Foraging is now one of our favorite weekend pastimes. It doesn't get much fresher or more local than foraging in a field or grassy area near your home! We probably would have spent $20 on greens and berries from what we foraged this weekend within a mile of our home.
Mmmmm....spring berries!
On Saturday morning we went out as a family to pick mulberries and blackberries near our home in an area that seems to have little pollution. Unfortunately, the mulberries are almost gone and the blackberries are not quite ripe, but we did find enough mulberries for a tasty morning snack. I'm sure our three year old son is making good memories of hunting for berries. A few weeks ago we were able to pick bags full of mulberries, which we mostly dehydrated for future camping snacks.
Dandelions, kudzu and briers, not a dread but a delicious dish!
We also picked green briers (yes, those pesky briers that catch on your clothing as you walk through the woods are edible and the shoots and young leaves make a tasty salad!) which we served for dinner on Sunday night as part of a big salad. We also ate our first kudzu dish with our lunch on Saturday. We sauteed the kudzu in butter and a little salt. They remind me of collards or kale, only furrier. :-)
Another favorite of ours is dandelion greens which were very good in early spring, but are edible year-round.
If you're interested in foraging, please be sure to educate yourself on different plants for your own safety. There are poisonous plants around Raleigh too! A good resource my husband frequently uses is the Eat the Weeds website which has many great videos.
Monday, June 6, 2011
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Homemade Yogurt WITHOUT a Yogurt Maker
I LOVE YOGURT! I have loved it for years, but didn't start making my own until about six months ago. It is so easy and satisfying to make and you do not need any special equipment besides your oven and a a candy thermometer. I'm actually making yogurt right now while I'm typing this post. I recommend making it while you do something else because the part that takes the most time is just slowly waiting for the milk to warm up and then waiting more time for the milk to cool. The first few times I tried to make it I watched the milk closely to make sure I got to the right temperature. Now I know the recipe so well, I don't even check the temperature until It's around the right temperature--I just know when it's ready.
I started making yogurt because we were going through 3-4 quarts of yogurt per week and the cost for organic cream top yogurt was almost $4.00 per quart! The cost for a gallon of whole organic milk is also around $6 and there are 4 quarts in one gallon of milk so it is around 1/3 of the cost of yogurt for me to make my own!
Here is the recipe:
Homemade Yogurt Without a Yogurt Maker
1/2 cup plain yogurt for the culture (must contain live and active cultures)
Half gallon of milk (not ultra-pasturized)
Directions:
Heat one half gallon of milk over medium heat, stirring often.
You are going to heat the milk until right before it starts to boil. It will look a little frothy on top and will give off a little bit of steam. The milk needs to be brought up to 180 degrees Fahrenheit.
At this point you should turn on your oven to "warm" or around 185 degrees F.
The next step is to cool the milk. Let it set until it cools to 110 degree F. If you want you can cool it faster by placing pot in a sink of cold water. I've found it takes about an hour to cool if it is just cooled at room temperature.
Once the milk is cooled to 110 degrees, mix it with the culture. I like to do this in a separate bowl, stirring in a little milk at a time to the yogurt culture to make sure the culture is thoroughly mixed through the milk. Now cover the bowl and place in your oven. Turn the oven off.
The cultures will do their job and turn the milk into creamy delicious yogurt in about 4-6 hours. Then put your bowl in the fridge for another 7 hours and then your yogurt is ready to eat. You can pour off the whey (clear liquid) and reserve it for other purposes like home lacto-fermentation. The more whey you drain out, the thicker your yogurt will be. I reserve the whey for other purposes and when I have it around take a teaspoon of it with each meal to help with digestion.
This recipe was taken and adapted from http://www.yogurt-everyday.com
I started making yogurt because we were going through 3-4 quarts of yogurt per week and the cost for organic cream top yogurt was almost $4.00 per quart! The cost for a gallon of whole organic milk is also around $6 and there are 4 quarts in one gallon of milk so it is around 1/3 of the cost of yogurt for me to make my own!
Here is the recipe:
Homemade Yogurt Without a Yogurt Maker
1/2 cup plain yogurt for the culture (must contain live and active cultures)
Half gallon of milk (not ultra-pasturized)
Directions:
Heat one half gallon of milk over medium heat, stirring often.
