It's True, I'm Addicted!
Have I confessed here that I am a sugar addict? It's true! I've spent most of my life moving from one sugar fix to the next. As a teen I would spend my lunch money on candy and soda. (Sorry Mom! I'll pay you back!) As an adult I pigged out on sugary cold cereals, deserts and candy. I always bought myself a candy bar at the end of each shopping trip. After all, I had just done the hard work of grocery shopping, I deserved a treat! I usually had a bowl (or two) of cereal at the end of each day. I had just spent a day caring for little ones, I deserved a treat. I often mixed up a little bowl of powdered sugar frosting, because I deserved a treat! Two months after Halloween I would usually find myself combing the cupboards for any leftover candy. So sad! Sugar had me in her grasp and did not want to let me go! I finally started suffering from severe hypoglycemia and knew I had to make changes. I just didn't know where to start.
Thankfully the Lord led me down a path to recovery. That might sound a little silly, (does the Lord care if we eat white sugar?)but it's true. The path started with education! I learned why white sugar was so bad for me. Here are 146 reasons! Don't read any further until you've clicked the link and scanned the list. Even brands that claim to be "pure" and "natural" are not good for you! Don't fall for it!
Good Advice
"The average American now consumes 175 pounds of sugar per year! That's 46 teaspoons a day! If we pretend that sugar actually had some benefits, eating one-half pound every day would not seem like such a bad idea. But the truth is that sugar has absolutely no nutritional value whatsoever. Not only does it totally lack nutrients, but when you eat sugar it actually robs your body of nutrients-- vitamins, minerals and even enzymes.
Sure sugar may be temporarily pleasing to the taste buds, but the rest of the body suffers for it. The sad thing is that most people are not aware of the devastating effects that excess sugar consumption has on the body."
(CLICK ON THAT LINK ABOVE IF HAVEN'T YET!)
"Get in the habit of reading labels and avoid products made with white sugar, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, sucrose, dextrose, fructose, and ALL artificial sweeteners. Instead use natural sweeteners, including pure maple syrup, molasses, stevia, Rapadura (dehydrated cane sugar juice - Sucanat) or raw unfiltered honey. Many health food stores offer products made with natural sweeteners, like cookies and ice cream, and even licorice, although it is better to make your own."
Read the entire article at the Weston A. Price Foundation website.
It's Still a Battle!
I love sweets! I think I always will. White sugar no longer controls me though. I can go through the check-out line at the store without my palms breaking into a sweat over the sight of all the candy bars! The trick is to learn how to make tasty treats at home. I have several recipes you can try. Click here for cookies and here for a delicious cake!
Tara's 12 Step Sugar Addiction Recovery Program
Step 1. Go buy some Sucanat or honey at your local health food store.
Step 2. Read and try my cookie recipe.
Step 3. Read and try my cake recipe.
Step 4. Read through the "Desserts" section of Nourishing Traditions.
(If you don't own a copy of NT go to Amazon.com and order one right now! That's step 4 and a 1/2!)
Step 5. Try one of the ice cream recipes from NT. I like the berry one!
The next steps are hard, but you can do it!
Step 6. Open your pantry and toss the bag of white sugar into the trash.
Step 7. Take a deep breath and toss all the food CONTAINING white sugar.
Step 8. Stop thinking about all the money you just wasted!
Step 9. Start thinking about the health you will be building!
Step 10. Put on your prettiest apron and make my cookies again.
Step 11. Don't buy any more white sugar or products with sugar in them.
Step 12. ENJOY YOUR FREEDOM!
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Salsa!
Summer just isn't complete without a great salsa!
What You Need
2 large tomatoes
3-4 green onions
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
1 small can diced green chilies
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp Real Salt
2 TBLS raw apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
What You Need To Do
Wash and chop all of the veggies and herbs. I usually mix mine together in a wide-mouth quart jar. Add the salt, garlic powder and vinegar. Stir gently. Enjoy with chips (find a kind with as few ingredients as possible) or on Mexican Style Wraps. Have I posted the recipe for Mexican Wraps? I'll check on that!
Make The Salsa Extra Nourishing!
