I’m excited about Cheeseslave’s giveaway today. Click here for details. She is giving away 3 starter cultures, sourdough, yogurt, kombucha, and more! The drawing will be done on June 29th. Plus there is a chance of being entered up to 11 times! So, go check it out!
Buttermilk June 18, 2009
I am making homemade buttermilk this week from my raw milk. I let my starter go, so I’m starting over from scratch. I like to keep buttermilk on hand for pancakes, biscuits, etc. Plus it’s a great way to keep from wasting my raw milk. Once it’s cultured, it lasts a long time in the fridge.
You can use store-bought buttermilk as a starter, but I found that it only works well for a handful of times. When I start it from scratch myself, it lasts longer (the culture, that is).
Click on this link to see just how easy it is to make buttermilk at home.
If you need more information, check out this link.
Also, you can use this same method to make sour cream. Once you have a starter, either store-bought or homemade, use it to culture your raw cream. If you want it ultra-thick, you can strain some of the whey out (I use a coffee filter, basket-style).
The benefit of both these products, is that they are live foods, without any added junk. They contain necessary probiotics, and even if you are using the buttermilk to bake with, there is evidence that dead probiotics still benefit us (the heat will kill the probiotics)!
Other articles on live foods that you may enjoy:
Pest Control June 16, 2009
We have had problems with gnats every summer for years and years. I don’t know if they come home with the produce from the store or if it’s just a natural occurrence in a humid climate. Whatever the cause, they bug us!
Until last year. Last year I found a natural, safe solution. This is a trap anyone can make with normal things found around the house.
I fill a short juice glass with apple cider vinegar (I don’t use raw for these purposes–too expensive, I just use the generic store brand). Then I just drop a drop of dish liquid onto the surface to break the surface tension. The vinegar attracts the gnats and since the surface tension is broken, they drown.
I keep this glass in my kitchen and refresh it with water as needed or just throw it out and make a new one.
I have tried a small ramekin (6oz.), but it didn’t seem to work. I don’t know if the edge makes a difference, perhaps the gnats had too much area to climb out with. I don’t know. But the juice glass works wonders.
6 oz. Ramekin
Now we no longer have to suffer every summer with annoying gnats!
Tip: It seems to take a couple days to work, so give it time. But after that, you should be gnat-free.
Hope this is helpful. If you have a natural bug repellant tip, please share!
My Green Thumb May 31, 2009
Cucumbers
I have doubted for many years that I have a green thumb, but last year I was pleased with the fruit of my garden, so this year I have expanded.
Dill
I failed a few times in the past, my husband had even banned me from trying a garden again, but last year I decided to try yet again! I decided I must start small and if I succeeded, I could expand from there. So I tried just one container with 2 tomato plants and a few basil plants. I used a mixture of potting soil and cotton compost. I had more basil than I knew what to do with and many, many delicious tomatoes.
Jalapeno and Bell Peppers
Since I succeeded, this year expansion was in order. I have heard such good things about mushroom compost and wanted to use it last year, but I waited too late and the stores sold out. This year I bought some and I have to say, I think my plants are liking it better than the cotton compost.
Cilantro
I have six containers this year, one for dill, one for pickling cucumbers, one for basil, one for cilantro, one for tomatoes (with marigolds to keep away the bugs), and one for a bell pepper plant and a jalapeno pepper plant.
Brandywine Heirloom Tomatoes
I planted a pumpkin seed in the yard for fun, but it has died. Perhaps it had something to do with being passed over by the lawn mower! 
Oh well, we’ll try again next year. We also planted a couple of sunflower seeds for the kids.
Basil
I encountered aphid infestation on my pepper plants a few nights ago. I am going to buy a bar of Kirk’s Coco Castile soap and make this recipe to ward them off. In the meantime, I dabbed some Dr. Bronner’s Sal Suds on them. They have died and I’ve only seen a couple since then, but I’m quite sure my dilution was too strong, the leaves have brown blotches on them now. Overall the plants still look healthy, I think they will recover.
Marigolds in with my tomatoes
I will be sure and post my harvest results later in the year.
Here is another picture of my cucumbers. I have strung up some jute twine to some nails in the overhang of my roof so the cucumbers can climb.
Jute Trellis
Slipping Away May 3, 2009
I’m embarrassed to admit, but here goes–I caught myself slipping away from the very thing I preach, the very thing I deem most important, trusting in God for my health. Read my two articles on that, here and here.
