tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-81546024841819419122024-03-27T19:53:44.277-04:00Sweet Basil 'n SpiceWholesome recipes for healthy living on a budget.Melodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16378004795810316796noreply@blogger.comBlogger66125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8154602484181941912.post-86571379570321941862013-07-12T10:20:00.003-04:002013-07-12T12:45:04.768-04:00Do You Have to Eat Meat on the Weston A. Price Traditional Foods Diet?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdxjzNiDa3-NiZHl7poawrLyEsWqeAt7HQ4YgZAgY8A-xjgPGkewJ3OX_1Fge2B6Pl7uPQjHAfhkeVpwehPiRPUp3KrSiPQHlHHdiGno_Vm69UzuLtV-tjJb9vl6yBLuz4pM5g7R_43LN-/s1600/traditionalfoodsmeat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdxjzNiDa3-NiZHl7poawrLyEsWqeAt7HQ4YgZAgY8A-xjgPGkewJ3OX_1Fge2B6Pl7uPQjHAfhkeVpwehPiRPUp3KrSiPQHlHHdiGno_Vm69UzuLtV-tjJb9vl6yBLuz4pM5g7R_43LN-/s1600/traditionalfoodsmeat.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(<a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/538391330424083110/" target="_blank">click here to pin it</a>)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Alternate title: The Right Way To Be a Vegetarian.</span></div>
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One of the big things the Weston A. Price traditional foods diet celebrates is that animal foods like meat, eggs, and dairy are good for you. </div>
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<b>Animal foods from healthy, grass-fed animals are not only <i>not </i>bad for you, but the body <i>needs </i>certain nutrients found in these foods for optimum health.</b> </div>
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But does this mean we should eat gobs of meat every day? Does this mean we have to eat meat at all to be healthy?</div>
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This is my first post on a three part series regarding vegetarianism and meat consumption, which is a hot topic in nutrition today. First I'll explain why we do need some animal products in our diets to be healthy. In my second post I'll go over ethical concerns regarding meat consumption and what the Bible has to say about this. My final post will be on the wise consumption of meat where I'll discuss which meats are better to choose over others, ways to digest meat more efficiently, and how a family who has a tight budget, or simply does not want to eat a lot of meat, can get the most benefit from small amounts. I'm excited to be putting this together as I've got a lot of thoughts and research I think you'll enjoy reading!</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Traditional Diets Relied on Animal Foods</span></div>
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Animal foods include beef, pork, poultry, other meats like rabbit and wild game, eggs, dairy, fish, fish eggs, shellfish and other seafood, and insects.</div>
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<a href="http://sweetbasilnspice.blogspot.com/2013/01/what-is-traditional-foods-diet.html" target="_blank">As I explained earlier</a>, a traditional foods diet is one that eats the foods our ancestors ate. It avoids fads and even a lot of current methods of food manufacturing (like those to extract grain oils, for example). Sourdough bread, naturally fermented pickles, and naturally cured bacon are examples of traditional foods.</div>
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<b>There has never been researched a traditional diet that has been exclusively vegan (meaning that no animal products are eaten whatsoever, even dairy) and also produced children.</b> Within some vegetarian societies are a few on the fringe who eat vegan (like the Jain scholars of India and very conservative Hindus) but these people are not expected to bear children.* Animal foods, whether from meat, eggs, dairy, fish, fish eggs, or insects have been diligently fed to women preparing to bear children, pregnant women, and nursing mothers. <b>Though everyone needs them, it is in fertility and the growing of infants where the lack is most pronounced.</b></div>
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*In my research I found there are some vegans in places like India that can bear children, but this is because their diet is not a true vegan diet. The foods they consume have not been treated with pesticides so there are tiny bugs and larvae present in sufficient quantity for good health. Also, this is not to say someone currently eating a vegan diet can't have children. The body has amazing ways of storing crucial nutrients to be used in times of pregnancy. However, it would be highly unlikely for a child who is raised vegan to be able to have children.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Animal Foods Contain Vital Nutrients</span></div>
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<b>Vitamins A, D, K<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">2</span> and B<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">12</span>, are crucial for human development and optimum health.</b> While some say you can obtain these nutrients through plant sources, there are two big reasons why this is not possible. </div>
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<b>The first is that plant sources of these nutrients are either not true forms, or are not easily assimilated.</b> For example, carrots are said to contain a lot of vitamin A, or retinol. They actually contain a lot of beta-carotene, which the body can convert into some vitamin A, but a lot of fat must be present as vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin. Additionally, the body is not always very effective at this process, especially an unhealthy body. According to my calculations it would take 18 cups of shredded carrot to get the same amount of vitamin A found in 1/3 cup of grass-fed beef liver. </div>
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<b>The second reason is that we need a MUCH larger quantity of these nutrients for optimum health than is conventionall thought. </b>Traditional diets did not contain all the processed foods we have today and modern harmful ingredients like high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oils. Almost everything people ate was nutrient dense. Today, in addition to our generally sub-par nutrition, we allow for a lot of "splurge" items. (Remember that Starbucks coffee you had today with that fake sweetener and fake creamer?) Food labels cannot be relied on as the standard for the amount of nutrition thought to be needed is actually very inadequite. For example, supposedly one carrot supplies 200% of the body's daily need for vitamin A. Right...</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Good News for Vegetarians!</span></div>
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The good news for those who want to avoid eating meat, is there are indeed traditional societies that are lacto-vegetiaraim, meaning they consume dairy and usually eggs. Though probably the most common were societies that only eat fish, or fish and eggs.</div>
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<b>So the answer is YES, you can eat a nutrient dense, whole foods, traditional foods, even paleo/prima diet without consuming meat, as long as you are eating at least one of these other foods groups - eggs, diary, insects or fish.</b></div>
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To me, an ideal meat-free diet would contain a lot of eggs and/or dairy from pastured animals, and wild-caught fish a couple times a week. </div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Vegetarians Should Fill Up on the Right Foods</span></div>
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Meat is very filling, so if you are not eating meat it is important to know what kinds of other foods you should be filling up on.</div>
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These are foods you should not be filling up on:</div>
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<li style="text-align: justify;">Do NOT fill up on grains (even whole grains), with the exception of rice and suado grains like quinoa unless they are prepared properly. Grains need to be <a href="http://sweetbasilnspice.blogspot.com/2013/04/the-sourdough-bread-method-getting.html" target="_blank">prepared in a special way</a> or else they are digestive irritants.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">Do NOT fill up on raw vegetables alone. There is a certainly a place for raw foods in the diet, but the human stomach was not made to digest as much cellulose as is found in a raw foods, or predominately raw foods diet. We don't have four stomachs like a cow!</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">Do NOT fill up on soy products. Soy contains phyto estrogents and can reak havoc on the endocreen system. For the lay person, this means they disrupt your hormones, which play an important roll in all the body's functions. Small amounts of traditionaly fermented soy like miso and tempe are okay, but they should be eaten in moderation.</li>
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These are the right foods to fill up on:</div>
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<li style="text-align: justify;">DO fill up on healthy fats such as coconut oil, butter (of consuming dairy), olive oil and palm oil.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">DO fill up on easy to digest starches like sweet potatoes, the tapioca and other traditional roots, squash, rice, and fruits.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">DO fill up on a variety of vegetables and vegetable prepartions including steamed, boiled, baked, broiled, even fried (in healthy oils, if course).</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">DO fill up on nuts, though I encourage you to consider soaking them overnight in a salt brine and dehydrating them first if you plan on eating a lot. Nuts contain a lot of anti-nutrients which are nutralized during the soaking process. Raw nuts are better than roasted if you don't have time to soak. If preparing grain-free breads, choose almond flour that has been blanched.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">DO fill up on properly prepared beans and other legumes. Beans also should be soaked before cooking as they can cause a lot of digestive distress. (Ever had gas after eating beans? That's called digestive distress.)</li>
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Further reading:</div>
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<a href="http://www.westonaprice.org/fat-soluble-activators/vitamin-a-saga" target="_blank">Vitamin A Vagary</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.westonaprice.org/fat-soluble-activators/miracle-of-vitamin-d?qh=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%3D" target="_blank">The Miracle of Vitamin D</a></div>
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<a href="http://chriskresser.com/b12-deficiency-a-silent-epidemic-with-serious-consequences" target="_blank">B12 Deficiency: A Silent Epidemic With Serious Consequences</a></div>
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<a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2000/04/02/vegetarian-myths.aspx" target="_blank">Myths and Information About Vegetarianism</a></div>
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<a href="http://nourishedkitchen.com/what-vegns-can-learn-from-traditional-foods/" target="_blank">What Vegans Can Learn from Traditional Foods</a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(<a href="http://pixabay.com/en/beef-roast-beef-lump-chunk-meat-84534/" target="_blank">photo credit</a>)</span></div>
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<b>Many people who are vegetarian or vegan do not consume animal foods out of ethical concerns for animals, which are valid. Stay tuned as I'll be addressing that in my next post!</b><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">{This post is linked up at <a href="http://myculturedpalate.com/blog/2013/07/10/tasty-traditions-35/" target="_blank">Tasty Traditions</a>, <a href="http://vegetarianmamma.com/glutenfreefridays-48-sponsored-by-betterbatter-giveaway-this-week/" target="_blank">Gluten-free Fridays</a>, <a href="http://www.jillshomeremedies.blogspot.com/2013/07/natural-living-link-up-78.html" target="_blank">Natural Living Link-Up</a>, </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.smallfootprintfamily.com/small-footprint-friday-sustainable-living-linkup-071213" target="_blank">Small Footprint Fridays</a>, and <a href="http://ourheritageofhealth.com/old-fashioned-friday-24/" target="_blank">Old Fashioned Friday</a>.}</span></div>
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Melodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16378004795810316796noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8154602484181941912.post-43866349390111720482013-06-30T20:57:00.000-04:002013-07-04T14:09:12.111-04:00Easy Parsley Herb Vinaigrette<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLRnHvASZelQVwAlt_ZxCAnmFb7DHJPpgmFLaPy-2j1iUGHMYK6y5w_sYf3MJAMY3793K4r5Ud_iEoRSG7homr4sH2Fa7x95S80NSJ-DTF6fDEMjmdXJQLAqYjgJmUuzSGQVBgxWRb4Yw2/s590/parsleyvinaigretteavocadosbns.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLRnHvASZelQVwAlt_ZxCAnmFb7DHJPpgmFLaPy-2j1iUGHMYK6y5w_sYf3MJAMY3793K4r5Ud_iEoRSG7homr4sH2Fa7x95S80NSJ-DTF6fDEMjmdXJQLAqYjgJmUuzSGQVBgxWRb4Yw2/s1600/parsleyvinaigretteavocadosbns.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Bright, crisp, and full of character, this creamy vinaigrette salad dressing is a refreshing addition to this summer’s fresh garden bounty!</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">One of the first changes I made in my real-food journey was to start making my own salad dressings. <span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Eating more leafy greens and fresh vegetables is an important step to a healthier diet, but unfortunately </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;">with this usually comes very unhealthy store-bought salad dressings.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This parsley herb vinaigrette is easy to make and a simply delicious! </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;">Please head on over to <a href="http://wholelifestylenutrition.com/recipes/soups-salads/organic-parsley-herb-vinaigrette-dressing-recipe/" target="_blank">Whole Lifestyle Nutrition</a> for the complete post and recipe!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large; line-height: 17px;"><u><a href="http://wholelifestylenutrition.com/recipes/soups-salads/organic-parsley-herb-vinaigrette-dressing-recipe/" target="_blank">Easy Parsley Herb Vinaigrette</a></u></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">{This recipe is linked up at <a href="http://wholelifestylenutrition.com/blog/whole-foods-wednesday-your-best-healthy-recipes-and-tips-58/" target="_blank">Whole Foods Wednesday</a> and <a href="http://myculturedpalate.com/blog/2013/07/03/tasty-traditions-34/" target="_blank">Tasty Traditions</a>.}</span></span></div>
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Melodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16378004795810316796noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8154602484181941912.post-52394177310799029882013-06-27T22:53:00.000-04:002013-06-27T22:53:11.333-04:00Homeless Person Care Packages<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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This is primarily a recipe and health blog, but I wanted to share an easy project with you for helping those in need around you.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">"Giving a person a few toiletries and food items is something practical that anyone can use. You are making the choice for the person of how to use their money, instead of giving them the difficult task of deciding how to use the money themselves. It's not going to save the world, but the packages can be a blessing and encouragement to someone in need."</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">I made four packages which I keep in ziploc bags and can pass out the window with a bottle of water when I see someone in need on the street corner. It only took one afternoon to put them together.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Click below to view the rest of the post on my other blog.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://africazmelodie.blogspot.com/2013/06/homeless-person-care-packages.html" target="_blank">Homeless Person Care Packages</a></span></div>
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Melodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16378004795810316796noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8154602484181941912.post-75672476874385769252013-06-07T15:36:00.001-04:002013-06-13T09:12:26.305-04:00Are Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches Healthy?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJvqDEZ2pCGyqBEgzsCuQP2LvPDjJ4qJOn61bnK7qSAhGvELh1_BZEEBIRhgsoXjwk8VIGcu1jYg7zjBsVd3aAYyhXT4ONfrZggAO1hLX2mlkCCytQ2ut97VzTovfg27hjYdGxhEtDubC5/s1600/healthypeanutbutterandjelly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJvqDEZ2pCGyqBEgzsCuQP2LvPDjJ4qJOn61bnK7qSAhGvELh1_BZEEBIRhgsoXjwk8VIGcu1jYg7zjBsVd3aAYyhXT4ONfrZggAO1hLX2mlkCCytQ2ut97VzTovfg27hjYdGxhEtDubC5/s1600/healthypeanutbutterandjelly.jpg" /></a></div>
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The peanut butter and jelly sandwich is the most classic of all American sandwiches. This humble sandwich of such simple ingredients is not just a sandwich, but a cultural icon!</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><i>"In the last half-century, peanut butter & jelly has become an American icon- a true cultural phenomenon. In fact, the average American will have eaten 1,500 peanut butter and jelly (PB&J) sandwiches by the time they graduate high school! A staple for many since childhood, PB&J is a revered classic." ~</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><a href="http://www.beaconlearningcenter.com/documents/4182_3506.pdf" target="_blank"><i>The History of the Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich</i></a></span></div>
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I think most people assume the PB&J is fairly healthy, or at least not "unhealthy," because it has peanut butter and jelly contains fruit. And bread is of course healthy because it's on the USDA food pyramid! (Which was never based on scientific research anyway...) <b>Sadly, these basic ingredients have been severely adulterated over the course of time.</b> And sadly, so many of us still eat the PB&J and feed them to our kids without even realizing this.</div>
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<b>The good news is, with a few changes the peanut butter and jelly sandwich can be made healthy.</b></div>
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Lets disect the three parts of the classic PB&J: Peanut butter, jelly, and bread.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The Peanut Butter:</span></div>
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Peanuts are a fairly healthy food. Grinding them into peanut butter is just another way to eat them.</div>
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The biggest issue;<br />
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<b>Unfortunately most peanut butter on grocery store shelves is very unhealthy because it contains hydrogenated oil. </b><a href="http://www.naturalnews.com/024694_oil_food_oils.html" target="_blank">Hydrogenated oil is probably the most unhealthy oil</a> sold as "food." (It was originally discovered during the creation of wax-free candles). Most peanut butter also has a lot of sugar and other unnecessarily fillers.</div>
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Minor issue;<br />
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Peanuts do have a a lot of monounsaturated fat, which is the kind of fat that can easily go rancid. And most peanut butters are processed at high heat and made of toasted nuts, which kills some of the nutrients. Now, peanut butter IS a traditional food, even though it was supposedly not invented in the United States until 1890 (<a href="http://www.beaconlearningcenter.com/documents/4182_3506.pdf" target="_blank">source</a>). In West Africa peanut butter is a traditional food and it is commonly made with roasted peanuts.</div>
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Peanuts also contain phytates, or nutrient blockers, which inhibit the digestion of some of the vitamins and minerals. Soaking raw peanuts in a salt brine will dissolve a lot of the phytates. They would then be dried or dehydrated at low heat. Traditionally, I am not familiar with this actually being done.<br />