Add 2 TBLS of whey to the salsa. Mix it in gently and screw a lid on the jar. Leave this on your counter for 2 days and then transfer to the fridge. It is now full of enzymes and will aid in digestion!
What You Need
2 large tomatoes
3-4 green onions
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
1 small can diced green chilies
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp Real Salt
2 TBLS raw apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
What You Need To Do
Wash and chop all of the veggies and herbs. I usually mix mine together in a wide-mouth quart jar. Add the salt, garlic powder and vinegar. Stir gently. Enjoy with chips (find a kind with as few ingredients as possible) or on Mexican Style Wraps. Have I posted the recipe for Mexican Wraps? I'll check on that!
Make The Salsa Extra Nourishing!
Add 2 TBLS of whey to the salsa. Mix it in gently and screw a lid on the jar. Leave this on your counter for 2 days and then transfer to the fridge. It is now full of enzymes and will aid in digestion!
Breakfast Time!
I Wish You Could Smell This!
I promise no one will miss the cold cereal when you serve up a breakfast like this one! Butch and I worked together to bake/blend/mix up this delicious meal! I made the Cinnamon Bread Sticks, and Butch made the scrambled eggs and the Fruity Yogurt.
Cinnamon Bread
Start with half a batch of basic soaked dough.
Knead a rounded teaspoon of Real Salt, and a rounded teaspoon of baking soda into the dough.
Butter your stone and roll out the dough evenly. Spread a thin layer of butter over the dough, and then a thin layer of Sucanat.
Sprinkle cinnamon over the whole thing and then bake at 350 for 25 minutes.
Let it cool for a few minutes and then use your pizza cutter to slice it into squares. Big Guy calls these squares "sugar cubes!"
Fruity Yogurt
I poured 1 quart of my homemade, raw milk yogurt into the blender. (If you're not making yogurt yet, don't worry! Dannon makes a great plain yogurt. Just be sure to buy the full fat kind, not low-fat. Brown Cow is another brand that is pretty easy to find.) Butch added 3 bananas, 5 frozen strawberries, and a 1/2 teaspoon of pure vanilla. Whiz that until it's well blended. It will be a little soupy. He poured the Fruity Yogurt into bowls and then I sprinkled a few teaspoons of Sucanat into each bowl.
What a great way to start the day!
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Summer Salad
Too Hot To Cook?
I'm always on the lookout for recipes that don't involve heating up the oven! This recipe is fast becoming a favorite of mine. The original recipe came from my friend Sara, but I've tweaked it a little. (I'm hopeless when it comes to following a recipe!)
What You Need
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 cup bulgur wheat*
Juice of two small lemons
1/4 cup olive oil
Real Salt
1 cup cooked, chopped chicken (optional)
3 green onions, chopped small
1 cup cilantro leaves, chopped a little
1 cucumber, chopped up small
1 large tomato, chopped up small
*Bulgur wheat is wheat berries that have been soaked/sprouted, dehydrated, and coarsely chopped. Unless you have a lot of free time, I suggest you buy this from your local health food store!
What To Do
In a large, heat-safe bowl combine the boiling water, olive oil, lemon juice, and bulgur wheat. Cover this and let it sit for an hour or so. The bulgur will absorb the liquid.
While the bulgur is busy absorbing, you get busy and chop the cucumber, tomato, green onions, and cilantro. When the bulgur is fluffy and tastes chewy like rice, mix in the veggies. I sprinkle in about 2 teaspoons of Real Salt, mix well and TASTE it. Add more of what it seems like it needs.
Let the salad chill for an hour in the fridge so the flavors blend together well.
Other optional ingredients are chopped mushrooms or your favorite kind of cheese.
If you add the chicken, this is a main dish. I usually make it without the chicken. Either way, it is great served with a big green salad!
I'm always on the lookout for recipes that don't involve heating up the oven! This recipe is fast becoming a favorite of mine. The original recipe came from my friend Sara, but I've tweaked it a little. (I'm hopeless when it comes to following a recipe!)
