being handed terrible eating habits on a silver platter.  What a great way to set the groundwork for diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and early death, eh?  The poor kids undoubtedly feel chronically disgusting and don't even know it.  Talk about "overfed and undernourished"!

I guess my revolution will just be small, in one family at a time, as they make small improvements in their lifestyles, and as my seven-year-old daughter offhandedly teaches her peers about the evils of sugar and the goodness of whole wheat and honey...

Budget Saver Tip #27: Storage Buckets

A while back we found out about a cheap way to get the buckets we needed for various dry food storage items (like wheat, oats, and beans).  In this way we have been able to provide ourselves with all the buckets we need without paying much money at all.  What we do is go to the bakery at Wal-Mart (and this might apply for other grocery stores as well) and ask if they have any empty buckets they need to get rid of.  More often than not, they do, and they'll sell them to us for a dollar or two each.  Usually we have to clean them free of frosting or "garlic spread" or some other such sticky, processed substance, but once clean and dry, they provide the perfect storage for our dry goods.

Anyone have additional ideas for getting deals on food storage containers?

Thanksgiving Traditions

Now that we're officially in the Thanksgiving month, many of us are thinking and planning for traditional menus. So I'm curious: Are any of you making changes--healthy improvements--for the season?

Since my siblings and I will all be enjoying Thanksgiving at our parents' house, where Mom has always been our foremost example of healthful eating and positive changes, our delicious desserts will be all (or almost all) refined-sugar-free. (I don't know if everyone will appreciate that as much as my mom and I will, but hopefully someday they will.) That means less worry for the mothers about how much our children are eating, and less guilt for everyone about over-indulging ourselves on that day.

Other than that positive change in my extended family, I think our traditional food will remain pretty much the same. And since we make nearly everything from scratch anyway--including real mashed potatoes and real stuffing--what's to change? Once, a family member tried to make the stuffing "healthier" by cutting the butter down by half and it tasted like breadcrumbs--it just wasn't stuffing! What a disappointment. I decided then that there are times when it may be more important to stick with a good, wholesome tradition than try to fool with the recipe! I figured we only have stuffing once a year and one bite is packed with so many memories of family in years past that it simply isn't Thanksgiving without it.

I'm sure the same could be said for many of those sugary foods most people eat after Thanksgiving dinner. And it could be justified that it's only once a year, so no big deal (though for many people it's only the beginning of a sugar overload throughout the end of the year). But if you can make a positive change without sacrificing taste or enjoyment, why not do it? That's what I tried last year when I brought the yam dish (which people typically fill with marshmallows and/or other forms of sugar)--and was happily successful.

So who of you are making changes?  I would love to hear your ideas!

Post-Halloween Traditions

Last year after Halloween we had a definite problem at our house: Waaaaay too much candy.  I underestimated people's generosity, and even without going door-to-door, my kids ended up with an astonishing amount.  We have always had the rule (like I had growing up) of one candy per day, but even with that, I figured my kids had enough candy to last them a year.  And I didn't want it hanging around that long, offering a temptation and causing tantrums when I said no (because a child was sick, etc).  So, in desperation for ideas, I posted a question on Facebook: What do you do with your kids' candy after Halloween?

I was very surprised by how many responses I received--and especially by the realization that I was definitely not the only parent who didn't want Halloween candy to stick around very long.  Since I received so many great ideas, I thought it would be good to post that question again here, for the benefit of others.

So what post-Halloween traditions do you have for getting rid of the candy...?

How Much Wood do YOU Eat?

I had briefly heard of this additive before, but I didn't realize how many products it's in until I watched this news clip!  Nor did I realize that the FDA has put no limit on how much of it can be in any one product.  The clip makes it sound like not such a bad thing that so much of our country's processed (and not quite so processed) foods contain "cellulose" (how's that for a euphemism?!)--after all, it doesn't appear to harm our bodies in any way.  But my feeling is, it doesn't provide any nutritional value or benefit to our system, so should we really be eating it?  I mean, we're not beavers or termites!

What do YOU think?

Transition

Lately I've been thinking a lot about the four seasons. I haven't always lived where there are four distinct seasons, and the warm winters sure were a nice break! But I'm actually glad I get all four seasons again, even though I don't really like winter that much. (I get cold easily and I hate being cold, and I live in one of the coldest places in my state.) But I've been realizing this fall what is good about this yearly weather transition, as it relates to gardening, biorhythms, and motivation. Here are some of my thoughts:

1) I love gardening and get a thrill out of it each year, but by the time cold sets in, I'm ready for a rest.  And so is the soil, so together we lie low till spring, grateful for the change.

