Naturally Cheerful, and Kinda Crunchy

Sprouted grain bread

2025-04-14T16:30:00.001-07:00

INGREDIENTS

2 1⁄2 cups water, warm
2 tablespoons yeast (I provided a yeast starter previously).
1⁄2 cup oil
1⁄2 cup honey or sugar of your choice
1 tablespoon salt
2 cups grain mixed sprouts (whole or lightly ground)
4 cups flour (any combo of wheat, rye and white you like) can mix up your own in blender if you like.
3 -4 cups flour (any combination)

DIRECTIONS

To soften yeast:.
Combine in a large bowl:.
2 1/2 cups warm water.
2 scant Tbs. active dry yeast.
Allow the yeast to proof (bubble) for 5 minutes.
Stir in:.
1/2 cup oil.
1/2 cup honey.
1 Tbs. salt.
2 cups sprouted grains, whole or ground lightly.
4 cups flour (any combo of wheat, rye and white you like) Beat well. Cover and let this “sponge” sit 45-60 minutes.
Stir down and gradually add:.
3-4 cups flour (any combination). Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth.
Place dough into a greased bowl, turn it over and around to coat all of the dough.
Cover and let rise until doubled (60-90 minutes).
Knead dough down in the bowl, divide and shape into 2-3 loaves. Place in well greased loaf pans and cover.
Let rise 60 minutes or until almost doubled.
Bake at 375º for 35 to 40 minutes. Remove loaves from pans and cool on wire racks.

Makes 2-3 loaves.

Mozzarella Style Goat Cheese

2022-10-17T08:00:00.001-07:00

Ingredients

1/2 gallon goat milk (raw, pasteurized- just not ultra pasteurized)
1/4 tsp citric acid
1/4 tsp liquid rennet
~1/2 tsp cheese salt (or to your taste)
Non-chlorinated water for dissolving
optional: ~1/8 tsp lipase powder
Supplies: colander, thermometer, slotted spoon

Instructions

Start by dissolving 1/4 tsp of citric acid in 1/4 cup cool water.
Pour the citric acid water into a large pot and pour the goat milk over top and give it a quick stir.
Over medium to medium-low heat bring the milk to about 88 F
While the milk is heating, prepare your rennet and lipase: dissolve 1/4 tsp rennet in 2 T cool water, and 1/8 tsp lipase in 1/4 cup cool water.
When the milk comes to temperature gently stir in the lipase followed by the rennet. Mix well using up and down strokes.
Place a lid on the pot and set it aside for about 30 minutes- or until the curd forms a clean break.
Once the 30 minutes is up, cut the curds into about 1 inch cubes and transfer to a colander placed over a bowl. Drain off as much of the whey as you can.
In a pot large enough to hold your colander, heat up water to 140 F.
Cut or tear any curds that are too big into to smaller 1-2 inch pieces. Dip these drained curds into the hot water. We submerge them for about 30 seconds the first time and start testing if they are ready to stretch.
When the curds are sufficiently warmed, sprinkle them with cheese salt and start to stretch and pull the curds. You want to stretch it like taffy until it is smooth and glossy. You may have to reheat the curds by dipping for 10 seconds or so throughout the process. You can pull off small bits to check the flavor and add more salt if desired.
Shape the cheese into a ball and run under cool water for a few minutes. Wrap tightly and place in the fridge for at least a few hours before using.

prep time: 5 MINUTES additional time: 30 MINUTES cook time: 10 MINUTES total time: 45 MINUTES

Make homemade mozzarella cheese using goat milk!

How to Make Homemade Goat Milk Yogurt

2022-10-16T11:56:00.002-07:00

Ingredients

1 quart Goat Milk

3 tablespoons premade yogurt, any plain yogurt will do. Natural food grocery’s often carry goat milk culture.I generally save some from the last batch to add into the new one.

Directions

Heat milk to a scalding 180° F. Let cool to 110° F. Add yogurt or culture. Pour yogurt mixture into jars or glasses or earthenware containers. Cover jar with clear plastic wrap. Place jars in large pan of warm water. Maintain water at 100-120° F or set over pilot light on stove. Then cover with a towel. The yogurt will take 5 – 6 hours to thicken (dried yogurt culture takes longer).

I use an instant pot set to warm.

Refrigerate once the mixture has thickened.

*Note: Goat milk yogurt is very thin, almost like kefir. For a thicker consistency, add 1 packet of unflavored gelatin dissolved in some of the scalded goat milk in step 1. You may also substitute powdered Meyenberg Goat Milk instead of gelatin — add 1/3 cup of powdered milk when making 2 cups of yogurt or 2/3 cup of powdered milk when making one quart of yogurt. Yogurt thickens after being refrigerated.

How to make homemade goat cheese from fresh milk, farm cheese.

2022-10-16T11:46:00.001-07:00

** Tools needed:

A 3-6 quart pot - You need a pot made from a non-reactive metal(basically not copper or aluminum) that can hold at least ½ gallon of liquid deep enough for your thermometer to work. I usually use a 3-quart cast iron enamel dutch oven, but a stainless steel sauce pot is fine too.
Thermometer - A clip-on candy thermometer like this one works well, but I usually end up using a more reliable Thermapen instant read thermometerto double check, just in case the candy thermometer is moving a bit slow.
Large flour-sack style dish towel - One of those thin, linen dish towels (like the kitchen towels you don't care about). Do not use a terrycloth or textured towel.

