Natural Familly World » Family Food

Trip Finding: Raw Milk Cream

Monica — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 11:44:12 +0000

Raw Milk Cream my aunt bought for me in Ibarra

After reading Cure Tooth Decay, I’ve been looking for raw cream with no success. I’ve talked to local farmers, made calls and spread the word about my need to buy Raw Milk Cream for Carlos and I. All this with no success.

I forgot the basic rule of thumb when it comes to traditional food: Just ask my Aunt.

Last week I spent a good deal of time talking with her in my visit to Ibarra. She’s a good talker and we ended up talking about raw cream

I asked: Do you know where can I get raw milk cream?

She said something like: Near the market, I go there everyday. It’s very fresh and I always buy from them.

(laughs, dances, jumps…I finally found a source of raw cream!!!)

Next day she bought the cream for me. It was very cheap, like US$4 per liter.

I’ve never seen a cream like this. It’s very thick and it tastes great, but most important, it makes me feel good and healthy when I eat it.

I brought the jar in my backpack to Quito and I’ve already consumed half of it. I need to plan another trip to the North soon!

Menu Planning Tips For The Busy Mom

Monica — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 11:09:00 +0000

Dinner is the last meal of the day and a time when families can get together and discuss their day. But it could also become a hectic meal for busy moms who are just getting off of work or who are just tired at the end of the day.

Here are some menu planning tips to help make dinner meals easy and even fun:

1. Schedule your meals. This is one of the most important planning tips for meals. Knowing what you are going to eat throughout the week means less chance that you will stop off at the closest fast food joint for a convenient, but unhealthy meal. Decide on the last day of the previous week what the menu will be for the following week. Create your shopping list from the list of ingredients. This way you won’t buy what you don’t need.

2. Look for bargains. Clip coupons, read advertising circulars and the like to decide where the best grocery to shop is for your menu items. If one ingredient is a common denominator in many meals, consider buying in bulk to save money. Plan your meals with seasonal food, which is cheaper and healthier.

3. Search online. After a while your family will get tired of the same menu every Thursday. You can get into a menu rut sometimes. Use the Internet to search for new and exciting recipes. Learn to put a twist on old recipes for a new taste.

4. Have a leftover night. After preparing meals for five or six days, there is bound to be some food left over. Get used to mix and match to create tasteful dishes. It saves mom from having to throw away any food.

5. Do preparation work in advance. Enlist your kids to help chop (give them the kitchen shears instead) vegetables, dice cooked meat and mix together dry ingredients. The night of the meal, all that is needed is to add the wet ingredients and bake.

Meal time doesn’t have to be all on mom. The entire family can help with dinner so it is a relaxing meal for everyone.

photo credit: BruceTurner

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Need more help meal planning? Check Menu Planning Central for a Free Menu Planning Basics Report and Printable Resources

Simple Yogurt Making Directions

Monica — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 17:49:07 +0000

Today's yogurt

I get my raw milk from an organic food co-op, and usually transform most of if into yogurt to drink throughout the week.

Making my own yogurt is healthier, cheaper and greener (less waste).

How To Prepare Delicious Yogurt At Home

What You Need:

Milk, preferably organic-raw. I’ve tried with pasteurized milk in the past and found that some brands would work and others don’t
1 tablespoon of natural yogurt per liter of milk
A glass or stainless steel container with airtight lid. I use my stainless steel pressure cooker
A hot/cool thermal bag big enough to fit your container

I know most recipes call for the use of a thermometer and oven or heater, but I’ve never used them.

Now I live in a just warm enough valley near Quito, but this worked when I lived in cooler Quito, and a similar arrange in cold Japanese winter (just add more covers to your container to keep it warm until next day)

Directions

The best time to prepare this is at night, after dinner.

Heat the milk a few minutes, so that it’s warm but not hot. A good measure is to put your little finger inside the milk and shake it. If it’s a bearable temperature, go to the next step;
If you’re going to use a different recipient, transfer the milk. I prefer to use the same container to heat the milk so it helps to keep the milk warm thru the night;
Put the natural yogurt or yogurt from a previous batch in the milk and stir well;
Cover and put the container inside the cool bag. If you live in cold areas you’ll need to add extra covers like an old winter jacket. Put everything inside a basket or cardboard box;
Leave for about 8 hours. The container should be still warm after this time;
Ready! Keep the yogurt in the fridge and use it through the week.