2) With fewer daylight hours naturally comes the body's urge to sleep more.  And after a busy, active summer, that's probably a good thing (not taken to extreme).  I believe in taking time each day to be still (though some days that is easier to come by than others)--to think, meditate, pray, study scriptures--and winter strikes me as the season to be still.  Of course, with all the holidays, most of us end up with way more to do than we have time to do it in, but when possible, I think there's a reason I want to hole up ("hibernate") in my warm house and bake or read or watch a movie with my kids. Winter is also the time to do some of those inside things we don't get a chance to do while the weather is nice.

3) Winter is way too long, in my opinion, but its tedium does get me itching to be out in the soil again, and even by February, I start planning the next garden. The enforced break reawakens my creative juices and warms up my green thumb, and by planting time I am newly motivated and eager to begin a new round of learning.  I'm also eager to become more physically active again (and sleep less).

So in this coming season of being still, I want to try to do better at embracing this transition and enjoying the little things a little better.  As long as I can stay warm, that should be possible. :)

Things Learned this Fall

We have learned a couple more new things this fall from doing them and I thought I'd share them with you. They're not anything new to the gardening world or the internet, but they were exciting for us. And they're appropriate here, since part of the purpose of this blog is to show and tell how my family is learning and improving in our efforts to be healthier and become more self-sufficient.

Last weekend my husband and two of our children harvested our first potato crop and the rest of our carrots.

It was like a treasure hunt, and our girls enjoyed the search and the time with Daddy. Of course, in addition to learning where vegetables come from, they are learning more about the importance of hard work, and the joys and secrets of growing our own produce. I'm so glad my husband likes to garden, too, and is a hard worker!

A few weeks ago, after online research, speaking with experts in our area, and making a couple visits to our local nursery, we planted five fruit trees in our backyard--something we've been wanting to do since we moved here a little over a year ago. I learned that the fall is actually the best time of the year to plant trees here, but they have to be containered trees (in other words, no bareroot). That means they're more expensive, but they tend to become established easier, since the air is cooler than the ground and they don't get dried out so quickly.

They're not much to look at right now, since they're so small and it's fall (as well as the fact that we have a lot of work to do yet before our yard looks the way we want it to), but one day, hopfully in the next few years, these trees will bring beauty and value to our property, and provide lots of good, healthful fruit for our use.

Root Cellaring

I have been learning about root cellaring lately and recently read this book by Mike and Nancy Bubel.  It gave me ideas about how to better store my fall produce in our basement, and what options we have for building in the future.  I would love to have my own root cellar and be able to fill it with our own produce to last through the winter. Imagine not having to rely on the grocery store at all for fruits and vegetables...

I hadn't thought much about root cellaring until I saw this book and started contemplating why this method of storing fruits and vegetables might be important.  One answer is obvious: If the electricity went out for any length of time, all the fruits and vegetables I have in my freezer (which is mostly what I have in there) would need to be used quickly or go bad.  The other answer is that, while home canning is an important skill to know and use, and that is a great way to build up food storage, it also takes a lot of energy (physically and electrically) to put up food that way--so it's not actually the most environmentally friendly option.  Besides that, eating your produce fresh (or fresh-cooked) is more nutritious than eating bottled goods anyway.

Do any of you have a cellar or had one growing up?  Memories? Do any of you have aspirations, like I do, to build one?

The Many Uses of Baking Soda

Two weeks ago I posted an article about using baking soda in place of shampoo.  Last week I tried baking soda as a face cleanser and exfoliant.  W.O.W!  Why didn't I try this before?!

I know baking soda has lots of other home uses (besides baking)... What do you use it for?

Rethinking How to Make Yogurt

A few days ago a friend of mine brought us some homemade yogurt.  I've made a lot of yogurt for my family in the past, but I stopped a while ago, partly because I was discouraged by how runny it kept turning out.  My friend's yogurt, on the other hand, is as thick as cottage cheese!  I asked her how she makes hers (without a yogurt maker, like I have) and learned a couple things.  Then when I saw this video online by YogaMama, I learned some additional things I can try.  Now I'm more excited about trying yogurt-making again!

Speaking of probiotics and promoting healthy guts, YogaMama also has an interesting article about gut bacteria  and how it influences early development in infants.  Fascinating stuff!  (I'm repeatedly amazed at each new evidence that shows vaginal births are best for babies and why.)

