Ready for another dose? This was a super short chapter and something I’m not going to be introducing anytime soon. I totally agree with it and found it fascinating, but since we are off grains currently we won’t be sprouting them at the moment. However, I am interested in giving it a try once we start introducing them once again. Continue reading “Nourishing Traditions Book Review: Part IX – Sprouted Grains, Nuts & Seeds”
Lacto-fermentation is something I’m relatively new to, but I’ve gotten a bit of practice over the last few months. I’ve successfully made sauerkraut, ketchup, mayonnaise, kimchi and some pickles. We weren’t huge fans of the pickles (except for Tonchi who loves them). The rest of us weren’t too thrilled with the flavor. I think that was due to the fact we were expecting the flavor to be similar to traditional pickles, of which it wasn’t. I also plan to try it a few more times with different ingredients. Continue reading “Nourishing Traditions Book Review: Part VIII- Fermented Vegetables & Fruits”
EVERY child with no exception contracts this before the age of 12 months! Sometimes it is very mild and more a nuisance than anything. However, there are other times where the mamas and papas are concerned, breathing is labored or rapid, sometimes a fever, sometimes wheezing and often a nasty wet cough. Continue reading “Cough and Cold Symptoms”
We have finally made it through the introduction and now onto the cookbook portion of the book! I was hoping to try some of these recipes, but I don’t have the cultures needed and wasn’t going to order them specifically just for trying it out. We do our own crockpot yogurt, but haven’t yet tried any cultured butter (we make our own regular butter), cultured buttermilk or piima. I’m game for a try, but it won’t be this week! Continue reading “Nourishing Traditions Book Review: Part VII – Cultured Dairy”
This is one of our favorite winter cold remedies. If you have a cough or sore throat this is just heavenly! The heat and steam coming off of the warm tea will also help with the cough and congestion as well! Even my boys love this and think of it as a treat even when they are sick! Continue reading “Ginger Honey Elixir”
So… I kinda forgot about my mini series! I was planning on offering holistic with some traditional medical advice for the common winter ailments of kids. Especially as fall is now upon us, these topics could be especially useful in the months to come. So… since I kinda went off topic for a few weeks, we will try and re-orient and get back on track! Continue reading “Kids and the Stomach Bug”
Our next instillation of Nourishing Traditions is coming to you! Read on!!!
Parting Words:
This post and what follows today closes the introduction and the start of the cookbook portion! We are making head way! 😉 Even if we are only on Page 81! However, I found the following quote in her closing words so true and important to remember.
“We must not lose sight of the fact that the fundamental requirement of the food we eat is that we like it. The healthiest food in the world does us no good if we must gag it down because it tastes bad.” (page 63)
Food and the enjoyment of it is so vitally important to our family. We LOVE food! I know I’ve told others this before, but I probably only make a recipe twice a year! I don’t make things more than once very often. There are so many good combinations out there and so many good things to eat! I’m always on the hunt for new things to try and new ideas to excite me about cooking! I would have no desire to eat healthy if it didn’t taste good! That is the desire I have as I post recipes on this blog… that they are healthy and TASTY!
Fallon also states that it is important to satisfy the four tastes we have been created with: Salt, sour, bitter and sweet. All of these flavors can easily be found and enjoyed in natural foods.
Guide to Food Selection:
This section was hugely helpful to me. Most categories of foods are divided into groups: Nourishing Traditional Foods, Compromise Foods and Newfangled Foods. After all that I’ve read and studied it is hard to remember highly beneficial and what is just OK. It isn’t too hard to remember what she really says to stay away from. She has a way or writing that makes you WANT to avoid those things at all costs! What she says about them makes so much sense. Below I’ve included some of the items she lists in these three categories. Not nearly all of them and without the explanations and clarifications she gives, but it at least gives you the idea of the content she supplies.
Nourishing Traditional Foods: Raw milk, butter and cheese, grass-fed meats, organic whole grains fermented legumes, soaked nuts and seeds, fermented drinks and unrefined sea salt.
Compromise Foods: Commercially raised meats, small amounts of tofu, milk from commercial dairies, melted cheeses, white flours, veggies from a distance, natural sweeteners, honey, maple syrup, rapadura, wine and beer.
