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Little late here with my update on the trans fat challenge–been busy!
Well, trans fat is probably the number one thing I look out for. I avoid it like the plague. I don’t just look for the grams of trans fat listed on the label (it’s often not correct), I look at the ingredients list and check for partially hydrogenated oils. That’s the true tell. So, I don’t have a lot in my house that contains it. The only staple I can think of is flour tortillas. Some day I will get around to making my own, but for now I still buy them. However, I abstained during the challenge. 
My family wanted Oreos with our movie night. In the past I bought Newman’s Own Newmanos, because the cream filling was trans fat free. Since companies are now required to label trans fat, Oreos has reformulated their product. They couldn’t risk everyone knowing just how many grams of trans fat their product contained. So now I will buy them about twice a year. The other night I indulged in one cookie.
Other things that come to mind are peanut butter. I buy Smucker’s Natural because it truly only contains peanuts and salt. Don’t be fooled by the other brands that try to say they don’t contain trans fat. They do, and they’re loaded with sugar.
Many bread products have trans fat added to soften them–sandwich bread, hamburger buns and hot dog buns. Packaged cookies, cakes, and chips contain trans fat. Packaged cookie dough is a big one–it’s loaded, and also packaged biscuits and rolls. Make your own cookies and use real butter. Believe me, they will be much better for you!
I used to buy crescent rolls in a tube. Pampered Chef recipes call for this ingredient all the time. Well, not any more! Not since I found out about the trans fat! Packaged pizza crust, too. Make your own with my french bread recipe. It’s so very easy and much, much more delicious!
Boxed cake mix contains trans fat and canned icing is pure trans fat and sugar. Think of it as a can of Crisco with sugar and flavoring added. I do not eat store-bought cakes anymore and trans fat is the reason. If you invite me over for a party and see that I do not partake of the cake, don’t think I have immense will power to avoid junk food. I have just read about trans fat and what it does to your body and it totally turned me off to store cakes. I make my own and enjoy them fully! Click here for my chocolate cupcake recipe.
I could go on and on about trans fats. Learn to check your labels. Cook with butter, coconut oil, and olive oil. Start making more things at home from scratch. Take your babysteps and checkout The Trans Fat Solution by Kim Severson for more information. I don’t agree with everything in this book (she mentions using soy protein, for example), but her information on trans fat is wonderful. And she has good information about coconut oil, too. The informative part of the book is only 31 pages, the rest are recipes. It’s available at my local library, it might be at yours, too.
I took my son to his homeschool PE class today. Quite literally two-thirds of the class was absent due to sickness, or being afraid to expose themselves to sicknesses. It seems each year the germs get worse and worse. But there is no reason to fear. Arm yourself with this powerful medicine:
Coconut Oil!
It sounds strange, but this healthy oil is a powerhouse. It fights viruses, bacteria, and even yeasts/fungus (think candida, or athlete’s foot, etc.).
As I mentioned here, Hippocrates (460BC – 377BC) said, “Let food be thy medicine, thy medicine shall be thy food.” Apparently the Chinese have this same philosophy, too.
Coconut oil is food, but it is a powerful medicine. We take it at the first sign of a cold or flu and in our experience it has drastically cut down on recovery time, sometimes in less than 24 hours. In the past I have been down with the flu 10-14 days, and nothing natural I tried was working (before finding coconut oil). I used to take massive doses of vitamin C (now I know that will only work with infection, whereas most issues are viral), I tried oscillococcinum, echinacea, goldenseal, and another herbal tincture that slips my mind right now. None of them ever worked (for me, they may work for some, but not for me).
Click on these articles to read more about coconut oil:
‘Tis the Season – How I Beat the Flu with Coconut Oil
Coconut Oil – How to Take It and Where To Buy It
This post is part of Natural Cures Blog Carnival on HartkeisOnline.com. Go check it out to learn about more natural remedies for colds and flu.
Are you ready for another challenge?
This month, the challenge is to cut out hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils for 7 days. Check your labels, you might be surprised to learn what foods contain these oils.
Partially hydrogenated oil is the same thing as trans fat. The problem is that a lot of packages claim 0g of trans fat per serving, but it really is anywhere from 0 to .49g. The FDA allows the manufacturer to claim 0, if it is less than .5. Well, half a gram doesn’t sound bad, does it?