Pressure cooker inside cool bag

Power Foods To Get More Done

Monica — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 06:12:33 +0000

Power bars are common in these days among people looking for extra energy. The truth is a balanced diet should provide your body with its nutritional needs. Should you feel the need for additional power to get more done, check this list of 10 power packed foods. They’re designed to give you energy and vitality, while being all natural and easy to prepare.

1. Yogurt –Yogurt contains calcium, Vitamin B, and protein. It’s a great alternative for those who can’t drink milk. Live yogurt also contains friendly bacteria to help promote a healthy digestive system.

2. Beans – As a general rule, get used to soaking them overnight before cooking. It improves digestion and nutrients abortion. Beans of all kinds (kidney, navy, lentils, chickpeas, Northern) are high in protein. If fiber is a problem in your diet, eating a healthy portion of beans each day can keep your digestive system healthy.

3. Allium foods – This class of foods includes garlic, onions, leeks and shallots. Allium vegetables help guard the body against the risk of cancer and many other health issues. They also help lower blood pressure and prevent blood clots. Eating these power packed vegetables in their natural state especially garlic increases their health benefits.

4. Oatmeal – Oatmeal is coming into popularity as a food that lowers blood cholesterol. You can make it yourself with rolled oats (try soaking them as well, for an instant breakfast). Oatmeal is a filling grain that also provides much needed fiber to keep hunger at bay and your blood sugar constant.

5. Fruits and vegetables – Fruits and vegetables are filled with antioxidants such as Vitamin C and A. Antioxidants fight free radical damage in the body and reduce the risk of cancer. However, be cautious not to eat too much fruit because of its sugar content.

6. Nuts and seeds – Nuts are high in fat but those fats are the good kind. Peanuts, almonds, Brazil nuts, walnuts and pistachios are all providers of good fats and protein. Eat them right out of the shell with no additives. You can soak overnight in salty water and toast them in the oven for better digestion and taste.

7. Flax seed – It contains omega-3, omega-6 and omega-9 fatty acids. Ground flax seed can be added to fruit smoothies, sprinkled in yogurt, eaten with cereal or added to pancake mix, among other uses.

8. Peppers – They contain antioxidants like beta-carotene and Vitamin C. All peppers contain a substance called capsaicin. Capsaicin has the properties of an anti-inflammatory, a pain reliever, lowers cancer risk and heart disease. Taste great in salads, salsa and all sorts of dishes.

9. Salmon and fatty fish– Eating foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids reduces the risk of heart disease and other conditions like atherosclerosis. Fatty fish contains good fats that has been proven to improve health. Salmon is rich in protein which is of great use after an exercise session to build muscle tissue.

10. Açai – This berry is rich in antioxidants and increases energy. You can probably get Açai supplements in your health food store.

Building a better healthier body begins with what you eat. Try to incorporate some of these super foods into your daily menu. You can get more done and look better while doing it.

photo credit: avlxyz

10 Minutes Hot-Take Along Breakfast Recipes

Monica — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 01:20:19 +0000

Even in warm months or places, people traditionally eat a hot breakfast. However, modern living makes us forget good healthy habits and go for a cold breakfast, that usually is too sweet to be healthy. On those hectic days that you didn’t make time for your first meal, don’t let your family leave without a warm breakfast to eat on the go. Not the healthiest thing but much better than nothing.

Time for preparation: 10 minutes or less

Pancake Roll Ups

Use pre-made pancakes, frozen or refrigerated. After re-heating, spread your favorite ingredients like peanut butter, honey or butter. Roll up and go. You can also use a sausage link or a slice of bacon if you have some already cooked in the fridge or freezer.

Quick and Easy Breakfast Sandwiches

You can use pre-cooked bacon that you’ve saved. While the bacon is heating in a small oven, toast two halves of an English muffin or a round bread. Then place two slices of bacon and a slice of cheese between the muffin halves. Wrap in a paper towel and go. This breakfast sandwich is easy to handle and delicious! You can do the same thing with a sausage patty if you so desire.

A Different Bagel

Instead of just spreading cream cheese or butter on your bagel, top it with a slice of warm ham, pre-made sausage or bacon. You can also scramble some eggs with cheese if you prefer. It makes a warm and tasty on-the-go breakfast.