Ingredients

½ gallon goat milk
¼ cup water
1 teaspoon citric acid ((rounded tsp))
1 teaspoon diamond crystal kosher salt
dried herbs

INSTRUCTIONS

Combine citric acid and water in a measuring cup and stir to dissolve. Pour goat milk into large, non-reactive pot, with candy thermometer attached, over medium heat. Add water and citric acid mixture. Stir to combine.
Continue stirring every few minutes until the mixture hits 185°F. This can take anywhere from 15-30 minutes, depending on your pot and burners.
Meanwhile, set up your cheese-straining system. Line a large colander with a clean flour-sack dish cloth, and tuck the edges of the cloth through the handles of the colander. Put the colander inside of a 6 liter Cambro bucket. Optional: Use chip bag or binder clips to hold the towel in place.
When the milk mixture reaches 185°F degrees, remove it from the heat, and let it stand for 15 minutes. It will begin to separate into curds and whey.
Pour the goat milk into the towel-lined colander. If you have a smaller colander, you may need to pour in batches.
Gather the towel tight through each handle of the colander to create as much of a taught, bag-like shape as you can, with the towel suspended inside the colander. Use the clips to hold the towel in place.
After about an hour, scrape the goat cheese into the center of the towel in the colander. Gather the ends of the towel together and twist to form a bag with the goat cheese in it. Squeeze gently to express excess whey. Clip the bag to the side of the colander and let it continue straining. Periodically squeeze the bag to press out excess whey.
For a creamy, spreadable goat cheese, let the mixture strain for 3-4 hours. For a firmer, more crumbly goat cheese that can be formed into a log, let the mixture strain for 5-6 hours, or even up to 8 hours.
When the cheese has strained to your desired consistency, untwist the towel and scrape down the sides. Then transfer the cheese to a bowl.
Add the salt to the cheese and mix to combine. Adjust salt to taste. If you’re making plain goat cheese, you’re done! Transfer the mixture to an air-tight container and refrigerate. If you’re adding flavors, mix them in now, then transfer to an air-tight container and refrigerate.

Goat Cheese Log Recipe

Dollop the goat cheese onto a clean cutting board and gently push and roll it into a log shape. Don't apply too much pressure; use quick, decisive motions. If if is too sticky or messy to do this immediately, refrigerate the goat cheese for 30-60 minutes before rolling, or roll it using plastic wrap or wax paper.

RECIPE NOTES

Kept refrigerated, goat cheese will stay good for up to 3 weeks. Press plastic wrap against the surface of the cheese to keep it fresh.
Goat cheese can be frozen in a log, wrapped in plastic inside a plastic bag, or in a container with a sheet of plastic wrap pressed against the surface for up to 6 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge.
Goat cheese + bagels is a winning combo.

Two quick tips:

Citric Acid - The key ingredient that will encourage the goat milk to separate into curds and whey. Usually found with the canning supplies, though it can also sometimes be found near the instant pudding/jello mixes, spice aisle, or baking aisle. You can also order it online.
Salt - I use Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt which half as salty as other brands. If you're using a different brand of salt, even a different brand of kosher salt, cut the amount of salt in half to start. You can always add more if you

*Vinegar or lemon can also be used in place of citric acid to encourage the curds and whey to separate when making cheese from goats milk. This makes the goaty flavor too much for some people so not a preferred method for me.

BONUS: GOAT CHEESE LOG RECIPE

If you want to roll your homemade goat cheese into a log, you'll need to strain it for at least 6 hours. The more liquid you remove from the cheese, the firmer it will be and the easier it is to roll into a log.

To roll the goat cheese into a log, dollop it onto a cutting board and use clean hands to gently push and roll it until it forms a log. Don't press too hard, it will smear.

How to store fresh eggs in lime water for up to 2 years without refrigeration.

2022-10-16T11:17:00.004-07:00

How to store eggs in lime water:

Also known as water glass eggs

Choose a food safe container.
Make the lime water by mixing 1 oz. of pickling lime per 1 qt. ...
Place the lime water and the eggs into the container.
Cap the container.
Store the container in a cool area up to 24 months.
Carefully remove and rinse the eggs when ready to consume them.

Couple of notes:

The reason we point eggs down is that there’s an air pocket in each egg, so if you have it going toward the largest size, it’s not touching as much of the egg white and you’ll end up with a better quality egg.
The biggest concern with water glassing eggs is evaporation. You don’t want your lime water evaporating and exposing your eggs, especially if you’re storing them away in the basement where you might forget about them.
One way to keep evaporation from happening is to use a container with a lid. If your container doesn’t have a lid, you could add a layer of olive oil over the top of the water, then cover with a towel to keep any bugs or insects out.
Start off with a clean vessel to store your eggs. Depending on how many eggs you want to preserve will determine the size of your container. I’m starting with a 5-gallon food-grade bucket, but over the course of the summer, I usually fill two or three of these buckets.
Next, add enough water to your container that your eggs will be completely submerged, but not so much that the water will overflow.
Measure out your water and lime. The ratio of water to lime is for every one quart of water you’ll use 1 ounce of lime. No matter what size container you’re using, this is the ratio to follow.
It’s important that your eggs are not washed before you lime them.

Here is a link for pickling lime.

https://www.amazon.com/Mrs-Wages-Pickling-1-Pound-Resealable/dp/B0084LZU1Q/ref=as_li_ss_tl?keywords=pickling+lime&qid=1554761812&s=gateway&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&linkCode=sl1&tag=omesteadingfa-20&linkId=faed19a777e6f3fef6ff96cdcf4284da&language=en_US

Goat’s cheese spread

2022-10-16T11:07:00.003-07:00

Here’s a quick and creamy dip or spread that will have everyone talking: Whipped Goat Cheese! This appetizer takes just 5 minutes to make and divine! If you love the earthy, creaminess of goat cheese, you’ll love this. Flavored with fresh herbs and garlic, this smooth spread is ideal for dipping crackers. I love to smear it on a triscuit, a bagel or toast.

For party’s though I’ll set it out with raw veggies to dip in it.

Fresh goat cheese
Greek yogurt
Fresh chives
Fresh basil
Garlic powder
Dried dill
Drizzle of olive oil

The amounts of each depend on personal rate, I add a pinch of this abut of that.

All you have to do? Whiz up the ingredients in a food processor! It comes together quick and simple. Then add it to a cheese platter or veggie tray with all the implements for dipping.

It’s just that simple.

For party’s though I’ll set it out with raw veggies to dip in it.

Fresh goat cheese
Greek yogurt
Fresh chives
Fresh basil
Garlic powder
Dried dill
Drizzle of olive oil

The amounts of each depend on personal rate, I add a pinch of this abut of that.

