Whole Foods Version Of An Unhappy Meal

OK, I have to start out this post by admitting to the fact that I have bought my children food from the Golden Arches. I am not sure I have met a mother who has not given in at one time or another. I try very hard to avoid this option at all costs.

As much as I try there are just those days that I am too tired to cook and the kids really want chicken nuggets. On a good day I am happy to make some homemade chicken nuggets, but when I am short on time I make my own version of a fast food kids meal. Here is an approximate cost break down.

Applegate Farms chicken nuggets. No hormones, no antibiotics, real ingredients. At around $6 this box is a great deal. It will make 2 meals for my 2 older children for a total of 4 meals.
$1.50 per serving

An apple, you could also use a bag of organic, baked "fries"
Approximate cost $.33 split between 2 children
$.16 per serving

Chocolate almond milk.
I had a coupon for this making it only $.99
Approx. $.20 per serving

Total per meal $1.86

Add in some organic ketchup and you have a decently healthy quick meal. I realize that this is not the pinnacle of a healthy meal, but it has to be better then a drive though meal.

This is what Jack's meal ended up looking like. He opted for some grapes and fresh snap peas from the garden. It may not have ended up being the meal described above, but you get the idea.

Blackberry Jam Tutorial

Berry season is in full swing here in Kansas which means it is time to make lots of yummy jam, hopefully enough to last us until next summer. Jam making is a really easy and fun thing to do. It doesn't take nearly as long as one might think. Last night I decided to quickly can a batch of raspberry jam after dinner. The whole process including clean up only took about an hour or so. Although I did have help with the kids so that made things go quicker.

Today I thought I would give a quick tutorial on making jam. I have pictures from last weeks blackberry jam day. The first thing you need to do is make sure you have everything ready before you get started.

You will need...

7 1/2 cups berries
7 1/2 cups sugar
1 package fruit pectin (1 3/4 oz)
Around 8 half pint canning jars with lids and rings
2 large stock pots (I do not have a canner, so if you are new to canning you can start with stock pots)
Jar lifter
Magnetic wand
Canning funnel

The last 3 items are easily found at most grocery stores or Walmart in a kit.

Lets get started!

Start by measuring out your fruit and dumping in into the stock pot. You can use fresh or frozen. This time around I used frozen. Next measure your sugar and set it aside. You can see that I got my box of pectin on clearance. I also had a coupon which made it around $.70!

Yes, this time I did use white sugar due to cost. Yesterday I discovered a low to no sugar recipe that I used for the raspberry jam. I will give you the recipe at the bottom of this post. The process is the same just with 2 different ingredients.

Here is a picture of my fruit and pectin in the stock pot. Do not turn on the heat yet. Set this aside and get the rest of your utensils ready first.

Here is a picture of what you will need. Please excuse my daughters finger. The first item on the left is the magnetic wand that you will need to help you pick up the lids and rings out of the hot water. Next is of course the canning lid and a ring. The last 2 items are a funnel and a jar grabber for pulling your jars out of the boiling water.

The next step is to take all your lids and rings and put them in a pot of water. Bring the water to a boil and make sure you keep these very hot until you are ready for them. This helps to keep things sterile as well as help the jars to seal properly. When you are ready for them use your magnetic wand to pick them up with. My daughter loves to help with this part.

Speaking of helpers here are 2 of them. We did this during Jack's nap time. There is no way I would let a 2 year old boy near this process. He likes to help too much.

To get your jars ready for use you need to place them in boiling water for about 10 minutes to make sure they are sterile and then keep them warm in your oven until you are ready for them. I turn my oven on to the lowest setting to keep them warm, but not too hot. Normally these would be sitting up, but the baby decided to get cranky and I had to hurry and get them in. For some reason they would not stay up. I guess I could have used a cookie sheet, but in my hurry that did not occur to me.