What You Need
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 cup bulgur wheat*
Juice of two small lemons
1/4 cup olive oil
Real Salt
1 cup cooked, chopped chicken (optional)
3 green onions, chopped small
1 cup cilantro leaves, chopped a little
1 cucumber, chopped up small
1 large tomato, chopped up small
*Bulgur wheat is wheat berries that have been soaked/sprouted, dehydrated, and coarsely chopped. Unless you have a lot of free time, I suggest you buy this from your local health food store!
What To Do
In a large, heat-safe bowl combine the boiling water, olive oil, lemon juice, and bulgur wheat. Cover this and let it sit for an hour or so. The bulgur will absorb the liquid.
While the bulgur is busy absorbing, you get busy and chop the cucumber, tomato, green onions, and cilantro. When the bulgur is fluffy and tastes chewy like rice, mix in the veggies. I sprinkle in about 2 teaspoons of Real Salt, mix well and TASTE it. Add more of what it seems like it needs.
Let the salad chill for an hour in the fridge so the flavors blend together well.
Other optional ingredients are chopped mushrooms or your favorite kind of cheese.
If you add the chicken, this is a main dish. I usually make it without the chicken. Either way, it is great served with a big green salad!
This Is The Place!
Face Lift
I am so excited about the new look of my blog! What do you think?
Hello? Are You There?
It feels like forever since I last posted. I have to admit that I haven't felt very "happy in the kitchen" over the last few months! I'm working on a post to explain that. I think we all have our ups and downs and what we are able (or willing) to do changes all the time. I have still been cooking and learning, though, and I am happy to say my enthusiasm is returning! My goal is to post regularly!
Let's Get Together
The class idea is still in the works! I am putting together the first class called, "The Science of Soaking." We will learn all about WHY it is so important to properly prepare your food and HOW to do it! More details on dates and times soon to come.
"Followers"
I just have to say that I think the title "Followers" is SO odd in the blog world. Can we change it to "Onlookers," or "Observers," or "Slightly Interested In What You Have To Sayers?" I am amazed every day that there are 22 people who follow this blog! I think you all are the GREATEST!
I am so excited about the new look of my blog! What do you think?
Hello? Are You There?
It feels like forever since I last posted. I have to admit that I haven't felt very "happy in the kitchen" over the last few months! I'm working on a post to explain that. I think we all have our ups and downs and what we are able (or willing) to do changes all the time. I have still been cooking and learning, though, and I am happy to say my enthusiasm is returning! My goal is to post regularly!
Let's Get Together
The class idea is still in the works! I am putting together the first class called, "The Science of Soaking." We will learn all about WHY it is so important to properly prepare your food and HOW to do it! More details on dates and times soon to come.
"Followers"
I just have to say that I think the title "Followers" is SO odd in the blog world. Can we change it to "Onlookers," or "Observers," or "Slightly Interested In What You Have To Sayers?" I am amazed every day that there are 22 people who follow this blog! I think you all are the GREATEST!
Saturday, March 6, 2010
How I Make It All Work (Sometimes)
I was asked to post a "day in the life of Tara" to give an idea of how I manage my time in the kitchen. I've been pondering this for a while and I think I came up with an honest way to do this!
An Ideal Day
I am up early to read my scriptures and study. I am studying in a kitchen that is nice and clean thanks to the older kids who did a great job on the dishes the night before. The kids start waking up around 7 AM and I start cooking the oatmeal that has been soaking over night. If it's not an oatmeal day I either mix up some muffins, make some type of eggs or what ever else sounds good. I pop through the shower and into clean clothes and we all eat at 8 AM. School starts after breakfast and we read, play, and work together until I leave them to themselves around 11(ish) so I can start lunch. Lunch needs to be easy! My favorite is to roll out lots of flat bread and stuff them with cheese or peanut butter and honey, or spicy rice. I'll chop up some fruits and veggies and call it good. Another lunchtime favorite is left over soup from the night before with soaked rolls or muffins. We go back to schoolwork and jobs until around 2(ish). The night before I set beans to soak so I rinse them and put them in a big pot and get them boiling around 2:30. They cook away while I get some other things done. I toss some of my canned, home-grown tomatoes into the pot around 4PM and smell it to see what spices it needs. If we're lucky I'll put a pound of pasture-fed beef in too. At 4:30 I roll out some soaked dough rolls and then make a salad while they cook. I mix some dressing up for the salad and then call the troops in to help get things on the table. (I don't always make beans! There are LOTS of other dinner options! I just usually try to start dinner prep no later than 4PM.) While the kids are cleaning up after dinner I prep for the next day. I mix up some dough to soak and any other thing that needs to soak, i.e. oats, rice, beans, breakfast cereal batter, etc. I also make my hubby's lunch for the next day. If I am really feeling nice I'll mix up a batch of cookies. It's probably time to start putting little kids to bed at this point and then I will read to the older kids. At about 9:30 PM the house is quiet and I have an hour or so to study by myself.
