A must read! Provided me with a lot of information that I was unaware of. More evidence to the necessity of soaking grains in order to be able to effectively absorb all the minerals and vitamins in the grains.
Here is one quote from the article:
Researchers have conducted experiments on mineral absorption that show clearly that phytates matter. A study of iron absorption in cereal porridges found in some cases a 12-fold increase in the absorption of iron when the phytic acid was removed from the food. Participants absorbed only about 1% of the iron in their
wheat porridge but that absorption rate increased to 12% when the phytic acid was removed (Hurrel et al. 2003).
She goes on to share some helpful tips and tricks for soaking/sprouting. She also mentions an interesting fact about oats. Soaking for 12 hours is not sufficient to break down the phytates. Her tip: Add fresh ground wheat to your oats before soaking! Interesting.
This same website offers a free e-course on the topic as well! I am starting it now!
Amanda has a newly published book, titled Rebuild from Depression which the above article is an excerpt of. Read more about it here.
Growing up my mom always made us stand a few feet away from the microwave while it was on. I always wondered why? Something about the fumes coming out of the microwave? Sound familiar?
I read this article recently that informed me that you can prepare and cook practically anything in the microwave. Their reasons – it is fast! This concerned me greatly. First off, why are we in such a rush to have our food prepared in 1 minute? Why not slow down and enjoy the gift of life and the process of preparing quality food for your family? Does it concern you at all that you can cook potatoes in four minutes with the microwave? Doesn’t that seem a little unnatural? It does indeed use the least amount of electricity in the kitchen (although the differences are minimal, as described here - $0.04 per kwh vs. $0.10 for toaster oven, & $0.20 for electric oven), but it’s rapid cooking power might just cause some problems.
This articlewas interesting (sorry, made an error on the links previously):
Microwaves are thought to destroy and deform food molecules. In fact, one study published in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture found that broccoli “zapped” in the microwave with a little water lost up to 97 percent of the beneficial antioxidant chemicals it contains.
So what’s the rush to possibly destroy some of the nutritional value of your food? Other concerns have been possible connection to cancer, brain tumors, immune system deficiencies, and the list goes on. There is indeed much controversy over the health concerns of microwaves, and I am not totally convinced of the harmfulness of its use, but I am just providing some food for thought, and maybe we should all step back and consider. Why would Russia ban the use of microwaves in 1976? Interesting to note.
We bought a toaster oven off Craigslist for just $20, and I love it for the following reasons:
1. Heats food slowly and naturally like a standard oven. 2. Uses less electricity than standard oven - for a small family, you can bake practically anything in it for far less time, because it doesn’t have to heat up such a large space, as in an oven. This results in using less electricity (although the differences are not drastically significant). I bake casseroles, toast bread, reheat leftovers, and thaw food (on those forgetful days!) all in my toaster oven!
3. Simplifies your kitchen – no need for a toaster or a microwave, and even an oven at times! Why do we need so many different appliances and gadgets? Why not simplify by choicing options that can accomplish two or more tasks in one!
4. Don’t have to heat up the whole kitchen! Especially on a hot day, this is a great alternative than the oven!
5. Works as a warming oven- keep already cooked food warm before serving! Another advantage is when you have multiple things needing to be baked, when needing to cook two things at different temperatures - 6. Easy clean up! If something spills, you simply pull out the tray! 7. Great for small places and reasonably priced!
As variety is the spice of life, why not incorporate it into the way you prepare your vegetables? I have found a fun way to add variety to my salads especially is to vary how I cut up the toppings. Why not try dicing, and then next time try julienned, and the next time grated! This is especially helpful when you are getting tired of the same vegi’s…but they have to be used up! (As is the case with our CSA produce bin…been a lot of the same stuff the last two months). So I chop my carrots, then I julienned them, then I grated them for three different salads!
This concept could apply in all food preparation…why not try a variety of preparation methods: saute, steam bake, roast, etc. Simple concept, but makes cooking a whole lot more fun!
Aaron appreciates the variety too! Funny how you only have to change the style of preparation and get a whole new dish!
Welcome to the recap of chapter 5 of our book study on The True Woman by Susan Hunt, brought to us by Sono Harris, a godly older woman that I greatly admire. Please participate with us in this inspiring read! This post will remain at the top of my blog for the duration of the week and is open for discussion.