Egg Roll Ups

Scrambled eggs take only a few minutes to make, like 5 or less, making for a quick and healthy way to start the day because they are packed with protein. Roll scrambled eggs into a flour tortilla or a slice of bread. Add other ingredients on hand for flavor and nutrition, like shredded cheese, chopped onion, chopped green pepper, diced ham, fresh green leaves, crumbled sausage or sliced jalapenos while cooking.

Breakfast doesn’t have to be skipped or cold incorporating the ideas above. With a little planning and imagination, you can start your family off with a hot breakfast that is faster and healthier than going through the drive through.

Note: Need a lunch box for packing a hot breakfast? I love my stainless still bento box, the right size for any of the above recipes.

photo credit: Mikael Miettinen

7 Reasons To Buy Organic Meat

Monica — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 14:22:33 +0000

photo credit: Spicy Bear

Consuming organic meat means we’re not ingesting potentially harmful antibiotics, hormones or herbicides and pesticides. However buying organic is not only good for our health, it’s better for the environment:

#1 Manure

Manure on large industrial farms is nothing more than pollution. It’s a health risk that runs into our water supply and contaminates the land for miles around. However, smaller farms that produce organic meat use the manure to fertilize soil, the same soil they’re using to grow the grass and food for their animals.

#2 Chemical pollution and contamination

Organic farms do not use synthetic pesticides and fertilizers on the food they feed their animals nor on the land they’re raised on. This means not only are the animals, and those who subsequently consume them, saved from ingesting these chemicals, but our soil and water supply remain healthier as well.

#3 Diversity

Large industrial farms typically raise one or two species of cow, pig or chicken however smaller organic farms typically raise a variety, which promotes healthier equilibrium for the environment.

#4 Resource Conservation

Industrial farms consume vast amounts of resources to keep their farms running. They go through thousands of gallons of water each day and the processes to automate the processes consume large amounts of electricity and fuel. Not to mention the cost of fuel to distribute the grain and feed for the animals.

However, organic farms typically use about 70 percent less energy than industrial farms. They’re about sustainability and renewable resources, not mass production, and are therefore generally more aware of their environmental impact.

#5 Sustaining Your Local Economy

When you buy local and organically grown meat, you’re generally supporting your local farmers. These same farmers employ local residents and you contribute to the overall quality of life for your neighbors.

#6 No Antibiotics or Added Hormones

Industrial farms argue that they have to inject their animals with antibiotics to keep them healthy and they have to inject them with hormones to increase meat production. However, what happens to those antibiotics and hormones? We consume them and then flush them into our waste treatment facilities where they become part of our water supply and our soil.

photo credit: iLoveButter

#7 Offspring

One great thing about organic farms is that they tend to be smaller. Smaller farms are more sustainable and thus more profitable. However this means they cannot house or care for large numbers of animals. What to do with the babies? Offspring are often sold to other small farm owners thus spreading the diversity of livestock and helping other small farmers start and grow their businesses.

If you make a conscious decision to buy organic meat you’re not only affecting your family, the farmer who raises the livestock and the folks they employ, you’re also bettering the environment. However, your influence reaches far beyond that when you talk about your decision to other people. The end result…a better environment, better farming practices, and better health for everyone.

20 Reasons to Get Dinner Together as a Family

Monica — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 07:30:31 +0000

How often do modern families have dinner together? Most families nowadays don’t do this very often.

It’s understandable. Modern families are busy. Both parents work and sometimes get home at different times. Children have activities to go to, and Mom’s got to drive them all over the place.

However, if we just look back to a few decades or at most two generations before us, eating together as a family was a common practice in most families.

photo credit: jakeoneil

Researchers have found many benefits to home-cooked meals. Watch this video to learn about some of them.

Here are 20 reasons I have found to share family meals more often:

1. Families who eat together eat healthier, because home-cooked food is healthier than fast food.

2. Family meals allow busy families to catch up with each other.

3. Young children learn a lot of verbal skills just by eating with their family members. (*very* true for my 4 years old boy)

4. Having family meals more often forces you to end your working day and other obligations in time for dinner.

5. Home cooked are also cheaper than takeout food or eating out.

6. Cooking at home motivates you to be creative with your meal planning and cooking.

7. Children can get involved in cooking meals.

8. Cooking and eating together creates happy childhood memories.

9. Eating together is an opportunity to explore different cuisines.

10. Eating together gives parents a chance to talk about current events from their point of view, injecting their personal values without giving a lecture. (that’s how unschooling kids learn most things!)