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Almonds actually have these two same issues as peanuts, so choosing almond butter is not automatically healthier. Almonds are not legumes, though, so people with allergies to peanuts or sensitivities to legumes should choose almond butter.</div>
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The solution;<br />
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Raw peanut butter doesn't taste that great. Not to mention no stores actually sell it. Some nutrition enthusiasts soak and then dehydrate the peanuts, then grind them up at home into peanut butter. I would quit eating peanut butter before I went to all this work.</div>
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<b>The healthiest store-bought peanut butter is that labeled "natural."</b> Some of the natural peanut and almond butters actually contain only one ingredient; peanuts! (Imagine that...). Others contain a small amount of natural ingrediants like cane sugar and salt. (I was pleased to see the Aldi brand "natural" peanut butter contains only healthy ingredients.)</div>
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For me, I see that the traditional peoples I grew up with <b>did</b> eat toasted peanut butter, and <b>did not</b> soak the peanuts when they were raw. But they also did not eat peanut butter every day. It would be more of a once or twice a week food. <b>Because of this I am comfortable eating regular, store-bought peanut butter, as long as it is labeled "natural" and only contains natural ingrediants.</b> If you are not eating a PB&J every single day, (and do not already have compromised health or a peanut allergy) the minor issues mentioned above should not negatively effect your health.</div>
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The problem;<br />
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I was dismayed in my real-food journey to find that almost all jams and jellies being sold are now sweetened with high fructose corn syrup. <b>This is NOT a natrual sweetener simply because it comes from corn in its first life.</b> <a href="http://www.sustainabletable.org/704/high-fructose-corn-syrup-if-this-doesn-t-convince-you-nothing-wil" target="_blank">It is very unhealthy and leads to a host of health problems</a>.</div>
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The solution;</div>
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The good news is there is some all-natural jam being sold with sugar as the sweetener and actual chunks of fruit. I found some very reasonably priced at Aldi .</div>
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The healthiest jam or jelly is of course that which you would make at home and sweeten with honey, maple syrup or another traditional whole sweetener.<br />
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Or as a reader suggested, you can also just use sliced or mashed fresh berries. Mmmm!</div>
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The problem;<br />
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Most bread in the grocery store is laden with unhealthy ingredients like vegetable oil, even hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup, enzymes and fillers made from questionable ingredients like pig pancreas or pig hair (I'm not making this up!), and preservatives. Also, wheat bread contains gluten, a protein that frequently causes harm to the human body leading to a number of health issues, from acne to Celiac disease.</div>
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The solution;</div>
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I've talked a lot about bread on this blog since I wholeheartedly believe <a href="http://sweetbasilnspice.blogspot.com/2013/04/the-sourdough-bread-method-getting.html" target="_blank">the sourdough bread method</a> is the healthiest way to make bread. (Bread from sprouted grain is also very healthy, if you have the ability to do this). But I realize everyone is not <i>there</i> yet, or may never be. (<a href="http://sweetbasilnspice.blogspot.com/2013/04/basic-sourdough-loaf.html" target="_blank">My bread recipe</a> really is very easy, so I do encourage you to give it a try). The second best is to make bread at home. I encourage anyone who eats a lot of bread and wants to be healthier to get a bread machine. They are SO easy. </div>
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If you do continue to eat store-bought bread, here are some of the healthier choices you could make:</div>
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Look for bread with a short ingredient list such as "flour, sugar, salt, yeast." Most breads will contain a lot of synthetic vitamins which will add to the number of ingredients, but you can sort of skip these in your count as they are added to most flours nowadays anyway. </div>
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Ezekiel bread is one of the only healthy store-bought breads I know about. It is made from sprouted grain. Trader Joe's sells Ezekiel bread and has a the greatest number of healthy bread options that I've seen anywhere. Oh, and store-bought sourdough bread is not any healthier than regular bread as it is not made with a starter in the traditional way. </div>
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<b>In summery, look for the word "natural" on the label, read the list of ingredients, and avoid hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup, and any words that seem particularly vague (like "enzymes" or "dough enhancer"). </b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">May the peanut butter and jelly sandwich live </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">on in the American culture, but with healthy ingredients!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Thanks to <a href="http://istockphoto.com/" target="_blank">istockphoto</a> for this free image!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">{This recipe is linked up at <a href="http://wholelifestylenutrition.com/blog/whole-foods-wednesday-your-best-healthy-recipes-and-tips-55/" target="_blank">Whole Foods Wednesday</a>, and <a href="http://mindbodyandsoleonline.com/herbal-information/92nd-wildcrafting-wednesday/" target="_blank">Wildcrafting Wednesday</a>.}</span></div>
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Melodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16378004795810316796noreply@blogger.com94tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8154602484181941912.post-43585357167460817522013-05-24T19:12:00.000-04:002013-05-24T22:16:20.936-04:00Grain-free Fried Green Tomatoes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghpVf-DP2bTxORiPb7wT6K0bwjDcF8PPM81j_u70M432ArYBK156MI16AXolzkmINOwfOaSNrPKYRPob2gCZ_sF-NIbWVhdmQyhg1kLzgTuSdvOgBHVbFqg_td5GM4YmbQZoDFfTA_xfw0/s1600/Grainfreefriedgreentomatoes.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghpVf-DP2bTxORiPb7wT6K0bwjDcF8PPM81j_u70M432ArYBK156MI16AXolzkmINOwfOaSNrPKYRPob2gCZ_sF-NIbWVhdmQyhg1kLzgTuSdvOgBHVbFqg_td5GM4YmbQZoDFfTA_xfw0/s1600/Grainfreefriedgreentomatoes.JPG" /></a></div>
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The first time I heard of fried green tomatoes I had mixed feelings. I love fried things, but green tomatoes? They sounded like they could be bitter and gross. </div>
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Not so! They are delicious! I had mine for breakfast (I think out of the box with my breakfasts since I gave up all boxed cereal), but it would be a great side dish for dinner with some meat as the main course and a light salad.</div>
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I make my fried green tomatoes with coconut flour, which is a great grain and gluten-free starch. <b>I find the mild flavor of coconut flour lends itself well to frying.</b> I love the <a href="http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/organic_coconut_flour.htm" target="_blank">coconut flour I get from Tropical Traditions</a>. Coconut flour is my favorite grain-free flour substitute. </div>
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<a href="http://www.realfooduniversity.com/real-truth-healthy-grains/" target="_blank">Grains are common digestive irritants</a> (even though most people don't realize this or know the signs) so I like to use coconut flour when I can as I am working on restoring my gut health due to some illnesses in the past. </div>
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This recipe is suitable for most special diets including grain-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, primal and paleo diets.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Grain-free Fried Green Tomatoes</span></div>
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1/2 cup coconut flour<br />
1/4 teaspoon salt<br />
1/4 teaspoon pepper<br />
1/4 teaspoon paprika, optional<br />
1 egg, lightly beaten<br />
1 large green tomato cut into 1/4 inch slices<br />
2-4 tablespoons coconut oil, palm shortening, or nitrate-free bacon grease<br />
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Combine the first four ingredients in a shallow bowl. Dip the tomato slices in the beaten egg, then into the coconut flour mixture.<br />
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Heat a skillet for about 5 minutes over medium-high heat. Add the oil. Fry tomato slices till light brown, about 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Serve immediately.<br />
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Preparation time: 5 minutes. Cook time: 10 minutes. Servings: 3-4.</div>
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Melodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16378004795810316796noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8154602484181941912.post-10426863408293511472013-05-17T22:15:00.000-04:002013-05-20T22:01:56.648-04:00The Best Dairy-Free Chocolate Avocado Cream Pie with Whipped Coconut Cream!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv1vhHOFhUi-Ot0xAfN4IzXl_Gc0z4H0nJOs3pWqjYR6BT8UvioQ5yruUhJB1gNIwmDPaGv7XRUd-oMLWvYcjyfTNzfhitamgqOKHWLr49SAMywS3VS4hFramVtl3QNajWfIeEbTWpGWky/s1600/dairyfreeavocadochocolatepie1SB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv1vhHOFhUi-Ot0xAfN4IzXl_Gc0z4H0nJOs3pWqjYR6BT8UvioQ5yruUhJB1gNIwmDPaGv7XRUd-oMLWvYcjyfTNzfhitamgqOKHWLr49SAMywS3VS4hFramVtl3QNajWfIeEbTWpGWky/s1600/dairyfreeavocadochocolatepie1SB.jpg" /></a><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Avocado in a chocolate pie??? </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Despite avocado’s relatively neutral flavor, for years it’s been relegated to the savory foods department.</strong></span> Avocado is typically used in guacamole and salads, or the occasional dip for variety. And with these kinds of limitations, it only makes it to the table once every few weeks. What a shame that this amazing nutrient dense fruit with so many health benefits is only eaten once a week at most, on Mexican night!</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;">Now, I confess that initially I thought using avocado in sweet dishes was weird. As a kid a saw a recipe in an international cookbook for some kind of sweet avocado dessert from South America and I was like <em style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: italic; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“gross”. </em><strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">But as an adult I’ve realized that some foods or food combinations I used to think were weird as a kid, are actually quite good if I just give them a chance. </strong></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;">So when I started seeing recipes for avocado desserts around the internet I thought, I have to try this. And when I saw the chocolate pudding and pie recipes, I was like, <strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: italic; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">What better way to begin my foray into avocado desserts but with chocolate?</em></strong> Ah…chocolate.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">To read the rest of my post and view the recipe, please hope on over to <a href="http://wholelifestylenutrition.com/recipes/dessert/the-best-dairy-free-avocado-chocolate-cream-pie-with-whipped-coconut-cream-recipe/" target="_blank">Whole Lifestyle Nutrition</a>!</span></i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><a href="http://wholelifestylenutrition.com/recipes/dessert/the-best-dairy-free-avocado-chocolate-cream-pie-with-whipped-coconut-cream-recipe/" target="_blank">The Best Dairy-Free Chocolate Avocado Cream Pie with Whipped Coconut Cream Recipe</a>!</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj65V3Mzi6G-QH5dZTf_sIiSRg9WrjZci43figGBpsNJg-_9ETy5VHLMkMm8l3czHaMvdDIyPfHWZYkK4imrF7FySPm9WaMahir5NZjJFhQ-OUVfjBcN2MayjKHGcNRrWBqQy930873VNmp/s1600/dairyfreeavocadochocolatepie2SB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj65V3Mzi6G-QH5dZTf_sIiSRg9WrjZci43figGBpsNJg-_9ETy5VHLMkMm8l3czHaMvdDIyPfHWZYkK4imrF7FySPm9WaMahir5NZjJFhQ-OUVfjBcN2MayjKHGcNRrWBqQy930873VNmp/s1600/dairyfreeavocadochocolatepie2SB.jpg" /></a></div>
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Oh, and if you want to skip right to my simple and healthy crust recipe (made with palm shortening or butter), <a href="http://sweetbasilnspice.blogspot.com/2013/05/basic-pie-crust-real-food-style.html" target="_blank">click here</a>!<br />
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Melodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16378004795810316796noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8154602484181941912.post-62765626022319072292013-05-13T22:28:00.000-04:002013-05-17T21:47:09.588-04:00Basic Pie Crust, Real Food Style {A Tutorial in Pictures}<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>The crust is usually seen as the unhealthy, but delicious part of the pie. But it doesn't have to be this way.</b> With wholesome ingredients the crust can be just as nutritious as any other part of the pie. That is, assuming you are filling the pie with wholesome ingredients.<br />
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<b>Making a pie crust at home is practically a lost art.</b> So most people turn to store-bought refrigerated crusts. But these are made with shortening, like Crisco, which is a hydrogenated oil.<a href="http://www.naturalnews.com/024694_oil_food_oils.html" target="_blank"> Hydrogenated oils are the worst kind of oil we can put into our bodies</a>. Our cells need good fats to function properly and these bad fats create brittle, weak cells, which of course effects our bodies on many levels. Some studies link hydrogenated oils to a multitude of modern illnesses. Hydrogenated oils are also known as trans fats, and should not be confused with healthy and natural saturated fats from animals and coconut oil.</div>
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<b>I usually use organic palm shortening in my recipe, but butter also works great.</b> Palm shortening is not hydrogenated and is a very healthy, shelf-stable oil. I got mine from <a href="http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/organic_palm_shortening.htm?gclid=CKHBsJzDlLcCFYPd4Aod9BcASA" target="_blank">Tropical Traditions</a> when they were having a sale. If you get it during free-shipping days, combined with a sale (which they have often), you'll end up only spending as low as $23 for a gallon tub. Spectrum also sells palm shortening at most higher end supermarkets.<br />
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Some may have questions as to why I used unbleached all-purpose flour as an option in my recipe. Well, refined, <a href="http://grannysvitalvittles.com/choosing-flour-are-whole-grain-flours-traditional/" target="_blank">unbleached flour is actually not a modern food</a>, and can be traced thousands of years into the past. <a href="http://butterbeliever.com/is-white-flour-really-that-bad/" target="_blank">Some studies</a> even suggest that white flour is better to use than whole grain flour if you are not planning on soaking or souring the grains (as in authentic sourdough bread making), due to what are known as phytates, or nutrient blockers, that are primarily present in the bran of the grains. <b>My conclusion from my research is that white flour and minimally processed foods containing white flour (like pasta) in moderation can be a part of a healthy diet. </b>We probably eat something with white flour about once a week.</div>
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The photo is of a pre-baked pie shell, but this recipe can of course be used for those that require you to bake the pie filling along with the shell.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Basic Pie Crust, Real Food Style</span></div>
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1 1/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour or whole-wheat pastry flour<br />
1/2 teaspoon salt<br />
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1/2 cup organic palm shortening or cold butter</div>
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4 to 4 1/2 Tablespoons cold water</div>
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In a medium sized bowl, combine the flour and salt. Scoop in the palm shortening. If using cold butter, cut the butter into tiny cubes or very thin slices before adding to the flour. Using two knives or a pastry blender, cut the shortening into the flour as finely as possible (which won't be too small with two knives). Use your fingertips to rub together the largest pieces of fat until the whole mixture resembles coarse crumbs. </div>
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Add 4 tablespoons water and stir. The crumbs should quickly form into a dough that cleans the sides of the bowl without you having to touch it with your hands. If you're stirring it with the spoon and it is looking dry, splash in a little more water. You should not have to mash the dough together to get it all to stick. The correct amount of liquid will accomplish this. This is my secret to a crisp crust that does not fall apart after baking. Also, it is better to have dough that is too wet than too dry. If you accidentally add too much water, just use more flour while rolling the crust out.</div>
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Sprinkle some flour on a clean counter. Lightly mold the dough into an even ball, then flatten it into a thick disk.<br />
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Lift the disk and sprinkle more flour underneath to prevent sticking. Flip the disk over so you are working with the side that has flour stuck to it.</div>
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Using short, outward strokes, roll the dough into a circle. Place your pie plate on top of the circle to see if it is big enough. The circle should be about 1 inch larger than your pie plate.</div>
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Sprinkle some flour onto the top of the dough. Carefully fold the dough in half, then in quarters. Place the dough on your pie plate. Carefully unfold. This is my secret to not having the dough tear when you are transferring it to the pie plate.</div>
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Fold the edges of the crust under and pinch it together. If it is dry, use a little water as glue. It should mash together easily. If not you will need the water. If some edges are extra long, trim those and glue them to the sides that seem short with a little water.</div>
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Work around the pie to make all the edges look even.</div>
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Flatten the edge on to the lip of your pie plate.</div>
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Using fingers from both hands, pinch together the crust in triangle shapes. This is called fluting. ...Which is hard to demonstrate while taking a picture with one hand! You can also press the edges with a fork.</div>
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Smooth any bulging edge portions down onto the side of the crust.<br />
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If you do not need a pre-baked shell, proceed from here with your pie filling.<br />
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To pre-bake the shell, prick the pie all over with a fork. This will prevent blistering while the pie bakes. Bake the shell at 425 degrees for 7-10 minutes, or until the edges start to turn light brown. Check every minute after the first 7 minutes to make sure it doesn't burn.<br />
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Cool for about 10 minutes and fill with your filling of choice!<br />