Don’t misunderstand me here, I have not fallen away from the faith. I believe in healing, I believe it is God’s will that we live in health, I believe His Word. But I realized in these last few weeks that I had become like Peter, when he stepped out of the boat to walk on the water and then looked around at the storm, and started to sink. I found myself looking all around at my vitamins, at each thing I was eating, trying to figure things out on my own–and I felt myself sinking. (Read the story of Peter walking on the water here.)
I actually caught myself EXPECTING to feel bad every day! This is SO not like me. I am a very upbeat, positive person, but anyone can slip in this area. That is why I wanted to write this word of warning, so that others will be aware and watch out for this pitfall. And the more you learn about health, the more likely you are to get caught in this pitfall!
I have explained some of the physical issues I’ve dealt with these last 11 months, here and here. Lately, headaches and exhaustion were added to the mix, along with the dizzy spells trying to creep back. I am taking many, many supplements daily and keeping close tabs on what I eat. I was keeping a food diary to try to track how I felt after eating each type of food. I cut sugar out for 2 months. I did an experiment with dairy and was even starting to think I should cut out gluten (NOT a pleasant thought!). Was I eating too many carbs? Was I drinking enough water? Should I switch from raw Holstein milk, to raw Jersey milk? Questions filled my mind constantly! Each time I would open a pill bottle (I do this three times a day), I would have thoughts of anxiousness that I might run out of pills before I could order more. I found myself obsessing about MYSELF, every minute of the day! That is exactly what the devil wants!
You heard me right, there is a devil and he is your enemy! One day I woke up (literally and figuratively) and remembered the verse, II Corinthians 10:3-4, “For though I walk in the flesh, I do not war against the flesh, for the weapons of my warfare are not carnal, but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds.” Even though we have physical bodies and live in a physical world, there is a spiritual world that we cannot see and spiritual forces at work. But we, as Christians, have a weapon that is not physical (prayer and God’s Word), it is mighty in God for pulling down strongholds. Headaches and exhaustion are strongholds. Depression and anxiety are strongholds. Obsession is a stronghold. Jesus said that He came to bring us an abundant life. An abundant life is a life FREE from strongholds!
Do you want to be FREE from strongholds? Then you have got to place your trust in God and His Word. Find out what His Word has to say about your health and about healing. Stand on those promises. I posted the above verse on my bathroom mirror, so that I would have a constant reminder of it.
We can eat right and take our supplements, but we are human and no human is perfect. I believe we actually must get to a point where we admit that we could NEVER get it 100% right–admit that THE only way we will live in health is by the grace of God and the power of Jesus Christ! We must never take our eyes off of the Lord (like Peter did), He is our source of health. Don’t look at your vitamins as your source of health. Don’t look at your organics as your source of health. Don’t look at your grass-fed meat as your source of health. Learn about making healthy choices, take your babysteps, but don’t try to figure everything out. Give your burdens to God, He cares for you. I Peter 5:7 If you want to learn more about this, check out my other blog, here.
If you have slipped, like I did, recognize the slip and move on, don’t beat yourself over the head. Get your health priorities right again–spiritual first, mental second, and physical third. I am excited to tell you that at the moment I got my priorities right, at the moment the truth of II Corinthians 10:3-4 really sunk down into my heart, I was free from the headaches, exhaustion, and dizziness! I am still taking my vitamins and still taking babysteps in my eating, but I am no longer worrying about things, no longer obsessing like I was, I am feeling great again!
You may enjoy reading these past articles of mine:
Personal Care 101 March 18, 2009
This is my fourth entry in Personal Care 101. To read about deodorant, click here. To read about natural soap, click here. To read about toothpaste, click here.
Today I will talk about facial care products, cleanser, moisturizer, eye makeup remover, and lip balm.
First I will tell you where I came from and where I’m headed.
I had acne issues as a teen, but not tremendously terrible. I have had adult acne ever since. I don’t know if this ever goes away. It didn’t at 30, will it at 40 or 50? But I can say that this past year has been the best ever.
I started wearing makeup at 14 and was taught to do the full routine, liquid foundation, concealer, powder to set, eye shadow, eye liner, mascara, the whole nine yards. Over the years I became quite skilled at camouflaging blemishes. I’m sure this did not help the acne issue, but rather exacerbated it further.
Over the years I have tried every product under the sun and spent a load of money! Mary Kay, DHC, Arbonne, Murad, Proactive, to name a few. Some of them were awful–in addition to acne, my skin was VERY sensitive, some of these products would cause a rash. Some of them did work for a while, though. But it seemed it would last for so long and then maybe my skin became immune. Plus it wasn’t easy to drop $60 to $80 each time I needed new products! I dreamed of being able to buy whatever cheap cleanser was available at Walmart!
