Another Reason to Buy Local

http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2011/08/honey-laundering/ Unsafe Honey Flooding American Super Markets

I have really gotten into the SLOW (seasonal, local, organic, whole) movement since reading Alice Waters book

It started for me as just a cook book to read from the library to get me and my family eating better, but the message stayed with me and has lead me to read many other books about the SLOW food movement and eating. I was a vegetarian for 10 years till I got pregnant the first time (cravings got the better of me, and a little anemia didn't help) so I am no stranger to animal rights, healthier food and sustainable foods, but recently I have been learning so much more.
We I read news articles like about about what horrible things get into our food it makes me more a more want to reach my dream of becoming a homesteader.
Hopefully one day I will be more of a homesteader and a radical homemaker then I am now.

Raspberry Preserves

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I have become more of a homesteader and a better homemaker and what better way then to make your own jam. This way I know exactly what is in what we are eating, I love that. We have lots of local farms, some with pick your own, so I went out with Liv last week and picked as many raspberries as possible.
I tried to do the same with strawberries, but I missed a lot of the season so picking was slim and we just ate most of it. Hoping to make some yummy stuff with blueberries soon, they are now starting to get ripe up where I live.

I was totally surprised at how easy it was to make jam, and how yummy the results turned out.
Technically I made preserves, which is not as smooth as jam or jelly. But to make jam or jelly you need more supplies, and just in case I hated the process or got lazy (which tends to happened when you are 8 months pregnant in a hot hot summer) I wanted to start of easy.

How made Raspberry Preserves (yields 3 jars)
4 cups of raspberries, cleaned and picked over
3 cups sugar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
Combine all ingredients and let them sit for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally, till all the sugar is dissolved
Pour into a heavy sauce pan
Bring to a boil, reduce heat, simmer till a candy thermometer reaches 220 degrees F
Remove from heat, skim off any foam.
Ladle into 3 1/2pint jelly jars that are sterile, allow 1/4inch headspace. Cap and seal
Process 10 min using boiling water method.
Remove and let cool.
Enjoy!

Related articles

• 10 Ways to Use Raspberries (frugalrecipes.wordpress.com)

Enjoying Summer's Bounty

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One of the best things about living in the garden state is when our produce starts to come it.
Last week we went strawberry picking at a local farm.

I think Liv ate almost half our bounty on the walk back from the strawberry fields.
I wanted to freeze them, make jam and make a strawberry tart, but since we went late in the season and Liv ate most of them we just ate the rest of them up in their natural state. I have to say they are the best strawberries I have ever eaten. Nothing tastes better then fruit eating right of the vine.
We are going raspberry picking Thursday, and since they are more tart I know Liv won't eat as many so I will have enough left for some jam.
Blueberries are also coming in season so that will be out next adventure. I don't know how many of those I will get home. Blueberries are her favorite.
I just feel so blessed living in an area with so many great farms and markets that have so many fresh, local and organic produce.
SLOW food, Seasonal, local, organic, whole. There are so many benefits to eating this way as much as possible, for your health and the environment.
To find out what is in season in your area go here.

Organic Eating

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I found these 2 articles on organic eating from the Huffington Post very interesting and wanted to share.

The first is what you should buy organic and the second is what is not worth it.
There are so many chemicals and toxins in our environment but going 100% organic can be very expensive. There are certain items that your money is better spent on.
Some items on the list really surprised me. Popcorn? I love popcorn and usually do just make it in the bag. This is a habit that I will definitely be ending. Sometimes convenience is not worth the risks to our health.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/19/why-organic-_n_837794.html#s255280&title=Beef_
There are also so items on this list that surprised me. I don't often buy organic eggs, but when they are on sale I splurge, now I will not waste my money.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/22/shopping-organic-_n_838675.html#s256201&title=Clothing

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• What the Experts Won't Even Eat (fitsugar.com)
• Why you shouldn't eat... microwave popcorn (casacheesewine.com)

Organic Junk

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This pregnancy has so far been much harder then my first. The nausea is worse and cooking for my family has become difficult.
Last pregnancy I was working so I could afford some good quality take out, this time I can not.
I trolled the supermarket for quick, easy, healthy meals. I was shocked at all the "healthy" organic food that is horrible for you. There is so much junk food that is labeled organic. A cookie, or chip that has been fried is still not very healthy if its labeled organic. The worst I have found was the food for my toddler. Before my pregnancy almost everything she ate was homemade from scratch, but since most food makes me want to puke I've had to resort to store bought for many of her snacks.
I am so glad that I have taken the time to read the labels. Organic "fruit" snacks, only really had organic cane sugar and some fruit juice. This is horrible for a toddler, for anyone really. Just pure sugar and junk, even though its organic.
Instead of pre-made meals and other junk I have just resorted to lots of simple meals. Yes my husband is sick of eating pasta and salad, grilled chicken with rice and veggies and other simple meals, but its much better then the packaged meals filled with sodium and other products horrible for him and my daughter.
For snacks we are mostly eating fresh or canned fruit (in its own juice) and of course some carbs since they help my stomach. Pretzels, peanut butter crackers and fresh bread.
My warning here is just simple but just because it says organic doesn't mean its good for you. Whole foods in their raw form are usually best, but if you do by packaged goods take time time to read the ingredients, you may be surprised at what is in something labeled organic, natural or healthy.

