February 19, 2017
Bye bye traditional probiotics....
.........and hello to homemade fermented foods! Although it can be a hassle to whack open young green coconuts with a very menacing looking kitchen hatchet (we are incredibly careful when it is out), it is well worth the work to produce such incredible, strong probiotic foods. With only six coconuts, we made almost a half gallon of fermented yogurt (we also call it pudding), and a half gallon of kefir from the water. To make the yogurt/pudding, we will combine the coconut meat with water in our Vitamix until we get a consistency that is not watery, but will just barely blend while on high speed (so somewhat thicker, like a pudding). It will thicken up quite a bit more after being in the frig. After blended well, we add in Body Ecology Culture Starter packets. I used two for this amount of coconuts, so you will need to estimate accordingly. After gently stirring in the cultures (not in the blender!), we close the lid and place on the counter in a warmer, undisturbed area for 36 hours. And then it goes in the frig for at least 12 hours to set. For the kefir, we simply add the Body Ecology Kefir starter (again two packets for this size) to the water, gently stirring it in. And then it sits on the counter next to the yogurt for 36 hours, and then in the frig for 12 hours to chill. Here's to homemade probiotics! Enjoy!!! :-)
February 9, 2017
Magic Mineral Broth and
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Every night at the kitchen table, we sit by candlelight for dinner and give thanks for the many blessings in our lives. In the bitter cold winter months in Vermont, we eat soup and stews - a LOT of them. It is amazing how powerful and spirit-filling hot soup can be when coming in from the cold air and evening farm chores.
I am working on a Farm to Table cookbook with the kids, and it is such an exciting project! We have created many wonderful and nourishing recipes over the years, and I have learned so much about broths, spices, and healing herbs. Traditional organic food IS medicine - the best kind of medicine out there! In this day and age where "pre-cooked" and "prepared and packaged" foods are the new normal, people just have to be willing to take the time to make healthy food themselves - at home. It is a commitment, but once you start and see the positive results in both mind and body, it is impossible to go back. :-) |