All you have to do? Whiz up the ingredients in a food processor! It comes together quick and simple. Then add it to a cheese platter or veggie tray with all the implements for dipping.

It’s just that simple.

For party’s though I’ll set it out with raw veggies to dip in it.

Fresh goat cheese
Greek yogurt
Fresh chives
Fresh basil
Garlic powder
Dried dill
Drizzle of olive oil

The amounts of each depend on personal rate, I add a pinch of this abut of that.

All you have to do? Whiz up the ingredients in a food processor! It comes together quick and simple. Then add it to a cheese platter or veggie tray with all the implements for dipping.

It’s just that simple.

Koolaide icecream in a ziplock bag.

2022-10-12T21:20:00.002-07:00

Koolaid no-churn “ice cream”

You’ll need:

Ice
1 C Salt
1-quart zip-close bag
1-gallon zip-close bag

Ingredients

2 cups cold heavy cream
2 (14-ounce) cans of sweetened condensed milk. For a dairy-free alternative in this easy recipe, you could also use coconut milk for your ice cream.
1 (0.22-ounce) packet unsweetened koolaid drink mix

Chilling your condensed milk, heavy whipping cream in the fridge before you start will make everything freeze more easily.

Load the cream, condensed milk and drink mix into the quart ziploc and close it tightly.

Put it into the gallon bag.

Pack ice inside the gallon-sized bag, around the quart-sized bag. Add salt and water and seal gallon-sized bag tightly.

Shake with gloves or hot pads (since it will be really cold!) until frozen (about 6 minutes). We throw it around like a football, give it a few good squeezed then toss to someone else.

Keep going until it’s fairly hard.

Open the outer bag and discard ice and salt. Rinse the bag containing the ice cream so no salt gets in.

Scoop into dishes. Enjoy the ice cream with your favorite toppings! Koolaid no-churn “ice cream”

You’ll need:

Ice
1 C Salt
1-quart zip-close bag
1-gallon zip-close bag

Ingredients

2 cups cold heavy cream
2 (14-ounce) cans of sweetened condensed milk. For a dairy-free alternative in this easy recipe, you could also use coconut milk for your ice cream.
1 (0.22-ounce) packet unsweetened koolaid drink mix

Chilling your condensed milk, heavy whipping cream in the fridge before you start will make everything freeze more easily.

Load the cream, condensed milk and drink mix into the quart ziploc and close it tightly.

Put it into the gallon bag.

Pack ice inside the gallon-sized bag, around the quart-sized bag. Add salt and water and seal gallon-sized bag tightly.

Shake with gloves or hot pads (since it will be really cold!) until frozen (about 6 minutes). We throw it around like a football, give it a few good squeezed then toss to someone else.

Keep going until it’s fairly hard.

Open the outer bag and discard ice and salt. Rinse the bag containing the ice cream so no salt gets in.

Scoop into dishes. Enjoy the ice cream with your favorite toppings!

Women’s lives matter.

2022-10-12T21:12:00.003-07:00

I have 6 children and I use planned parenthood. I've been going to them for health care for nearly 18 years. I get birth control there. I also have had more than a dozen pregnancy tests, planned parenthood saved my life twice.

They found my cancer, the nurse helped me find a thyroid oncologist. And SHE called to set my appointment.

The day after, that nurse called me to see how I was doing and if I needed anything.

And checked on me every other week for 4 years as I went through radiation and chemotherapy.

I had a tubal pregnancy that they diagnosed and helped clear my Fallopian tube thus preserving my fertility.

They literally have saved my life twice.

Stop spreading lies.

Most states have 1 abortion clinic. The rest DO NOT DO THEM.

Medicaid NEVER PAYS FOR ABORTIONS. That ban has been in place since the 1980's you’re fighting an already won battle.

You're telling women their lives are worth less than their uterus. We are so much more than the sum of our body parts.

Stop it!

Women’s LIVES MATTER.

2022-10-12T21:01:00.001-07:00

My kids are still baffled that people survived the 1980s without the technology that they are accustomed to now. I purchased Dungeons and Dragons for them a couple of Christmases ago hoping that they would enjoy a role-playing game that didn’t require a tech device of some sort. They were not interested in it at all until early this summer. They stayed up late to play their game, laughed about the different characters and scenarios that they came up with and it was exactly why I wanted to get them the game board in the first place. When the weather is nice, I force my kids to go outside to play or we ride our bikes together as a family in the evenings. We have a ridiculous amount of board games so that they can play with when I turn off the WiFi at the home. My eldest daughter is really into 1980s fashion right now and we enjoy shopping for it together. The 80s may not have been a favorite era for many people, but it reminds me of my good childhood memories. It brings me joy to be able to share this time period with my kids and give them a glimpse of what growing up ’80s was like for me. I love the 80s.

How I Harvested a 42.7 pound Giant yam from my Yam Patch.

2022-10-12T20:58:00.004-07:00

How I Harvested a 42.7 pound Giant yam from my Yam Patch.

________

Other determinants being fair, the size of your harvest depends on the sizes of your seeds. When you sow bigger seeds, on bigger fields, you reap bigger harvests. This is particularly true in yam farming.

December of last year when I harvested my little patch of yam, there was an unusual tuber amongst the harvest. It was large in girth and heavy, but the tail was so stunted that it could pass for a heavy kettlebell. It weighed between fourteen to fifteen pounds. I had plans for it so I set it aside until March of this year.

This year, I chose a favoured spot on my yam patch. The soil here is dark and loose. It was easy to dig into with my digger. I snipped off the stunted tail to get a large head set (that's more like planting the whole tuber). I took nothing from it for myself. I lowered my seed into the tilled and partially filled hole, made a mound over it, and marked the spot. That was a special seed in there.

Our yams are mature this year, and I was more than eager to unravel what became of my special seed. Did it yield a smaller tuber? Did it yield a bigger tuber? Did it yield another kettlebell tuber? The only way to find out was to harvest the mature heap. I set out to do that yesterday.