Let’s think about it this way, though. When was the last time you just ate 1-oz. of chips. If you have a scale, try weighing out 1 ounce. It isn’t much. Most of us eat more than one serving of most foods at a time. The manufacturer makes that serving size so small so that they can hide how much trans fat and/or sugar the item really has. So, then you are really eating possibly 1.5g of trans fat, every time you enjoy those chips. Studies show that even 2 grams of trans fat a day are dangerous.
If you normally cook with Crisco, use butter instead. Butter is a very healthy fat. It has had such a negative connotation for far too long. Click here to read about that.
Click here to learn more about hydrogenated oils.
I will check back in at the end of the 7 days and report my results. See you then!
Here is what I’m reading this month:
First, a testimony of healing to encourage you – Robin Sampson’s Heart.
Next, a topic near and dear to my heart – Healthcare – this author makes some very good points.
This week I rendered tallow, following this recipe. I was amazed how easy it was. We made homemade fries in it and they were great!
Next, a warning about soy and birth control pills. This is great example of following your gut instinct despite what the doctors are telling you.
And finally, another recipe I tried, whole wheat crackers. These, too, were super easy to make. This is a soaked wheat recipe, so the phytates will be neutralized in the wheat. I really probably spent about 5 minutes in the evening mixing them, then they sit overnight, and another 5 minutes rolling them out the next morning. They bake in about 10-15 minutes.
My kids loved them with cheese slices. There are a couple things I will tweak, but I will be making them again and again.
Don’t buy fake substitutes! We learned here what is in Cool Whip. It’s loaded with trans fat. When I was a kid, I had a real thing for Cool Whip. Now that I’m grown and I read my labels, I won’t touch the stuff! It just grosses me out to realize it’s just Crisco that is whipped. Have you ever noticed how it never changes if it’s left out at room temperature? I have noticed it on a spoon in the sink, the morning after serving a dessert, and it hasn’t melted like real whip cream will. And it is hard to rinse off a spoon–because it’s grease!
So make it from scratch instead. It really only takes about 5 minutes and tastes fabulous!
1 cup heavy cream (I use raw)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tb sugar
This make about 2 cups of whipped cream. That is plenty for our family of four (with leftover). If you need more, just double this recipe.
I have learned that cream will not whip very well if it is too shallow. So don’t use a big Tupperware bowl. I use one of those square Ziploc disposable containers. This way, when I whip just one cup of cream, it is deep enough to whip in the air.
I fit a collar of foil around the bowl to catch the splatters of cream.
Whip the cream and vanilla on high until thickened, but not stiff. Add 2 tablespoons of sugar and keep beating until it’s as thick as you want. I like my whip cream really thick (thicker than in the photo), but you have to be careful. If you whip it too much, it will separate into butter and whey.
The only disadvantage I see of real whipped cream to Cool Whip is it’s ability to keep. This will keep for a while in the fridge, you can make it ahead, but I’ve noticed it’s a bit runny the next day. Not sure if it would re-whip. I usually make it as close to serving time as I can.
Enjoy!
[Concerned about the saturated fat? Click here.]
If you haven’t noticed already, I highly recommend Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon, with Mary Enig. This book is available at my local library, it just might be available at yours.
This book opened my eyes to a lot of things. But I must say that the first time I checked it out, I was overwhelmed and didn’t even read it. It is so thick. Then I learned that it is mostly recipes. The portion on nutrition is only the first little bit, maybe 60 pages. That was doable to me. I have read that portion, now, over and over, each time gleaning new information.
The authors cover everything you need to know on the subject of fats, carbs, protein, vitamins, minerals, and enzymes, and more.
This is a general resource that everyone should check out, whether you’re just starting to eat healthy, or you grind your own wheat and make your own bread.
I just read an awesome article in this month’s issue of Prevention magazine. I have read about Omega essential fatty acids before, but this article brought some new things to light.
We’ve heard of Omega-3 essential fatty acids, but what about Omega-6? We hear we should eat fish to get Omega-3s, but is it found in other food?
Please read here and then you can read my notes.
The Vanishing Youth Nutrient by Susan Allport
Notes-
The author makes an excellent point that we need to get back on grass-fed meat and dairy, like our great-grandparents. Here are some sources:
In the Tulsa, OK area – Swan Brother’s Dairy
Also for Oklahomans – Oklahoma Food Co-op
In the Tulsa area – Natural Farms (two locations–4th & Utica or 91st & Yale)
Also check out Eat Wild for a list of sources in your area.
Or you can order from US Wellness Meats
(I have not been paid to promote any of the above businesses.)