Chapter 5: A Cultivator of Community
In her book, The True Woman, Susan Hunt displays, through the clear instruction of Scriptural truth, empirical historical and varied contemporary examples, how a Christian woman, passionate to be all that God has designed her to be, can move closer to the ideals of godly beauty and strength. Once again, in Chapter 5, she achieves these objectives on the subject of community.
As Karis’ birthday is this coming Sunday, I have been trying to figure out a cake option! Looking for a non-glutenous cake recipe or any other ideas to celebrate her cute little 1st birthday…Any recipes out there to share? Would you consider forwarding it my way? I would greatly appreciate it!
I should note that Karis eats brown rice, millet, quinoa and oats, but not sweeteners yet. Not sure when I should add these or spices for that matter into her diet.
If you have a Costco in your area, here are a collection of organic items our local store carries. Does vary according to location. I found with Costco still sometimes they have it, sometimes they don’t.
Organic Baby Food (Earth’s Best)- 24 jars of organic baby food for $13.99…that’s $0.58 per jar! Now that’s a good deal, and a good brand! The box came with 3 different kinds, 8 of each. Varieties were: vegetable and turkey, banana, pear & oatmeal combo, and the last was sweet potatoes, I believe.
Ecos Laundry Detergent - approx $13.69 for 105 loads -wonderful natural detergent! Concentrated so you don’t use very much. Lasts us 3 months while washing around 5 loads per week. Organic Butter – $6.89 for 2 lb – another good deal – I stretch its use! Organic Peanut Butter – 2/28 oz for $7.45 Organic Cold-Pressed Olive Oil – 2/1 litter $17.49 Maple Syrup – they often sell an organic version (around $20 for 64 oz) Organic Pacific Tomato Soup – 6/32 oz. $9.99 Organic Chicken Broth – 6/32 oz. $9.49 Amy’s Organic Soups – 8/14.3 oz. $11.79
I was so excited to find these tomato products, as their prices were much cheaper than my other source, Azure Standard:
S & W Organic Tomato Paste – 12/6 oz. $4.99
S & W Organic Tomato Sauce – 12/15 oz. $5.95 S & W Organic Diced Tomatoes – 8/14.5 oz. $6.69
Uncured Bacon- 3/12 oz. $10.75
Organic Ground Beef - 3 lbs $11.99
Organic Whole Chickens for $1.99 per pound!
Organic Raisins – 48 oz $5.69 Organic Salsa (30 oz) & Bean Dip (16 oz) -come together – $5.89 Lundburg Organic Short Grain Brown Rice – 12 lbs $11.49 Organic Whole Wheat Bread – 2/26 oz loaves $4.95 Organic 14 Grain Bread – 2/26 oz loaves $4.79 Organic Sparkling Lemonade - 6/25 oz. $9.29 Annie’s Organic Macaroni & Cheese – 15/60 oz. $9.99 Treetop Organic Applesauce Cups - 36/4 oz. $9.99 Alden’s Organic Ice Cream - 2/48 oz. $7.85
They also carry organic pop tarts…but that’s where I say the “organic” label doesn’t necessarily mean healthy! I am sorry…organic sugar is still sugar!
Karis is almost 1 year old (May 4th)! It has caught me by surprise…but what a special year it has been with this little bundle of joy and “grace” as her name means. God’s grace has been sufficient! Karis is doing her army crawl. After seeing her cousin crawl this past week at the beach has really inspired her. She will now occasionally get up on her knees and crawl. Karis is a social butterfly and loves waving at everybody!
She is pulling herself up in bed, on tables, and everywhere else she can. She learned sign language for the words “more” and “thank you”, and we are still working on “please” and “down”, but I have been amazed at how quickly she can learn and understand.
This is by far one of the most nutritious and yet frugal meals I make. A variety of beans cooked into chili with the grains in the cornbread provide a complete protein! Finding a good chili recipe is not an easy task, but with some experimenting, trial and error, I think I have come up with a very yummy version. It has a bit of kick to it, but a lot of flavor! My hubby loves this chili! If making for littles, add the spices at the end after taking some out for the littles, if desired.
Both chili and cornbread freeze well, so I make a large batch and freeze both in smaller portions. I keep chili in the fridge to use for different lunches throughout the week – baked potato bar, chili cheese burritos, nachos, chili over hot dogs, etc.
You can also make chili in the crockpot for an easy meal! See directions below.