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Preparation time; 20 minutes. Cook time; 10 minutes.</div>
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<i>This is my unique pie crust recipe that I've perfected over the years. I usually don't have a problem with people posting my recipes on their own blogs, but in this case, please just link back to my recipe.</i><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">{This recipe is linked up at <a href="http://wholelifestylenutrition.com/blog/whole-foods-wednesday-your-best-healthy-recipes-tips-51/" target="_blank">Whole Foods Wednesday</a>, <a href="http://mindbodyandsoleonline.com/herbal-information/88th-wildcrafting-wednesday/" target="_blank">Wild Crafting Wednesday</a> and <a href="http://myculturedpalate.com/blog/2013/05/15/tasty-traditions-27/" target="_blank">Tasty Traditions.</a>}</span></div>
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Melodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16378004795810316796noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8154602484181941912.post-84374648292706013802013-04-30T23:17:00.000-04:002013-05-01T22:52:50.357-04:00Ivorian Aloco {Fried Plantain and Palm Oil}<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3GMLdprUe7UJwEkROy1M7cH_OKEjivUJ2YuqNGZ5y9a7cFajolpDX1vJNlJTloLkwtXyCsM53O9YubGtF2eAUpS20udGdHT87TgOIS8mj1ugcPDD3UVfzm40yi8j8A_LWWcOBeb2BqFJ6/s1600/friedplantainaloco4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3GMLdprUe7UJwEkROy1M7cH_OKEjivUJ2YuqNGZ5y9a7cFajolpDX1vJNlJTloLkwtXyCsM53O9YubGtF2eAUpS20udGdHT87TgOIS8mj1ugcPDD3UVfzm40yi8j8A_LWWcOBeb2BqFJ6/s1600/friedplantainaloco4.JPG" /></a></div>
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Delicious, caramelized fried ripe plantains were my favorite snack during my growing up years in the Cote d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast). Known as aloco in the the Cote d'Ivoire, this dish is usually eaten as a snack served on a piece of newspaper, or the evening meal alongside achekey (a couscous like dish made with grated fermented cassava, usually spelled attieke), pepper sauce, and fried fish. Somehow the combinations of these things is just amazing! The western palate, however, general prefers sweet plantain not mixed with savory fish and pepper. </div>
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In Liberia this dish is usually referred to simply as "fried plantain", and in Ghana it's known as kelewele. Plantain is a very popular food throughout West Africa, and African in general, as well as many South American countries where the plantain, also know as the cooking banana, is readily available.</div>
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Plantains are prepared in a number of ways in West Africa, and are a nutritious part of the indigenous diet. They can be thinly sliced and fried green to make a chip very similar to potato chips (only better!), they are fried when the fruit is yellow and ripe, as is pictured above, which tastes more like soft French fries, or they can be fried when the plantain is black and appears to be rotten, as is done with aloco. In the Cote d'Ivoire plantain is also boiled then beaten in a mortar with boiled cassava to prepare futu, a delicious doughy starch served with meat gravy. Plantains are also served roasted when very ripe over low coals, which is another personal favorite.</div>
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When fried with a healthy oil, such as palm oil as is traditionally done, aloco can be a healthy side dish or snack. Aloco is an example of a modern day tribal food and is appropriate for paleo, primal, whole foods, and traditional foods diets. The basics to this recipe are plantain, oil, and salt, but some people add ginger, garlic, hot pepper, onions or a combination of these. My favorite is the ginger. </div>
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Plantains are now available at most large supermarkets, as well as ethnic food stores. You can often find rich red palm oil at your local ethnic food store as well, or order it online at <a href="http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/" target="_blank">Tropical Traditions</a>. Those who may not like the earthy taste of palm oil should now that it blends perfectly with the plantain and any strong taste is no longer noticeable.</div>
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Many people who grew up in West Africa crave aloco. But there are several tricks to getting that authentic taste. First of all, you want the fruit to be at the perfect stage of ripeness. Like the banana, as plantains ripen the starches are converted into sugar and the fruit gets more and more sweet. This is part of the secret to aloco. The plantains should be black with a few spots of yellow still visible. If you notice some mold developing on the skin the fruit is getting too ripe and starting to spoil beneath the peal. (Though portions of it will probably still be okay to cook). Cooking them has to be done correctly as well. You want the pieces to be perfectly caramelized without falling apart or burning.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWVpZscFODqnQIYZ_VxEsiNvwMuuGZeC5oR-a12WD8E7hik-oWBzJDDsPsu3Hn9y0fLyYDrdT6CcVM0aqatq1bV_bmjlOcT9I60NpHKvA9bQfNl57p3ySuKCtQLfbO2BfRPCclwuxT7Csy/s1600/friedplantainaloco1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWVpZscFODqnQIYZ_VxEsiNvwMuuGZeC5oR-a12WD8E7hik-oWBzJDDsPsu3Hn9y0fLyYDrdT6CcVM0aqatq1bV_bmjlOcT9I60NpHKvA9bQfNl57p3ySuKCtQLfbO2BfRPCclwuxT7Csy/s1600/friedplantainaloco1.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aloco-perfect plantains. Mostly black with a touch of yellow still remaining.</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Ivorian Aloco</span></div>
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3-4 Tablespoons palm oil or coconut oil (preferable unrefined for no coconut taste)</div>
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2 very, very ripe plantains, cut into 1/2 to 1 inch pieces (not sliced)</div>
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2-3 teaspoons finely chopped or grated ginger root, optional</div>
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1/4 teaspoon salt</div>
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In a heavy skillet, heat the oil over medium-low heat (number 4 on my stove) for about five minutes. Combine the remaining ingredients. Spoon the plantain evenly into the pan. Cook for about five minutes, then with a fork, carefully turn the pieces. Do not use a spatula or spoon as the pieces will be very fragile since they're so ripe. Cook for another 15 minutes, turning carefully at each five minute interval until the pieces are caramelized and dark brown. </div>
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Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel. Or don't drain if you aren't bothered by healthy oil!</div>
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Preparation time: 2 minutes. Cook time: 20 minutes. Servings: 2-3</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMPZrPjDG5zvxCBbfCsLvcI3TjEdYU5CpN9CZ-e65jg4SbGQ9aBjIF-18IJPLe8xodhXepj-Ih-Hg0Folv2DYkOM0QRiup-rfOK7oZXCF5Swrm80Aq6IZcbdQ6v72F-HHSjAiziBFryvDg/s1600/friedplantainaloco2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMPZrPjDG5zvxCBbfCsLvcI3TjEdYU5CpN9CZ-e65jg4SbGQ9aBjIF-18IJPLe8xodhXepj-Ih-Hg0Folv2DYkOM0QRiup-rfOK7oZXCF5Swrm80Aq6IZcbdQ6v72F-HHSjAiziBFryvDg/s1600/friedplantainaloco2.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After about 5 minutes of cooking.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs64Q5pJ5WY3WIdRQdRaosufznPa9IBHm_1q1hjKrU_CeG3voCHNyc5BbRtRzILOxvS-WNh5jBz0UJ2PZu94tIImG7UVSa5bhdyvn-2OBWjIyzvwet8W6Zlpoes-qgB9MuHI35VfXL_hYs/s1600/friedplantainaloco5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs64Q5pJ5WY3WIdRQdRaosufznPa9IBHm_1q1hjKrU_CeG3voCHNyc5BbRtRzILOxvS-WNh5jBz0UJ2PZu94tIImG7UVSa5bhdyvn-2OBWjIyzvwet8W6Zlpoes-qgB9MuHI35VfXL_hYs/s1600/friedplantainaloco5.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Perfectly caramelized.</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">{This recipe is linked up at <a href="http://myculturedpalate.com/blog/2013/05/01/tasty-traditions-25/" target="_blank">Tasty Traditions</a> and <a href="http://wholelifestylenutrition.com/blog/whole-foods-wednesday-your-best-healthy-recipes-tips-49/" target="_blank">Whole Foods Wednesday</a>.}</span></div>
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<b> What ways have you found to incorporate plantains into a modern diet?</b></div>
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Melodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16378004795810316796noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8154602484181941912.post-28528506832912616302013-04-23T14:15:00.000-04:002013-04-23T14:15:18.635-04:00Seeking Certified Nutritionist or Medical Professional to Help with Nutrition Booklet for Liberia<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I'm looking for a certified nutritionist, or another person in the medical field, who is trained or at least well-versed in traditional foods, to help me put together a booklet on nutrition and natural healthcare in Liberia. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV0_UOKQNx694eUjYaelMvpkucAIegul_WpZ4_7G0Pj_jM6J-Fhw18Bo9i0m1FQiQD8caZ6tTWK-r8sM3XKYHqMYrZNLeHJxshfl-W4OAR2KnvJUSzYFDdvof_UjpiqswKSVtospYTYzSF/s1600/IMG_1515.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV0_UOKQNx694eUjYaelMvpkucAIegul_WpZ4_7G0Pj_jM6J-Fhw18Bo9i0m1FQiQD8caZ6tTWK-r8sM3XKYHqMYrZNLeHJxshfl-W4OAR2KnvJUSzYFDdvof_UjpiqswKSVtospYTYzSF/s1600/IMG_1515.JPG" /></a></div>
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During my time in Liberia I have had the opportunity to work with malnourished children and babies. Most of the foods and medications we used with these children were those that only people with a lot of money could use, and those who had access to expensive imported foods. </div>
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<b>In my research on traditional foods I am finding there are a lot of local and indigenous foods that if used or prepared properly could be very beneficial to sick or malnourished Liberians. </b>Those who are poor or live deep in the jungle especially need guidance on what to do in the case of malnutrition or the care of a starving infant. There are also little changes they could be making to help maintain good health, and tips for using local food items for personal care.</div>
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I've not received any formal training in medicine or nutrition, so I know my knowledge alone is no enough for a project like this.<b> I would love to partner with an individual who is versed in traditional foods and has a burden for helping people overseas.</b> </div>
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I can't pay anything for the assistance, it would have to be an act of charity. </div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I would also love it if someone with artistic abilities could join us for illustrations,</span> which are so important to the Liberian learning style.<b> </b>I am thinking of simple line drawings. The only requirement I would have for this is that the person be able to draw realistic looking African people.</div>
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I know many people in Liberia who are working with health and the care of children who could really benefit from a booklet like this, and I would love to see my knowledge in nutrition plus what I have learned from Liberia be combined into a helpful resource for these people.</div>
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If you are interested in assisting me with this project, or know someone who might be, please email me at ivorycmelodie(at)hotmail.com. I'd also appreciate it if you'd spread the word by sharing this link in any circles you think may be able to help.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Thank you!</span></div>
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Melodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16378004795810316796noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8154602484181941912.post-31727584711897726382013-04-20T22:57:00.001-04:002013-04-25T14:13:06.545-04:00Coconut Lime Fruit Salad<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHoXGpkvcH07JPYhs9GCUGHMERzw04ZRtp82xO83UCCzxFUKgAdEHAqw2wyVMrDNDHss7OTJReFiZHgSLjq-TJhOhem5RwPgvL_tiuWjgbJVNbcjFwJyarvthkXyzv4m1uOeuuFwEhmWd1/s1600/fruitsalad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHoXGpkvcH07JPYhs9GCUGHMERzw04ZRtp82xO83UCCzxFUKgAdEHAqw2wyVMrDNDHss7OTJReFiZHgSLjq-TJhOhem5RwPgvL_tiuWjgbJVNbcjFwJyarvthkXyzv4m1uOeuuFwEhmWd1/s1600/fruitsalad.jpg" /></a></div>
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Being from tropical West Africa there was never a shortage of delicious fruit. Most fruit tastes good just by itself, but especially when mixing several different kinds, I like to have a creamy dressing to add some flavor and tie together the flavors.</div>
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We went to a dinner gathering at a friend's house this evening and I threw together this salad and was really pleased with how it turned out. I was sure to snap a few pictures so I could put it up on the blog!</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Coconut Lime Fruit Salad</span></div>
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1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut<br />
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1 small pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1 inch pieces<br />
3 medium to large bananas, peeled and sliced into 1 inch pieces<br />
1 pint strawberries, hulled and chopped, or two ripe mangoes, cut into 1 inch pieces<br />
1 pint blueberries<br />
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Coconut Lime Dressing, below<br />
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the shredded coconut on a small baking sheet and toast at 350 degrees for about five minutes or until starting to brown. Set aside.<br />
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Mix the fruit together in a large serving bowl. Toss with Coconut Lime Dressing to coat. Sprinkle with toasted coconut just before serving.<br />
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<u>Coconut Lime Dressing:</u><br />
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2 Tablespoons lime juice<br />
2 teaspoons lemon zest<br />
4 Tablespoons coconut milk<br />
2 Tablespoons honey<br />
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Whisk together all ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Serve over fruit.<br />
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Preparation time: 20 minutes (to chop the fruit). Cook time: 5 minutes. Servings: 12.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwWnSKDvFMrNbV858jW2LQjZe-QfwnwVxiOb8Hf8jskmnhFfEBT8lmUO2vold8Crq9A5P0bHeeDA0Pcl0btBeC5lGZlz_wdYehpoa8G7i2hZ2DTgq93KtOTjpPy1U8kXPfKbMVTPYzvk-w/s1600/IMG_5881.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwWnSKDvFMrNbV858jW2LQjZe-QfwnwVxiOb8Hf8jskmnhFfEBT8lmUO2vold8Crq9A5P0bHeeDA0Pcl0btBeC5lGZlz_wdYehpoa8G7i2hZ2DTgq93KtOTjpPy1U8kXPfKbMVTPYzvk-w/s1600/IMG_5881.JPG" /></a></div>
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My little boy tried to swipe a piece of fruit while I took the picture!</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">{This recipe is linked up at <a href="http://realfoodforager.com/fat-tuesday-april-23-2013/" target="_blank">Fat Tuesday</a>, <a href="http://www.cookingtf.com/traditional-tuesdays-90/" target="_blank">Traditional Tuesdays</a>, <a href="http://myculturedpalate.com/blog/2013/04/24/tasty-traditions-24/" target="_blank">Tasty Traditions</a> and <a href="http://wholelifestylenutrition.com/blog/whole-foods-wednesday-your-best-healthy-recipes-and-tips-48/" target="_blank">Whole Foods Wednesday</a>.}</span></div>
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Melodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16378004795810316796noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8154602484181941912.post-73082202404940021292013-04-16T22:53:00.000-04:002013-04-18T21:38:22.101-04:00Grain-free Peanut or Almond Butter Balls<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVhStrRmC2knfPlOfG1IB7FE7h-JH1D_1ztdBvSWNF19IG7PJAJedcmCWUUodP9xfLln1Q_6XKpGfMuEPhMnK6lt26IXes7rh1X6l-hcf5uoQg2xkB8DMxY043l9R5nPy6UwSx4E2T2lb3/s1600/healthypeanutbutterballs3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVhStrRmC2knfPlOfG1IB7FE7h-JH1D_1ztdBvSWNF19IG7PJAJedcmCWUUodP9xfLln1Q_6XKpGfMuEPhMnK6lt26IXes7rh1X6l-hcf5uoQg2xkB8DMxY043l9R5nPy6UwSx4E2T2lb3/s1600/healthypeanutbutterballs3.jpg" /></a></div>
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Peanut butter balls are a pretty popular American snack. There are two main kinds: the kind that are more dessert-y and often coated in chocolate (often known as Buckeyes), and the kind that is more snack-y with a saltier flavor. <b>My version here is a healthy remake of the snack type of peanut butter balls. </b></div>
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The thing about peanut butter balls is that they pretend to be healthy, but are loaded with powdered sugar in most recipes. The snack kinds often have so much honey added they are still sickeningly sweet to me. Now, I do admit to being sensitive to super sweet stuff. But still, do all our snacks in this country have to be loaded with sweetener, even healthy ones??? Mini rant over :-).</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRq_FkL-Z0dtkQ7CPNW9_S_ejboyGmWtBhY4Iqw2OgAD6QScG7AAnWqLP_74zgmBXdd_nLwBGfdARCZcEQZNdjpcal08pNO3L9zmLwn6VynHxi6EaOalj-zWq7dXSG5tcfo5dffsrSOL1V/s1600/healthypeanutbutterballs2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRq_FkL-Z0dtkQ7CPNW9_S_ejboyGmWtBhY4Iqw2OgAD6QScG7AAnWqLP_74zgmBXdd_nLwBGfdARCZcEQZNdjpcal08pNO3L9zmLwn6VynHxi6EaOalj-zWq7dXSG5tcfo5dffsrSOL1V/s1600/healthypeanutbutterballs2.jpg" /></a><br />
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These peanut butter balls have proven to be a great snack for me for when I am getting a little hungry in between meals. I am constantly on the go with my little one year old and sometimes haven't planned real well for a quick snack for either of us.</div>
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The coconut flour makes them more easy to digest than those with grain-based filler, I don't always do well with grains and would prefer my little boy not have too many either. <b>Thus they are suitable for gluten-free and grain-free diets. With the choice of almond butter they are also suitable for paleo and primal diets.</b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Grain-free Peanut or Almond Butter Balls</span></div>
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2 Tablespoons coconut oil, softened or melted<br />
1/2 cup creamy, natural peanut or almond butter<br />
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon<br />
1/8 teaspoon salt<br />
2 Tablespoons honey<br />
6 Tablespoons coconut flour<br />
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About 1/3 cup finely shredded coconut, or finely chopped nuts for rolling, optional<br />
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In a small bowl mash together the first five ingredients. Stir in coconut flour until thoroughly combined. Shape into about 16-18 one-inch balls and roll in coconut or nuts, if desired. Store in the refrigerator.<br />
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Makes 16-18 balls, with about 3 per serving.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">{This recipe is linked up at <a href="http://wholelifestylenutrition.com/blog/whole-foods-wednesday-your-best-healthy-recipes-and-tips-47/" target="_blank">Whole Foods Wednesday</a>, <a href="http://myculturedpalate.com/blog/2013/04/17/tasty-traditions-23/" target="_blank">Tasty Traditions</a>, and <a href="http://vegetarianmamma.com/glutenfreefridays-36-come-share-your-gf-recipes/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:%20vegetarianmamma/vYNa%20(Vegetarian%20Mamma)" target="_blank">Gluten-free Fridays</a>.} </span></div>