A Not So Ideal Day
I wake up later than I'd like because I was up with a sick kid, or up late cleaning the kitchen because one of the older kids was sick or gone and couldn't do their job, or up late reading a great book, or up late just enjoying the silence! I didn't prepare well for breakfast so we have scrambled eggs and fruit smoothies. For lunch I get out all the left-overs from the fridge and hurry and roll out some cheesy bread. School goes long or there was a field trip or someone stops by to visit or I get to talking on the phone or I'm out in the garden and I don't get started on dinner until 5PM. That's when we have "breakfast" for dinner and I mix up some muffins, scramble some eggs and chop up some fruit.
The only real difference between these two kinds of days is TIME. We still eat nourishing foods, even when I'm not as on top of things as I should be. I LOVE to be able to get a soup going at 3 so it has lots of time to simmer and let the spices meld together. I love to make pizza and Mexican wraps and lots of other things that take more time, but some days THERE JUST IS NO TIME! You must be prepared so that "no time" doesn't equal dad stopping for pizza! (Although that does happen every once and a while around here.) Here are some things I do that help me be prepared. (*And some things I am determined to do better at this year!)
Yearly
Grow a garden so I can produce:
-1 year's supply of ketchup
-Potatoes for the winter
-Cucumbers for pickles
-Beets to pickle
-Herbs for spices and medicines
Inventory food storage*
Monthly
Make sure I have Cod Liver Oil
Shop for fresh/frozen foods (2x a month)
Make capsules with our most needed/used herbs
Inventory/replenish food storage*
Weekly
Make 1 gallon of yogurt
Make 1 batch of breakfast cereal
Make 1 gallon of buttermilk
Read recipe books for new ideas*
Keep a list of things I'm running low on
Daily
Plan for tomorrow's meals
Make a batch of soaked dough
Get tomorrow's grains or beans soaking
Pray and study
The BIGGEST lesson I have learned is that the key to being happy in the kitchen is being PREPARED! If I am prepared then meal prep is so much easier! I used to hate it when at 4PM my husband would say, "What's for dinner Hon?" I would get frustrated and reply, "I don't know, I haven't thought that far ahead yet." I felt like I didn't have time to think about dinner until the school and house work were done. THEN I would think about it. Lot's of times, okay most of the time, I wouldn't even start thinking about dinner until it was 5 or 6PM! This was a source of ... stress... in my marriage!
I really like the FREEDOM that comes with planning and preparing the night before! Freedom from what? Freedom from the age-old question, "What shall I make for dinner?" (Funny how that question always pops into our minds at the worst times!) Mostly it's the freedom from guilt about the quicky, prepackaged food we know in our hearts isn't good for us!
An Ideal Day
I am up early to read my scriptures and study. I am studying in a kitchen that is nice and clean thanks to the older kids who did a great job on the dishes the night before. The kids start waking up around 7 AM and I start cooking the oatmeal that has been soaking over night. If it's not an oatmeal day I either mix up some muffins, make some type of eggs or what ever else sounds good. I pop through the shower and into clean clothes and we all eat at 8 AM. School starts after breakfast and we read, play, and work together until I leave them to themselves around 11(ish) so I can start lunch. Lunch needs to be easy! My favorite is to roll out lots of flat bread and stuff them with cheese or peanut butter and honey, or spicy rice. I'll chop up some fruits and veggies and call it good. Another lunchtime favorite is left over soup from the night before with soaked rolls or muffins. We go back to schoolwork and jobs until around 2(ish). The night before I set beans to soak so I rinse them and put them in a big pot and get them boiling around 2:30. They cook away while I get some other things done. I toss some of my canned, home-grown tomatoes into the pot around 4PM and smell it to see what spices it needs. If we're lucky I'll put a pound of pasture-fed beef in too. At 4:30 I roll out some soaked dough rolls and then make a salad while they cook. I mix some dressing up for the salad and then call the troops in to help get things on the table. (I don't always make beans! There are LOTS of other dinner options! I just usually try to start dinner prep no later than 4PM.) While the kids are cleaning up after dinner I prep for the next day. I mix up some dough to soak and any other thing that needs to soak, i.e. oats, rice, beans, breakfast cereal batter, etc. I also make my hubby's lunch for the next day. If I am really feeling nice I'll mix up a batch of cookies. It's probably time to start putting little kids to bed at this point and then I will read to the older kids. At about 9:30 PM the house is quiet and I have an hour or so to study by myself.