We see in this article that a big portion of the Omega-6s in our diet come from vegetable oils, soybean, cottonseed, corn, etc. If you will remember from my earlier article, But Isn’t It Natural?, that these oils are very difficult to extract from the beans/seeds. Chemicals are involved, as is high heat, both of which damage the oil tremendously. If we would just eat these seeds in their whole form, we wouldn’t be overdosing on Omega-6. Remember–If God created it, it is healthy, but if man has adulterated it, it isn’t.
I cannot agree with her recommendation of Canola oil for two reasons. Canola oil has a 2:1 ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3. This means that for every gram of Omega-3 you’re getting, you are still getting 2 grams of Omega-6. I don’t see how this helps anyone. We are supposed to be getting a ratio of 1:1 of Omega-3s and 6s. Chances are, if you are using Canola oil, you are still eating some packaged food, so you are still getting too many Omega-6s. The other reason is that the oil you buy in the store is already damaged, like mentioned above, by the heat and chemical process. Ingesting damaged oils is toxic to your system. But let’s say you are going to buy expeller-pressed Canola. Then what? If you are heating it, you are damaging it. If you want to drizzle it cold, on your salad, I suppose it would be okay. I, myself, will stay away from Canola. Want more information? Click here.
On page 115 (in the magazine) and page 6 (online), I take issue with point #6. Butter is not bad. You can read my article on that topic, here. And did you know that butter has antioxidants in it?!? Click here to read more.
So, overall, the information in this article was great and I hope it helps you. It basically just comes down to the fact that if we were all eating food that hasn’t been processed, we would be getting plenty of the right Omega-3s and Omega-6s, in the right ratios.
Have your cake and eat it too!
Contrary to popular opinion, I am not the food police. I am not looking around me in shock at what people choose to eat. I really am an oblivious person. I’m usually too absorbed in thought to notice others and make judgments. I am just trying to take my babysteps and I recognize that everyone is at a different place with their babysteps.
I do enjoy my occasional desserts. I try to stick to homemade desserts and forgo the store-bought or restaurant fare. But sugar is sugar, right? Well, most (if not all) store-bought (and restaurant) desserts are very high in trans fat. You name it–cookies, cakes, pies, etc. You will be much better off if you just make something at home to enjoy. Use white flour and sugar, but PLEASE, please, please, use butter. Your heart will thank you. For more information on that, click here.
Chocolate Cupcakes
This recipe is from a Pam Anderson cookbook. I LOVE all her recipes! (I have not attempted to cut back the sugar in this recipe. Cake recipes are pretty delicate, they are not easily altered, like muffins or yeast breads are.)
I divided it in half to make 12 cupcakes.
Measure in a bowl:
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons cake flour (it probably wouldn’t hurt to use all-purpose flour)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/8 teaspoon salt (just a little over 1/4 teaspoon)
Whisk those ingredients together and set aside.
Melt 7 tablespoons butter and set aside to cool.
Boil 3/8 cup (6 tablespoons or 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons) water and mix with 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa (I use Hershey’s). Stir until smooth. Let cool a bit and then add 1/4 cup sour cream and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.
In a separate bowl beat 2 egg whites to soft peaks.
With a hand mixer, mix melted butter into flour/sugar mixture. Add cocoa mixture and beat until batter is smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. With a spatula, fold egg whites into batter until just incorporated. Spoon into paper muffin cups.
Bake in a 350F oven 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Then let cool.
Cream Cheese Frosting
Now this is where you can really cut back on the sugar. The original recipe had 3 times as much sugar as this, yet this version tastes so good! The extra sugar is not necessary.
Beat together 2 1/2 tablespoons softened butter with 4 ounces soft cream cheese, until smooth. Add 2 drops red food coloring, 1/2 teaspoon almond extract, and 1/3 cup powdered sugar. Beat until thoroughly incorporated and fluffy.
Spread frosting on cupcakes.
Chocolate Heart Decorations
I melted about 1 tablespoon chocolate chips and transferred to a ziploc bag. I snipped off the tip of the bag and then piped hearts onto parchment. I let them cool to harden and then placed 2 hearts on each cupcake.
I love this soup because it is quick and easy to make, so delicious, and quite nutritious. You will get plenty of fiber from the sweet potatoes, lentils, celery, and carrots, and plenty of minerals from the homemade chicken broth and celtic sea salt.
Now if you told me you had a delicious recipe for soup that called for curry and lentils, I would say, “No thanks!”, but I saw this in a magazine and decided to try it. I have made this soup many times now because it is SO good! I encourage you to give it a try.