Freeze-Dried and Dehydrated Meals

Our family has recently been working on getting our 72-hour kits up-to-date, and in the process my husband found a food storage company online from which he ordered a sample.  I was skeptical to begin with, just knowing that these meals are supposed to have a shelf-life of 25 years.  I've heard ads from a similar company on the radio and have wondered about their preserving technique and why those foods taste so good, according to all accounts.  My reasoning was how could something manufactured and pre-prepared that lasts that long possibly be good for the human body?  And is MSG the reason these foods taste so "delicious"?  But I was willing to give it a try, since we needed to figure out what our options are, beyond the regular staples of food storage.

Well, we received that sample in the mail last week and tried it over the weekend.  I haven't made Rice- or Pasta-Roni for so long (it all contains MSG) that it was weird to just boil water and pour the stuff in.  It also didn't smell very palatable to me as I was stirring it up.  And as I read the ingredients I found four MSG ingredients: hydrolized soy protein, disodium inosinate, disodium guanylate, and disodium phosphate.  There were also three probable others: yeast extract, "natural flavor," and spices.  As I complained about what we were about to eat, my husband teased me about it, so I stopped talking and just tried it.  I wasn't a bit surprised that it tasted better than it had any right to or that I wanted more after my first helping.  I knew that both sensations were fake.  After a small second helping I had to have a helping of some real food to stabilize myself, which helped me feel better.  My husband, on the other hand, was looking a little green around the gills.  It tasted good to him too and he had a hard time not eating more of it, but even before he finished eating he could tell it wasn't making him feel good.  Then he was the one complaining--and no more teasing.

Thus, we have learned an important lesson: Prep-prepared freeze-dried or dehydrated meals really are packed with MSG (which also acts as a preservative).  I suspected as much, but it took this experience for us (my husband especially) to realize that we would rather have food storage staples with which to make simple meals that don't make us feel gross, than have "gourmet" pre-prepared meals that have lots of flavor.  Of course, in the case of our 72-hour kits, we may have to fudge a bit, but as that is a limited amount of meals, I'm okay with that.  If it came down to it, I'd rather eat some MSG-laden food than die of hunger.  But not for the long term!

Interesting note: The owner of the company who sent us the free sample called for feedback and when I told him about the MSG thing, he acknowledged unfortunately that will always be the case with such foods.  I wonder if a brilliant person down the road will discover a way to prepare and preserve foods for very long term without the use of harmful additives and chemicals...

Fresh Salsa Revisited

Where I live we have already had our first freeze (*sniff*), which means that all the corn and tomatoes were harvested before that. I ended up with a plethora of tomatoes others had given us (since our own didn't work this year) and was racking my brain for a way to use a lot of them quickly without canning them. Then I remembered my favorite fresh salsa, which I hadn't made for a long time. So I made a big batch of it, using up almost all the tomatoes, and my husband and I gobbled it up. I just can't get over how yummy it is! (And this time around, I discovered that it really is best made with red wine vinegar instead of white vinegar, which I had never had to be able to use before.)

Ranger Cookies (Healthy Style)

This past Sunday I made cookies with my girls and we had a great time!  And, of course, after we made them, we had a great time eating them. I love having "healthful" cookies around! (Original recipe from my Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook, p. 212.)

Ranger Cookies
Yield: about 48 cookies

1/2 c. butter, softened
3/4 c. honey
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/4 c. whole wheat flour
1 c. oats
1 c. coconut
1/2 c. raisins
1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

In mixing bowl beat butter, then add honey till creamy.

Add and mix baking powder, baking soda, egg, and vanilla.

Add flour gradually, then oats and coconut.  When smooth, add raisins and chocolate chips last and mix only briefly.

Drop dough by teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake at 375 degrees for about 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool 1 minute (or more) before transferring to wire rack to cool completely.

Budget Saver Tip #26: Skip the Shampoo

I first heard about the "No-Poo" movement a couple years ago and made some changes then to how (and how often) I wash my hair. Then a couple months ago I watched this video and was reminded of what I'd meant to try long ago.

Video: Skip Shampoo - Use Baking Soda and Vinegar

So I tried it this week and, like the woman in this video, was pleasantly surprised. It didn't even feel harsh, like I thought it might. My thought was, If it doesn't work very well I can always rewash it with my regular shampoo. But my hair hasn't been greasy and my scalp hasn't even been itchy (which it often is in our dry western climate). In fact, my head feels very clean. So I think I may just have to keep experimenting with this. Maybe next I'll try the vinegar for conditioning...

The environmental impact difference between all the chemicals in shampoo and the lack thereof in baking soda is pretty obvious.