One day I hope to be able to go foundation-free. I do some days, more so in the summer. I now use Neutrogena Mineral powder makeup (which I’m sure isn’t as pure as some more expensive mineral makeups) and I think that has helped clear my skin a bit. Also, when I started eating better, I noticed a change in my skin. (Sugar and refined carbs cause inflammation.)
But I’ve been the most happy with this new product. If I freaked you out with the baking soda for toothpaste, brace yourself–I use castor oil on my face!
This is called the Oil Cleansing Method. The oil actually dissolves the oil that is clogging your pores! People typically use a mixture of castor oil and olive oil or jojoba oil. The ratios depend on your skin type. My skin is VERY oily (although it has toned done since using this oil). I use 3 parts of castor oil to 1 part jojoba oil. I used olive oil when I first tried this. I already have Extra Virgin Olive Oil in my kitchen (I hope you do, too!) and castor oil was only a few dollars at the store. Even if you’re a skeptic, it won’t cost you much to give this a try! You will find some great information here and here, and here. The latter is where I got my info.
I thought it was just something that came with age, but my pores had become so large and my skin was becoming more dull and rough feeling. Now my skin has a rosy glow and feels soft and smooth. My pores have shrunk significantly!
I pour about a nickel sized portion of oil into my palm and then spread the oil on my face. I massage it in for a minute, steam my face with a hot washcloth for a minute, then rub all the oil off, gently exfoliating with the cloth. I then will put a drop of oil on my palm and pat my face and neck with it as a moisturizer. That’s it! I used to be quite addicted to toners that contained salicylic acid, but I don’t need them anymore!
I was already familiar with using oil as a moisturizer, since I had used DHC and their main moisturizer is pure olive oil. If I ever get too much oil, I just pat it on my hands, elbows, anyplace that needs moisture. My face never feels greasy, just soft. In fact, it has helped balance my oil level. Our skin will produce extra oil if we keep stripping it with harsh cleansers. My face is still oily, but I can tell it is less so now.
I decided to try this oil as an eye-makeup remover. I first get some tissue handy and then pour about a dime size amount in my palm. I rub it on my lashes with my eyes closed. Then pat it off with the tissue. I don’t rub too hard, since the eye area is so fragile. I am very happy with this. It will vary depending on your mascara. I don’t use waterproof mascara. I am using a new mascara lately and sometimes I notice a little residue under my eyes, but I just take a Qtip, dipped in the oil, and wipe off the remaining residue. It’s okay to leave it on your eyes, since it’s your moisturizer, too. I just pat off any excess.
This oil makes a great lip balm. Castor oil is the main ingredient in lip gloss anyway. It is an oil that doesn’t soak in too quickly, keeping a nice shine.
I have even used it as a hand moisturizer and body lotion! I think I should probably use a different ratio for that, though.
Occasionally I’m lazy and I just wash my face with Kiss My Face soap, but I can tell the difference, it’s not as good as the oil cleansing. And occasionally I will use bentonite clay (mixed with water) as a mask, but it’s hardly necessary. I bought my bentonite clay, castor oil, and jojoba oil from Majestic Mountain Sage. They also sell inexpensive bottles, if you need a container for your oil mixture (or you could find a bottle in the travel section of the grocery store). Buy their small dropper bottle (I think they come in 1/2 oz. or 1 oz. sizes) and keep some oil handy in your purse, for your hands or lips!
Stay tuned next time, when I give details about hair care!
This post is part of the Real Food Wednesdays Blog Carnival, hosted by Cheeseslave and Kelly the Kitchen Kop. Follow this link to find out more great natural alternatives for beauty!
Breakfast March 11, 2009
I tried something new today. I made a batch of my Sourdough Molasses Bread, but instead of molasses, I used honey and then when it was time to shape the loaf, I rolled it out flat and spread it with butter, sprinkled it with cinnamon, sucanant, and raisins. Then I rolled it up and let it rise in the loaf pan. I baked it for 45 minutes at 350F.
I want my kids to start eating whole wheat toast with their eggs, plus I just thought cinnamon raisin bread sounded good. It was a hit! This will now be part of my baking repertoire.
Why? March 9, 2009
Why do I have whey in my fridge?
And where did I get it?
What am I going to do with it?
All very good questions!