1 lb. ground turkey, beef, or go meatless
1 29 oz. can tomato sauce plus 1 -15 oz can of tomato sauce
1 large can of diced tomatoes (29 ou.)
1 large onion, chopped
1 green pepper, optional
2-3 Tbls. or more taco seasoning mix
4 cups cooked beans (I do a combo of black, pinto & kidney)
1/8-1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 cup rapadura or natural sweetener (rapadura gives it a little sweetness to balance the flavor!)
1-2 tsp. oregano
3/4 tsp pepper
2 tsp salt
3 tsp cumin
1-8-1/4 cup chili powder, as desired
Cooking beans - You can always choice the canned option, but cooking your own beans is simple and cheaper. Soak beans overnight in water (1 part beans to 6-8 parts of water) and 2-3 Tbsp. of whey/lemon juice/vinegar, if desired, to impart valuable enzymes. After soaking, rinse thoroughly and add fresh water to cover the beans (about 1 part beans to 3 parts water). Cook approx. 8 hours on low (I prefer in the crockpot). Use 4 cups for chili, or more as desired, and freeze the rest for other dishes or for your next batch of chili!
For Chili -Saute ground turkey in oil with onions and peppers. Cook until browned. Add the taco seasoning mix. Taste and add more as desired. (This is the key to good chili!) Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low. Simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Makes 10-12 servings.
Crockpot Chili – If you want to get dinner prepared in the morning, try the crockpot version! Cook meat, onions, and peppers in a saucepan until browned. Place in your crockpot with remaining ingredients and allow to cook over low heat for 5-6 hours.
Cornbread
I love soaking Sue Gregg’s cornbread recipe and it is simply delicious! Read here about the valuable benefits of soaking your grains. We love it topped with a whipped butter and honey spread. This recipe can be used with whole grains ground in the blender or with flour in a regular mixing bowl. Yum!
Amount: 8″ Square Baking Pan (12-16 pieces) Bake: 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) 25-35 minutes
1. Place in blender; blend at high speed 3-5 minutes (the blender will “grind” the grain into a batter in the liquid medium. If it is a little gritty, blend more or let it set overnight for a smoother batter using the two stage soaking method.
1 cup kefir (my first choice!), buttermilk, sour milk, or yogurt
1/4 cup melted butter or olive oil or 2 tablespoons each butter and oil (I use 2 Tbsp of coconut oil & 2 Tbsp olive oil or butter)
3 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
2/3 cup whole kernel dry corn 2/3 cup whole wheat pastry grain or 3/4 cup kamut grain
If you would like to use flour, use 1 cup of cornmeal and 1 cup of whole wheat pastry flour or kamut flour in replacement for the grain above.
Second Stage: Optional (Recommended) Cover blender or bowl. Let batter stand at room temperature overnight or about 12-24 hours.
Add 2 eggs & blend
2. Mix in thoroughly, but briefly, using blender and/or rubber spatula as needed: 2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3. Pour batter immediately into greased baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) 25-35 minutes or until knife or toothpick comes clean out of center.
God has given every one a gift…Despite the fact that you may feel like you have no talents or gifting, God has indeed bestowed a gift upon you. Did you then realize that it is designed to be used for the building up of His Church and service of others? Indeed, we are called and responsible to return this gift to Him in sacrificial service for the furtherance of His glory. You are His hands and feet! In this laying down of our gifts and talents at His feet, we will find the greatest joy – in service to Him!
This is part 3 of our series on Undistracted Devotion: how to live sacrificially for the Lord whatever your season of life. Read part 1 where we presented the call, and part 2 – we discussed contentment, living at home (specifically for singles), and realizing that service will be a sacrifice.
What a lovely time we had at the beach with our family! Weather was lovely one of the three days, but when we are at the beach we are more focused on relaxing anyway…reading, resting, playing games, and talking. Karis did amazingly well traveling and sleeping, despite the madhouse of children and noise. We were very thankful for this! I left feeling very blessed and thankful for my wonderful family. Here are some of the pics!
P.S. I have decided to post chapter 5 of our book study on Monday to allow for further discussion on chapter 4. Join in!
View from the cabin
Our little family
Family stroll on the beach
Karis & I with our little friend Emily (not related)
Grandma & Micah (my brother Stephen’s son)
Our friends Gabe & Mandy came and visited with their two children, Emily & Josiah
Pictured L-R: Mandy, Trinity (my brother Stephen’s daughter), Karis & I, Emily & Micah