Newfangled Foods: Processed meats like luncheon meats and salami, processed oils, pasteurized or homogenized dairy,bleached and fortified white flour, commercial dry cereals, corn syrup, irradiated foods, soda alcohol, coffee, tea, MSG, artificial flavors and additives or colors and aspartame.
Word on Equipment:
Now this is my Christmas wish list! It was encouraging to go down through the list and see how many changes I’ve made over the last few years to healthier kitchen equipment. It also made me see quite a few more items I’d like to add to my arsenal! Again… not necessities, but definitely wants! Of course we shouldn’t be surprised that she highly recommended getting rid of the microwave, but I was surprised about the pressure cooker. I don’t have one, so I don’t have to worry about it, but I was thinking of getting one. I’ve heard they do great for quickly cooking dried beans. Fallon says they cook foods at unnaturally high temperatures which damages and removes the nutrients in the food.
The following is a new wish list of items after reading this section!
[amazon_link id=”B0007D6FL8″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]
[/amazon_link]Stockpot
[amazon_link id=”B003ZUXL6M” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]
[/amazon_link]Stainless Steel Food containers
[amazon_link id=”B0000DDWOI” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]
[/amazon_link]Glass jars – I especially want more gallon sized ones to store my bulk purchases in!
[amazon_link id=”B002IT6VFO” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]
[/amazon_link]Glass bottles for storing lacto-fermented beverages in
[amazon_link id=”B003S9XF7K” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]
[/amazon_link]Mini Mill for spices and seeds
[amazon_link id=”B001055VD0″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]
[/amazon_link]Stoneware muffin tines
[amazon_link id=”B000I6MXZG” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]
[/amazon_link]Dehydrator – I love mine, but I’m afraid it is going to die any day. I dream of owning an Excalibur!
Kitchen Tips & Hints:
This section had a lot of great ideas and tips to make working in the kitchen easier and to save time. It also had a few natural remedy ideas too… like how to get stains out of aprons, remove tomato skins and what kind of butter to use.
The first of the two tips I found most interesting and useful for me were to soak veggies in hydrogen peroxide for 10 minutes to remove chemicals and pesticides. I need to find a good way to add this to my routine. I know a water rinse doesn’t do it, but that is all I’ve been doing at the moment.
The other comment was about dishwasher powder. She says it is extremely poisonous. She recommends only using half of what the box suggests and to run an extra rinse cycle. Also if anyone has cancer in the home, their dishes should be hand washed and rinsed well.
There is a lot of additional information, hints and tips… some of which I knew and some I found revolutionary! I hope you get the chance to read it!
Our next instillation of Nourishing Traditions is hot off the press! Enjoy!
Sally Fallon states that salt is one of the most controversial topics in the medical world. How much do we need? What is the best kind? What health problems does it cause? And on and on. Traditional medicine constantly preaches that if the salt intake is too high it will cause high blood pressure, however there is very little scientific proof to support this. Salt is very important and necessary for the proper functioning of the nervous system and digestion of carbohydrates, BUT excessive salt will actually deplete potassium and calcium causing a whole other host of problems. A salt free diet can help cure acne, but it is also needed to activate enzymes in the intestine which are important for proper and effective digestion. Continue reading “Nourishing Traditions Book Review: Part V – Salt Spices & Additives, Beverages, Food Allergies & Special Diets”
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Neil Z. Miller
I happened upon this book by chance and I’m so glad! It is short, easy to read and offers important information in a usable format. Other vaccine books that I’ve read seem to have detailed scientific information that is hard to understand and doesn’t help me make my decision of what is best for my kids. The other genre of book that I’ve read is politically charged or appeals to the emotions. I don’t want to decide not to vaccinate out of fear or because I’m persuaded by good arguments. Continue reading “Vaccines: Are They Really Safe and Effective? A Parent’s Guide to Childhood Shots”
What a fantastic time! Our local chapter of the Holistic Mom’s Network planned (actually all of the work was done by one of the mamas) a trip to a local farm that raises cage free, free-range/pastured eggs and chicken, pastured turkey, free-foraging pork and grass-finished beef! It was SUCH a treat and what a sweet family! Continue reading “Local Farm Visit”
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Striving to preserve what we have graciously been given.
Striving to preserve what we have graciously been given.
Green & Grateful 