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Melodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16378004795810316796noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8154602484181941912.post-14637661316626508592013-04-11T21:17:00.002-04:002013-04-12T08:55:50.745-04:00Cheesy Paprika Garden Casserole and Finding Local Produce in South Carolina<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCTU4jRsmrRM9gDqS9uHOhdwDs_2-yBpmIAK0kqaBZnMQV2vVAJaTkG86FOr0LoQpd46TKPU6Xvk47vzGxF8psGQjZN8N96ifQytoEAq-UKBbNOYJEW3Ym2Xy0d9StC1NkPVmWdErnSQYh/s1600/healthycheesepotatocasserole.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCTU4jRsmrRM9gDqS9uHOhdwDs_2-yBpmIAK0kqaBZnMQV2vVAJaTkG86FOr0LoQpd46TKPU6Xvk47vzGxF8psGQjZN8N96ifQytoEAq-UKBbNOYJEW3Ym2Xy0d9StC1NkPVmWdErnSQYh/s1600/healthycheesepotatocasserole.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">This is my second contributing post for Whole Lifestyle Nutrition! I share about how I've found locally grown food, plus one of my latest recipes; <a href="http://wholelifestylenutrition.com/recipes/maindish/countrywide-farmers-market-south-carolina-farm-share-boxes-and-cheesy-paprika-garden-casserole-recipe/" target="_blank">Cheesy Paprika Garden Casserole</a>.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">"My newest seasonal recipe creation is my Cheesy Paprika Garden Casserole. I think you’ll really like it.<strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> It’s got a lot of the crowd pleasing tastes and textures of a classic potato casserole, but has a much more sophisticated flavor due to the addition of smoked paprika.</strong> </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">It uses white potatoes, sweet potatoes, and spinach. I love one dish meals so I threw in a pound of ground beef, and of course some bacon. Bacon makes everything better.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Then all of these ingredients are bound together with a creamy sour cream and cheese based sauce. Since there’s no canned “cream of artificial ingredient” soup in the recipe, <strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">it’s suitable for a grain-free and gluten-free diet. </strong><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Not to mention those of us who are trying to avoid processed foods!"</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">To read the rest of my post and view the recipe, head on over to Whole Lifestyle Nutrition by clicking below!</span></div>
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<strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://wholelifestylenutrition.com/recipes/maindish/countrywide-farmers-market-south-carolina-farm-share-boxes-and-cheesy-paprika-garden-casserole-recipe/" target="_blank">South Carolina Farm Share Boxes and Cheese Paprika Garden Casserole Recipe</a></span></u> </strong></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">{This recipe is linked up at <a href="http://www.annemariecain.com/wheat-free-wednesday-04-10-13/" target="_blank">Wheat-Free Wednesday</a>, <a href="http://www.thenourishinggourmet.com/2013/04/pennywise-platter-thursday-411.html" target="_blank">Pennywise Platter Thursday</a>, and <a href="http://vegetarianmamma.com/glutenfreefridays-35-is-live-come-share-your-glutenfree-recipes/" target="_blank">Gluten-Free Fridays</a></span>.}</div>
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Melodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16378004795810316796noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8154602484181941912.post-85333218127979184862013-04-10T18:39:00.001-04:002013-04-11T17:55:43.128-04:00Sweet Onion Salsa<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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My first encounter with Carolina sweet onions was when I received my very first farm box. There were three ginormous onions in my half bushel box of local farm goodies, and I couldn't wait to try them out!<br />
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Carolina sweet onions look like giant green onions or leeks, only they have a much more mild taste than any onion I've tasted.</div>
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The first two I sliced thinly and caramelized with butter and served over mashed potatoes. Mmmmm...... Delicious! They sure live up to their name and the caramelization heightened the sweetness even more!</div>
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With the last precious sweet onion I decided to try out my classic salsa recipe (which I posted <a href="http://sweetbasilnspice.blogspot.com/2012/06/taco-salad-two-ways.html" target="_blank">here</a> in one of my very first posts, on taco salad). Only I subbed out the regular onion for sweet onion and used grape tomatoes instead of Roma tomatoes. </div>
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Wow.</div>
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Another winning experiment! And I can assure you, all my culinary adventures don't end as well! <b>With the sweet onions and the grape tomatoes this salsa really takes on a delectable sweetness not typical to salsa. </b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBOsbJ_D3U2MJ45RKSUc2kToH9F35geuux7awqNBiXwT52px-O1qSEYDen7fOULD9oHWfnGneM8bvDlnB6ZqBTI6V5F-kTkbA_a2_xkVeLnsSDU3ZKJZJgGKKz3OTxA4UZEvTZZu4ev1D9/s1600/Sweetonionsalsa2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBOsbJ_D3U2MJ45RKSUc2kToH9F35geuux7awqNBiXwT52px-O1qSEYDen7fOULD9oHWfnGneM8bvDlnB6ZqBTI6V5F-kTkbA_a2_xkVeLnsSDU3ZKJZJgGKKz3OTxA4UZEvTZZu4ev1D9/s1600/Sweetonionsalsa2.jpg" /></a></div>
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I also experimented with lacto-frementing this recipe and it turned out great! So this is my first fermented veggie recipe to make it to the blog. </div>
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Lacto-fermentation is an ancient method of food preservation. In the past pickles and olives were preserved with a salt brine, and chutneys and such with a little whey mixed in. Today with canning and lots of artificial preservatives these methods have virtually been forgotten. <b>But it turns out lacto-frementation increases the nutrient content of the foods because the beneficial bacteria </b><b>actually </b><b>multiply the nutrients!</b> How cool is that?! Once again I find that the old fashioned way is the healthier way. The instructions for this variation are below the recipe.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Sweet Onion Salsa</span></div>
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1 pint grape tomatoes, finely chopped (I used my handy-dandy <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Pampered-Chef-Manual-Processor-Chopper/dp/B004RZEPYQ/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1365632635&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=pampered+chef+manual+food+processor" target="_blank">manuel food processor from Pampered Chef</a>)<br />
1 large Carolina sweet onion with green tops (leave out any toughened or browning sections), finely chopped, about 2/3 cup. I used my food processor.<br />
1 large clove garlic, minced<br />
1 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves, long stems removed, finely chopped<br />
1/4 teaspoon salt, or more to taste<br />
1/4 teaspoon black pepper<br />
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon chipotle chile powder, or 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika if you don't like heat.<br />
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil<br />
Juice of one lime or lemon<br />
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Combine all ingredients and refrigerate for about an hour (if possible) until serving, to blend the flavors. Serve with chips, as a topping for Mexican-American food, or with grilled fish fillets.<br />
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Preparation time: 15 minutes. Servings: about 6.</div>
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<u>Lacto-fermentation option</u>:<br />
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To the above recipe, add an additional 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 cup whey (drained from plain yogurt, <i>not </i>powdered whey protein).<br />
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Stir to combine and place in a mason jar. Press the veggies down a bit so the liquid rises to the top. Seal tightly with an air-lock lid (I recommend <a href="http://shop.cookinggodsway.com/proddetail.php?PARTNER=Africasmel&prod=cgw-alsk" target="_blank">Cooking God's Way's airlock system</a>), or <i>loosely</i> with a mason jar lid, to allow the gases to escape (the plastic "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Ball-Wide-Mouth-Plastic-Storage-8-Count/dp/B000SSN3L2/ref=sr_1_cc_3?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1365633012&sr=1-3-catcorr&keywords=freezer+lids%2C+mason+jars" target="_blank">freezer lids</a>" are preferred). Set on the counter in a cool place for about two days, or up to three days if you have an air-lock system.</div>
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When I did this the end result tasted identical to the salsa before I fermented it, with no bad taste at all! The lacto-fermented recipe will last a little longer in the fridge than the standard recipe, but I bet there won't be any left over!<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">{This recipe is linked up at <a href="http://realfoodforager.com/fat-tuesday-april-9-2013/" target="_blank">Fat Tuesda</a>y, <a href="http://www.cookingtf.com/traditional-tuesdays-89/" target="_blank">Traditional Tuesdays,</a> <a href="http://wholelifestylenutrition.com/blog/whole-foods-wednesday-your-best-healthy-recipes-and-tips-46/" target="_blank">Whole Foods Wednesday</a> and <a href="http://myculturedpalate.com/blog/2013/04/10/tasty-traditions-22/" target="_blank">Tasty Traditions</a>.}</span></div>
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<b>What's your favorite way to use sweet onions?</b></div>
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Melodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16378004795810316796noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8154602484181941912.post-80783995985217136262013-04-08T23:23:00.002-04:002015-03-26T21:06:41.755-04:00Basic Sourdough Loaf<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The sourdough bread method is the traditional way to bake bread which our ancestors did for thousands of years, basically since the cultivation of grain, which dates back to Cain in the Bible (see <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%204:2&version=NLT" target="_blank">Genesis 4:2</a>).<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #101010; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, FreeSerif, serif; line-height: 16px;">The sourdough starter has become known exclusively for use with round, crusty, tangy, sourdough loaves, and perhaps to some, sourdough biscuits. But if you examine the usage of sourdough starter in history, you'll find that the starter would better be known as liquid yeast (referred to simply as "yeast" before baker's yeast was isolated and packaged) and can be used in just about any kind of bread recipe with very little, or no sour taste.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>From my research on traditional foods and the nutritional wisdom of our ancestors, I have determined that the sourdough bread method is the most nutritious way to consume bread.</b> You can read more about the science behind that in my post where I </span>began my series on sourdough bread; <a href="http://sweetbasilnspice.blogspot.com/2013/04/the-sourdough-bread-method-getting.html" target="_blank">Getting Started with Your Starter</a>. Here you'll also find the recipe for the sourdough starter along with instructions on the its care.<br />
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<b>But as the practical and frugal modern day cook, the main reason I've chosen the sourdough bread method is because it's <i>doable</i>.</b> It's affordable, does not need lots of unusual and expensive flours, and involves very little time. My basic loaf doesn't even require any kneading!<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Most of what I have learned about sourdough bread came from The Vintage Remedies Guide to Bread, which I outlined in <a href="http://sweetbasilnspice.blogspot.com/2013/02/book-review-vintage-remedies-guide-to.html" target="_blank">my book review here</a>. I highly recommend purchasing and reading this book if you are interested in beginning the sourdough bread method.</i></span><br />
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A few notes about my sourdough bread method:<br />
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1. This is my personal recipe that I've created from my research and trial and error. In general I don't have a problem with folks copying my recipes to their blogs. But in this case please link back to my blog for the actual recipe.<br />
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2. You will notice I have some white flour in the bread. Historically people actually ate white flour (they sifted it through sheets), even as far back as biblical times. (According to Jesse Hawkins of The Vintage Remedies Guide to Bread). Because of this I have chosen to use some white flour in my recipe. If our ancestors did not always eat whole grains, then I don't feel like I have to consume whole grains exclusively. Also, considering the high cost of whole grain flours, this is a way to save money. Feel free to experiment with this recipe by adding more whole grains, or all whole grain flour. However, the reason I have not included an option for a completely whole grain loaf is because I have experimented with this and the recipe needs to be altered in order for it to turn out right. I am successful with this I will post the recipe here on the blog. <b>If you follow the recipe exactly your bread should turn out. If you are looking for a 100% whole grain sourdough loaf, you might try a different recipe. (</b>If you grind your own wheat and use soft winter wheat, a 100% whole grain loaf should probably turn out from what I know of that kind of wheat.)<br />
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3. I use oats in the recipe. These are important for a lower gluten content a oats are naturally gluten-free, though they are sometimes contaminated during processing. Historically wheat had a lower gluten content than the varieties we consume today contain, so adding a gluten-free grain to your recipe will yield a loaf that is more comparable to the traditional bread our great-grandparents consumed. You could also use barley, but oats are considerably cheaper and easier to find, especially if you purchase them from Aldi.<br />
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4. Honey, maple syrup, or sucanat are good in this recipe, but I personally always use white sugar and this is why; I don't feel this tiny amount of refined sugar is any kind of compromise considering the quantity of other ingredients. I would rather use my expensive raw honey and grade B maple syrup for a healthy dessert recipe.<br />
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5. With <a href="http://sweetbasilnspice.blogspot.com/2013/04/the-sourdough-bread-method-getting.html" target="_blank">proper care of your starter</a>, your bread should not have much of a sour taste. This is a normal bread loaf and not meant to be like San Franscisco-ish sourdough bread.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Basic Sourdough Loaf</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1 <span style="font-family: inherit;">1</span>/3 cup purified or distilled water (chlorine will inhibit the action of the yeast and good bacteria)<br />2/3 cup starter<br />2 Tablespoons real maple syrup, or honey, sucanat (whole cane sugar), or regular sugar<br />2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or melted coconut oil<br />1 1/4 teaspoon salt<br />1 cup quick oats (I use quick cooking since the pieces are smaller)<br />1 cup whole wheat flour<br />2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">About 1 tablespoon thick natural fat such as butter or palm shortening to grease the pan.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">In a large glass or ceramic bowl (or high quality plastic), whisk together the first 7 ingredients. Stir in white flour with a wooden spoon until evenly incorporated. <i>For a finer crumb, you can need the bread at this point as you would normal bread. A friend of mine modified my recipe to include kneading and she likes it better this way.</i></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Wet a dish towel and cover the bowl with the cloth. Set on the counter overnight or up to 12 hours (might be able to go longer - haven't tried it yet). Check the dish towel in the morning to see if you need to rewet it. (If it is not wet the dough will get crusty and dry out).</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">When ready to put your loaf in a pan, very liberally grease a standard 9x5 bread pan, or a small casserole dish with high sides. I used palm shortening for the grease. It should be very thick or else the bread will stick really bad.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">On a very clean counter, splash some water. Wet your hands. Reach into the bowl and mash the risen dough into a ball. The water will help your hands to not stick. Place the dough on the counter and mash into a large circle. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Wet hands as needed to prevent them from sticking to the bread. (I rinse my hands off about 4 times during the whole process to keep them from sticking). Fold the dough in on itself like an envelope. Check the counter; make sure it is still good and wet. Mash the dough into a circle again (you will notice it is getting tighter). Fold it up like an envelope again. (Some sourdough recipes suggest folding it more than 2 times, but when I did it 3 times the dough sort of "broke" and got mushy and didn't bake right...strange.)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Place your lump of dough into the bread pan. You might need to stretch it out a bit with your hands to make it fit better. Cover with a wet dish towel. Let rise until the top of the dough is rounding over the top of the pan. This took my yeast only 4 1/2 hours, but my kitchen is warm. It could take up to 8 hours depending on your local yeast and the temperature and humidity of your house.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just set in the pan and ready to bake.</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Do not let it over rise or it will start falling over the edge of the pan. This loaf was perfect. </span>I found that if I let it rise too long on the counter it would not rise well in the oven while baking and the texture was not right.</div>
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Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 and bake for another 35-40 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown. The bread should have risen very tall while in the oven. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Remove from the pan and cool on a wire rack. Cool for 5-10 minutes before slicing (if you can wait that long!)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">{This post is linked up at <a href="http://butterbeliever.com/sunday-school-blog-carnival-40713/" target="_blank">Sunday School</a>, <a href="http://beingfrugalbychoice.blogspot.com/2013/04/homemade-mondays-week-23.html" target="_blank">Homemade Mondays</a>, <a href="http://www.cookingtf.com/traditional-tuesdays-89/" target="_blank">Traditional Tuesdays</a>, <a href="http://www.growinghomeblog.com/2013/04/teach-me-tuesdays-homemaking-link-up-89.html#.UWR_rY6fuzw" target="_blank">Teach Me Tuesdays</a>, <a href="http://wholelifestylenutrition.com/blog/whole-foods-wednesday-your-best-healthy-recipes-and-tips-46/" target="_blank">Whole Foods Wednesdays</a>, <a href="http://myculturedpalate.com/blog/2013/04/10/tasty-traditions-22/" target="_blank">Tasty Traditions</a> and <a href="http://alifeinbalance.net/fabulously-frugal-thursday-top-10-tips-for-savings/" target="_blank">Fabulously Frugal Thursday</a>.}</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Let me know if you have any questions or need help getting started with the sourdough method!</b></span></div>
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Melodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16378004795810316796noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8154602484181941912.post-14847970135730845722013-04-01T21:42:00.001-04:002013-04-09T12:29:12.801-04:00The Sourdough Bread Method; Getting Started with Your Starter<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The sourdough starter has become known exclusively for use with round, crusty, tangy, sourdough loaves, and perhaps to some, sourdough biscuits. But if you examine the usage of sourdough starter in history, you'll find that the starter would better be known as liquid yeast (referred to simply as "yeast" before baker's yeast was isolated and packaged) and can be used in just about any kind of bread recipe with very little, or no sour taste.<br />