You all know that harvesting yam is labour intensive. The farmer employs mettle and patience. Great haste breaks the yam, according to an African adage. By this time of the year, around September/October, when the rains haven't gone completely, many farmers employ a practice of yam harvesting known as 'circumcision'. Tubers are carefully excised from the yam plant, leaving the head stumps, and without severing the root mass(at least two-third of the roots). This means that the life cycle of the plants do not come to an end on harvesting. The head stumps will produce smaller tubers in about six months time—this is the duration to the next planting season. These tubers will serve as some of the yam seeds for the next planting season.

I could tell that I was harvesting a large tuber, but the only way to find out how large it is was to keep digging. Patience! At some point, I was standing, squatting, kneeling, sitting on my bottom, crouching to harvest this tuber. I would suffer the worst of mortification and protracted anxiety to break or injure such a rare tuber. I dug. One hour gone, a gaping hole, my hands swallowed from fingertips to shoulders, yet the bottom seemed unreachable. Patience! I had been digging with my hands and a cutlass, but it was time for any tool longer. A shovel? I would have to be cautious to a fault. I dug some more, proding the tuber to know when it was time to lift it out unhindered. Here comes another dilemma: how to lift out the huge tuber without losing balance and breaking my nose, losing the tuber and breaking it. The tuber could only be lifted, kneeling across the large hole.

Yes! I did it. I screamed, pirouting in celebration, and attracting my neighbours. They couldn't contain their awe. They said that it looks like a beast, ready to leap on its prey. It's not everyday we see a giant yam.

This yam weighs 42 pounds, and measures 24 inches long by 35 inches in circumference. I feared for my kitchen scale while weighing it. The last time I saw someone harvest a giant yam was about a couple of decades ago.

To put the size into perspective, this giant tuber has the same weight as about ten regular tubers.

All our yams are cultivated strictly by organic farming methods. We do not use chemical fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides.

How I Harvested a 42.7 pound Giant yam from my Yam Patch.

________

To put the size into perspective, this giant tuber has the same weight as about ten regular tubers.

All our yams are cultivated strictly by organic farming methods. We do not use chemical fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides.

2022-08-22T15:53:00.002-07:00

https://www.ebay.com/e/sporting-goods/spreetail-end-of-summer-sale?mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&siteid=0&campid=5338940526&toolid=20014&customid=&mkevt=1

Roasted Vegetables Keto Friendly

2020-08-14T19:35:00.002-07:00

INGREDIENTS

Yield 4

Vegetables

16 spears asparagus
2 red bell pepper, cored and cut into long slices
2 yellow or orange bell pepper, cored and cut into long slices
1 red onion, sliced
8 ounces button mushrooms, partial stem removed
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
1 head broccoli florets
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Aioli

6 garlic cloves, grated or mashed to a paste
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1–½ cups extra-virgin olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS

Vegetables

Heat oven to 425 degrees.
Arrange vegetables on parchment lined baking sheets (mushrooms & asparagus together)
Toss vegetables with olive oil, salt and pepper until well coated.
Roast 25 to 30 minutes (mushroom/asparagus for 10-15 minutes only)
Toss all periodically while roasting.

Aioli

Combine garlic, lemon juice and salt in a blender or food processor.
Add eggs/yolks and blend until combined.
Slowly add olive oil in a thin, steady stream.

Carne Asada Tacos with cabbage slaw

2020-07-22T12:15:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

1-1/2 tsp. pure ancho chili powder
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1-1/4 lb. flank steak
1 large red onion, cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
2 Tbs. olive oil
3 cups thinly sliced green cabbage
1 Tbs. fresh lime juice; more as needed
8 corn tortillas
1/2 cup sour cream
Lime wedges for serving

Preheat 375°
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix the ancho powder with 2 tsp. salt, and 3/4 tsp. pepper. Pat the steak dry, sprinkle the ancho mixture on both sides, and let sit at room temperature while the grill heats.
Set the onion rounds on a large plate and sprinkle with 1 Tbs. of the oil, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper.
In a large bowl, toss the cabbage with the lime juice, the remaining and 1/2 tsp. salt. Add the remaining 1 Tbs. oil and toss again.
Put the steak, onions, and jalapeños on the grill. Grill the steak, flipping once, until cooked to your liking, 5 to 6 minutes for medium rare (130°F to 135°F). Grill the vegetables, flipping once, until grill marks appear and they’re just tender, 4 to 6 minutes for the jalapeños and about 8 minutes for the onion. (Move the onions to a cooler part of the grill or lower the heat if they start to burn.) Transfer the steak and vegetables to a cutting board; let the steak rest for 5 minutes.
Chop the onions and finely chop the jalapeños, add to the cabbage mixture, and toss well. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and lime juice.
Spread 4 tortillas on the grill and heat, flipping once, until warm and softened, about 1 minute. Stack the warmed tortillas in a kitchen towel; repeat with the remaining tortillas.
Thinly slice the steak and put a few slices on each of the warm tortillas. Top with the slaw and a dollop of sour cream. Serve with the lime wedges.
8 servings

2020-07-09T15:45:00.002-07:00

Keto Queso Blanco Chicken Casserole

Yield 8

Preheat oven 350

4 large chicken breasts, cubed (about 2 pounds)
1 8 oz package cream cheese - softened
3/4 cup El Paso Queso Dip
8 ounces Monterey jack cheese, shredded, divided
3 strips of bacon cooked, drained and cut into pieces

Arrange the chicken cubes in a greased 8x8" baking dish. Season with salt and pepper. Combine the remaining ingredients, except for 6 ounces of the Monterey jack cheese, in a small bowl; spread over the chicken. Bake at 350º for about 30-35 minutes until bubbly, a little browned and the chicken is fully cooked. Top with the remaining cheese and bacon bake another 5 minutes until melted.