You are going to heat the milk until right before it starts to boil. It will look a little frothy on top and will give off a little bit of steam. The milk needs to be brought up to 180 degrees Fahrenheit.
At this point you should turn on your oven to "warm" or around 185 degrees F.
The next step is to cool the milk. Let it set until it cools to 110 degree F. If you want you can cool it faster by placing pot in a sink of cold water. I've found it takes about an hour to cool if it is just cooled at room temperature.
Once the milk is cooled to 110 degrees, mix it with the culture. I like to do this in a separate bowl, stirring in a little milk at a time to the yogurt culture to make sure the culture is thoroughly mixed through the milk. Now cover the bowl and place in your oven. Turn the oven off.
The cultures will do their job and turn the milk into creamy delicious yogurt in about 4-6 hours. Then put your bowl in the fridge for another 7 hours and then your yogurt is ready to eat. You can pour off the whey (clear liquid) and reserve it for other purposes like home lacto-fermentation. The more whey you drain out, the thicker your yogurt will be. I reserve the whey for other purposes and when I have it around take a teaspoon of it with each meal to help with digestion.
This recipe was taken and adapted from http://www.yogurt-everyday.com
Friday, May 27, 2011
Deviled Eggs with Yogurt!
I had a going away party for my friend Amy last night. I wanted to make devilled eggs, but was in sort of a hurry and didn't have time to make my own mayonnaise. I checked the ingredients of the different bottles of mayo at Whole Foods (even organic ones) and did not find any with acceptable ingredients, so I decided to make my devilled eggs with yogurt. When I got home from the store and searched online, I indeed found recipes similar to what I wanted to make. My recipe is based on this one from Group Recipes.
Guests at the party raved about these devilled eggs. I used fresh dill from my new little container garden which I planted this week. I purchased the free-range eggs from Rare Earth Farms at the State Farmer's Market. I buy most of my free range eggs from vendors at the State Farmer's Market and from my favorite source, Spain Farm located here in Raleigh. Anyway, here is my recipe:
12 hard boiled eggs
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon raw apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon parsley flakes
dash cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon paprika, plus more for garnish
1 teaspoon fresh dill chopped, plus more for garnish
Cut eggs in half lengthwise then remove yolks and set whites aside.
Mash yolks with a fork then blend in remaining ingredients.
Refill whites using 1 tablespoon yolk mixture for each egg half, or you can pipe the yolk mixture into the whites to make a more decorative look. Garnish with paprika and dill.
Guests at the party raved about these devilled eggs. I used fresh dill from my new little container garden which I planted this week. I purchased the free-range eggs from Rare Earth Farms at the State Farmer's Market. I buy most of my free range eggs from vendors at the State Farmer's Market and from my favorite source, Spain Farm located here in Raleigh. Anyway, here is my recipe:
12 hard boiled eggs
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon raw apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon parsley flakes
dash cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon paprika, plus more for garnish
1 teaspoon fresh dill chopped, plus more for garnish
Cut eggs in half lengthwise then remove yolks and set whites aside.
Mash yolks with a fork then blend in remaining ingredients.
Refill whites using 1 tablespoon yolk mixture for each egg half, or you can pipe the yolk mixture into the whites to make a more decorative look. Garnish with paprika and dill.
Avent Ferry Lentils
I came up with this recipe the other day and it was fantastic! Who knew turnips, lentils and bacon could be so good! When I finished I knew something was missing, something sweet--so I added raisins which made the perfect balance of salty and sweet. I named it after a road near where we live in Raleigh.
This recipe meets a few criteria of mine:
1. It uses many local, seasonal ingredients from the Raleigh State Farmer's Market (it's May now).
2. It uses some of our bulk legumes (not joking, we have about 100 lbs of beans in storage right now. We have bean dishes about four times a week now. I am searching for many ways to prepare beans and might soon gain the title of the "bean queen".)
3. It uses really healthy ingredients like turnips, which are less starchy than potatoes and are powerful cancer fighters and lentils which are a good source of protein, iron, phosphorus and copper, and a very good source of dietary fiber, folate and manganese.
I want to stress the importance of soaking your lentils or other legumes in baking soda and water before cooking. We have discovered that the baking soda makes them so much easier to digest and virtually eliminates all gas associated with eating beans. Great news!