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The flour and water you mix together for your starter in a sense become a trap to catch wild yeast that lives in the air. When your starter is ready to use it will smell like packaged yeast during proofing, with or without a slight tangy scent. (<a href="http://sweetbasilnspice.blogspot.com/2013/04/basic-sourdough-loaf.html" target="_blank">Click here to skip ahead to my sourdough bread recipe</a>.)</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Why Sourdough?</span></div>
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Most store-bought bread is filled with unhealthy additives to make it soft, taste good, and have a long shelf-life. Making your bread at home is one step the frugal, healthy cook can make to improving the nutrition of her family. But wheat flour contains gluten, a protein difficult to digest by humans, and whole grain flours contain phytates, nutrient blockers designed to help protect the grain until the optimum conditions are met for germination.</div>
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Traditionally almost all bread was created with a starter yeast and soured as it slowly rose, a process that predigests the gluten, dissolves the phytates, and makes the vitamins and minerals found in the grain (those being protected fiercely for germination) bioavailable to our bodies. Souring also makes the bread lower glycemic. When baker's yeast was isolated and marketed to the public it significantly shortened the rising time for bread. This appealed to a lot of people, but especially bakeries. Yet the nutritional consequences of eliminating the sourdough method of preparation were not studied and are becoming more and more well-known today as gluten allergies and sensitivities are popping up all over the place, in addition to health problems (like malnutrition, believe it or not) related to consuming whole grains that are not properly prepared.</div>
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Today some people seeking to consume bread in a nutritious way are soaking their breads (the flour is left overnight in an acidic solution), sprouting the grains (the grain is tricked into sprouting, then dehydrated, then ground, then made into bread, all which sounds very time-consuming), and using the traditional sourdough method. I have done a lot of soaking (I still soak my <a href="http://sweetbasilnspice.blogspot.com/2012/08/basic-baked-oatmeal.html" target="_blank">baked oatmeal</a>, though I am thinking about figuring out a version that uses my sourdough starter), I've never done any sprouting, and since reading the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Vintage-Remedies-Guide-Jessie-Hawkins/dp/1938206010/ref=as_li_tf_mfw?&linkCode=wey&tag=swbansp-20" target="_blank">Vintage Remedies Guide to Bread</a> book, I now use the sourdough method almost exclusively for my breads. </div>
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As I detailed in my <a href="http://sweetbasilnspice.blogspot.com/2013/02/book-review-vintage-remedies-guide-to.html" target="_blank">book review</a>, the Vintage Remedies Guide to Bread was extremely informative and revolutionized the way I think of bread. Reading this book gave me the foundation I needed to start crafting my own sourdough bread recipes and become confident in the kitchen with adaptions and alterations. Please take a moment to read my book review <a href="http://sweetbasilnspice.blogspot.com/2013/02/book-review-vintage-remedies-guide-to.html" target="_blank">here</a>. I highly recommend purchasing this book if you are interested in beginning the sourdough bread making method.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Sourdough Bread Starter</span></div>
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1/2 cup flour of choice (I use whole wheat, or unbleached all-purpose flour, rye is also a popular sourdough flour, but I do not use it due to the cost)</div>
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1/2 cup distilled water</div>
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Additional flour and water.</div>
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Mix flour and water together in a quart mason jar or another glass or ceramic container you can do without. This will become your starter's "home" so don't use a container you use for other things in the kitchen.</div>
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Day one: Mix the flour and water in a mason jar. Cover your jar loosely with cheesecloth or other loose weave material (I used a piece of plastic netting folded several times). Secure with a rubber band. This will help keep dust and such out of the starter while still allowing the yeast to enter.</div>
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Day two: Feed the starter 1/4 water and 1/4 flour. Mix well.</div>
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Day three: Your starter should be starting to bubble by now. Feed the starter 1/4 water and 1/4 flour. Mix well.</div>
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Day four: Feed the starter 1/4 water and 1/4 flour. Mix well.</div>
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Day five: feed the starter 1/4 water and 1/4 flour. Mix well. After about 6 hours after feeding you can use the starter to bake bread! <a href="http://sweetbasilnspice.blogspot.com/2013/04/basic-sourdough-loaf.html" target="_blank">Click here to head over to my sourdough bread recipe</a>.</div>
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<b>Caring for your starter:</b><br />
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Once your starter is established, it's not as complicated as you might think to keep the it healthy. But here are some pointers that will help your starter thrive:</div>
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1. Feed your starter every day to keep it from tasting too sour. You can skip a day, or even two days if you are traveling, or forget, without the starter dying. But it will take a few days or a week of regular feeding again for the sour taste to diminish. </div>
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2. Always use purified or distilled water when working with sourdough bread. The chlorine in tap water can kill the yeast and beneficial bacteria in the starter. I leave a pitcher of tap water on the counter. The chlorine evaporates after about half a day, and is safe to use for your starter.</div>
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3. Drain off the brownish water that forms on the top (known as the hooch). This contributes to the sour taste and is not necessary for successful sourdough baking. If you really love a strong sour taste, then just stir the hooch back into the starter.</div>
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4. Never use aluminum when working with sourdough. Even mixing the starter with an aluminum spoon can cause a chemical reaction and kill the yeast. Remember this when it comes time to bake the bread as aluminum baking pans are still pretty common.</div>
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5. You can place the sourdough starter in the fridge, or even the freezer, if you know you won't be baking for awhile. To use again, bring the starter to room temperature and give it a generous feeding. If it starts bubbling again, then it's healthy. You can make your bread after about 6 hours after feeding.</div>
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<b>Maintaining a Healthy Starter:</b><br />
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I've read that when you feed a starter you should feed it with this method: If you have 1/2 starter, feed it 1/2 water and 1/2 cup flour. However, once you have 3 cups of starter, if you feed it you will then have a huge amount of starter! I thought about the premise behind this -to feed the yeast- and figured that the yeast probably doesn't need to eat that much to be healthy. <b>So I feed my starter (of any amount) about 1/4 to 1/2 cup portions of flour and water every day. This seems to work fine for me. </b><br />
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<b>Once you have your starter established you will want to add a little more flour than water when you are feeding the starter.</b> Most recipes calling for starter assume that it will be the consistency of pancake batter. I found that the one to one ratio of water and flour is pretty runny. Once you've started draining of the hooch, your starter will thicken a bit, but think pancake batter when feeding your starter.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">{This recipe is linked up at <a href="http://butterbeliever.com/sunday-school-blog-carnival-33113/" target="_blank">Sunday School</a>, <a href="http://beingfrugalbychoice.blogspot.com/2013/04/homemade-mondays-week-22.html" target="_blank">Homemade Mondays</a>, <a href="http://www.cookingTF.com/19398/" target="_blank">Traditional Tuesdays,</a> <a href="http://realfoodforager.com/fat-tuesday-april-2-2013/" target="_blank">Fat Tuesday</a>, <a href="http://www.growinghomeblog.com/2013/04/teach-me-tuesday-homemaking-link-up-88.html#.UVyR_I6fuzw" target="_blank">Teach Me Tuesday</a>, <a href="http://mindbodyandsoleonline.com/herbal-information/82nd-wildcrafting-wednesday/" target="_blank">Wildcrafting Wednesday</a>, <a href="http://wholelifestylenutrition.com/blog/whole-foods-wednesday-your-best-healthy-recipes-and-tips-45/" target="_blank">Whole Foods Wednesday</a>, <a href="http://myculturedpalate.com/blog/2013/04/03/tasty-traditions-21/" target="_blank">Tasty Traditions</a>, <a href="http://alifeinbalance.net/fabulously-frugal-thursday-1st-friday-activities/" target="_blank">Fabulously Frugal Thursdays</a>, and <a href="http://www.smallfootprintfamily.com/small-footprint-friday-sustainable-living-linkup-032913" target="_blank">Small Footprint Fridays</a>}</span></div>
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Melodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16378004795810316796noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8154602484181941912.post-70747373707437630142013-03-25T16:07:00.001-04:002013-04-03T16:52:24.483-04:00Liberian Greens And Rice<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhntkclOWi2LqRlG-3p5YUUauGc2lzrfDYkxrNpovw4cRai8ZZ3bRLWxsZfaOGtnBZs7uYC3JAbKNGTKYDwBdMEjBx935ysra5Vx_1CtKmoKN57fpNmlVERC71Ez69heaCS5NYqVyV8OY6B/s1600/liberiancollardgreens2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhntkclOWi2LqRlG-3p5YUUauGc2lzrfDYkxrNpovw4cRai8ZZ3bRLWxsZfaOGtnBZs7uYC3JAbKNGTKYDwBdMEjBx935ysra5Vx_1CtKmoKN57fpNmlVERC71Ez69heaCS5NYqVyV8OY6B/s1600/liberiancollardgreens2.JPG" /></a></div>
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<b>Stewed greens served over rice is one of the most common and well-known Liberian meals. </b>It's also served in many other West African countries including the Cote 'd Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Guinea, and Sierra Leone. In Liberia all the toppings served over rice are referred to as "soup" and usually contain meat, onions, palm oil (refined or unrefined, depending on the recipe), and hot hot peppers. Clean sinuses and a sweating brow are common side effects to eating traditional Liberian food!</div>
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There are many kinds of greens used in these stews including sweet potato greens (Liberian "potato green soup"), collard greens, cassava (tapioca) greens, and several types of indigenous greens. The Liberian cabbage soup is also made with this same recipe. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxGwSZs-z6YVE2dnaJceoc6mIVtTDWOb_QwayIzc-EG1c7i-SgYcKggECpMTPWCuJNMV7klbnuSTgNrEc3p01Tl1xKHIThQxegw23zeJsOMMRfjPvPgpIVo4Zev2oI04NV6q7FutW0Ay2C/s1600/voinjamavillage.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxGwSZs-z6YVE2dnaJceoc6mIVtTDWOb_QwayIzc-EG1c7i-SgYcKggECpMTPWCuJNMV7klbnuSTgNrEc3p01Tl1xKHIThQxegw23zeJsOMMRfjPvPgpIVo4Zev2oI04NV6q7FutW0Ay2C/s1600/voinjamavillage.JPG" /></a></div>
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The Liberians who still live in villages (about 50% of the population), plus a fair number of those from urban areas, grow small patches of sweet potato greens, cassava/tapioca greens and sometimes collard greens and cabbage. Women and children can frequently be found in their gardens picking fresh produce to cook later that day. (You can read more about Liberian agriculture <a href="http://www.ruaf.org/node/2403" target="_blank">here</a>). Wild greens that grow in the surrounding jungle are readily available and used for stewed greens as well as a number of medicinal preparations.</div>
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Produce is often transported to larger towns and sold in market places such as the one shown here. The large blue bucket with greens overflowing are for a meal, and the dried greens under the table are for medicinal use. In the villages food and goods are most often transported by people traveling on foot and carrying sometimes incredible loads on their heads.</div>
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The greens are always shredded very finely for the meals. The <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/hodag/4571619836/in/photostream/" target="_blank">cassava greens</a> are actually pounded in a mortar with a pestle into a fine mealy texture. </div>
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Here my friend Eveline is shredding potato greens. The greens are packet tightly into a bundle then shredded with a sharp knife very close to the hand. The skill these women have in shredding the greens by hand never ceases to amaze me. Little girls are taught to do this at an early age and I've never heard of anyone cutting themselves. </div>
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A few notes about this recipe:</div>
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1. This is my recipe for Liberian greens. It is for collard greens with palm oil, but I used kale as it is more readily available and cheaper than collard greens, yet has the same flavor when cooked. <b>But the recipe is very versatile and can be used with a number of dark leafy greens as well as cabbage.</b> Spinach does not work with Liberian greens recipes as it is too tender and becomes mushy. Authentic Liberian cassava leaf and potato greens can sometimes be found in the frozen section of African food markets. The Liberian sweet potato is different than the American variety. Some people have found success using the American variety in Liberian potato greens soup, while others say it is just not the same.</div>
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2. Traditionally bone-in meat is used for all the Liberian stews. The flesh, skin and cartilage are all chewed off the bone and the marrow is even sucked out the ends. Though this seems gross to most Americans, this is crucial for receiving vital nutrients found in the bones for the Liberians to remain healthy. We'd do well to learn something from these tribal diets, though <b>I've used chopped pieces of meat in my recipe as this is much easier to eat and more kid friendly.</b></div>
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3. I've used palm oil in the recipe as this is the most popular oil in this region of the world. I also wanted to offer a recipe to other Traditional and Paleo foods followers who are looking for ways to incorporate this nutritious oil into their diets. But I've given other oil options as some Liberian recipes use refined palm oil which does not have the distinct flavor of the unrefined palm oil. Refined coconut oil, lard or tallow would be healthy oil options, but for those who simply stumbled across this recipe for a Liberian greens recipe, canola oil or peanut oil may be used. Palm oil can be purchased online from <a href="http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/red_palm_oil.htm" target="_blank">Tropical Traditions,</a> or you will probably be able to find some in your local ethnic food store. (My local hispanic food store carries palm oil.)</div>
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4. <b>This recipe is paleo approved</b>. It can be eaten without rice for those who are avoiding all grains, but naturally it is going to be best and most authentic served over rice. For grain-free diets I suggest trying the greens on cauliflower "rice".</div>
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5. <b>Weigh the greens at the grocery store to make sure you purchase enough.</b> You will need way more than you think you need as they shrink down so tiny! Shredded, one pound will probably be at least 16 cups.<br />
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6. <b>Plan ahead as this recipe is fairly time consuming</b> due to all the preparation of the greens as well as cutting the meat into pieces. But the greens can be cut in advance, up to two days, and the completed recipe freezes very well.<br />
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7.<b> Dark leafy greens are actually more nutritious when cooked.</b> The Liberians simmer their greens for over an hour sometimes! My recipe only needs about 20 minutes, but for those who are worried that you'll be killing all the nutrients, don't worry - you'll actually be making a number of them more available. (For example, some vitamin C is lost during cooking, but way more calcium is available after cooking).</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Liberian Greens and Rice</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Ingredients:</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">1 to 1 1/2 pounds hearty dark greens such as collard greens, kale, or even cabbage. I've used beat tops and also suggest trying turnip and mustard greens. (You will shred these, instructions below).</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">1 large onion, finely sliced</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">3 cloves of garlic, minced</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">1 pound uncooked meat, such as beef, chicken, lamb or pork, cut into 1-inch cubes</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">1 teaspoon seasoned salt or regular salt</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">2 tablespoons traditional fat like palm oil, bacon grease, lard, tallow, refined coconut oil, (canola oil or peanut oil may be used*)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">1 tablespoon fish sauce, worchestishire sauce, or even 2 tsps anchovy paste**</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">2 tablespoons liquid aminos (coconut aminos are paleo) or 1 large bullion cube (preferable MSG-free). Salt can be used if you don't have or choose not to use either of these. I would start with 1 teaspoon and work my way up.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">1/3 cup palm oil or refined coconut oil, lard, tallow, canola oil, or peanut oil*</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">3 tablespoons tomato paste</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">1/2-1 teaspoon chipotle pepper powder, cayenne pepper, or 1 minced habanero pepper, seeds removed, optional</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">a few drops of liquid smoke, optional</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Short grain brown rice, or rice of choice for serving, at least 1 1/2 cups cooked rice per person.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">*Canola and peanut oils are not healthy oils but are fine to use if you have just come here for the Liberian recipe and don't have any of the other suggested oils.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">**In Liberia this very subtle (and not fishy at all) flavor would be achieved by the addition of several small dehydrated fish.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Prepare the greens:</span></div>
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Begin by washing and shredding the greens. Rinse of the greens with cool water to remove any sand or soil. Pat dry with a clean towel. For larger greens like kale remove the thick woody stems. Stack the leaves together then roll up into a fist-sized bundle and slice with a very sharp knife as small as possible. I aim for 1/4 inch, but even that is hard to achieve (most slices end up being thicker). Before my food processor met an untimely death I was able to shred them with the shredding blade (not the chopping blade in the many compartment of the machine), but I was not able to shred them with my Kitchen Aid's shredding attachment. The more finely they are shredded the more authentic - and digestible - they will be.<br />