As for the economical difference, the shampoo and conditioner I buy are very inexpensive already, but baking soda and vinegar are so cheap and go so much farther that it's laughable! To illustrate: You can typically buy a pound (16 oz.) of baking soda for $1. When you consider that to wash your hair with it you need only a tablespoon (give or take, depending on the length and thickness of your hair), that pound could last a very long time. Similarly, vinegar goes for about $2 a gallon, which would also last a long time. Hmmm, this definitely gets my wheels turning.

Which Sugar is "Greener"?

I found this interesting article about the environmental impact of sugars.  (Of course, honey is the greenest of all, but the article discusses only actual sugars.)  Interestingly enough, of the options we have in the industrialized world (ie, if we're not growing our own sugar cane), raw sugar is the most earth-friendly and brown sugar is the least.  It's sad what our country's sweet tooth is doing to the environment (not to mention our bodies)...

Cinnamon Rolls

Of course these are made with whole wheat flour and honey, and our family sure likes them! The original recipe comes from a recipe book that came with the Oster bread maker I used to have.

Cinnamon Rolls

Dough:
1 c. warm water
3 tsp. yeast
2 Tb. butter, softened or oil
1 egg
1/8 c. honey (although this wasn't quite sweet enough for me, so I would add more)
1 tsp. salt
3 1/3 c. whole wheat flour (or combination of white and wheat, if you prefer)

Filling:

1/6 c. honey
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 Tb. butter, softened
Sprinkle yeast into warm water and add butter, egg, honey, and salt. Allow yeast to rise for 5 minutes or so, until soft. Mix well.
Add flour gradually until dough is right consistency.
Roll out dough on lightly greased counter top to about 18x9 inches (will be using 9x12 pan).
Mix up filling ingredients to make a paste. Spread paste over flattened dough.
Roll up tightly to make long roll. Pinch edge of dough into roll to seal.
Cut roll into 1-inch slices. Place in pan. Cover; let rise in warm place 1 to 1 1/4 hours or until double.
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan.
Allow to cool somewhat and spread my favorite cream cheese frosting over each cinnamon roll (see below), or make your own favorite glaze or frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting (also posted here with my favorite carrot cake)

4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 c. butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
fine cane sugar, to taste (I've also used raw sugar, which is also delicious, but more coarse, so it produces a delightfully crunchy frosting.)

Blend cream cheese, butter, and vanilla with mixer, add sweetener, to taste.

Hand Grinders

I love our electric wheat grinder and use it weekly.  But in the event of a long-term power outage, we would need a hand grinder to continue using our wheat.  So, those of you with hand grinders: What brand do you have and use?  What style is it?  Do you like it?

In my online research I've seen that there are a lot of options in type and price and don't know what would be best.  I'd like to get as much feedback as possible so as to make an informed decision for our family.

Thanks in advance!

Glorious Garlic

As I told a friend recently, the more I learn about garlic, the more amazed I am by its health-promoting properties.  Fortunately, I like the taste of garlic, so it's easy for me to use it often in my cooking.  And like everything else, eating it fresh is more beneficial than taking a capsule. (Especially eating it raw, but I'm not one who can do that!)

Of course, I can't eat garlic every day and I don't like having garlic breath, but I've learned that even taking one or two capsules of deodorized garlic when I feel an illness coming on (or am sick), can really help improve my health.

Here are some things I've learned lately about this little allium vegetable: (See complete article here for more information.)

• When using garlic in cooking, it is best to not only add it at the end (and thus reduce its cooking time), but to also allow it to sit for at least 5-15 minutes before cooking or adding anything to it.
• It may help improve iron metabolism--and iron is crucial in fending off viruses.
• It produces cardiovascular benefits by helping protect against oxidative stress and unwanted inflammation, which are two things that can lead to heart diseases, diabetes, and hypertension.
• It may be able to prevent blood clots.
• It lowers blood pressure.
• It is an excellent source of vitamins C and B6.
• It helps in controlling and preventing infection by bacteria, viruses, yeast/fungi, and worms.
• It is an "anti-cancer" food.
• Crushed garlic heals infections when it is applied topically to infections (see this article for a wealth of information).

Maybe the saying should be "Some garlic a day keeps the doctor away"!

Neti Revisited

I'm realizing again this year that sometimes it really seems that I have more allergy symptoms in the fall than in the spring.  Can anyone relate?

Not to mention that fall weather brings colds and illnesses to many people--enter more undesirable symptoms.

One way or the other, in order to fend off these undesirables, I'm back to using my neti pot often.  I know some of you use a neti pot also, and I've never heard a negative review from anyone who uses one.  For those of you who haven't taken the plunge yet, if you suffer from allergies, frequent illnesses--particularly sinus infections--or even just live in a dry climate like I do, you really should try neti to improve your overall health.  It's not a big investment and once you get the hang of it (which didn't take me very long) it's totally worth it.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Here is a variation on our family's regular zucchini bread. Much of my extended family prefer the chocolate version and so do my little girls (though they like the regular, too).  I love that either way, we have a tasty, hearty treat with whole wheat flour and no refined sugar!