A Not So Ideal Day
I wake up later than I'd like because I was up with a sick kid, or up late cleaning the kitchen because one of the older kids was sick or gone and couldn't do their job, or up late reading a great book, or up late just enjoying the silence! I didn't prepare well for breakfast so we have scrambled eggs and fruit smoothies. For lunch I get out all the left-overs from the fridge and hurry and roll out some cheesy bread. School goes long or there was a field trip or someone stops by to visit or I get to talking on the phone or I'm out in the garden and I don't get started on dinner until 5PM. That's when we have "breakfast" for dinner and I mix up some muffins, scramble some eggs and chop up some fruit.
The only real difference between these two kinds of days is TIME. We still eat nourishing foods, even when I'm not as on top of things as I should be. I LOVE to be able to get a soup going at 3 so it has lots of time to simmer and let the spices meld together. I love to make pizza and Mexican wraps and lots of other things that take more time, but some days THERE JUST IS NO TIME! You must be prepared so that "no time" doesn't equal dad stopping for pizza! (Although that does happen every once and a while around here.) Here are some things I do that help me be prepared. (*And some things I am determined to do better at this year!)
Yearly
Grow a garden so I can produce:
-1 year's supply of ketchup
-Potatoes for the winter
-Cucumbers for pickles
-Beets to pickle
-Herbs for spices and medicines
Inventory food storage*
Monthly
Make sure I have Cod Liver Oil
Shop for fresh/frozen foods (2x a month)
Make capsules with our most needed/used herbs
Inventory/replenish food storage*
Weekly
Make 1 gallon of yogurt
Make 1 batch of breakfast cereal
Make 1 gallon of buttermilk
Read recipe books for new ideas*
Keep a list of things I'm running low on
Daily
Plan for tomorrow's meals
Make a batch of soaked dough
Get tomorrow's grains or beans soaking
Pray and study
The BIGGEST lesson I have learned is that the key to being happy in the kitchen is being PREPARED! If I am prepared then meal prep is so much easier! I used to hate it when at 4PM my husband would say, "What's for dinner Hon?" I would get frustrated and reply, "I don't know, I haven't thought that far ahead yet." I felt like I didn't have time to think about dinner until the school and house work were done. THEN I would think about it. Lot's of times, okay most of the time, I wouldn't even start thinking about dinner until it was 5 or 6PM! This was a source of ... stress... in my marriage!
I really like the FREEDOM that comes with planning and preparing the night before! Freedom from what? Freedom from the age-old question, "What shall I make for dinner?" (Funny how that question always pops into our minds at the worst times!) Mostly it's the freedom from guilt about the quicky, prepackaged food we know in our hearts isn't good for us!
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Time To Garden!
Does the dirt in your garden call your name? As soon as the calendar flips to February I start getting antsy and anxious for the snow to melt so I can PLANT THINGS! The weather cooperated and last week my 8, 6 and 4 year old kiddos and I went out and played in the dirt! While we were there we planted peas - sugar snap and green arrow - carrots, beets and lettuce. This week I'm going to put in some spinache seeds too. It feels so good to get out and dig around! I have big plans in my mind about all the other tastey things we will grow. If I can just get our city to let me keep a small flock of chickens in my back yard I will be one happy mama! I might need to change that name of the blog to 'Happy In The Garden" for the spring and summer!
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