Whey is a component of milk. Milk contains fat, protein (casein and others), sugar (lactose), enzymes, vitamins, and minerals. In the process of making yogurt, the beneficial bacteria convert the lactose into lactic acid, giving the yogurt its sour flavor. I like to drain some of the whey out of my yogurt to make it thicker. Whey contains some protein, lactic acid, and I’m sure some other things. Read about making yogurt, here.
Since the whey is acidic I can use it to neutralize the phytic acid in my grains (in the bran of grain). The phytic acid, if left un-neutralized, will rob your body of important minerals. For example, I know people like to eat Cream of Wheat for its iron content, BUT you won’t be absorbing that iron because of the phytic acid! Ideally, we should be eating all whole grain foods, but only those that have been soaked or sprouted. Read more here.
If I want to cook brown rice, I will soak it in filtered water (for a few hours) with some whey added.
I have switched my family from modern oatmeal (rolled oats, quick oats) to old-fashioned oatmeal. The less something is processed, the better. Instant oatmeal is the most processed, quick oats a bit less, rolled a bit less, but THE best are whole oats! I buy whole oats (called groats) from Whole Foods.
Old-Fashioned Oatmeal
I like to use a mixture of oats, rye, and wheat. The rye gives it a flavor reminiscent of the Roman Meal hot cereal I ate as a child. The reason I started adding the wheat and rye is that oats are particularly low in phytase, the enzyme that breaks phytic acid down. Regular soaking methods don’t reduce the phytic acid very well (in oats). Amanda Rose, from Rebuild From Depression, suggests adding 10% wheat to your oats. I started doing that and thought rye would be good, too.
I place 3/4 cup whole oats, 2 tablespoons wheat berries (soft or hard), and 2 tablespoons rye berries in a blender. I grind for about 30 seconds. I then put the semi-ground grain into the pan I’m going to cook it in the next morning, or if it’s unavailable, a mason jar. I add 1/2 cup whey and about 2 1/2 cups filtered water. (Here you will have to see how much water works for you. We like really thick oatmeal. Add more or use less according to how your family likes it.)
I let this soak overnight and then in the morning I just bring it to a boil in a saucepan, with a bit of salt added. I stir constantly until the mixture boils and then turn the heat down to simmer, place the lid on the pan and let it simmer until thick. I don’t really watch the clock at this point. It could take 5 minutes, it could take 30. I usually cook this and then set it on simmer and go blow dry my hair and put on some makeup. The first step of stirring until it boils only takes a couple minutes, so overall this is an easy breakfast!
These proportions make 3 large servings. If you are accustomed to eating instant oatmeal, then this recipe would give you at least 6 servings. I have actually been doubling it lately so that we can eat oatmeal all week, but I only have to soak and cook it once. I reheat portions of it in oven-proof ramekins (covered in foil) in a 350°F oven. I think it even tastes better the next day!
We like our oatmeal with a generous pat of butter, lots and lots of cinnamon, some sucanat (unrefined brown sugar, contains the vitamins and minerals that are stripped from refined sugars), and cream. Mmm! You could add fruit to this, nuts, maple syrup–make it the way you like it. (The picture above in the bowl is oatmeal without anything added yet.)
Now, when I switched my kids over to this new oatmeal, I wasn’t sure they would be on board with me (especially my son, he’s the picky one), so I just decided to call it oat porridge instead of oatmeal. That way their wouldn’t be a comparison, this was something new! Porridge! Not oatmeal. My son didn’t take to it whole-heartedly at first, so I tried toasting it. In Nourishing Traditions, by Sally Fallon, there is a recipe for Irish Oatmeal and it calls for toasting the grains before soaking them.
Here they are spread on my pizza stone. I would bake them in a 350°F for about 10 minutes.
When I tried this, my son liked his “oat porridge” much better. I did, too. After a while, he started loving it and said it was his favorite. I eventually stopped toasting the oats, since it was an extra step and he didn’t notice the change. I think he just needed time to develop the taste for this new oatmeal. Now we even call it oatmeal, too. 
I recommend starting out with just a little bit of whey (like a tablespoon) and increasing it each time you make the oatmeal, to become accustomed to the taste. Like I said, I now use 1/2 cup, I think Sally Fallon’s recipe only calls for 1/4 cup. I figure the more the better and I always have an excess of whey from my yogurt. (You can also use lemon juice instead of whey.)
I recommend reading Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon for more information on properly preparing grains. And checkout this excerpt of Amanda Rose’s book, Rebuild from Depression. This excerpt has some excellent information from studies that have been done that we aren’t hearing about in the mainstream media.
Personal Care 101 March 4, 2009
In this series, I have covered natural deodorant and soap. Today I want to tell you my alternative for toothpaste.
