I started this blog a year ago so I would have a place to keep my thoughts and maybe help someone else out who was just beginning their journey. Jordan went dairy free the day after Thanksgiving and gluten free 3 weeks later.
I have learned a ton the entire time. My life has changed dramatically over the course of a year. In the first month he lost 8 pounds but over the course of the year he gained 16 more. That is an amazing amount of weight for him. Of course he is still skinny but I can't count his rib bones anymore. I have to point out that he has never been ill if he catches a cold it is for a day at the most.
We all started reading labels and I was shocked at what I was feeding my kids. It is amazing to me how many new words they use now for MSG. I decided to cut out all food colorings and flavorings. So now we are gluten free, dairy free, color free, MSG free, and not free but seriously cut back on corn, nitrates, sugar, and yeast. I learned so much over the year that I decided to go back to school and I am working on my holistic nutrition degree.
We have changed our lives a lot over the year and my blog will be changing also. In my research of food I have become more local and sustainable. I tripled my garden, learned how to pressure can. I made some great farmer friend where I learned how to butcher a cabrito and harvested honey from a hive.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Monday, October 5, 2009
corn dogs
If you remember I posted earlier that my son loves corn dogs. That was actually the last time we had them so I thought I would try it again. This time instead of deep frying them I thought I would bake them. WRONG WRONG WRONG Yup you guessed it mister picky wouldn't even touch them. He would not do anything but smell them and gag. I guess when you find something that works don't change the formula. You would think that after 7 years I would have figured this out.
We are in the middle of a food jag. He wants waffles and sausage patties for breakfast and a grilled cheese for lunch. This has gone on for almost 2 months about the time I stock up again he will be done with his jag. I know I am not supposed to only give one food because the proteins start to get through the intestines and that causes a food intolerance but I am just a mom trying to get her kid to eat.
We are in the middle of a food jag. He wants waffles and sausage patties for breakfast and a grilled cheese for lunch. This has gone on for almost 2 months about the time I stock up again he will be done with his jag. I know I am not supposed to only give one food because the proteins start to get through the intestines and that causes a food intolerance but I am just a mom trying to get her kid to eat.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
squash pickles
I had to figure out what to do with some of my squash and since our cucumber bombed this year I decided to make pickles. Please don't tell Jeffrey that they aren't cucumbers. I am hoping that he won't notice. I followed the recipe trail from the Dervaaes blog to Emeril.
Pickled Squash
Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2001
Prep Time:
20 min
Inactive Prep Time:
0 min
Cook Time:
40 min
Level:
Intermediate
Serves:
Approximately 4 pints of pickles
Ingredients
10 cups sliced squash,zucchini or yellow summer squash (I cut them as spears)
2 cups sliced onions
Kosher salt, for sprinkling vegetables
2 cups white vinegar
3 cups sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons pickling spice
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper, optional
Directions
In a large pot or bowl, layer sliced squash and sliced onions, and sprinkle each layer generously with kosher salt and let sit for 1 hour. Drain well.
In a large non-reactive pot, combine vinegar, sugar, pickling spice, and crushed red pepper and bring to a boil. Add squash and onions and return to a boil.
Divide vegetables between sterilized jars and ladle enough pickling liquid over vegetables to come within 1/2?inch from top of jar. Wipe rims of jars clean, cover with lids and screw tops in place. Process jars in a hot water bath for 10 minutes. Remove jars from water bath and cool. Jars should seal as they cool. Any jars that do not seal should be refrigerated and consumed within 2 weeks.
Pickled Squash
Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2001
Prep Time:
20 min
Inactive Prep Time:
0 min
Cook Time:
40 min
Level:
Intermediate
Serves:
Approximately 4 pints of pickles
Ingredients
10 cups sliced squash,zucchini or yellow summer squash (I cut them as spears)
2 cups sliced onions
Kosher salt, for sprinkling vegetables
2 cups white vinegar
3 cups sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons pickling spice
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper, optional
Directions
In a large pot or bowl, layer sliced squash and sliced onions, and sprinkle each layer generously with kosher salt and let sit for 1 hour. Drain well.
In a large non-reactive pot, combine vinegar, sugar, pickling spice, and crushed red pepper and bring to a boil. Add squash and onions and return to a boil.
Divide vegetables between sterilized jars and ladle enough pickling liquid over vegetables to come within 1/2?inch from top of jar. Wipe rims of jars clean, cover with lids and screw tops in place. Process jars in a hot water bath for 10 minutes. Remove jars from water bath and cool. Jars should seal as they cool. Any jars that do not seal should be refrigerated and consumed within 2 weeks.
Monday, September 7, 2009
3 day weekend
Yippee a long weekend. I can relax and finish my school work, right. Nope not me I have to find things to do that of course could have waited.
On Saturday after working all day at market I came home and decided to rip out the carpet in the living room/playroom. This really did need to be done it smells really bad. My littliest daycare baby spits up on an hourly basis and it just smelt. Well mom and I get in there and rip out the carpet. step one done. Now step 2 replace floor. Hahaha we have noithing to replace it with. I just swept it really well and we are going to put the blue mats down until I can get the floor done.
On Sunday I run into Rockford. Jordan need supplements and some gluten free food. I also end up getting 4 doz sweet corn and several pounds of concord grapes so I guess Monday will be a canning day.