2020-07-08T14:56:00.000-07:00

Keto Cordon Bleu casserole style

Yield 8
Bake time 40 minutes

Topping

2 ounces pork rinds
½ cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon garlic powder

5 pounds chicken breasts, about 8 pieces
Salt and black pepper to taste
8 slices ham
8 slices Swiss cheese
3 tablespoons melted coconut oil

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Put pork rinds, Parmesan cheese, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt in large ziplock bag and mash with your hands it rolling pin until it’s fine crumbs. Set aside.
Take each chicken breast and halve them lengthwise so that you have six pieces.
Lay the chicken into a 9x13" casserole dish. Season with salt and pepper.
Place the slices of ham on top of the chicken.
Layer the Swiss cheese on top of the ham.
Spread the pork rind mixture over the top of the casserole. Drizzle on the melted coconut oil and mix it into the crumb topping with a fork. The topping will clump together somewhat.
Bake the casserole uncovered at 350°F for 40-45 minutes, until the topping has browned and sunk into the melty cheese. Test the chicken with a thermometer to ensure that the chicken has reached 165°F.
Cut the casserole into six pieces and serve.

2020-06-30T15:55:00.002-07:00

Keto Instant Pot “spaghetti”

6 servings

1 lb hamburger meat
26 oz Crushed tomatoes
1 can mushrooms, drained
1 garlic clove minced
1 1/2 tsp italian seasoning
1 tsp garlic powder
1 cup parmesan cheese
2 packages of Shirataki (or any other konjac spaghetti (shiritaki noodles, miracle noodles, ect, you prefer)
1/2 cup water

INSTRUCTIONS

Set the Instant Pot to saute
Add the oil to the pot and add the hamburger and onions. Saute until brown and the onions are translucent.
Add the Italian seasoning and garlic powder. Mix.
Add the chicken broth and tomato sauce., Mix.
Add the parmesan cheese and the drained And well rinsed Shirataki noodles
Place the lid on the Pot and push the toggle switch into the sealing position.
Press manual for 5 minutes.
Do a quick release and remove the lid. Stir.
Press saute and saute the sauce to remove some of the liquid if you find it too saucy (optional step).
Serve and garnish with more parmesan cheese

PREP TIME10 minutes

COOK TIME5 minutes

TOTAL TIME15 minutes

2020-06-29T15:23:00.001-07:00

Keto Chicken wings

Ingredients

3 pounds of chicken wing segments
4 tbsp sugar free avocado oil mayo
1/4 cup parmesan cheese (shredded)
salt & pepper

Preheat oven 350

Wash chicken wings under cold running water and pat dry with a paper towel. Season generously with salt and pepper.
In a medium-sized bowl, use your hands to cover the chicken with avocado oil mayonnaise. Make sure the chicken is fully covered in mayo in a nice even layer.
Lightly grease a baking dish with some oil and place the chicken breasts into it. Sprinkle equal amounts of shredded parmesan cheese onto each chicken breast.
Bake in a preheated oven for 40-45 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked and the parmesan cheese has turned golden brown. (If you have a meat thermometer it should read 165°F at the thickest part of the chicken to make sure it's fully cooked and safe to eat.

PREP TIME5 minutes

COOK TIME40 minutes

TOTAL TIME45 minutes omg
Yield 6 servings

2020-06-27T09:26:00.002-07:00

Yield: 1 serving

Mug OMELETTE

INGREDIENTS

Cooking spray or extra virgin olive oil
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon milk
1 tablespoon chopped onion
1 tablespoon finely chopped red bell pepper
1 teaspoon finely chopped chives or green onion greens
Pinch salt
Pinch of black pepper

Spray mug with oil.
Crack eggs into cup mix with fork. Add toppings.

Microwave on high 2 minutes.

2020-06-26T15:44:00.001-07:00

Cheeseburger Salad

4 oz ground beef or turkey
1.4 oz shredded cheese
1 dill pickle spear, chopped
2 c shredded lettuce
1/2 c diced tomatoes.

Homemade Thousand Island Dressing: Mix together
1 T Mayo
1 T ketchup
1 c sweet relish
A pinch of salt & pepper

Crumble and cook ground beef until no longer pink,
drain in paper towel.
Put lettuce in a dish, add the cooked ground beef,
tomatoes.
Eat with dressing, and pickle!

2020-06-26T14:29:00.000-07:00

Keto Cheeseburger Soup

Ingredients

4 slices bacon, chopped
1 lb lean ground beef
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 Tbsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
Sea salt & black pepper
3 Cups water
1 tsp better than bouillon
1/3 Cup heavy cream
1 cup of button mushrooms sliced
3 Cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Make 6 servings

Instructions

Heat a large high-sided skillet or heavy soup pot over medium heat.
Add bacon and cook until crispy, approximately 5 minutes (if not using precooked)
Transfer cooked bacon to a plate lined with paper towels. Leave about 1 tbsp bacon grease in the pan.
Add ground beef to the same skillet and sprinkle all the seasonings on top. Stir to combine and cook stirring occasionally, until the meat is browned, approximately 5 minutes.
Add water, mushrooms to the skillet and stir to combine. Cover and reduce heat to medium low. Simmer until heated through approximately 7-8 minutes.
Remove the skillet from heat. To prevent curdling, temper the heavy cream by adding one or two tablespoons of the hot liquid from the skillet to it. Stir the tempered cream and sharp cheddar cheese into the skillet until the cheese is thoroughly melted. Taste and adjust seasonings, as desired.
To serve, ladle the soup into individual serving bowls. Crumble the cooked bacon and sprinkle on top of each bowl along with the fresh chopped parsley. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Ginger Bug and how to use it.

2017-10-27T17:57:00.000-07:00

Real Food Slow Cooker CHEESESTEAK (GROUND BEEF)

2017-10-27T17:51:00.000-07:00

1 lb ground beef
1 clove garlic
black pepper to taste
1 large (or 2 small) onions sliced thinly
1 large green pepper de-seeded sliced thinly
1 1/2 cups thickly sliced mushrooms (optional)
2 tablespoons flour
2 teaspoons Bragg's liquid aminos
In a small bowl, mix together half a teaspoon each of garlic salt, onion powder, oregano, pepper, thyme, basil, parsley, and regular salt and a teaspoon of lemon. (Some people use Italian dressing mix instead).
1 cup of shredded mozzarella
8 slices provolone
8 hamburger buns or hoagie rolls

Brown ground beef and garlic in a pan. Try not to break the beef up too much, you want to have the pieces a good size. Drain any fat.
Place beef, onions, green pepper and mushrooms (if using) into a slow cooker. Toss with flour.
Pour spice mix over top of mixture and stir it all well with a wooden spoon. Cook on low 4-5 hours. Then stir in shredded cheese.
Open buns put into cookie sheet put a heaping spoonful of meat into buns top each with a slice of cheese.
Toast under the broiler a few minutes until it melts.