CHOCOLATE ZUCCHINI BREAD

1/2 c. shortening
1/3 c. applesauce
1 c. honey
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
4 Tb. cocoa
½ c. sour cream
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. cloves
½ tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. salt
2 ½ c. whole wheat flour
2 c. grated zucchini

Cream together shortening, applesauce and honey. Beat in eggs and vanilla.

Add cocoa and sour cream. Mix well.

Add remaining dry ingredients. Mix well.

Mix in zucchini.

Pour into 2 greased bread pans.

Bake at 350 for 45-60 minutes.

Staying Healthy as Fall Begins

Many of us around the country are beginning to sense the coming of autumn as days shorten and temperatures begin to cool. I have already noticed that with that change of season, people are getting sick--including sniffles already at my house. So I've been thinking about what we should be doing better to prevent illness as much as possible, and looking back at prior posts I've realized how many things I've already written that address this. So I thought I would re-link you to them, in case you need the refresher, like I do:

• My list of 7 things to do to prevent illness

• The healing properties of Echinacea

• How promoting healthy guts improves your immunity

• How using essential oils promotes wellness and healing

• Honey's role in promoting wellness (and its curative properties)

• The importance of adequate sleep to our health

• And even the many health benefits of fasting (If you haven't read this information, you really should--it's quite fascinating!)

Budget Saver Tip #25: Christmas Shopping

The other day I heard a talk show host discussing how Christmas stuff seems to arrive in the stores earlier every year. He was disgusted by it, and so am I. I remember when we didn't used to see Christmas items till right after Thanksgiving (and Thanksgiving didn't get so short-changed), and then right after high school I noticed it arriving with the Halloween decor. Now I see it has already arrived and we're not even to October yet!

I hate the commercialization of Christmas, but I love the season itself, and I always try to make it special for my family, like my mother always made it magical for us. By keeping her eyes peeled for good deals all year round for the next Christmas, my mom was able to make it so that even though we didn't have much money when I was growing up, we always had a generous Christmas. I don't know many people who have their Christmas shopping completed by summer's end (or earlier), like Mom does, but every year I try to do better at following her example. I know I save money when I shop earlier, watching for good deals. Normally she and I both like to do this as we go "yard saling" during the summer. But this summer I wasn't able to go as often as I hoped and when I did go, I didn't find much in the way of Christmas presents.

I'm not willing to waste money on something we don't need or that nobody would want or appreciate--even if it's only $1. And I like my gifts to be thoughtful and appropriate to the person. So lately I have been turning to ebay and etsy. As with anywhere, one has to be careful when shopping online to be sure the item really is a good deal--including shipping--and it takes some searching, comparing, and calculating. But I have recently found some things I felt were very worth purchasing, at prices I felt good about, and it makes me excited to give them.

And it also feels good to know that with this planning ahead, we won't be spending more than we can afford when December rolls around. It's no fun to get behind in your finances just before the new year begins!

Gardening 2011

Here is part of one day's harvest last week. It made me happy!

Not all of our gardening ventures worked this year, in part because it was our first year to garden at our new place, but we have enjoyed the success we've had. And we know what to change for next year.

Every year we learn something different about gardening, and this year part of our learning was trying four new fruits and vegetables from our usual: cantaloupe (which were volunteers), spaghetti squash, corn, and potatoes.

Gardens are a lot of work, but the rewards are so fulfilling and gratifying! I'm already looking forward to next year's garden.

Question

Please help!

What summer squash dishes do you make that your children like? I have tried so many recipes, some new, some old favorites, but haven't hit one yet that my kids will eat without complaining. (Except, of course, with zucchini I make zucchini bread and cookies, etc, and they love those.) I don't know why they have this bias--crookneck is so pretty and has a sweet, mild flavor--but I'm guessing it's typical.

So how do you get your kids to eat summer squash?