11. Eating together helps family members bond and get to know each other better.

12. You’ll be surprised what your kids reveal when you’re in a relaxed environment, such as a family meal.

13. Family meals can be good learning moments, even for small children. Want to start homeschooling or unschooling? Start at the dinner table!

14. Eating together is a good opportunity to model good manners.

15. Family meals are also good times to share music together.

16. Family meals teach everyone valuable life skills, such as sharing and taking turns.

17. Family meals provide an additional occasion for family members to pray together.

18. Eating home is more eco-friendly than eating out or ordering food – less waste!

19. Kids are less likely to become picky eaters when frequently eating home prepared meals together with the rest of the family.

20. Meal time is a good time to relax and carefully watch your kids grow at their own peace.

If the whole planning, shopping and preparation of meals is something you feel you need some help, maybe it’s possible to try a Menu Planner. Check out Dine Without Whine for kid-tested, quick recipes that will help you put together family meals with less effort. Dine Without Whine’s weekly shopping lists will also help you get food shopping done much faster, and even save money on groceries.

As you can see from the list above, the extra time and effort you spend to have family meals more often are worthwhile.

Basic Ingredients for a Money Wise Kitchen

Monica — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 13:03:33 +0000

Have you ever wondered how our ancestors managed to have complete and nutritious meals every day, without the modern access to ready made food and food preservation methods? Even in many places of the developing world there is no access to such food, many do not use large fridges, but fresh food is brought to their tables for every meal. In fact, I’m still amazed with the size of the shopping carts of many foreigners living in Ecuador, especially those coming from “modern” societies. Trust me, there’s a way to spend less and eat better if we learn from our ancestors and the people in traditional communities.

The items that we have on hand are what determine how far our food will go. Filling your pantry with a few key ingredients can make a difference on your ability to offer quality and varied meals for several days, without breaking the bank. Stocking just a few choice items is all you need to create wonderful meals.

1. Flour. This is a starter for several recipes. Flour is used to make bread (biscuits, rolls, loaves), to coat chicken, and even added to soups. It can also be used to coat a round or square cake pan to prevent the cake from sticking. The best way to get your flour is to grind your own grains using a mill. However, if this is not possible you can stock with whole grain flours for many uses.

2. Rice. When I lived in Japan I learnt that rice is a great ingredient to have on hand. Asian people have invented a myriad of recipes using rice, and it’s even present in the everyday lunch boxes (obento) in the form of onigiri and other delicious preparations. It could be prepared as a side dish, but it doesn’t always have to be plain. It can be jazzed up with veggies to accompany dinner. Sweet rice preparations are also delicious. A popular dessert is rice pudding. Rice can also be mixed with leftover meat and a cream soup to form a casserole. If you’ve not tried brown rice yet, maybe it’s time to give it a try. The nutritional benefits of going choosing brown
rice are worth the extra cooking time. Plus, cooked rice can be kept in the fridge (and even at room temperature in chilly days) for several days.

3. Pasta. There are many different pasta choices and all have great uses. Manicotti can be stuffed with tomato sauce and cheeses. Macaroni can be used to make a creamy salad and also is great combined with cheese or spaghetti sauce. Spiral pasta is used in many different pasta salads. Spaghetti can be used in a casserole topped with cheese or in the traditional way with tomato sauce and meat. I’d love to start making our own pasta. It doesn’t seem to be so difficult anyways. If buying, chose pasta made from whole ingredients.

4. Spices. There are other ways to season food besides salt and pepper. In fact, many spices taste better than salt. Cayenne pepper, chili powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, thyme, oregano, ginger, and garlic powder are all useful tools in your flavor arsenal to give foods a fresh new taste. Also, small amounts of marine salt are good for our health. It’s a good idea to buy them in bulk and stock them for several months. Just check how much you can save by doing this. You can also try to buy in bulk with a friend and divide the costs.

5. Beans. They can top your salad (edamame), make an awesome dip (black beans), and go well with grilled foods (baked beans). They provide a good source of protein with very little fat. Beans are good in soups, stews, and over rice for a simple yet filling meal. Just don’t forget to soak your beans overnight before cooking. If grandmothers did it, there must be a good reason (in fact there is: nutrients are better absorbed this way.)