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Pile the shredded greens into a very large bowl. Once they are all shredded run clean water into the bowl and swish the greens around to remove any bits of soil that may have remained. The sand should have settled to the bottom of the bowl so you'll want to lift the shredded greens out by the fistful and place in another large bowl. If there was a lot of sand on the bottom of the bowl you'll want to repeat this process once. Do not shake out the greens as the water left in them is just the amount of water you will need to add to the sauce. (There should be about 2 cups water that cling to the greens).<br />
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Slice the onion and mince the garlic and place on top of your pile of greens. Now that the greens are ready, you can proceed with cooking the meat.<br />
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Cook the recipe:<br />
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Turn the heat to medium and melt two tablespoons oil in the bottom of a large pot. Add the meat and sprinkle with seasoned salt. Cook, stirring occasionally until the meat is cooked through and starting to brown. Remove from the pot and keep warm in a bowl.<br />
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Dump the bowl of greens (and onions and garlic) into the oil in the bottom of your hot pan. You may need to do it in two batches after the first batch wilts a bit. Put a lid on the pot and stir every few minutes to mix the greens down and make sure they cook evenly.<br />
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Stir in the remaining ingrediants. Once smooth and incorporated taste to see if it needs more salt. Add the meat and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for about 20 minutes or until the greens turn very dark green.<br />
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Serve over hot short grain brown rice to be the most authentic, or the rice of your choosing.<br />
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Preparation time: 1 hour. Cook time: 40 minutes. Servings: about 6.</div>
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<b><a href="http://sweetbasilnspice.blogspot.com/2013/02/real-food-around-world.html" target="_blank">Click here</a> to view my other Liberian recipes, and stay tuned as </b></div>
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<b>I continue to post more delicious West African recipes!</b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">{This recipe is linked up at <a href="http://myculturedpalate.com/blog/2013/03/27/tasty-traditions-20/" target="_blank">Tasty Traditions</a>, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://beingfrugalbychoice.blogspot.com/2013/04/homemade-mondays-week-22.html" target="_blank">Homemade Mondays</a>, <a href="http://www.cookingTF.com/19398/" target="_blank">Traditional Tuesdays,</a> <a href="http://www.growinghomeblog.com/2013/04/teach-me-tuesday-homemaking-link-up-88.html#.UVyR_I6fuzw" target="_blank">Teach Me Tuesday</a>, <a href="http://mindbodyandsoleonline.com/herbal-information/82nd-wildcrafting-wednesday/" target="_blank">Wildcrafting Wednesday</a>, and <a href="http://wholelifestylenutrition.com/blog/whole-foods-wednesday-your-best-healthy-recipes-and-tips-45/" target="_blank">Whole Foods Wednesday</a>.}</span></div>
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Melodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16378004795810316796noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8154602484181941912.post-34122797225364575882013-03-12T13:31:00.000-04:002013-03-20T21:14:43.743-04:00Strawberry Almond Baked Oatmeal {A Soaked Oat Recipe}<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I can just see it now, spread across the tabloids of Real-Food-Topia,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> <strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Plain Jane Baked Oatmeal gets glamorous new makeover!”</strong></span></div>
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“<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><em style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: italic; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Was plastic surgery involved?</em></span>”</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Baked Oatmeal’s fans are tweeting like crazy with phrases like “<em style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: italic; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">too good to be true</em>,” </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">and “<em style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: italic; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">party in my mouth</em>” being thrown around. This makeover won’t soon be forgotten.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> Humble baked oatmeal is barely recognizable with the addition of delicate almonds and fresh strawberry puree. Splash on some heavy cream and the usual weekday breakfast fodder is </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">now dressed up for a decadent weekend brunch. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-hJh17CWVwTJNDwMrEdxvMaLYRFKe2lqVGa_GIID8gIebEnO6Eb566Z317qMRsC1u1rEbV8hUxvO9ntN3EvJ5sZLLLRpcRcMK4SmGeUkm8B9CTGEzW4JPZUhVqvhMlp8zaAO35BBnPF5e/s1600/Stawberryalmondbakedoatmeal1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-hJh17CWVwTJNDwMrEdxvMaLYRFKe2lqVGa_GIID8gIebEnO6Eb566Z317qMRsC1u1rEbV8hUxvO9ntN3EvJ5sZLLLRpcRcMK4SmGeUkm8B9CTGEzW4JPZUhVqvhMlp8zaAO35BBnPF5e/s1600/Stawberryalmondbakedoatmeal1.jpg" /></span></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>I'm excited to be contributing my first post over at Whole Lifestyle Nutrition! Please head on over to WLN for the complete recipe by clicking the link below.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><u><a href="http://wholelifestylenutrition.com/recipes/strawberry-almond-baked-oatmeal-a-soaked-oat-recipe/" target="_blank">Strawberry Almond Baked Oatmeal {A Soaked Oat Recipe}</a></u></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">{This recipe is linked up at <a href="http://realfoodforager.com/fat-tuesday-march-19-2013/" target="_blank">Fat Tuesday</a>, <a href="http://wholelifestylenutrition.com/blog/whole-foods-wednesday-your-best-healthy-recipes-tips-44/" target="_blank">Whole Foods Wednesday</a>, <a href="http://www.annemariecain.com/wheat-free-wednesday-lent-3/" target="_blank">Wheat-Free Wednesday</a>, <a href="http://gnowfglins.com/2013/03/13/simple-lives-thursday-138/" target="_blank">Simple Lives Thursday</a>, and <a href="http://vegetarianmamma.com/glutenfreefridays-31-link-up-your-glutenfree-recipes/" target="_blank">Gluten-Free Friday</a>.}</span></span></div>
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Melodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16378004795810316796noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8154602484181941912.post-16925553995533205472013-03-11T23:32:00.000-04:002013-03-18T20:15:09.474-04:00Basic Baked Oatmeal<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Baked oatmeal is one of my favorite breakfast foods. I detailed my introduction to this amazing breakfast in my first baked oatmeal post which was <a href="http://sweetbasilnspice.blogspot.com/2012/07/blueberry-banana-baked-oatmeal.html" target="_blank">Blueberry Banana Baked Oatmeal</a>. There are many recipes I have tried or created but the original version is a family favorite.</div>
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<a href="http://sweetbasilnspice.blogspot.com/2012/08/basic-baked-oatmeal.html" target="_blank">{</a><a href="http://sweetbasilnspice.blogspot.com/2012/08/basic-baked-oatmeal.html" target="_blank">Click here for my Basic Baked Oatmeal that you soak the oats overnight for increased nutrition</a>.}</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">One of the great things about baked oatmeal is that in addition to being healthy it is extremely economical. This recipe costs less than a dollar even using the very healthy ingredients of coconut oil and a natural sweetener like maple syrup. Nutritious baked oatmeal can be the healthy family's substitute for sugary boxed cereal, and adults and kids alike can enjoy selecting their own toppings. I have created several ways to make this basic recipe so no matter what ingredients you have basic baked oatmeal can be an option for your breakfast. For a gluten-free breakfast choose oats that have not been cross contaminated during processing, and for a diary-free option just use your favorite milk substitute.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">This recipe can be doubled and baked in a 9x13 inch pan for a crowd, or cut in half and baked in a 5x9 inch bread pan for those looking for a baked oatmeal recipe for one or two.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Basic Baked Oatmeal</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1 cup whole milk, coconut milk, or sugar-free nut or rice milk <i>or</i> 1 1/4 cup plain yogurt</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1/3 cup melted coconut oil or butter</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">2 eggs</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1/4 to 1/3 cup natural sweetener such as maple syrup, honey, sucanat (whole cane sugar), white sugar or brown sugar</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1/2 teaspoon vanilla, optional</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">2 cups old fashioned or quick cooking oats (choose gluten-free oats if necessary)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1/2 teaspoon salt</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">1 teaspoon baking powder - use 1/2 teaspoon baking soda instead if using yogurt</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">In a medium mixing bowl combine the first five ingrediants. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Using coconut oil or butter, lightly grease a 8x8, 9x9, or 9-inch round pan. Poor the batter into the pan.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Bake for about 30 minutes or until the edges start to brown. Serve with milk or milk substitute, plain yogurt with a drizzle of real maple syrup or honey, chopped fresh fruit, dried fruit or nuts.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Preparation time: 7 minutes. Bake time: 30 minutes. Servings: 6.</span></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><b>What's your favorite baked oatmeal recipe?</b></span></span></span></div>
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Melodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16378004795810316796noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8154602484181941912.post-60049666557662212112013-03-07T12:27:00.000-05:002013-03-27T16:25:25.303-04:00Strawberry Bunny Milk Real-food-ified<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Who remembers drinking Nestle's Strawberry Milk as a kid? I LOVED that stuff. Of course, in Africa it was a VERY special treat and we could only get it at the supermarkets when we traveled to the big cities. <b>We always called it "Bunny Milk" and there was no end to the lactating rabbit jokes and subsequent snickering as my siblings and I stirred the artificial ingredient laden syrup into our glasses of milk. </b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I revisited this childhood memory food the other day as I created a healthy, real-food version of this delicious milk using some of the first strawberries of the season. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Though typically a children's drink, this strawberry milk appeals to all ages and is a very nutritious guilt-free snack! Plus this treat can be dairy-free and paleo by using coconut or almond milk.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Strawberry Bunny Milk Real-food-ified</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">8-10 medium strawberries, hulled and coarsely chopped, about 3/4 cup</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">2 cups milk of choice (dairy milk, coconut milk, almond milk - I used raw milk)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1 Tablespoon honey or real maple syrup, or about 4 packets of stevia</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">If desired, warm milk gently over the stove just until hot. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">In a blender combine the strawberries and one cup of milk. Blend on high until no strawberry chunks remain, about 1-2 minutes. Add remaining one cup of milk, vanilla extract and sweetener. Blend until combined.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Let the milk sit for about a minute to allow the seeds to settle to the bottom of the blender. Poor milk into glasses taking care to leave the strawberry seeds in the bottom of the blender. Enjoy!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Prepartion time: 5 minutes. Cook time: 2 minutes (optional). Servings: 2.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">{This recipe is linked up at <a href="http://myculturedpalate.com/blog/2013/03/06/tasty-traditions-17/" target="_blank">Tasty Traditions</a>, <a href="http://wholelifestylenutrition.com/blog/whole-foods-wednesday-your-best-healthy-recipes-tips-42/" target="_blank">Whole Foods Wednesday</a>, </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://gnowfglins.com/2013/03/13/simple-lives-thursday-138/" target="_blank">Simple Lives Thursday</a>, and <a href="http://vegetarianmamma.com/glutenfreefridays-31-link-up-your-glutenfree-recipes/" target="_blank">Gluten-Free Friday</a>.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">}</span><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">What's your favorite childhood treat?</span></b></div>
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Melodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16378004795810316796noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8154602484181941912.post-89491223515204510242013-03-02T23:50:00.000-05:002013-03-27T16:19:11.976-04:00Wilted Kale and Bacon Salad<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnoayvBG_a0DjsH20qdFFL-qf4dUO8MHWRgYfWnkW3I9vM2fGijNAqx9yLK15oSTo6hdvHyKmK3A3qfM3ASMYIYjhyzvNdxBp36unEtt9bKuDTa39fl2rXbWKQKKINMSICD-PcU6tZxOHo/s1600/Kalebaconsalad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnoayvBG_a0DjsH20qdFFL-qf4dUO8MHWRgYfWnkW3I9vM2fGijNAqx9yLK15oSTo6hdvHyKmK3A3qfM3ASMYIYjhyzvNdxBp36unEtt9bKuDTa39fl2rXbWKQKKINMSICD-PcU6tZxOHo/s1600/Kalebaconsalad.jpg" /></a></div>
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I love to make big brunches on Saturday morning. This morning we enjoyed cinnamon rolls, farm-fresh eggs, strawberries, and this <a href="http://wholelifestylenutrition.com/recipes/side-dish/wilted-organic-kale-bacon-recipe/" target="_blank">delicious salad from Whole Lifestyle Nutrition</a>. Everything turned out great and my husband said the salad tasted pretty good for something green :-). I found the salad tasted good mixed in with my over-easy runny eggs.</div>
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Speaking of Whole Lifestyle Nutrition, I am excited to share that I have been accepted as a <a href="http://wholelifestylenutrition.com/meet-the-contributors/" target="_blank">monthly contributor</a>! I'm thrilled to be a part of the WLN team and to learn and grow through this experience. I'll let you know when my first post is published in a few weeks here.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHoQtzRCxiy2x8Cmt-eXTu7i1AOAzwf7JBzV6KhbWpF_YmFp_QDbAZJRBqQB1n6kRMkHgY1WUlQFyKLp69YQkFWsQnHp109piFbJr54AQZzU4kPAWcTKndZYIHWkYadr7h-opFyL1IOjf7/s1600/Kalebaconsalad4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHoQtzRCxiy2x8Cmt-eXTu7i1AOAzwf7JBzV6KhbWpF_YmFp_QDbAZJRBqQB1n6kRMkHgY1WUlQFyKLp69YQkFWsQnHp109piFbJr54AQZzU4kPAWcTKndZYIHWkYadr7h-opFyL1IOjf7/s400/Kalebaconsalad4.JPG" width="266" /></a>Kale is a very popular vegetable right now and is being consumed in a myriad of ways, from green smoothies, to steamed side dishes. This is overall a good thing, as kale is quite nutritious. What you might not know is that kale is one of the vegetables that is <i>more nutritious</i> when cooked. Yes, not every veggie out there is healthiest raw. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Nourishing-Traditions-Challenges-Politically-Dictocrats/dp/0967089735/ref=as_li_tf_mfw?&linkCode=wey&tag=swbansp-20" target="_blank">Nourishing Traditions</a> talks about this and it didn't come as a surprise to me as traditionally these tough dark greens were not eaten raw. For example, in West Africa all of the dark leafy greens are eaten cooked.</div>
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I personally don't digest raw kale too well (right away I feel fine, but after a few hours my digestive system starts protesting), so there's not much of a temptation for me to eat it raw. So I jumped at this recipe when I saw that it was wilted. </div>
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This salad (obviously) calls for bacon, a very misunderstood yet still beloved meat. Bacon is not bad for you (especially naturally cured bacon from free range pigs), it's what's added to it that is. Always choose naturally cured bacon that is free of nitrates, if at all possible.</div>
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Please hop on over to <a href="http://wholelifestylenutrition.com/recipes/side-dish/wilted-organic-kale-bacon-recipe/" target="_blank">Whole Lifestyle Nutrition for the recipe</a>! </div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><u><a href="http://wholelifestylenutrition.com/recipes/side-dish/wilted-organic-kale-bacon-recipe/" target="_blank">Wilted Organic Kale and Bacon Salad</a></u></span></div>
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The only thing I changed from Halle's recipe is that I doubled the bacon... <i>because I could</i>. :-D.<br />
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<b>What's your favorite wilted or cooked kale recipe? I would love some more ideas as kale is in season and we've been getting it in our local farm box orders.</b></div>
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Melodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16378004795810316796noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8154602484181941912.post-63280421483857320272013-02-28T21:09:00.002-05:002013-05-02T22:49:51.447-04:00Homemade Dishwasher Detergent<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Long before I ever got all crunchy I used to notice the film that was occasionally left on dishes washed in a dishwasher and wonder if it was safe to consume.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH40H-shMrxwXQOE5D4aQ6GGc8fT5lCYiHqNwVUWgnTg0ey5xLBM0hkkPHbYBzIrpQyKAdoPwky0v3E7UyE3WmaRGgtzy8QbHWrMq_KbUsUBD5PrcLyHGbhB3i832EUpG9YhakKAJVI2OA/s1600/DIYdishwasherdetergent1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH40H-shMrxwXQOE5D4aQ6GGc8fT5lCYiHqNwVUWgnTg0ey5xLBM0hkkPHbYBzIrpQyKAdoPwky0v3E7UyE3WmaRGgtzy8QbHWrMq_KbUsUBD5PrcLyHGbhB3i832EUpG9YhakKAJVI2OA/s1600/DIYdishwasherdetergent1.jpg" /></a></span></div>
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You see, in Africa where I grew up we didn't have a dishwasher (well, actually, we had several...their names were John-Mark, Melodie, Nathan...) so all our dishes were washed by hand and rinsed in clean hot water. In the States grandma had an automatic dishwasher and when we visited we'd marvel at the inventions of modern man. Yet there was sometimes a little detergent residue stuck to the dishes...</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Turns out normal dishwashing detergent isn't really that safe after all.</b> Here's a list of harmful chemicals found in most dishwasher detergents (sourced from <a href="http://www.life123.com/food/cookware-appliances/dishwasher/the-latest-on-dishwasher-detergents.shtml" target="_blank">this website</a>):</span></div>
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<li style="list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><u>Chlorine bleach</u>; a common respiratory tract irritant that also finds its way into the environment and forms toxic compounds stored in the fatty tissue of animals. </li>
<li style="list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><u>Sodium hydroxide</u>; a severe skin irritant that can cause blindness if it comes into contact with your eyes, but is commonly added to dishwasher detergent as a degreaser.</li>
