Merry Christmas, 2013

Thanks for reading my blog, for encouraging me, and for sharing with me your successes in your journey toward a healthier lifestyle this year. Please continue the journey with me next year!

And for those who would like a reminder, here is the collection I put together last year of the links to all our favorite, more healthful Christmas goodies.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Gingerbread Cookies (with no refined sugar)

First posted two years ago, this beloved recipe from long ago is an all-time favorite among kids of all ages--particularly, but not exclusively, during this time of the year.

Original post:
Everyone agrees that this whole wheat cookie recipe is extremely tasty. And every time I eat them I wonder why anyone would ever make another kind of gingerbread cookie--and why some people think frosting is necessary.

They are particularly appropriate around the Christmas season, of course, but we would love to eat them year round with milk, if I made them that often.

Gingerbread Cookies

1/3 c. butter
1/2 c. honey
1 egg
1/3 c. molasses
2 3/4 c. flour (more or less, depending on whether you're making round or cookie cutter cookies and how stiff you need the dough)
1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger

Cream butter and honey. Add egg and molasses; mix well.

Sift and stir in dry ingredients. Blend thoroughly.

Chill dough (optional, but does tend to make it easier to use cookie cutters). Drop by teaspoons on lightly greased sheet 1" apart, or roll out on floured table and use floured cookie cutters.

Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Hummus

Hummus is one of our family's favorites and is particularly inexpensive when I make it myself--especially when I can buy sesame seeds in bulk (for example, at WinCo). I love having my kids get excited over a bean recipe!

First posted over three years ago:

I've really been on a hummus kick lately. There's just something about it that really satisfies me. (And it really does need that tahini, so don't leave it out!)

I found a good recipe for it on About.com and made it by cooking dry garbanzo beans, rather than using the canned variety, as per the recipe. A longer process, yes, but cheaper and more nutritious. And hey, I wanted a large batch, so it was perfect!

One thing that has made me so excited about hummus is that my picky little eater likes it! I have tried so many bean recipes on her and she will have nothing to do with beans. But this "dip" she loves. I love being sneaky...

1 16 oz can chickpeas or garbanzo beans (or cook 2/3 c. dry beans until tender)

1/4 c. liquid from can of chickpeas (or from pot of cooked beans)

3-5 Tb. lemon juice (depending on taste)

1 1/2 Tb. sesame seeds

olive oil

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1/2 tsp. salt

Crush garlic in garlic press. Let sit for a few minutes. (Reason.)

Heat olive oil in pan on stove top. Add sesame seeds, stir and toast until golden brown. (This is your tahini.)

Drain garbanzos and set aside liquid. 

Pour beans into bowl, pulverize with immersion blender. (Can use regular blender, but it's quite the laborious process.) Add 1/4 cup of liquid from garbanzos as you go--more if needed, until smooth.

Cook garlic on stove top until partly browned, then add to bowl of pulverized garbanzos. 

Combine remaining ingredients, blend until thoroughly mixed and smooth. Taste test and add more of anything it needs.

Enjoy with tortilla chips, crackers, or veggies!

Labeling: The Right to Know

For anyone wondering what all the hype about GMOs is, this 90-second video brings the labeling issue down to the basic level, regardless of whether you believe GMO foods are dangerous or not.

German Pancakes

I originally posted this recipe over three years ago and it has remained a beloved family favorite.

Original post:
This is one of our Saturday morning breakfast variations. Super easy to make, as well as delicious and filling.

German Pancakes

1 c. milk
1 c. whole wheat flour
6 eggs
1/4 tsp. salt
6 Tb. butter

Mix all ingredients except butter in blender until smooth.
In a 9x13" baking pan melt butter in oven until hot and sizzling.
Remove pan and pour batter into hot pan.
Bake immediately at 480 degrees for 15-25 minutes (varies depending on your altitude).
Cut in squares and serve with honey drizzled over the top.

Earning Money in the Sharing Economy

While my husband is between full-time jobs, we've noticed how many people in this economy are thinking--and working--outside the box to support their families. It's helped us see things in a different light and given us ideas of our own. But the ideas on this short video are so innovative and cool that I had to share it...

Sucanat

Sucanat

For a few years now, I have used raw sugar as a substitute for refined white and brown sugars. I still prefer to use honey, when possible, since honey is completely non-processed and in its natural state--with lots of vitamins, enzymes, and minerals (link). But there are times when a non-liquid sugar is needed for a particular recipe. For this, raw sugar seemed like my best option because it's not as highly processed as regular sugar and therefore retains a small amount of trace nutrients. Not perfect, but a step up. I also noticed that eating it didn't make me feel as cruddy as eating refined sugar.

But now I've found something a few steps above raw sugar.

It's called Sucanat--which stands for Sugar Cane Natural. It's not a new product, just new to me. So I've been learning about it and how it differs from refined sugar. This website explains that it "...Is made by first extracting the juice from the sugar cane (using a press), and then stirring the juice with paddles while the water is evaporated out of the juice using very low heats. It has not been boiled at high heats (like all other sugars), nor spun to change it into crystals, and the molasses has not been separated from the sugar. Traditionally, the dried juice is formed into a brick for transport. Modern methods now grind the sugar in a sieve, leaving a very dark brown colored grainy sugar. [Sucanat] is produced organically, and does not contain chemicals or anti-caking agents."

I was interested to note that even just looking at them, you can tell a difference between raw sugar and Sucanat. While both have large, brown granules, raw sugar looks much more uniform (which means it even looks more processed). As for its taste, the first time I tried Sucanat I preferred it over raw sugar.

So we've made the transition! There are so many of those in the journey to more healthful eating...

Why the big deal over refined sugar? Here's why our family limits it. And here's another reason to avoid it (from this site): "When you eat any type of sugar that has been refined, your body has to pull stored nutrients from itself to be able to properly digest the sugar. This is called leaching refined sugar (including this wrongly called "evaporated cane juice") robs calcium and other minerals from your bones, tissues, and teeth in order to be digested. Since calcium is one of the most abundant mineral in natural sugar cane and needed the most for proper digestion of sugar, it is the most important to retain."

If you're interested in learning more about the process of refining sugar, check out these websites:
http://www.processedfreeamerica.org/resources/health-news/405-the-truth-about-evaporated-cane-juice
http://www.motherearthnews.com/real-food/sugar-facts-myths-zmaz71sozgoe.aspx#axzz2m4jUqkmF

Of course, no sugar at all (whether highly processed or not) would be the healthiest option. If you need tips on how to quit, visit this site, or start by checking out my post on figuring out your sugar intake.