Just a quick video discussing what’s been going on and some new plans and idea we hope to share soon.
Thanks for watching!
Fermentation with our new Kraut Source
You’ve probably heard by now how important good gut bacteria is to overall health. Microbiology of gut flora is a daunting topic that we won’t go into here. Not right now at least.
We’d been hearing about fermented food since way back in the late 1990’s when we came across the Sally Fallon book, Nourishing Traditions (which was way, way beyond us at the time).
A couple of years ago the subject came up again with the folks at Crabtree Farms. At the time, we were new(ish) CSA members and had quite a bit of unfamiliar produce in which to contend that was perfect for fermentation. We kept hearing time and again how easy it was, and so we finally got brave and tried it.
Everyone was right. For the most part it was super easy. The main issue we had was keeping the vegetables submerged below the level of the brine (which is important to prevent mold). And then we found the Kraut Source device. We’d tried other products, but this is by far our favorite. It is exactly what we envisioned but couldn’t figure out. And it’s a small start-up company with excellent customer service.
We’ve now been fermenting for close to a couple of years so the process seems very natural to us at this point.
If you do a facebook search, you’ll find many groups about fermentation. As always, don’t just listen to anyone, be wise about whose advice you follow.
There are many great recipes and how to videos online, but we just wanted to do a little clipped video showing how we do it. It takes us about an hour to get it started, from washing the vegetables to clean up. And then we have this super, probiotic food to eat on for weeks!
Chocolate Chip Cookies
When we choose sweets, they are almost always baked at home. We try to limit refined sugar but we do use a little fruit, honey and maple syrup (and chocolate chips (mainly dark) are pretty much our holdout in prepackaged candy).
Quick Tip – Potatoes
Quick Tip – Potatoes
When we bake potatoes, we always bake as many extra as we can fit on the baking sheet. Pop the uneaten whole potatoes in the fridge and then you have super fast side dishes for the next few days.
So What Do We Eat – Step 1 Gluten-Free
It may seem daunting at first to give up gluten. Our society seems to practically revolve around bread! But once you get used to it, it’s really easy. Particularly if you experience the health benefits that many people do.
Here are a few ideas to help get you started. This list is far from exhaustive.
You Gotta Start Somewhere
Eventually we hope to have all of our food experiences mapped out here. We now eat mostly whole, minimally processed, nutrient dense foods. We eat organic when we can. We try to eat local and seasonal as much as possible. We attempt to give our bodies what they need, realizing that needs change sometimes. This, however, has been a process. It’s taken us years to get here and we’re still far from perfect.
We frequently have friends asking where to start. That is such a hard question to answer. Truth is, we’re not sure where YOU should start, because one of the most important parts of beginning on a whole nutrition pathway is finding out what works for you. It has to be something that you can live with, build upon, and something that gives you big bang for your buck.
There are some simple facts that we’ve found out along the way:
1.) Eating whole food can take more time in the kitchen
2.) Eating whole food (particularly organic) can cost more money
3.) Eating whole food is not as convenient and takes planning
It’s a commitment. A labor of love. And like many things in life, you get out of it what you put into it. And it does get easy and natural with time.
If you want to start where we started, cut out gluten. Do it today. Do it cold turkey. Why start here? Because cutting out gluten automatically cuts out a TON of junk and nutrient void food. We’re not saying to go out and buy a bunch of gluten free products either. We’re saying that anything you would eat that naturally contains gluten, avoid it. With gluten being a protein found in wheat, barley and rye, this eliminates a lot of what we call “filler” foods such as hamburger buns, pizza crusts and pasta.
We will be putting up a post soon on some meal ideas that only incorporate this first step. Stay tuned.
People ask us, “OK, so you don’t eat out and you don’t eat X or Y, so what do you eat?
Falafel ish
This probably isn’t authentic in any way, but it’s close enough to cure our cravings and prevent a fast food stop. And it’s super easy, inexpensive, relatively healthful, and a perfect last minute dish.
Valentine’s Day – Chocolate Dipped Strawberries
Yes, Valentine’s Day is almost here We all love a reason to splurge and treat ourselves, and we can do that in decadent ways without derailing our nutritional goals.
Chocolate dipped strawberries are a quick and easy way to endulge without adding all the nasties that come in the boxed heart shaped boxes.
Crustless Quiche – Our Version of “Fast Food”
We all need some quick meal ideas from time to time, but that doesn’t mean that we should grab fast food. Just because we’re short on time doesn’t mean that we can’t make healthier choices.
This is a perfect dish to make if you have just a little leftovers but not enough for a full meal. It takes about 45 minutes from start to finish, it uses up what’s left in your fridge so it’s frugal, it’s super easy, and it’s delicious.
While it’s cooking, dump a bag of salad greens in a bowl, throw on a handful of chopped onion and add a splash of balsamic vinegar as a quick side salad and you have a full, healthful meal.
What’s not to love?
Should You Be Gluten Free?
If you don’t have digestive issues with gluten, do we think you should still give it up?
Maybe.
Most information will tell you that gluten itself doesn’t offer any special nutritional benefits.
Mike & Michelle
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