Makes 8 hearty sandwiches.

It's delicious and melt in you mouth comfort food.

I serve it with pickle spears and potato wedges.

Homemade Sourdough Bread (no commercial yeast added)

2016-03-14T07:19:00.002-07:00

Bread from homemade Sourdough starter.

2 cups starter (this recipe uses the starter found here on my blog)
6 cups flour (Try a mixture of 50 percent unbleached and 50 percent whole wheat flour, or adjust the proportions to your taste.)
2 1/2 cups spring water
1 tablespoon salt

Mix the flour and salt together in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, dilute the starter with the water. Slowly mix the starter into the flour. (I prefers to use my hands, but the more fastidious among us may prefer to use a wooden spoon.) Begin kneading and slowly work the flour into the dough. Just as the dough becomes workable, stop and allow it to rest for about 30 minutes. Resume kneading until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.

Shape it into a ball and put it into a lightly oiled bowl, then cover it with plastic and allow it to rise in a cool place (about 62 degrees) for eight to 10 hours. Shape the dough twice and allow it to rise about 45 minutes, or until it doubles. If you're using La Cloche or a baking stone, now's the time to preheat it and the oven. Slash the loaves just before you put them in the oven.

Ginger Bug, Homemade Fermented Soda Pop.

2014-08-01T17:40:00.003-07:00

A little jar of ginger bug, a slurry of ginger and sugar, sits on my countertop next to my sourdough starter, where, fed daily, it bubbles and foams. I remove a little bit at a time, no more than 1/4 cup, to make old-fashioned sodas like homemade root beer, ginger mint soda, rhubarb soda and others more familiar to those subscribe to the Nourished Kitchen meal plans who find a new recipe for fermented foods tucked into their meal plans each week.

Ginger Bug

Yield: about 1 pint

Ginger bug, a slurry of fermented ginger and sugar, forms the basis for homemade, traditionally fermented sodas including root beer, mint sodas, or fruit-based sodas that are rich in beneficial bacteria.

Ingredients

Fresh Ginger

Whole Unrefined Cane Sugar or substitute Honey, Brown Sugar or Agave

Instructions

Break off a knob from your hand of ginger, peel away its papery skin and grate it until you have 2 heaping tablespoons. Place the grated ginger in a small jar, whisk in 2 tablespoons unrefined cane sugar and 2 tablespoons filtered water. Cover the jar loosely and allow it to ferment in a warm spot in your kitchen.

Every day for at least 5 days, mix an additional 2 tablespoons grated ginger, 2 tablespoons sugar and 2 tablespoons water into your jar. The ginger will begin to foam and bubble at its top, and will take on the yeasty fragrance of beer. After 5 days, it is ready to use. You can also store it in the refrigerator, and feed it 2 tablespoons grated ginger, 2 tablespoons sugar and 2 tablespoons water once a week.

To use the ginger bug to make homemade sodas, prepare 1 quart of herbal tea sweetened with a caloric sweetener like sugar (or substitute 1 scoop Body Ecology's Ecobloom). Strain off 1/4 cup of the ginger bug's liquid and whisk it into the sweetened tea. Replace the 1/4 cup ginger bug you've removed with 1/4 cup sugar dissolved into 1/4 cup water. Transfer the sweetened tea and ginger bug to flip-top bottles (available here), and allow it to ferment at room temperature for 3 days. Transfer to the fridge or drink straight away.

How to Use Your Ginger Bug

To use your ginger bug in preparing homemade sodas, simply strain off 1/4 cup of the liquid and add it to 1 quart of a sweetened herbal infusion, to fruit juice, or to a combination of the two. Mix it well, and transfer it to a flip-top bottle where you can allow it to ferment about 3 days. Transfer it to the refrigerator, and allow it chill before opening.

*For example- We like root beer so I take 1/4 cup of the ginger bug put it into a jug, add in 8 cups of filtered water a cup of sugar and 4 tablespoonfuls of root beer extract. Put the lid in tightly. On a Wednesday, it's usually done by Saturday dinner.

What is a Ginger Bug and What Does It Do

A slurry of fermented yeast and sugar water, Ginger Bug captures beneficial microorganisms like wild yeasts and bacteria in the same way that sourdough starter does. The wild microorganisms, eat away at the sugar in the Ginger Bug, and produce carbon dioxide as a result. When mixed with a flavored sweet tea, fruit juice or other base, the microorganisms in the ginger bug begin to consume the sugar in the tea or juice, and, as they do, they reproduce and emit carbon dioxide. The result is a fizzy and effervescent, naturally fermented soda that is rich in beneficial bacteria – critical to gut health and immune system function.

What You Need for Ginger Bug (and homemade sodas)

To make Ginger Bug, you need only fresh ginger, a caloric sweetener to feed the microorganisms, filtered or dechlorinated water and a container to hold the bug. To make fermented sodas, you’ll further need flavorings – whether that’s fresh herbs, fruit juice or a concoction of herbs, flowers, roots and bark like I use in my homemade root beer. While Ginger Bug itself benefits from a loosely lidded environment, homemade fermented sodas benefit from a tightly capped environment which disallows the escape of carbon dioxide produced during fermentation. This gas, a natural byproduct of fermentation, helps to ensure that the resulting homemade soda is fizzy, bubbly and pleasantly effervescent when opened.

Fresh Ginger can be found in any well-stocked grocery store, and organic ginger can be found in any well-stocked health food store.

Unrefined Cane Sugar feeds the beneficial bacteria and wild yeasts in the Ginger Bug. I typically use a whole, unrefined cane sugar (like this one), but have recently made the switch to Jaggery (available here) – a traditional Indian sweetener of completley unrefined cane sugar.