On Saturday after working all day at market I came home and decided to rip out the carpet in the living room/playroom. This really did need to be done it smells really bad. My littliest daycare baby spits up on an hourly basis and it just smelt. Well mom and I get in there and rip out the carpet. step one done. Now step 2 replace floor. Hahaha we have noithing to replace it with. I just swept it really well and we are going to put the blue mats down until I can get the floor done.
On Sunday I run into Rockford. Jordan need supplements and some gluten free food. I also end up getting 4 doz sweet corn and several pounds of concord grapes so I guess Monday will be a canning day.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
What an opportunity!
My neighbors at market from K-Lee bar farm raise dairy goats and with fall approaching they were going to need to butcher some goats or have to buy hay. They offered to let me help. Now would be the time to stop reading if you get squeamish.
http://kleebar.wordpress.com/
I woke up Sunday both a little excited and a little nervous about butchering day. I was really going for the experience but came home with a goat that I butchered. I almost feel guilty but what a great way to get meat that I know has no chemicals added and fed and treated humanely.
When I arrived Lisa already had one skinned and hanging there I was pleasantly surprised that it didn't gross me out. My theory is after 7 years of extremelly gross bathroom issues with my son I can do anything now.
We started our goats I didn't enjoyed the amount of innards at first but by the end I wanted to dissect them. The skinning took me a good 40 minutes I can't believe how fast others can do this. I learned a lot about anatomy and very fascinated, next time if I get invited again I am bringing an anatomy book so I can name the parts.
I have to say this is a skill I am happy to announce that I enjoyed learning. Yesterday I worked with the kidneys to see what I could do. This is where the chef in me came out. I marinated them in lemon juice for a while to pull out any impurities and soften. Next I tried them 3 ways. I tried them raw and I actually enjoyed them, I tried them in a rice dish but I was out of rice so I used quinoa again not bad, and then I tried one cut in half and I skewered it and bbq it. The bbq version was my favorite. They are very rich and tasty.
Today I am playing with the heart. I am also soaking in lemon juice then I am going to cut in half and flour the slices so that I can quick saute and then I am going to let them simmer for a good hour with carrots and onions and celery all from my garden.
The liver is next on my list. I am eating some for dinner tonight and then I am going to freeze the rest so that I can grate some into Jordans muffins so he can get some extra iron and minerals.
http://kleebar.wordpress.com/
I woke up Sunday both a little excited and a little nervous about butchering day. I was really going for the experience but came home with a goat that I butchered. I almost feel guilty but what a great way to get meat that I know has no chemicals added and fed and treated humanely.
When I arrived Lisa already had one skinned and hanging there I was pleasantly surprised that it didn't gross me out. My theory is after 7 years of extremelly gross bathroom issues with my son I can do anything now.
We started our goats I didn't enjoyed the amount of innards at first but by the end I wanted to dissect them. The skinning took me a good 40 minutes I can't believe how fast others can do this. I learned a lot about anatomy and very fascinated, next time if I get invited again I am bringing an anatomy book so I can name the parts.
I have to say this is a skill I am happy to announce that I enjoyed learning. Yesterday I worked with the kidneys to see what I could do. This is where the chef in me came out. I marinated them in lemon juice for a while to pull out any impurities and soften. Next I tried them 3 ways. I tried them raw and I actually enjoyed them, I tried them in a rice dish but I was out of rice so I used quinoa again not bad, and then I tried one cut in half and I skewered it and bbq it. The bbq version was my favorite. They are very rich and tasty.
Today I am playing with the heart. I am also soaking in lemon juice then I am going to cut in half and flour the slices so that I can quick saute and then I am going to let them simmer for a good hour with carrots and onions and celery all from my garden.
The liver is next on my list. I am eating some for dinner tonight and then I am going to freeze the rest so that I can grate some into Jordans muffins so he can get some extra iron and minerals.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Road trip, Disney, and a cruise!!!!!!!!!!
check out how small the boys are they fit in buzz's shoes
What a week! I am pleasantly exhausted. Grandma and I drove 1500 miles with 2 boys and survived. I am not sure how our parents survived road trips when I was young we must have played the grocery game a million times. Traveling with children today is easy. All I needed to pack was 2 gameboys, a dvd player, and some favorite toys and they pretty much ignored us the entire time. We just had to remember to throw a few food scraps at them every 2 hours or there would be hell to pay.
Disney is an awesome experience for someone on the gfcf diet. I ordered a hot dog no bun and the girl asked me if it was because of food allergies. Before I could blink she had called a manager and we had a new hot dog with a gf bun. Jordan was thrilled to be like everyone else. The next day we ordered a gf pizza but it was Amy's so real cheese I decided to let it go. They do carry tofutti ice cream though. The guest assistance pass is unbelievable and my brother also appreciated not having to wait in line with his barely 3 year old.
We went to the beach in between disney and our cruise and it was a great relaxing afternoon. Of course we had done the pool in the morning so maybe sun was becoming an issue.
a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_et1Y-0vlWKk/SpdB1u32PkI/AAAAAAAAAHk/ZCijOjg1ZZU/s1600-h/cruise+007.JPG">
The cruise was unbelievably great. They went out of their way to take care of my son. They made him gf pizza every night. They didn't have the cf ability so I decided to just let it go the gluten free was what was the most important. I did notice more hand flapping and parifial eye movement but that could be because we were away from home for 10 days. This is the longest that Jordan has been away from home without making himself physically ill.
Jeffrey and I went snorkeling in Cozumel and Jordan went with aunt Tami, Kinsey, and grandma to touch dolphins.
Both boys and all the adults had wonderful experiences.
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