Related articles

• March is National Nutrition Month (shareitforward.ca)
• 21 Healthiest Packaged Foods (abcnews.go.com)
• Organic Food - Facts and Advantages of Organic Food (socyberty.com)

Homemade Bread

King Arthur Flour - Premium 100% Whole Wheat Flour - 5 Lbs. (Pack of 3)

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I've have been a little scared to make bread from scratch. I love to bake, but with a toddler at home I have been too worried to devote as much time as is needed to make fresh bread.
Well last week I ran out of bread and didn't feel like going to the store. I looked on the back of my whole wheat flour bag and saw this recipe. This no knead reciped seemed easy to make and didn't require too much time so I gave it a whirl.
The bread came out pretty good for my first try. My DH even ate it with some honey spread on it. He hates wheat breads.
There was something just so satistying about making you own bread.
It was lovely for my whole house to smell like fresh baked bread.
I am now feeling a bit more adventurous and might try a knead bread soon.

Homemade Always Seems to Taste Better

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Last week we went apple picking at a local orchard. After almost a week of apples and apple crisp I was getting a little board of apples, but I had a bunch left, a mix of green and red ones. They were now in the fridge since its been a while since they were picked and were not as yummy and juicy as then once were so I knew if I didn't do something with them they would go bad and be a waste. And being the green momma and moneysaver I am I could not let them go to waste. So I knew I was going to make porkchops one night so I decided to make homemade applesauce with it. I modified a simple recipe I found.
I can not believe how good my applesauce was. It tasted nothing like the suff you get out of a jar. I don't think I could ever eat jarred applesauce again. And the best part was that it was so easy. Growing up in these times were are just so accustomed to getting everything off the shelf in jars and cans. I am slowly changing my mind set to more DIY and my palate thanks me.
Its also just feels good to make things from scratch. It amazes me that people stopped making certain that are really easy. I never knew that applesauce was so easy to make, I have only ever had Motts out of a jar as a kid.
I really enjoy the fact that even though Liv is so young I am creating memories and teaching her skills that will last a life time.
If you have some left over apples enjoy this recipe. It tastes great warm and makes an healthy dessert.

Homemade Apple Sauce
3lbs apples, peeled and cut in slices. Use a mix of sweet apples and baking apples, mostly baking, about 2/3 baking so you don't need so much sugar.
1/3-2/3 cup sugar, with the mix of apples you only need 1/3 tops. You can even do less or do all sweet apples and no sugar.
About 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon, more or less to taste (I like more)
Put all the ingredients in a pot on the stove, bring to a boil.
When boiling cover, reduce the heat and simmer 8-10 min till apples are tender. Adding more water if needed. (if you end up adding too much you can drain a little at the end, but you should leave some in the mix when you go to blend it)
Place the mix in a blender and blend till smooth. You use a potato masher to make lumpy applesauce.
And Enjoy! Great warm or cold.

This is a great snack for toddlers too. Liv will dip a breadstick in the mix or just eat some with a spoon.

Related articles

• Canning Food for the Winter is Plastic-Free - Except for the Jar Lids! (fakeplasticfish.com)
• Healthy Apple Recipes for Autumn (brighthub.com)
• The Homesteader's Kitchen Recipe: Apple-Raspberry Crisp for Autumn's Bounty (eco-chick.com)

Weeky meals

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I grocery shop every Monday, its part of our weekly rhythm. So Sunday I sit down, go through coupons, flyers and my fridge and freezer and plan meals for the week. Here is this weeks meals.

Monday-Paninis- with pesto, mozz cheese and tomato with a side salad
Tues-Pork Chops with apple sauce and some veggies
Wednesday- Turkey Burgers and fries mmmm
Thursday-Pasta night, Thursday is often pasta night in my house
Friday-Pizza night, another weekly staple, our only take out for the week
Saturday-Breaded chicken with mixed veggies
Sunday Turkey meatloaf with potatoes.
I have this listed on a whiteboard on my frige. It makes it easier and I always remember to take out some meat from the freezer if need.

Related articles

• Menu Plan Monday (well actually Tuesday!) (livingrichwithcoupons.com)
• Consumers Urged To Cook Pasta On October 25 (prweb.com)
• Menu Plan Monday - 7/26 (livingrichwithcoupons.com)

Filling my Home with Scents of the Season...pumpkin bread

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In an earlier post I pledged to fill my home with natural scents of the season, not with fake candle smells.
Well on this cold, rainy day I fill my house with warmth from the oven and the lovely smell of fresh baked pumpkin cranberry bread.
MMM. I use this recipe. It says you can use "craisins" or sweetened cranberries. I use fresh cranberries and let them sit in some sugar to sweeten them a little, but I like the contrast of the tart cranberries and the sweet bread, which that contrast would be lost with craisins.
This recipe is great since it makes 2 loafs, one for me and then one for a friend. It is one of my fall favorites.
I am glad to be keeping my pledge and fill my home with scents of the season.