I use baking soda. Now, some of you are cringing, but it’s really not that bad! You can add essential oils to flavor it, like peppermint (for a strong Altoid flavor) or spearmint, for example. I just use straight baking soda. I keep it in a little dish in my bathroom. I wet my toothbrush and then dip it in.
I have mixed up some tooth drops for my kids. I mixed 1 tablespoon baking soda, 1 packet of Stevia Plus, and a couple drops of orange essential oil. I put this mixture into a 1-ounce dropper bottle (like what eye drops are in, I’ll give the source at the bottom of this article) and then add water to fill. Just shake and squirt onto the toothbrush. It’s safe to swallow.
I used baking soda off and on as a kid, but the real reason I started back up as an adult is vanity. I had developed a stain on my front teeth that I couldn’t get off. I had even tried whiteners. One day my sister-in-law (a dental hygienist) told me it was just a surface stain that comes of with polishing at the dentist’s office. So I took a Qtip and dipped it in some baking soda. I polished the stain and voila, it came off! So I started using baking soda off and on and then one day just quit using regular toothpaste. My teeth just feel so much cleaner with the baking soda.
Regular toothpaste and even a lot of so-called natural toothpastes contain dangerous ingredients, like fluoride and triclosan; and sorbitol, a sugar alcohol that bacteria can feed on.
Sugar feeds bacteria, that’s why we brush it off our teeth, right? But our toothpastes and mouthwashes (if they contain sorbitol, or other sugar alcohols) are leaving something on our teeth that also feeds that bacteria! That doesn’t make a lot of sense, does it?
Stevia is a natural sweetener that does not feed bacteria, that is why I chose to put it in my kid’s homemade tooth drops.
So, baking soda is not only healthier, but oh, so frugal. I buy a 1-pound box for .43 cents.
Here is a mouthwash recipe that I came across the other day. I have not tried it, but I’ve heard from others that it was good. I think that same blog has a recipe for a salt toothpaste, too.
I bought my 1-ounce dropper bottles from Majestic Mountain Sage, they offer great prices on soap and lotion supplies. The bottles are sold in a 10-pack, but they are a great price and you could split the order with a friend.
Please read these articles about fluoride, and triclosan. And remember, the health of our teeth, really comes down to our diet! Want to know more, click here.
Get To The Root February 25, 2009
I have said it before and I will say it again–most of our health issues are rooted in our diets (and the diets of our mothers and grandmothers, certain things we were born with, were because of their diets, but most can be reversed).
I thought I had found the root of the dermatitis I was experiencing–stress, and I detailed that here. But I removed sources of stress in my life and slowed things down and saw a little recovery, but not full. Anytime something came up, EVEN just having to leave the house(!), I would experience a flare-up. On top of a patch of dermatitis on my hand, I was also experiencing eczema and hives on most of the rest of my body. Not fun!!!
Through all this, I have tried my best to put my trust in the Lord and NOT lean on my own understanding. Sometimes this is difficult for me, since I have studied up on health so much! I just had to get to the point where I turned it TOTALLY over to the Lord and didn’t worry or think about it anymore, including no more research.
I was constantly reminded of the verse that says, “God is not the author of confusion,” so anytime a solution came to my mind that brought anxiety, I knew it wasn’t from God. I only followed leadings that brought peace. (For instance, I had thoughts of trying the GAPS diet, where you eliminate all grains, all dairy, and all starchy vegetables and fruit, but that brought me great anxiety. I think GAPS is wonderful, but it wasn’t the answer for me at this time.)
One day, I felt the need to research hives and adrenals glands and low and behold (!), I found information that matched what I had been experiencing, PLUS other issues, like the dizzy spells I detailed here, and low blood sugar issues, mentioned here, hay fever, and quite possible the irregular cycles I’ve always experienced.
So, it seems I WAS correct in saying that our diet is the root of our problems. I was experiencing stress, but that was because my adrenal glands were fatigued and couldn’t handle the stress properly. (When your adrenal glands are tired, everything stresses you out.) I am now focusing on healing the adrenals and am seeing bigger recovery. My hand is almost 100% clear and the rest of the skin issues are greatly diminished as well.
Here are the articles that helped me so much:
Adrenal Fatigue & Your Diet by Dr. Marcelle Pick
This is part of the Real Food Wednesdays Blog Carnival hosted by Cheeseslave and Kelly the Kitchen Kop. This week’s topic is Real Food Testimonials, check out the link to read many more inspiring stories of how diet has changed people’s lives!