Freezing Fresh Produce

I have been learning about the proper way to freeze different fresh fruits and vegetables and thought I would share what I've learned so far. (If you already know these things, bear with me. :))

Corn: We have been getting a lot more corn from our garden than our family can possibly eat as corn on the cob, and since most of it ripened at the same time, I thought I would just spend a day canning it. When I was growing up my family never grew corn in our garden, so I had to research to know what to do with it. First of all, I found out that corn is best preserved within 6 hours after it has been harvested. That was certainly not possible in my case; I got to it as soon as I could, but it wasn't that quickly. Secondly, I thought I could just cold pack it like I'm used to, but I found out that corn has to be pressure canned, since it has such low acidity, in order to not grow botulism. We don't have a pressure cooker and I didn't have the motivation or energy to try to locate one to borrow on short notice. So I realized my only other option was to freeze it (and I prefer the taste of frozen corn anyway). I didn't figure there was any trick to freezing corn, but I looked it up anyway and found out that there is more to it than I thought. I figured I could just cut the corn off the cob, throw it in bags, and put it in the freezer. But apparently, the flavor of raw corn loses its quality over a period of only two months, so cooking it beforehand for three or four minutes--called "blanching"--is preferable. It's also important to cool it quickly (in ice water, if possible) right after blanching, so it doesn't become mushy. Then, if you place the corn-filled Ziploc bags flat on a cookie sheet in a single layer, they will freeze better and stack more easily after freezing.

Raspberries: I bought a half-flat of these a couple weeks ago and was in heaven! Eating them was like reliving my childhood, when my mom and siblings and I used to walk over to my great-grandpa's house and pick several loaf-pans full of raspberries at a time. I love eating raspberries as-is, but since we had so many I thought maybe I'd do something different with them as well. But when my cousin gave me a tip on how to freeze them, I decided to try that to save them that way until I knew how I wanted to use them. And I love the result! This is definitely the best way to freeze raspberries: Place a kitchen towel on a cookie sheet and spread the raspberries out on the towel in a single layer. Freeze, then pop the berries off the towel and place them in bag or container. The raspberries freeze individually this way instead of in a big clump, so it's easy to just grab a handful to go with breakfast or whatever you want. Much, much easier!

Peaches: If you need tips on freezing peaches, refer back to this post.

Any others you want to know about or can offer tips on?

Homemade Bleu Cheese Dressing

Not everyone likes bleu cheese, but being one of those who do--especially in a mild dressing--I was excited to get my mom's new recipe for making bleu cheese dressing. The first time I tried making bleu cheese dressing from scratch was from a recipe I found online. It was much too strong and we didn't really like it. This recipe was a different story! Mild, creamy, and delicious, it is a wonderful salad topper. It's also super easy to whip up.

Bleu Cheese Dressing

1/2+ c. crumbled bleu cheese

3/4 c. mayonnaise

3/4 c. sour cream

1 Tb. fresh lemon juice

1/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. dried onion (fresh green onion would probably be even better)

milk (a couple Tb. to make right consistency).

Blend all together.

Cold Peach (or Berry) Pie

Peaches are one of my favorite fruits, especially when they can be eaten warm off the tree, dripping with juice, and practically melt in your mouth!

Short of that, the best way to get them, I think, is from someone who owns an orchard. That way, they're picked just short of ripeness (and ripen the rest of the way in your house)--instead of being picked green to send to the store. We bought a box of peaches from an orchard in Colorado a couple weeks ago and have been enjoying fresh, juicy peaches ever since. I don't think I could ever get tired of them! But we did have many that were ripening faster than we could eat them, so I decided to make a pie--but not a cooked one. Cold pies are so easy to make and so refreshing to eat on a hot, summer day. And in this recipe the only refined sugar is that found in the graham crackers. I remembered the fresh raspberry pies my mom used to make when I was growing up and figured the same thing could be done with peaches, so I asked for her recipe. Here are both variations:

Fresh Berry Pie

9” baked crust (or graham cracker crust*)
6 c. fresh, washed, destemmed berries
1 recipe berry glaze (see below)

Fill pie crust with berries. Pour glaze over top. Chill and serve.

Berry Glaze

1½ c. mashed berries
¼ c. frozen unsweeted apple juice concentrate, thawed
¼ c. frozen unsweetened apple-raspberry juice concentrate, thawed
2 Tb. cornstarch

Puree mashed berries until smooth (in blender).
In small saucepan, put pureed berries, juice concentrates, and cornstarch; stir until cornstarch is well blended.
Over medium heat, stirring constantly, heat to boiling. Mixture will become thick.
Cool and pour over berries in pie crust.
If this glaze is too thick, you will need to gently stir it into the berries so that the pie will hold together (don’t disturb the crust).

FRESH PEACH PIE VARIATION: Use the same recipe for peaches, but use mashed peaches instead of mashed berries for the glaze. And use all apple juice concentrate so it isn't red.


*Graham Cracker Crust

1/3 c. butter
(1/8 c. honey, optional--but it may help crust stick together better)
1 1/4 c. finely crushed graham crackers (about 18) (I use a blender to crush them)
Melt butter, stir in honey, if using. Add crushed crackers; toss to mix well.