6. Fermented food. Almost every culture have their traditional fermented food. Fermentation is a preservation method that is actually good for our health. Try fermenting pastured fed milk into yogurt and it could be kept for over a week in the fridge. Fermented vegetables go great with meat, rice and even alone as an entrée. Most fermented vegetables get better with time, so you can stock them in glass jars for several months.

Do you have these staples in your kitchen? You may be able to come up with several others that will enhance your pantry and save money. Start with these and grow your own list of basic kitchen staples that are versatile, healthy, and economical. photo credit: star5112

Sally Fallon’s book Nourishing Traditions is a great source of traditional and fermented food recipes, as well as of information on good nutrition. Not to be missed.

photo credit: Arria Belli

Healthy Grilling Tips

Monica — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 07:23:46 +0000

As summer is coming in the northern part of the world, families start looking for ways of escaping from the warm kitchen to the backyard or park. Grilling is a great option for outdoors cooking, and it’s in fact healthier than you would think. This is not dependent on the type of grill you have it is the procedure. Below you’ll find some healthy grilling tips.

Start with meat
If you’re preparing chicken, start by cutting off the excess fat. If you’re buying at the supermarket, usually all traces of fat have been removed in the store before packaging.

Outer fat on the steaks should be cut away but it’s fine to have the marbled effect within the meat. The same for pork. A butcher can guide you to the right cuts of meat for grilling if you ask them.

A good reason to remove the fat is that it eliminates the cancer causing char and smoke. Fat falling in the fire can initiate flare-ups that will burn the meat and char it in places. If this does occur, remove the charred part.

Proceed with your vegetables
You are cooking the meat on there, why not the rest of the meal? Spray a piece of aluminum foil with non-stick cooking spray and then wrap your sliced vegetables in it. The heat from the grill will create convection current inside the foil. Make sure that you tent the foil so that the air can move among the vegetables. If you’re not an aluminum foil fan (like me) you could try holding your vegetables over the grill directly or with sticks until they’re ready to eat. Another option when you have smal pieces is to place a skillet over the grill and place the vegetables on it.

Fish is a healthy alternative to other meats
Fattier fish like salmon are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Fish is tasty and tender when cooked on the grill. Fillets of fish crumble up easy so put them in foil just like the vegetables to keep them together during grilling. Fish steaks are better for direct grill cooking than fillets. They are thick but will cook quicker than other meats so don’t turn your back on them.

Experiment with seasonings other than salt
The process sears the outside and the seasonings that you have applied. Combined with the succulent juices that will once the meat is cut, these seasonings will add flavor to your meal.

To grill healthy doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice flavor or your favorite meats. The fat that is in the meat will all drip away as it cooks leaving you with a tender and heart-friendly main course.

photo credit: weanders

Shopping Tips to Save on Goceries

Monica — Fri, 29 May 2009 19:09:55 +0000

Spending in good healthy and fresh food is one of the expenses I don’t usually want to cut. However, there are ways we could save on groceries without scarifying the quality of what goes into our bodies. Here a couple of suggestions:

1. Clip coupons. Depending on what and where you buy, collecting coupons could represent a good saving. I don’t use them frequently but don’t miss the opportunity to use one of them if I come across a coupon for a product I want to buy.

2. Buy more staples than prepared foods. The next time you go shopping and pick up a box or bag of an already prepared item, ask yourself if you can make that at home for less. Cooking from scratch is not only less expensive but also way more healthy for our family.

3. Buy in bulk. Consider the food items that you use most often. Cereals, meats, vegetables, condiments, and paper products can be bought in bulk usually at a lower price at food warehouses. If you have a coupon, you’ll save even more money.

4. Don’t shop when you’re hungry. Shopping on an empty stomach means that you will pick up more things than you need.
5. Take a grocery list with you. This is another protection against picking up things that are too costly. Check your cabinets and the fridge to see what you need and write them down. Now that you know what you need, you don’t need to wonder around looking for “something else that could be missing”.

6. Shop at the same stores. In a new store, you spend most of your time looking for things and walking up and down every aisle, which oftentimes leads to forgetting an item and coming across another you didn’t really need. Going to the same store each time makes you more familiar with the prices so you can estimate your bill as you write your grocery list.

Do you have your own grocery money saving tips? I’d love to hear what works for other families.

photo credit: rosemarie_mckeon