I used my new food processor for most of the chopping in this recipe. The carrot, onion and turnip were so finely chopped, we barely knew they were there. Since my children don't care for turnips, it worked out quite nicely that they didn't notice the turnips and just ate up their yummy lentils. Here is my recipe:
Avent Ferry Lentils
4 cups dried lentils
1 tsp baking soda
1/2-1 lb nitrate-free bacon cut into bite-sized pieces
1 onion chopped
2 ribs celery chopped
4 carrots peeled and chopped
2 large or 4 small turnips peeled and chopped
2-4 cloves of garlic minced
2 medium yellow squash quartered and sliced
1 cup raisins
1 quart chicken broth
mixture of chopped fresh herbs (I used parsley, thyme, oregano and chervil from my herb garden)
salt and pepper to taste
Soak lentils in warm water with baking soda for approximately 7 hours, drain, rinse and set aside.
In a large pot cook bacon for about 15 minutes so that it begins to get crispy, stirring occasionally, add onion, cook for a couple minutes, then add the celery, cook for another couple minutes. Add the carrots, turnips and garlic, cook for about 5 minutes. Add the squash, raisins, lentils and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Skim any foam that comes to the top. Cook until the lentils are tender, about an hour. Add the fresh herbs, salt and pepper to taste.
This recipe meets a few criteria of mine:
1. It uses many local, seasonal ingredients from the Raleigh State Farmer's Market (it's May now).
2. It uses some of our bulk legumes (not joking, we have about 100 lbs of beans in storage right now. We have bean dishes about four times a week now. I am searching for many ways to prepare beans and might soon gain the title of the "bean queen".)
3. It uses really healthy ingredients like turnips, which are less starchy than potatoes and are powerful cancer fighters and lentils which are a good source of protein, iron, phosphorus and copper, and a very good source of dietary fiber, folate and manganese.
I want to stress the importance of soaking your lentils or other legumes in baking soda and water before cooking. We have discovered that the baking soda makes them so much easier to digest and virtually eliminates all gas associated with eating beans. Great news!
I used my new food processor for most of the chopping in this recipe. The carrot, onion and turnip were so finely chopped, we barely knew they were there. Since my children don't care for turnips, it worked out quite nicely that they didn't notice the turnips and just ate up their yummy lentils. Here is my recipe:
Avent Ferry Lentils
4 cups dried lentils
1 tsp baking soda
1/2-1 lb nitrate-free bacon cut into bite-sized pieces
1 onion chopped
2 ribs celery chopped
4 carrots peeled and chopped
2 large or 4 small turnips peeled and chopped
2-4 cloves of garlic minced
2 medium yellow squash quartered and sliced
1 cup raisins
1 quart chicken broth
mixture of chopped fresh herbs (I used parsley, thyme, oregano and chervil from my herb garden)
salt and pepper to taste
Soak lentils in warm water with baking soda for approximately 7 hours, drain, rinse and set aside.
In a large pot cook bacon for about 15 minutes so that it begins to get crispy, stirring occasionally, add onion, cook for a couple minutes, then add the celery, cook for another couple minutes. Add the carrots, turnips and garlic, cook for about 5 minutes. Add the squash, raisins, lentils and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Skim any foam that comes to the top. Cook until the lentils are tender, about an hour. Add the fresh herbs, salt and pepper to taste.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Real Foods?
Welcome to my Real Food in Raleigh blog! My family and I follow what we call a "Read Foods Diet" based on wisdom from the Bible and the work of Dr. Weston Price (1870-1948). In a future post I will share my personal story of becoming a Real Food Mama, but for now I will just share some basics about our diet. Yes I know there are many diets out there, but I think ours is the best! I have lots of family members and friends who suffer from chronic illnesses and while I know disease will always be a tragic part of this life (until we get to heaven), I believe many of these diseases are due to our modern lifestyles and diet. I long to see my friends and family living fuller and healthier lives, I WANT TO LIVE A FULLER AND HEALTHIER LIFE. I believe eating a traditional diet based on age old Biblical wisdom and that of traditional cultures is the healthiest way to eat. Here are the three basic guidelines of our diet:
1. If God made it is good (fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains, meats)
2. If humans made for only the last 150 years it is not good (i.e. do not eat processed, packaged foods, white flour or white sugar)
3. If humans have made it for thousands of years it is probably very good (i.e. yogurt, sauerkraut, sourdough bread, cured meats, traditionally fermented soy sauce-to name just a few)
I know that is WAY oversimplified, but for someone who is just getting started with following a traditional diet, this is a good way to think about it. Here is a list from the Weston Price Foundation's Dietary Guidelines:
1. Eat whole, natural foods.
2. Eat only foods that will spoil, but eat them before they do.
3. Eat naturally-raised meat including fish, seafood, poultry, beef, lamb, game, organ meats and eggs.
4. Eat whole, naturally-produced milk products from pasture-fed cows, preferably raw and/or fermented, such as whole yogurt, cultured butter, whole cheeses and fresh and sour cream.
5. Use only traditional fats and oils including butter and other animal fats, extra virgin olive oil, expeller expressed sesame and flax oil and the tropical oils—coconut and palm.
6. Eat fresh fruits and vegetables, preferably organic, in salads and soups, or lightly steamed.
7. Use whole grains and nuts that have been prepared by soaking, sprouting or sour leavening to neutralize phytic acid and other anti-nutrients.
8. Include enzyme-enhanced lacto-fermented vegetables, fruits, beverages and condiments in your diet on a regular basis.
9. Prepare homemade meat stocks from the bones of chicken, beef, lamb or fish and use liberally in soups and sauces.
10. Use herb teas and coffee substitutes in moderation.
11. Use filtered water for cooking and drinking.
12. Use unrefined Celtic sea salt and a variety of herbs and spices for food interest and appetite stimulation.
13. Make your own salad dressing using raw vinegar, extra virgin olive oil and expeller expressed flax oil.
14. Use natural sweeteners in moderation, such as raw honey, maple syrup, dehydrated cane sugar juice and stevia powder.
15. Use only unpasteurized wine or beer in strict moderation with meals.
16. Cook only in stainless steel, cast iron, glass or good quality enamel.
17. Use only natural supplements.
18. Get plenty of sleep, exercise and natural light.
19. Think positive thoughts and minimize stress.
20. Practice forgiveness.
1. If God made it is good (fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains, meats)
2. If humans made for only the last 150 years it is not good (i.e. do not eat processed, packaged foods, white flour or white sugar)
3. If humans have made it for thousands of years it is probably very good (i.e. yogurt, sauerkraut, sourdough bread, cured meats, traditionally fermented soy sauce-to name just a few)
I know that is WAY oversimplified, but for someone who is just getting started with following a traditional diet, this is a good way to think about it. Here is a list from the Weston Price Foundation's Dietary Guidelines:
1. Eat whole, natural foods.
2. Eat only foods that will spoil, but eat them before they do.
3. Eat naturally-raised meat including fish, seafood, poultry, beef, lamb, game, organ meats and eggs.
4. Eat whole, naturally-produced milk products from pasture-fed cows, preferably raw and/or fermented, such as whole yogurt, cultured butter, whole cheeses and fresh and sour cream.
5. Use only traditional fats and oils including butter and other animal fats, extra virgin olive oil, expeller expressed sesame and flax oil and the tropical oils—coconut and palm.
6. Eat fresh fruits and vegetables, preferably organic, in salads and soups, or lightly steamed.
7. Use whole grains and nuts that have been prepared by soaking, sprouting or sour leavening to neutralize phytic acid and other anti-nutrients.
8. Include enzyme-enhanced lacto-fermented vegetables, fruits, beverages and condiments in your diet on a regular basis.
9. Prepare homemade meat stocks from the bones of chicken, beef, lamb or fish and use liberally in soups and sauces.
10. Use herb teas and coffee substitutes in moderation.
11. Use filtered water for cooking and drinking.
12. Use unrefined Celtic sea salt and a variety of herbs and spices for food interest and appetite stimulation.
13. Make your own salad dressing using raw vinegar, extra virgin olive oil and expeller expressed flax oil.
14. Use natural sweeteners in moderation, such as raw honey, maple syrup, dehydrated cane sugar juice and stevia powder.
15. Use only unpasteurized wine or beer in strict moderation with meals.
16. Cook only in stainless steel, cast iron, glass or good quality enamel.
17. Use only natural supplements.
18. Get plenty of sleep, exercise and natural light.
19. Think positive thoughts and minimize stress.
20. Practice forgiveness.
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