<li style="list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><u>Sodium lauryl sulfate</u>; might be one of the most common detergents found in the home and is prevalent in shampoo and hand soap, making worrying about it in your dishwashing detergent seem a little pointless. According to the Journal of the American College of Toxicology, laboratories around the world use it as a skin irritant.</li>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>While you might think these chemicals aren't affecting you because you're not touching them, even the best dishwasher leaves a thin film of residue on your dishes, so you might be exposing yourself to more than you think when you eat from them.</b></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">This isn't healthy for anyone, but especially little babies.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Additionally, if you google the dangers of dishwasher detergent, you will find countless reports of children ingesting this substance. The cute little individual packs are the most tempting for a little kid to pop into his or her mouth. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Part of my reasoning in moving towards more natural cleaning products is to not have these dangerous cleaning products around at all, as I have a very curious one year old. During my time as a missionary in Liberia I worked with some children who had accidentally swallowed caustic substances and were near death due to the horrific consequences of this. Thankfully we were able to help many of them, but every one of these children will face lifelong medical issues because of these injuries. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Completely natural dishwashing detergent kept in a locked cupboard is one step I can take to keep my little boy safe, from when I serve him food, to when he wonders into the kitchen alone.</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Making homemade dishwashing detergent was my second DIY natural home care product after my <a href="http://sweetbasilnspice.blogspot.com/2013/02/homemade-laundry-detergent.html" target="_blank">laundry detergent</a>. <a href="http://ashleynicolewillcox.wordpress.com/2011/10/28/homemade-dishwasher-soap/" target="_blank">This recipe</a> comes from my friend Ashley from college. She has a <a href="http://ashleynicolewillcox.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">lovely blog</a> where she shares her journey into a more natural life and celebrates the growth of her children. Those looking for more DIY natural home and body care products should definitely check out <a href="http://ashleynicolewillcox.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">her blog</a>!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Ashley did all the work to test this one out, I just followed her instructions. I'm happy to say this recipe has been great and I have no complaints! And there is no residue either, not even on the glasses.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd4F93mpYsNG6TnCfO0crNKKYT2yMSbtomdyKTHx5kZ2XE3lX3Q5FSZbT-CeL9NjqVY6U2sJH8iFj6fSG8qRTcRxw9Tj3IUmMidUPE_xIKz19GIam7a6Z15JApto8MrnMRIWMuCupsWxCJ/s1600/DIYdishwasherdetergent2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd4F93mpYsNG6TnCfO0crNKKYT2yMSbtomdyKTHx5kZ2XE3lX3Q5FSZbT-CeL9NjqVY6U2sJH8iFj6fSG8qRTcRxw9Tj3IUmMidUPE_xIKz19GIam7a6Z15JApto8MrnMRIWMuCupsWxCJ/s320/DIYdishwasherdetergent2.jpg" width="212" /></span></a>2 cups washing soda<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1 cup borax</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1 cup baking soda</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. You may want to sift it through a sieve to remove any lumps. Store in a large container with a lid. Keep a one tablespoon measuring spoon inside the container. You will need 2 tablespoons of detergent for every load.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Some people may need a rinsing agent depending on their water types. I do not, but I wanted to share a rinsing tip I've heard others use.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Note: Washing soda, borax, and bulk packages of baking soda can all be found in the laundry detergent section of Wal-Mart and most grocery stores.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Rinse Agent:</b> Place 1/4 cup white vinegar in a small shallow container on the top wrack of the dishwasher. Run the load as usual. Do NOT put the vinegar in the compartment in the door designed for store-bought rinse agents. The plastic is not made for vinegar and you can damage your washing machine by using it in this way.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">For other great homemade dishwasher detergent recipes check out this website <a href="http://howtomakedishwasherdetergent.com/homemade-dishwasher-detergent-around-the-web/" target="_blank">here</a>.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">{This post is linked up at <a href="http://beingfrugalbychoice.blogspot.com/2013/02/homemade-mondays-week-17.html" target="_blank">Homemade Mondays</a>, <a href="http://www.likeamustardseed.com/2013/02/26/living-green-tuesdays-link-up-38/" target="_blank">Living Green Tuesdays</a>, <a href="http://mindbodyandsoleonline.com/herbal-information/77th-wildcrafting-wednesday/" target="_blank">Wildcrafting Wednesday</a>, <a href="http://alifeinbalance.net/fabulously-frugal-goodwill-runway/" target="_blank">Fabulously Frugal Thursday</a>, <a href="http://thankyourbody.com/thank-your-body-thursday-18/" target="_blank">Thank Your Body Thursday</a>, and <a href="http://www.smallfootprintfamily.com/small-footprint-friday-sustainable-living-linkup-030113" target="_blank">Small Footprint Friday</a>.}</span><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Do you make your own dishwashing detergent? How does your recipe compare to mine?</span></b></div>
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Melodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16378004795810316796noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8154602484181941912.post-23619812132979782362013-02-21T21:03:00.001-05:002013-05-16T22:27:59.832-04:00Real Food Around The World<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Traditional food advocates love talking about the nourishing foods of traditional cultures around the world. But what do you actually know about any of these foods? Chances are you've heard that the Polynesians consume coconut oil, and "tribal peoples" eat organ meats. But there is so much more to learn!</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Join me as I explore real food around the world!</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfgMa-6aPtGlYPlAxalk1WJ6rZ4gSnLnqImZKjwK3jn41ap1vpZz8Vz5cqvTUgIiBR1D58a9WYKP5-K7l1KTw62gbAp_Ndq7bSpzSvbV_kUiurk6vw9SB0U3FOchDhXKmYX3v5e2EhyphenhyphenhsP/s1600/Liberiansnacks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfgMa-6aPtGlYPlAxalk1WJ6rZ4gSnLnqImZKjwK3jn41ap1vpZz8Vz5cqvTUgIiBR1D58a9WYKP5-K7l1KTw62gbAp_Ndq7bSpzSvbV_kUiurk6vw9SB0U3FOchDhXKmYX3v5e2EhyphenhyphenhsP/s1600/Liberiansnacks.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Liberian children selling snacks: raw peanuts in the shell and farm fresh cucumbers.<br /> A little different than the average American snack, huh?</span></td></tr>
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We'll look at foods native to particular regions, like rich red palm oil in West Africa, ethnic recipes, like Thai coconut curry and Middle Eastern Mujadarrah, and traditional food preparation styles, like fufu in Liberia.</div>
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Since I grew up in West Africa and lived in Liberia several years as an adult, my focus is going to be Africa. But I plan to do justice to the delicious recipes and wealth of information from other regions of the world as well.</div>
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Africa:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://sweetbasilnspice.blogspot.com/2013/04/ivorian-aloco-fried-plantain-and-palm.html" target="_blank">Ivorian Aloco - Fried Plantain in Palm Oil</a><br />
<a href="http://sweetbasilnspice.blogspot.com/2012/09/basic-brown-rice-and-rice-preparation.html" target="_blank">Brown Rice and Rice Preparation in Liberia</a><br />
<a href="http://sweetbasilnspice.blogspot.com/2012/09/liberian-groundpea-soup-and-rice.html" target="_blank">Liberian Groundpea Soup and Rice</a><br />
<a href="http://sweetbasilnspice.blogspot.com/2013/03/liberian-greens-and-rice.html" target="_blank">Liberian Greens and Rice</a><br />
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South Asia:<br />
<a href="http://sweetbasilnspice.blogspot.com/2013/01/any-day-coconut-curry.html" target="_blank">Any Day Coconut Curry</a><br />
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Other regions and more posts continuously in the works!<br />
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<b>What have you learned about real food around the world? What would you like to know more about? </b></div>
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<b>Leave me a comment; I can always use more ideas!</b></div>
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Melodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16378004795810316796noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8154602484181941912.post-29951150698615125982013-02-19T22:55:00.000-05:002013-03-03T21:05:02.247-05:00Your Guide to Real Food Shopping at Aldi<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Aldi; that discount grocery store you keep hearing about.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyr2eH6DP-gj8QzqmfRPlDkRfymZglvHGJHMgkFIl1yyVjeaBMl-XrkaMz_cb-CaujpCTSXLj8cb3sGpc6pcFNQpe4IOnOHZisCt2_msDUfhM_r3eAI9xPK0n8v32gt3S7vz9A348vlT70/s1600/realfoodfromaldi1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyr2eH6DP-gj8QzqmfRPlDkRfymZglvHGJHMgkFIl1yyVjeaBMl-XrkaMz_cb-CaujpCTSXLj8cb3sGpc6pcFNQpe4IOnOHZisCt2_msDUfhM_r3eAI9xPK0n8v32gt3S7vz9A348vlT70/s1600/realfoodfromaldi1.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Aldi right beside where we live.</td></tr>
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Those of you who aren't familiar with Aldi probably picture a really dumpy store with very limited items available, must of which are highly processed.</div>
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Those of you who already shop at Aldi probably think it's the best grocery store on the planet and cringe when you have to purchase any item for a few cents more at Wal-Mart.</div>
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<b>Aldi is an organized, clean, well-stocked grocery store with a big variety of grocery and every-day household items. It is indeed cheaper than your average grocery store, but the quality of their items is comparable to even the most expensive foods I've purchased at the high-end markets.</b></div>
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Whether or not you've ever been to Aldi, you might not know that you can indeed eat a healthy, real food diet while purchasing a big percentage of your groceries from this store. <b>The bottom line is, if you are not buying organic, the the products at Aldi are identical to those you would get at your local grocery store, only much cheaper.</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq9PBeNokSBrh_FW6MCPHh7e1ouSrAXnkNwLI3Ue5url8SiuQxegqzkoex_TjuRCCvTl7GAM1Fx4__WgI8hMiuTuMwEHVrNucELsBRqlmlg2tkj6ZlmulitnTXMzWrToGdJIf0GahpjxEZ/s1600/realfoodfromaldi2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq9PBeNokSBrh_FW6MCPHh7e1ouSrAXnkNwLI3Ue5url8SiuQxegqzkoex_TjuRCCvTl7GAM1Fx4__WgI8hMiuTuMwEHVrNucELsBRqlmlg2tkj6ZlmulitnTXMzWrToGdJIf0GahpjxEZ/s1600/realfoodfromaldi2.jpg" /></a></div>
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Here's a visual example of some of the groceries I get at Aldi. </div>
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Knowing which items to buy at Aldi and which ones to avoid may not come naturally to you, especially if you are new to the real/traditional foods concept. I hope this list will be helpful for you as you seek to eat real food on a very tight budget.</div>
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Note: This post is specifically dedicated to Aldi shopping. For my complete post on finding affordable healthy food see <a href="http://sweetbasilnspice.blogspot.com/2013/01/real-food-on-very-tight-budget_29.html" target="_blank">Real Food on a Very Tight Budget</a>.</div>
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Also, this post is not meant to discourage people from buying local items like produce and meat, when possible, or organic, when affordable.</div>
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Oh, and Aldi is not giving me anything to write this post. Aldi doesn't even know I exist!</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Real Food From Aldi</span></div>
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<b>Aldi logistics:</b></div>
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Bring a quarter to unlock your cart. You get the quarter back when you return the cart. This is Aldi's rather ingenious way to keep the parking lot clean and free of stray shopping carts. And it works! I have to laugh; all this to save a quarter.</div>
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Bring your own shopping bags, ideally reusable ones. You can also purchase shopping bags for a few cents (a paper bag) to a dollar (reusable cloth sack) at the check-out. This is another method Aldi uses to cut back costs.</div>
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Timing is key; shop between the hours of 9 and 5, and on weekdays (Aldi hours are 9-7). Once people get off work the lines at check-out are long and sometimes there is not as much produce available.</div>
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<b>Dry Goods (shelf-stable items):</b><br />
Nuts<br />
Dried fruit<br />
Real maple syrup<br />
Honey<br />
Natural peanut butter<br />
Quick cooking oats (Not the instant oat packets!)<br />
Rolled oats<br />
Steel cut oats<br />
Real fruit spread (Not the jams and jellies; Those contain high fructose corn syrup!)<br />
Coffee<br />
Sugar (To use in <i>moderation</i> with baked goods.)<br />
White flour (To use in moderation with baked goods.)<br />
Spices (Can't beat these prices anywhere!)<br />
Stevia (Yay! Aldi now has stevia packets!)<br />
The chicken, beef, and vegetable broth cartons are all fine to use, but they are not very economical due to cost. You really should be making your own broth with the bones of the whole chickens Aldi has for super cheep.<br />
Extra virgin olive oil<br />
Vinegar<br />
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<b>Mexican section:</b><br />
Masa corn flour. This is actually a very healthy item as it has already been soaked in lyme (a traditional preparation) to enhance the nutrient content. Chili, and cornbread using this flour can make a very nutritious and economical meal from Aldi.<br />
Pinto beans. Learn to cook your own beans at home to save quite a bit of money. (See my recipe <a href="http://sweetbasilnspice.blogspot.com/2012/06/how-to-properly-cook-dry-beans.html" target="_blank">here</a>.)<br />
Green chilis and other hot peppers, dried and canned.<br />
Tomatoes and green chilies<br />
Corn tortillas. The flour ones contain hydrogenated oil, so they are a no-no.<br />
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<b>Diary:</b><br />
Eggs<br />
Whole milk<br />
Sour cream<br />
Heavy whipping cream<br />
Butter<br />
4% cottage cheese<br />
Cheese. Get the blocks. The pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking and anti-fungal ingredients added (This is true no matter where you get pre-shredded cheese).<br />
Feta Cheese<br />
Blue Cheese<br />
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Aldi usually has a selection of specialty deli items like hummus and cheeses that have fairly healthy ingredients. If your budget allows, these are OK to get. But $3.50 for 6 ounces of goat cheese is not worth it to me.</div>
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<b>Meat:</b><br />
Ground turkey. Always get the fresh if possible. It is superior in taste and texture to the frozen but very similar in price.<br />
Ground chicken<br />
Whole chickens (The best prices anywhere! Just $0.85 a pound for the frozen birds. Roast a chicken, then use the bones to make healthy bone broth).<br />
Chicken in pieces<br />
Boneless skinless chicken breast for recipes like my <a href="http://sweetbasilnspice.blogspot.com/2013/01/any-day-coconut-curry.html" target="_blank">Any Day Coconut Curry</a>.<br />
Beef; The ground beef and stew meat have the best prices.<br />
Pork chops<br />
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Instead of the pork sausage I used to get here (stopped getting it due to the MSG) I now, when possible, get the fresh ground turkey and make my own <a href="http://sweetbasilnspice.blogspot.com/2012/10/easy-homemade-turkey-sausage.html" target="_blank">homemade turkey sausage</a>. You could also use beef, but I found the fresh turkey had a texture most similar to bulk pork sausage.</div>
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The one processed meat I do get here is the polish sausage. I know, I know...it's a processed meat with artificial ingredients. But I have one meal I use it for (just twice a month) and have not been able to find a good substitute.</div>
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<b>Produce:</b></div>
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Any and all the produce. I am able to get all the produce I use here except fresh herbs, beets, and some other root veggies we use.</div>
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Carrots. To save a dollar buy the 2 pound bag of whole carrot and peal and cut your own carrot sticks or baby carrots (I also am skeptical about how the baby carrots stay fresh. There is a rumor that all baby carrots are soaked in bleach, though I don't know if this is true.)</div>
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They have the best price anywhere on sweet potatoes and white potatoes. Both of these are good filler foods for those in the family with higher metabolisms (like dads and growing kids).</div>
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Avocados! Because of the excellent prices ($0.89 each) I now eat these regularly. I use them in salads, guacamole and even desserts! My baby loves them, which is a good thing, because they are super healthy for him.</div>
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<b>Canned goods:</b><br />
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Canned goods should never be relied on for a significant portion of your vegetable intake.</div>
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Tomato products. All your canned tomato products can be purchased here. Canned tomatoes are the healthiest canned vegetables as they are canned at the very peak of ripeness.</div>
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Beans. Canned beans are okay to get occasional, but they are not soaked (traditionally prepared). It is of course most economical to <a href="http://sweetbasilnspice.blogspot.com/2012/06/how-to-properly-cook-dry-beans.html" target="_blank">make your own beans</a> from dried beans. </div>
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Corn. Probably zero nutritional value (it kinda goes right through you...) but my husband really likes it so I add it to chili and casseroles. Canned corn should <i>not</i> be considered a healthy vegetable side dish!</div>
Mushrooms<br />
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<b>Packaged snack items:</b><br />
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Aldi has a few snack items that I feel are okay to consume every once in awhile. While they would not necessarily be considered "healthy" they are not <i>too</i> unhealthy. For those times when you are craving a crunchy snack I wanted you to know what the better choices are.</div>
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Microwave popcorn. If you are OK with the microwave and non-organic popcorn, this is a cheap snack. Aldi popcorn has palm oil in - a healthy oil - and no hydrogenated oils like other popcorn brands.</div>
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Pita chips. The plain kind is made with white flour, palm oil and sea salt.</div>
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Sweet potato chips</div>
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Root vegetable chips</div>
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<b>Frozen items:</b></div>
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Frozen fruit. Great for smoothies and fruit based desserts.</div>
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Frozen vegetables</div>
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Aldi's frozen fruit bars have fairly natural ingredients (they even contain real fruit - shocker!), as does one of their brands of ice cream. If you are going to indulge, these are the better choices.</div>
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Aldi now has a line of <b>organic</b> foods! Though not all the items could be classified as "real" food, I am very excited they are making efforts to offer more nutritious foods. The spaghetti sauce is the one thing I noticed that is a good deal and would be worth getting.</div>