Mason Jars hold your ginger bug, and you can find them in grocery stores, hardware stores and online.

Flip-top Bottles allow you to tightly, and safely, cap your homemade sodas as they ferment. The tight cap ensures that carbon dioxide remains in the bottle, effectively carbonating your homemade sodas. You can find flip-top bottles in homebrewing supply stores, though I just use mason jars.

When I approach fermented tonics, whether it’s Continuous Brew Kombucha or Water Kefir, readers often wonder at the addition of sugar – seeking to circumvent its use. When I read these questions, I am often reminded of my friend Hannah’s response, “The sugar isn’t for you. It’s not for you.” Hannah runs Kombucha Kamp, a site devoted to kombucha’s benefits and uses. Her statement holds true for Ginger Bug, too; that is, sugar feeds beneficial bacteria and wild yeasts. Without a caloric sweetener, the bacteria and yeast have nothing to eat, and cannot proliferate. Much of the sugar in fermented tonics is consumed by beneficial microorganisms who then transform it.

What is a Ginger Bug and What Does It Do

What You Need for Ginger Bug (and homemade sodas)

Fresh Ginger can be found in any well-stocked grocery store, and organic ginger can be found in any well-stocked health food store.

Mason Jars hold your ginger bug, and you can find them in grocery stores, hardware stores and online.

Cancer is not for wimps!! A letter to the world.

2014-07-24T10:49:00.001-07:00

Dear.....

It is hard not to reflect on your life when you have taken the journey I have over the past 38+months. I struggle with not letting cancer define me, even though in all honesty, it has completely redefined who I am. And I know that in writing this, I will likely offend all of you at some point, or make you sad, or make you angry, or all of the above. Please know that my intention is none of those things. I am not writing this letter so that you will take pity on me or treat me with kid gloves. I am simply trying to be honest and say all the things that I never say when you ask me, "How are you doing? No, REALLY, how are you feeling?" Quite honestly, you probably don't want to know the real answer to that question, and you'd get tired of hearing me rant about what it's like to be "the new me" anyway.

You're right, I look pretty good right now. Thank you for noticing. My hair has grown back (and it is an awesome color); I have color in my cheeks again; I don't look like a sick cancer patient (because I'm still up about 55 pounds from when I started this journey. What I wouldn't give for clothes that fit). My doctor keeps telling me I am doing"really well" at keeping my weight under control, that most people gain a minimum of 100 pounds within a year of having their thyroid killed.
Anyway, If you just met me, or passed me on the street, you would never know the road I've traveled. And that is weird to me. There are at least half a dozen people that I know now who didn't know me "before." Throughout my life, I will continue to meet people along the way who weren't there during the treatments that knocked me on my ass. They've never read what I am writing. They don't know that what I've been through has re-shaped my view of the world. At this point in the journey, cancer feels like such a defining experience that I feel like I need to wear a badge that says, "Survivor" or "I kicked cancer's ass" or something. Shout it from the rooftops? Maybe. Will it ever be something I don't feel compelled to start a sentence with? (I don't actually start my sentences with this, by the way, but there are so many times I feel like I have to). So maybe what I'm really trying to say is, you just never know the journey that anyone has been on or is currently traveling. Kindness moves mountains...maybe we should all start practicing more of it?

When I say, "I'm tired" in response to your question, here's what I probably mean:

a) I AM EXHAUSTED. I WANT TO CURL UP IN A BALL AND DIE FOR A FEW DAYS. I completely understand that I still have my family and home to take care of....is not helping. Some days it takes everything I have in me to feel like a functional human being. And I still cannot do half what I used to be able to do, that frustrates me. Folks, cancer knocked me on my ass. And then backed up and ran me over. And then did it again and again and again. The chemo regimen I had is called "the red devil" for a reason. There are days where I really and truly cannot get out of bed...for no real reason other than my body won't function. Still. And the PTSD-and/or-early onset chemotherapy related osteoarthritis that makes my body scream, its so loud it wakes me or keeps me from sleeping, pain induced insomnia doesn't help. Or the nightmares that ravage my mind and leave my pillow soaked.

b) EVERYTHING HURTS. Everything. And thyroid cancer turned lymphoma is a pain in the ass. Not sure why one day is better or worse than another. If I sit or stand too long in one position, I cannot move. Watching me get up from a seated position (at a restaurant, off the couch at home to go to the bathroom) is HILARIOUS. It takes sometimes 10-100 steps for my hip/knee/back/leg to actually function properly so I don't look like a 90-year-old hobbling down the hall. At least it makes the kids laugh when they see it.

c) I forgot the question, but you were probably asking how I was doing, so I reply with my canned answer "I'm just fine, thanks".

Here's the thing, every one "does" cancer differently. No two journeys are the same, and I am only speaking of mine. Do I wish I could dance the night away, right now? Sure. Do I wish I could have run a marathon during treatments? Actually, yes. Am I happy if someone you know has the energy to run a marathon during the middle of chemo? YES! I think that's terrific. But THAT'S NOT MY STORY. Chemo made me want to die. Curl up in a ball and die. I remember one stretch where I didn't get out of bed for SIX DAYS. I was either face down on the bathroom floor because I literally could not move or curled into the vetal position on my bed. And I'm sure that I'm so tired now because I wasn't very active during treatments, but save the lectures because I was too busy trying not to die to give a crap about getting exercise. I was way too exhausted to climb the stairs some days. Laundry room down stairs simply didn't see me for months. And I wish I was exaggerating.