Spread evenly into 9-inch pie plate (but this recipe makes enough for two pies the size of my pie plates). Press onto bottom and sides to form an even crust. Chill about 1 hour or until firm. (Or, bake in 375 degree oven for 4 to 5 minutes or until edge is lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack before filling.)

Winter Squash

(photo courtesy of Wikipedia, here.)
I have always loved spaghetti squash and have enjoyed other types of winter squash as well, but until this year we had never grown any of our own. Now, having recently harvested our 10th spaghetti squash, I decided I'd better research how best to store it, so that all these squash last as long as possible (preferably until we've been able to eat them all).

I found this website, concurring with the information on other sites, which explained how to "cure" winter squash and why. Good thing I read up on it! I didn't know this. Supposedly spaghetti squash store well up to 3 months, which is shorter than I was hoping, but I guess we'll see how ours do.

My favorite way to eat this squash has always been like regular spaghetti, but one little internet search revealed to me many more mouth-watering options. Now if I can just find one my kids will eat without complaining...

Everything You Want to Know About Being Self-Sufficient

One of my cousins reminded me about this book a little while ago, by Carla Emery. It is her favorite book ever, and since she now lives on several acres of land, she's able to put into practice many of the things she has learned from it. I checked it out from the library and have decided I want my own copy. It's such a valuable resource!

While we have just a regular sized yard and therefore can't even have a cow (*sigh*), and while I don't have any desire to completely "rough it" (there's information in here about how to do that too), there are lots of fascinating things to learn about becoming more self-sufficient and living greener. And those are things we can all use!

This book has it all, from growing your own grains to making your own jerky to raising all types of animals. It also has lots of cool recipes for cooking naturally and from scratch. I can't get over what a wealth of information it is!

Canning Pickles

A couple weeks ago I was grateful to receive several cucumbers from neighbors, since the ones we planted never produced. (We'll be tweaking the garden for next year; every year we learn something new.) I had planted cucumbers mostly because I wanted to make pickles, since I remembered all the homemade pickles I ate growing up, and how inferior the store variety tasted compared to them. I also wanted to can pickles because I didn't want to buy them but I did want them in our food storage.

It wasn't a huge canning project (which is good, since I don't yet have the energy for anything too big anyway), but it was enough to help me feel I accomplished something and to give me a sense of self-sufficiency.

I look forward to tasting them in 4-6 weeks, when the pickles have cured!

(If anyone would like the recipe, let me know. It's pretty basic and does not include any of that pre-packaged pickle solution stuff.)

Brewer's Yeast

I grew up drinking Brewer's Yeast in orange juice and loving it. I don't know if it's one of those things you have to grow up with to like, but I still love it. It just feels good to drink. And I like how it tastes, too. I started drinking it again lately, hoping it will boost my immune system, which is shot after all the antibiotics I had for pneumonia (remember, antibiotics kill the bad bacteria in your gut, but they also kill the good bacteria, which keeps you healthy). After having pneumonia, I developed C-dif, and now am getting over a bad cold. All this in about 5-weeks' time. I am definitely ready to be healthy and strong again!

Brewer's yeast is also called nutritional yeast (the inactive form of yeast) and is chock-full of vitamins and minerals. I had never looked at the nutrition information on Brewer's Yeast, so I was very impressed when I did so the other day and found that it contains a longer list than I care to type here, including amino acids, protein, and the B-complex vitamins. According to the information I found online, many vegans and vegetarians sprinkle it on their food to help them eat a balanced diet.

So you might try it, if you need a boost too. It's certainly worth a try!

The 5 Love Languages of Children

I became acquainted with the five love languages several years ago and learned to identify what my own "love language" is, as well as that of those close to me. When my husband and I were first married, we read one of the love languages books, which we found to be very valuable (and is something I would like to do again).

This book in the picture is the one directed specifically for parents and I recently finished reading it for the second time. I'm so glad I read it again because it helped me re-realize the importance of knowing how each of our children feels love and "speaking" that language. With some children, it's obvious what their love language is--like with my second daughter--and easy to fill up their "love tank." With others, it's not so easy. My oldest is one such child and so re-reading this book helped immensely in pinpointing her love language and what I need to do to fill her love tank. I'm not always good at doing this, but I'm getting better, and it is pretty amazing the difference I see in her behavior and level of contentment when I've spoken her language that day in a way that helps her feel validated.