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<b>These are psuedo-healthy, non-real-food items to avoid:</b><br />
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Any of the boxed cereals, even the granola<br />
Granola bars and prepackaged snacks</div>
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All the bread items</div>
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All their jams besides the "Real Fruit" spread. They contain high fructose corn syrup.</div>
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Any peanut butter besides that listed as "natural."They contain hydrogenated oils.</div>
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Any low-fat dairy items.</div>
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All their yogurt. It's all low-fat and most of it is filled with a long list of artificial ingredients and sweeteners. Read the labels the next time you go in. Real food yogurt should only have about 2-3 ingredients like "milk and active and live cultures". I make my own yogurt because it is so hard to find full fat yogurt. One quart of store-bought yogurt typically costs as much as a whole gallon of milk. For one gallon of milk I an make four quarts of yogurt at home!</div>
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All the salad dressings. Learn to make your own from the olive oil and vinegar you can get at Aldi.</div>
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Any juice items</div>
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Any of the boxed, canned or frozen meals</div>
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With rare exception, all of the Fit and Active brand products. Their products are almost all low fat and filled with tons of artifical sweeteners, preservatives and generally unhealthy ingredients (ironically!).<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">{This post is linked up at <a href="http://cornerstoneconfessions.com/2013/02/titus-2-tuesday-linky-party-39.html" target="_blank">Titus 2 Tuesday</a>, <a href="http://www.growinghomeblog.com/2013/02/teach-me-tuesday-homemaking-link-up-82.html" target="_blank">Teach Me Tuesday</a>, <a href="http://www.thepolivkafamily.com/2013/02/family-table-tuesday-16/" target="_blank">Family Table Tuesday</a>, <a href="http://mindbodyandsoleonline.com/herbal-information/76th-wildcrafting-wednesday/" target="_blank">Wild Crafting Wednesday</a>, and <a href="http://wholelifestylenutrition.com/blog/whole-foods-wednesday-your-best-healthy-recipe-tips-40/" target="_blank">Whole Foods Wednesday</a>.}</span></div>
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<b>Do you shop at Aldi? What real-food shopping tips have you found helpful? </b></div>
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<b>Let me know and I'll update this post!</b><br />
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Melodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16378004795810316796noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8154602484181941912.post-50089221768372607412013-02-14T22:28:00.001-05:002013-02-20T08:15:41.550-05:00Homemade Laundry Detergent<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">In my journey to a frugal healthier lifestyle, I've started making a certain number of home and personal care products that are not only healthier than store-bought versions, but cheaper. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ZMTvfZbdRWIVb5pRr72Daux85u8Vno-ocvOHHasq96BLhhxRdy_0JU6C9kBVRwAngHf2y8KUqdPTqc9T9OOjOMgCf8CWIZUvHWRD0ZIDG5kINZmhjHFT4SMdBqHi0tpCbXoVu3W7KWSE/s1600/DIYLaundryDetergent2sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ZMTvfZbdRWIVb5pRr72Daux85u8Vno-ocvOHHasq96BLhhxRdy_0JU6C9kBVRwAngHf2y8KUqdPTqc9T9OOjOMgCf8CWIZUvHWRD0ZIDG5kINZmhjHFT4SMdBqHi0tpCbXoVu3W7KWSE/s1600/DIYLaundryDetergent2sm.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">All over the web you can find tons of recipes for home and body care products, but many call for ingredients that are expensive or hard to find. One recipe I saw for a natural cleaning product had about 5 different kinds of essential oils. While I'm sure it cleans well, for folks like me who nearly have a heart attack at the purchase of one tiny bottle of tea tree oil for $8 or $9, these items are just not worth it for use in my home products. Tea tree oil and peppermint oil are the only two essential oils I use for my home and body care products. Every other ingredient you can get easily at regular-people stores.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Laundry detergent is the first DIY home or body care product I started making about a year ago. My primary motivation was to cut back on the high cost of most laundry detergents. This was even before I started considering the potentially dangerous additives found in most normal laundry detergents, which include phenols, surfactants, and optical brighteners, to name a few.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><i>"Think about it: clothing is in constant contact with your skin. The skin is exceptionally permeable; it quickly absorbs outside substances directly into the blood stream. Many experts recommend: if you wouldn`t eat it or drink it, you shouldn`t be letting it come into contact with your skin. Ditch the commercial laundry detergents and seek out more natural ways to clean your clothes." </i>(<a href="http://www.naturalnews.com/029580_laundry_detergent_chemicals.html" target="_blank">Click here</a> to read the rest of this health report.)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Natural laundry detergent is certainly not my primary concern when it comes to healthy living. I am most concerned about the things we put directly into our bodies.<b> But I found this detergent considerably cheaper than store-bought detergent, easy to make, long lasting because you use way less than you think you would need, and it happens to be healthier. That's just an added bonus!</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSEl7W3fqoGdRElqH_Y2eIoPB01x5wSKEzN7sVVrb5uXYlq1GJs9I7ndXwwFjgiI1DdIZiEX3OC4EdiqYgHxbIrgDiMX-HGkmMEM3Fbo_8qhXVCggoEU8Rl_13iF52U2L-NpbwXUb68jV6/s1600/DIYLaundrydetergent.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSEl7W3fqoGdRElqH_Y2eIoPB01x5wSKEzN7sVVrb5uXYlq1GJs9I7ndXwwFjgiI1DdIZiEX3OC4EdiqYgHxbIrgDiMX-HGkmMEM3Fbo_8qhXVCggoEU8Rl_13iF52U2L-NpbwXUb68jV6/s200/DIYLaundrydetergent.jpg" width="200" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1 bar Fels Naptha soap, or 2 bars Kirk's Castile soap (This is the more natural option.)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">2 cups washing soda</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">2 cups borax</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Shred the soap using the fine side of a cheese grater. I had the ingenious idea to use the smallest grater on my Kitchen Aid. This saved tons of time. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Note; some recipes will suggest grinding the soap in a food processor, or, if you're like me, you'll come up with that on your own. I'm not pointing any fingers, but someone in my house may have thrown her dying food processor over the edge by trying this. So yeah, the soap is too hard on the machine. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Mix the shredded soap with the washing soda and borax. If there are lumps in the powdered ingredients you will want to sift them through a sieve before mixing them with the soap.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Now, at this point most recipes will tell you to mix the powder with a ton of water to make liquid soap. I didn't realize I was supposed to do this at the beginning of my detergent making career, so I was just using the powder by itself. Guess what? It works fine! The soap shreds have no problem disolving. Plus it takes up less room in my laundry room/closet and it saves a big inconvenient step.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Store in a container with a lid. An empty coffee container is perfect, or get a clear plastic container specifically for this purpose. I prefer a clear container so I can see when I am getting low.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT3mqpswXrf82TKCG_cLQz1nzYfoCR_28aYtau1sukTkFV2bbdkv7O6X-XW7an5Lhej9En_w5H0drSBs0aQpWkflvytSMrfrv8zz6zKfBZP1RSevbWRAmqqfpYmOcUkJHBHNDVlhrwbDsn/s1600/DIYLaundrydetergent4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT3mqpswXrf82TKCG_cLQz1nzYfoCR_28aYtau1sukTkFV2bbdkv7O6X-XW7an5Lhej9En_w5H0drSBs0aQpWkflvytSMrfrv8zz6zKfBZP1RSevbWRAmqqfpYmOcUkJHBHNDVlhrwbDsn/s1600/DIYLaundrydetergent4.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> Keep a quarter cup (1/4) scoop in the container. You'll need one to three tablespoons depending on the size of the load. Yes, that's all you need! This soap even works for my husband's dirty work clothes (he's a construction superintendent). Sometimes I'll use four tablespoons if the clothes are particularly dirty, but this soap really works amazingly well. Plus it is suitable for high efficiency machines.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I usually end up making a double batch so it will last twice as long. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">That's it! Easy, natural, and cheap. What's not to like?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Update: Borax, washing soda and Fels Naptha soap can all be found in the detergent section at Wal-Mart. They should also be available in most major grocery stores.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">DIY laundry detergent funny; </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>"Why are there weevils in your laundry detergent?"</b> </span></div>
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My sister was visiting and throwing in a load of laundry and didn't know what the yellow soap shreds were hanging out in the detergent!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib8_e0ToY_Jcl21PsunFiAZ9EnA6jfZAw7yhsO1WwMEgH5rr1pwY78EPtjKBG57jrVP8EsQmftvHTaTQUexGAwS-uMoTN7Y2m7ZJp0VqR0GO4IEFiYKX5Hcn07TWiXY407ZnDcm-WjxHu2/s1600/DIYLaundryDetergent3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib8_e0ToY_Jcl21PsunFiAZ9EnA6jfZAw7yhsO1WwMEgH5rr1pwY78EPtjKBG57jrVP8EsQmftvHTaTQUexGAwS-uMoTN7Y2m7ZJp0VqR0GO4IEFiYKX5Hcn07TWiXY407ZnDcm-WjxHu2/s1600/DIYLaundryDetergent3.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">{This post is linked up at <a href="http://www.naturallivingmamma.com/2013/02/10/natural-living-monday-11/" target="_blank">Natural Living Monday</a>, <a href="http://www.themodestmomblog.com/2013/02/modest-monday-and-a-link-up-26/" target="_blank">Modest Monday</a>, <a href="http://www.theselfsufficienthomeacre.com/2013/02/wildcrafting-wednesday-75.html" target="_blank">Wild Crafting Wednesday</a>, <a href="http://thankyourbody.com/thank-your-body-thursday-16/" target="_blank">Thank Your Body Thursday</a>, <a href="http://myculturedpalate.com/blog/2013/02/13/tasty-traditions-14/" target="_blank">Tasty Traditions</a>, and <a href="http://www.smallfootprintfamily.com/small-footprint-friday-sustainable-living-linkup-021513" target="_blank">Small Footprint Fridays</a>.}</span></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Do you make your own laundry detergent? How does your recipe compare to mine?</span></b><br />
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Melodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16378004795810316796noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8154602484181941912.post-48678483002493695012013-02-06T21:21:00.000-05:002013-04-01T21:50:37.806-04:00Book Review; The Vintage Remedies Guide to Bread<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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In my journey to finding affordable and practical traditional nutrition, this book has been my all-time favorite read;</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Vintage-Remedies-Guide-Jessie-Hawkins/dp/1938206010/ref=as_li_tf_mfw?&linkCode=wey&tag=swbansp-20" target="_blank">The Vintage Remedies Guide to Bread; </a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Vintage-Remedies-Guide-Jessie-Hawkins/dp/1938206010/ref=as_li_tf_mfw?&linkCode=wey&tag=swbansp-20" target="_blank">Unlocking the Mysteries of Grains, Gluten, and Yeast</a>.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAw_bzwHf5WxMAa1f16KZ84-I9P-Ye00kmArQ73sPb1O83cgXep-0gVqaLI9uty6E2hdbg48gCawRzZUXSP_XICS8q3_aRCukA-LShQEAcfiAvN20GX7uGHDfKg916yD9ScQXPlFOVcmG_/s1600/vintageremediesguidetobread.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAw_bzwHf5WxMAa1f16KZ84-I9P-Ye00kmArQ73sPb1O83cgXep-0gVqaLI9uty6E2hdbg48gCawRzZUXSP_XICS8q3_aRCukA-LShQEAcfiAvN20GX7uGHDfKg916yD9ScQXPlFOVcmG_/s400/vintageremediesguidetobread.jpg" width="263" /></a></div>
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I could not have been more pleased with this book. It was hard to put down! It appealed to everything I look for in my quest for nourishing foods. Does history support it? Does science support it? Is it practical and easy to make on a regular basis? The answer is YES to sourdough bread! And Jessie Hawkins does an excellent job explaining all that.<br />
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Update: <a href="http://sweetbasilnspice.blogspot.com/2013/04/the-sourdough-bread-method-getting.html" target="_blank">Click here to go to my sourdough starter recipe.</a></div>
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I love history and Jessie shares the history of bread, all the way back to biblical times. She explains why bread was nutritious and life giving historically, and what happened to make it a neutral and (for some people) even dangerous food now. (Apparently, the vast majority of store-bought bread has tons of unhealthy - and sometimes scary - additives, that are also not properly labeled. Pig pancreas anyone?) She also shares information on some fascinating studies that have been conducted around bread and gluten. She then provides modern versions of traditional recipes for breads and rolls, plus healthified sourdough versions of pizza crust, donuts, tortillas and other breads that are familiar to us today. There is also a long section dedicated to what gluten is and why it is harmful to people, along with tons of gluten-free recipes.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ1QAoZtGqCZt8QmIs9DZk8wrvW0lGFAinknN2wbhpAv0wkpHHpAWifDfN1E3ElvfeEFxX1P47dt8oj97lXD-j7FkyzLwGj67BUtVm1WVwbokTXZSBjH6gFqIVKwvSoxzcE6x51YoijPE-/s1600/sourdoughbread.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ1QAoZtGqCZt8QmIs9DZk8wrvW0lGFAinknN2wbhpAv0wkpHHpAWifDfN1E3ElvfeEFxX1P47dt8oj97lXD-j7FkyzLwGj67BUtVm1WVwbokTXZSBjH6gFqIVKwvSoxzcE6x51YoijPE-/s320/sourdoughbread.jpg" width="211" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of my sourdough loaves.</td></tr>
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So why is sourdough bread so nutritious?</div>
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Grains (seeds) contain phytates (nutrient blockers) and other substances designed to keep the grain from deteriorating until the optimum conditions are obtained for germination. This is a good thing for the seed, but a bad thing for the human digestive tract. <b>Unless a grain is properly prepared it cannot be digested well and for some individuals can even cause serious harm.</b> (People with celiac disease, for example, a condition caused and exacerbated by gluten). </div>
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Traditionally almost all bread was created with a starter yeast and soured as it slowly rose, a process that dissolves the phytates, predigests the gluten, and makes the vitamins and minerals found in the grain (those being protected so fiercely for germination) bioavailable to our bodies. Souring also makes the bread lower glycemic. When baker's yeast was isolated and marketed to the public it significantly shortened the rising time for bread. This appealed to a lot of people, but especially bakeries. Yet the nutritional consequences of eliminating the sourdough method of preparation were not studied and are becoming more and more well-known today as gluten allergies and sensitivities are popping up all over the place, in addition to health problems (like malnutrition, believe it or not) related to consuming whole grains that are not properly prepared.</div>
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Today some people seeking to consume bread in a nutritious way are soaking their breads (the flour is left overnight in an acidic solution), sprouting the grains (the grain is tricked into sprouting, then dehydrated, then ground, then prepared into bread....sounds sooooooo complicated), and using the traditional sourdough method. I have done a lot of soaking (I still soak my baked oatmeal, though I am thinking about figuring out a version that uses my sourdough starter), never done any sprouting, and since reading the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Vintage-Remedies-Guide-Jessie-Hawkins/dp/1938206010/ref=as_li_tf_mfw?&linkCode=wey&tag=swbansp-20" target="_blank">VR Guide to Bread</a> book have made a a number of sourdough bread items. And I have happily determined that the sourdough method will work best for me!</div>
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History supports it.</div>
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Science supports it.</div>
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And it's easy. Yes, I have made all sorts of breads in my day, and the sourdough method Jessie Hawkin's outlines is EASY. We have so far enjoyed loaves of bread, rolls, pizza crust, and banana bread (I pretty much ate that baby by myself...sorry hubs...) I've tweaked Jessie's standard bread recipe a bit to our tastes and my unique yeast (which I caught using a little flour and water), but I couldn't have done any of it without this great resource.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My sourdough bread pizza. It turned out great!</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>The bottom line is bread made the sourdough method is good for you. Bread that is not soured (or soaked, or sprouted) has very little, if any, nutritional benefits (with most store-bought versions being very bad.) </b>For those who need more carbs (like those with higher metabolisms and those doing a lot of physical activity), it is a healthy carb to fill up on. For people like me who pack on the pounds from carbs (and are not running or doing strenuous workouts) it is an acceptable carb in moderation, especially considering it has a lower glycemic index than regular bread. </span><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> If you are looking for a healthy and e</span>asy way to prepare bread for your family, trying to learn more about how gluten effects the human body, or in search of practical sourdough bread recipes including those using gluten-free grains, I suggest getting this book! You won't be disappointed.</b><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">{This post is linked up at <a href="http://realfoodforager.com/fat-tuesday-february-5-2013/" target="_blank">Fat Tuesday</a>, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.cookingTF.com/traditional-tuesdays-82/" target="_blank">Traditional Tuesdays</a>, <a href="http://www.aboverubies.net/2013/02/domestically-divine-homemaking-link-up.html" target="_blank">Domestically Devine Tuesday</a>,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> <a href="http://wholelifestylenutrition.com/blog/whole-foods-wednesday-your-best-healthy-recipes-tips-38/" target="_blank">Whole Foods Wednesday</a>, <a href="http://kellythekitchenkop.com/2013/02/real-food-wednesday-262013-2.html" target="_blank">Real Food Wednesday</a>, <a href="http://www.spain-in-iowa.com/2013/02/simple-lives-thursday-133/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed:" target="_blank">Simple Lives Thursday</a>, <a href="http://vegetarianmamma.com/glutenfreefridays26-link-up-your-favorite-glutenfree-recipes/" target="_blank">Gluten-Free Fridays</a>, and <a href="http://www.foodrenegade.com/fight-back-friday-february-1st/" target="_blank">Fight Back Friday</a>.}</span></div>
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<i>I am an Amazon affiliate which means if you purchase this book (or anything on Amazon) after clicking through my site I will get a very small percentage of the profit (4%). I am also an affiliate with the handful of nutrition based ads you see on the right-hand side bar. Every dollar I make through this blog helps my family get closer to our goal of being debt-free.</i></div>
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Melodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16378004795810316796noreply@blogger.com2