Curried Sweet Potato Soup
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/4 cup carrot, diced (about 1 carrot)
1/4 cup celery, diced (about 1 celery rib)
1 Tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
1 bay leaf
2 Tablespoons fat (you could use coconut oil, I typically use the chicken fat from my homemade broth)
1 1/2 cups sweet potato, peeled, cubed (usually 1 large sweet potato)
1 teaspoon curry powder
4 cups chicken broth (my recipe here)
1 can diced tomatoes (14 oz.)
1/4 cup brown lentils
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
juice of 1/2 a lemon
salt to taste (celtic is best), probably about 1/2 teaspoon
plain yogurt or sour cream to garnish (sour cream is the tastiest!)
Heat a saucepan over medium heat, add fat and onions. While the onions saute, you can dice the carrots–add to the pan. Then dice the celery and add to the pan. Peel and dice the sweet potato and add to the pan. Peel and mince the ginger root (I suppose in a pinch you could use ginger powder. I just buy a small root, peel the entire thing and then slice and throw in the food processor. Whatever is more than 1 tablespoon, I freeze for the next time I make this soup.). Add the ginger, curry, and salt; saute 1 minute.
Add diced tomatoes, chicken broth, and lentils; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, until lentils and sweet potatoes are tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Optional: At this point, I mash it a bit with the potato masher to break up the pieces of sweet potato a bit and thicken the soup slightly.
Off heat, stir in 2 tablespoons cilantro and lemon juice. Taste and adjust salt, if needed. Serve with a garnish of sour cream and extra cilantro.
This recipe is part of Nourishing Soups and Stews Blog Carnival, hosted by The Nourishing Gourmet. Check out the link to find many more great soup and stew recipes!
The more I use coconut oil, the more I learn of its wonderful benefits. You can read about my results with the flu and coconut oil here. I used to take it only if we felt a cold or the flu coming on, but I have discovered other uses.
My daughter broke out with a patch of eczema and I had just read Gut & Psychology Syndrome by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride (GAPS), so I gave her coconut oil for it. Dr. Campbell-McBride explains in her book how many, many issues are a result of an imbalance of bacteria in our gut. Coconut oil will kill harmful yeast, bacteria, and viruses in our gut. And most recently I learned that it helps ward off certain parasites, too. I gave my daughter the coconut oil daily for a couple of weeks and the patch disappeared. (It was the size of my palm.)
This summer, just a few days before my son was to leave for camp he had an outbreak of eczema all over both legs. It was the worst outbreak he had had in years, it itched so bad he was scratching through the night without even realizing it. My thought was that I couldn’t send him to camp like that! I gave him a half-teaspoon dose, three times a day, for three days. By the second day the itching had stopped and by the third day it was almost completely healed. I stopped the doses at three days since he really doesn’t care for coconut oil and the eczema kept healing, it didn’t come back.
In GAPS, Dr. Campbell-McBride also linked seasonal allergies with gut imbalance so I started taking a daily dose of coconut oil and drinking a lot more raw milk (great source of probiotics). My seasonal allergies were relieved by about 90% this year. That was awesome!
A Spoonful of Coconut Oil
How To Take It
Some people put coconut oil in hot liquid, like tea, to drink it down. I am not sure what temperature would negate its health benefits. Hot liquid to drink is probably fine, but I’m not so sure the anti-viral, bacteria, and fungal properties are kept when we cook with the oil. It is a healthy oil to cook with, but I try to get some raw oil in my family, as well.
When I gave it to my daughter for her eczema I would put a dollop (semi-solid) on her first bite of banana at breakfast. I have mixed it with honey for my son, but he didn’t like that. Now I barely warm it to liquefy it and put it in a medicine dropper for him. I take a spoonful of it in its semi-solid state (see above pic) with a drop of honey on top. For some reason the honey makes it go down, without that it’s not so easy. J
I cook my popcorn in coconut oil and also use it to sauté onions for my marinara. I don’t cook with it as much as some people. I am frugal and butter is cheaper and still very healthy. But for some dishes, butter will burn; so then I will use coconut oil. I also put some in my yogurt smoothies. I have started putting it on my kid’s peanut butter & jelly sandwiches. I just spread a thin layer on one slice of bread, spread on the jelly and the peanut butter and voila!—they don’t even know it’s there! This way they are getting a little bit every day.
I like to buy my coconut oil from www.greenpasture.org. It is quality oil at a great price! (I’m not paid to say that. J)
Here is an article I found that lists in detail all the wonderful benefits of coconut oil.
Here is another article by the same blogger about all the ways you can use coconut oil.
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