I've been thinking about this concept a lot lately, and about how interconnected our emotional and physical health are. A person who chronically does not feel appreciated or cared about won't function on as high a level of health and optimum physical performance as someone who does. Of course, we all love our families and want the best for them, and this love languages philosophy is one thing that can make a big difference when put into practice.

Cheesy Cauliflower Bake

Wanting to try something different with the cauliflower we received in a Bountiful Basket (I usually make it into this soup), I experimented with an idea I found online. It was so simple I figured I couldn't go wrong. My kids tried it and weren't real excited (I still have trouble getting them to eat many vegetables), but my husband and I really liked it. Maybe if I put more cheese next time, my kids will be suckered into it...

After cutting up the cauliflower into the size I wanted (small, so it would cook faster), I put it all on a cookie sheet and drizzled olive oil over the top.

Then I sprinkled a couple of my favorite spices over that (garlic salt and pepper, I think), then sprinkled shredded cheese over that.

Lastly, I cooked it in a 350 degree oven for 30+ minutes, until tender.

Now I have another cauliflower and am wondering, what are your favorite ways to eat this unique vegetable?

Reglan

This recent experience with pneumonia taught me a few things, one of which was about Reglan. I became very, very sick before I went into the hospital, and one thing that added to my stress and worry was the fact that I was drying up. I knew how incredibly important the antibodies in my breast milk are for my baby and how crucial it was for him to get those so he didn't contract my pneumonia. Even though I didn't really have the energy for it, I nursed him more often than usual, but with the combination of my fever and lack of appetite (and accompanying inability to eat much at all), I could tell my baby wasn't getting enough milk. Once I even let him suck for an hour and a half, and when I finally took him off, he cried with hunger. That broke my heart. It also gave me new empathy for those mothers I know who have dried up long before they were ready to wean. It's a terrible feeling!

In desperation, I had my husband call a local lactation consultant (who also happens to be my friend), and instead of giving me all the pat answers that I have memorized, and knowing that I have breastfed twice before, for a year or more each time, she recommended the herb, Fenugreek. I had heard of this herb but didn't know of its milk-enhancing properties. She also told us about the drug, Reglan, which has similar properties, and recommended that we ask my doctor for it. When I was admitted to the hospital later that night, my husband asked that I be given Reglan, in addition to my other IV meds, and they complied. An added benefit with Reglan--which is what it is most often used for--is it reduces nausea, which I was also having trouble with.

I mention this herb and drug in the hope that it may help someone else in a similar situation. Without those regular doses of Reglan, I probably would have dried up completely. I was very grateful that my husband was able to take time off his summer job to be with me in the hospital, and was able to bring our baby with him so that I could nurse throughout the day. That, besides the Reglan, are what saved my milk because I didn't have enough energy to pump more than once a day, in the evening, after my baby had left. (Did you ever realize how much more energy it takes to pump than to let the baby do the work?) There were so many times during the worst part of my illness when I despaired of being able to continue breastfeeding. It would have been so much easier to give up and just resort to formula, and I was often tempted to do so. But my knowledge of the importance of breast milk for the health of my baby, and my commitment to breastfeeding kept pushing me to keep trying, though I really didn't have the energy to even nurse him lying down. (It was alarming to be that weak, let me tell you!)

Now we are back to exclusively breastfeeding and I can tell my baby is once again getting enough. I can't tell you what a relief that is, to be able to provide for him myself again! How grateful I am for an informed lactation consultant, and modern medicine. (I still want to try the Fenugreek sometime, though...)

Free Breastfeeding Stuff!

For any of you who are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed soon (or are looking for the perfect gift for a mother-to-be), I thought I'd pass along this cool offer. It was offered a few months ago and I took advantage of it then, so I can vouch for it being real. There are no hidden charges, you just pay for shipping. I've been happy with my nursing cover and use it often, and the baby sling is nice too. And now I'm excited that this offer is being extended to their washable breast pads because I am in the market for some new ones!

So check it out, ladies:

3 Special World Breastfeeding Week Promo Codes

Free Nursing Covers at UdderCovers.com! Free Baby Carriers at SevenSlings.com! Free Breast Pads at UdderCovers.com!

Use Promo Code "Breastfeeding" at Both Websites TODAY!

It's as easy as 1-2-3!

1. Go to SevenSlings.com and/or UdderCovers.com. 2. Click on "Shop Now" and select any baby carrier, nursing cover and/or breast pads you like. 3. Once you have made your selection, you'll automatically be directed to the shopping bag. Enter the promo code " Breastfeeding " and both companies have agreed to deduct 100% of the cost of the carrier or nursing cover - all you pay are the shipping fees! Remember: the promo code is " Breastfeeding " and you can use it more than once - just open a new browser window each time you do.