When I say, "chemo: the gift that just keeps giving" in response to your question, I might mean a variety of things:

a) I am stupid. HOLY CRAP, legitimately stupid. I have NO ability to retain information. I cannot hold a conversation with anyone, especially with children mine, yours hers, and all others simply left in my care, or "well-meaning authority figures". It hurts me to listen to myself talk about books with kids now because half way through, I forget what we're talking about. Chemo brain rocks!

b) I am so ADD now, it's frightening. Squirrel.

c) Osteoarthritis BLOWS. Enough said. Okay, maybe not enough. I am too young to have this old woman's disease that bends my back and cripples my hands and feet. IT SUCKS.

d) It's hard to breathe sometimes...and not because I was trying to exercise. Probably because chemo damaged my heart and radiation damaged my lung.

e) I can't feel the bottoms of my feet ever. Or my hands sometimes. I no longer have fine motor skills. Opening a jar??? Bwahahaha. That's a good joke.

f) I have a heightened sense of smell. (No kidding, school science fair, I was a judge, in the gym. The minute I stepped out of the choir room (where we'd received our instructions) door, all I could smell was sugar, pizza, and sweat. Had to leave to vomit over the stair railing outside).

g) My tastebuds are shot (which really blows since I can smell everything now).

h) My hair has grown back thicker (yeah), curlier (boo...chemo curl sucks), and with no gray (yeah...although I color it so you wouldn't be able to tell anyway). Doesn't make any sense to me, but there's the truth of it.

i) I'm sure there are many other things which I'm just not remembering right now...because I'm stupid.

When I say, "I hate everyone and everything, or I'm just fine thank you," I probably mean:

a) I hate everyone and everything.

b) I am so tired.

c) I am sad.

d) I am angry.

e) I do not understand why everyone still cares about stupid, unimportant stuff. (Okay, I really do know, but I get frustrated when forced to confront someone who is taking dumb stuff way too seriously).

f) I'm trying not to say that my PTSD has kicked in and I'm trying to hold it together.

g) My body hurts, not in the general achy sense but it hurt, literally.

What?

I'm angry? I'm sad?

"But why? You're all better now, right?" Here's the thing: PTSD is a bigger bitch than cancer. And I try really hard every day not to let it get the best of me. Or to let you see it. But the reality is, I am an emotional wreck. WRECK. I've cried twice while typing this post and I haven't even gotten to the stuff that's sad. I am at least able to see the panic attacks coming on now, but that doesn't mean they are any fun. Ask the family about the one I had out for a drive while we were out in the middle of nowhere. I'm sure that the four of them thought someone was going to die. I only have a vague recollection of the event, but it scared me. The best one was trying to have a rational conversation with my ex about my daughter going to camp, and My husband telling me to calm down when I wasn't actually upset, sent me into a crazy screaming tail spin that threatened to kill my marriage. Because my brain was telling me that the panic attack would go away if I could go in my room and hide like it was emergency exit...just to make the noise in my head stop, he followed me down the hallway. I screamed..... Not kidding. The kids sitting in the room next to me were really freaked out.

So, besides PTSD (which, is not just for soldiers, BTW, and which I really need to write about in a post all it's own), what makes me sad and angry?

LOTS!

Ignoring all the "what if the cancer comes back?!" "What if I don't see my kids graduate/get married/grow up?" "What if, what if, what if?" questions that constantly swirl in my head, here are just a few things that I think about...

I feel guilty about everything my family has had to go through, and the damage that it's done to their mental health. None of us will ever be the same, and whether that's a good thing or not, the trauma wrecked havoc and did it's share of damage.

I've watched friends from treatment, die....one after another, every month. I am angry for....being alive?! How is my life worth saving whereas there's aren't?

I get sad when I think of all the things that I want to do that I could have, and maybe should have, done long before now. Why was I waiting to check those things off the bucket list?

I lost a year and a half of my life. Literally. I don't actually know how old I am anymore. I answered the question wrong the other day when someone asked. Seriously. I played it off as I was teasing, but had no idea and had to count.

Cancer is isolating. Whether that's by force, or mitigating inherent health risks of hanging out with people who carry germs, I barely saw anyone during the entire time of my treatments. And now I'm so used to hanging out in my room, by myself, it's really hard for me to remember to be a member of a family, community, neighborhood...how to be a friend. I struggle with getting outside the shell that cancer created.

Treatments have bankrupted us. Not just emotionally, but financially as well. Actually bankrupted. We filed in January.

People including my husband treat me like I am broken,or lost or stupid or that I need someone to talk for me when all I really need, is for them to be quiet to truly hear.

I don't know if I am a survivor. The doctors sure don't call me one (I have to wait 5 years for that), but I feel like I should surely get a label for all that I've put up with! Or a special place in Heaven. Or a better dessert than everyone else. But I also get twitchy anytime someone calls me a survivor...like maybe they're jinxing it for me.

I think I'm a different person. And I desperately didn't want cancer to change me. But the reality is, while cancer did not change me, living through it has definitely made me a different person. And that makes it feel like I've let cancer win. I struggle every day with feeling like I'll always be "that cancer patient" in your eyes. And my own.

I am nesting in reverse. I am getting rid of EVERYTHING. And medical/science major me who took enough psychology classes in college can see why I'm doing it. I know that I'm doing it because I don't want my family to have to sort through all my things if I were to die. And because things don't mean anything to me anymore. But I can't stop. Just spent the last two weeks giving away ALL of my jewelry.

I am so mad that there is not a cure for cancer. And that people are still diagnosed with it every day. Research, people, research!!! I think the government has a cure and we are kept sick on purpose, so we remain loyal to the hand that feeds us.

I get so angry when I see that you are not living your dreams. Or you are unhappy. Or you aren't saying, "I love you" to those that matter. Or caring so much about things that don't matter. SERIOUSLY! Life. Is. Too. Short. And I know that unless you've lived through something like I have, you understand the words that I'm saying, but you don't really GET. IT. You think I sound like the teacher on Charlie Brown. But if you aren't happy, then what the hell is the point of being healthy????!!!

So, before I alienate everyone, I'll wind this up with a few simple statements.

I am doing just one more round of chemo currently. We thought I was done but my doctor says "just one more, as always". The indecision feels like its enough to crush me. Maybe yes, maybe no, let's just wait and see...

When all is said and done, I still want to be me.

People often don't know what they are talking about. The more wrong they are, the louder they seem.

Cancer is not for wimps.

At the end of the day, there's no prize for being a workaholic, or the "perfect" wife/mother/family, or having the most stuff. Let it go.

Be happy. And let those around you be happy. Whatever that might look like.

Eat dessert first.

Say what you think and mean what you say.

Sincerely, best regards, etc.etc.

Sarah Shelton