Now you should be ready to start cooking. Turn your burner on medium to medium high heat and make sure to keep stirring your fruit with the pectin in it constantly. You do not want to have any stick to the bottom or it will burn and ruin the whole batch. Keep stirring and crushing the fruit with your spoon until it looks like this and continues to boil even when you are stirring.

At this point add your sugar and keep stirring until the mixture returns to a boil. Boil everything for 1 minute. Remove the pot from the heat and get your jars out and ready to fill. You will want to do this quickly because you need your jam to remain very hot. It will also start to gel quickly at this point.


Set your funnel on top of a jar and use a clean ladle to fill them. Make sure to leave about 1/4 to 1/8 inch head space between the jam and the top of the jar. Use a clean damp cloth to make sure the rim of the jar is completely clean. You also want to inspect one last time to make sure your jars do not have any nicks or jam on the rim or they will not seal.

Next use your wand and place a lid on top and then tighten with a ring.

After you have all of your jars filled use your jar grabber to lower the jars into boiling water. You need to make sure you have around1-2 inches of water over the top of the jars.

Here is a picture of all of my jars in the water. Process your jars in the boiling water for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes remove the jars with your jar grabber and place on a towel.


Here is a picture of the finished product. You want to make sure these are left alone to cool for 12-24 hours. You will know they are sealed properly when you push on the top of the lid and they do not pop back. If it does then you need to store that jar in the fridge and eat it soon. If they are all sealed you can store them in the cupboard and use as needed. Do not be surprised if you hear popping sounds as the jars are cooling. That is a good sign. The sound is the lids sealing.

I just love the look of lots of colorful jars of jam in my cabinet. Hopefully soon I will be able to do a tutorial on canning tomatoes and preserving other items from your garden to be used all winter. This is on of the cheapest, healthiest way I am able to feed my family.

Here is the low sugar recipe you could use instead.

4 cups berries
1 package no sugar needed pectin (very important)
1 cup apple juice
1 cup honey (optional)

I used this recipe last night and doubled it to make 8 jars of jam.

If you have any questions about this process or need clarification please leave me a comment so I can fix things. Thanks

How To Get Cheap Or Free Produce

My FREE cherries from last week

I love this time of the year because fresh produce is abundant. You can finally get a fresh tomato that is in season and that is actually red and tasty. The only problem is that the cost of food seems to keep going up, even for in season produce. I got to thinking there has to be a way to get healthy food cheaper.

After some thinking here are the ideas I have come up with. If anyone has any other thoughts I am sure my readers would love to hear them.

1.) The obvious- Grow your own. It is cheaper and you know what has been put on it. Even if you do not have enough space for a full garden you can look into container varieties of plants.

2.) Find friends and neighbors who have large gardens and ask them if there is anything they would like to have in trade for some of their fruits and veggies. Maybe you could offer to cook some of them for them or possibly help them with canning. This worked for me last year when my brother had some extra venison. He did not have any way to cook due to kitchen renovations. I cooked all his meat and was able to keep half.

From my experience most home gardeners have more then they can use and are willing to give it away before it goes bad. It never hurts to ask.

3.) Look around for free produce. I noticed that one of my parent's neighbors has an apple tree that is not being taken care of. Last fall all the apples were falling to the ground and being left. I think this year I will be brave enough to ask him if I can gather them for him and possibly keep some.

You can also sometimes find wild grown foods. My parents have horseradish growing behind their house. We are not sure how it got there, but it is free and yummy. This option is one that not everyone can do. You have to be careful and know what you are picking before you eat it.

4.) Become friends with your local grocery store produce manager. I often find marked down produce that is still just fine. I will buy as much of it as I can and freeze it. Maybe you can talk your manager into holding some things back for you or letting you know what days he is planning to mark certain items down.
5.) Buy in bulk at your local farmers market or u-pick farms. You can also order in bulk from places like Azure standard. It is more economical if you can get a couple of friends to order with you and split the cost.
6.) Ask your local grocery store to buy in bulk for you. I bet they would be willing to give you a discount for buying so much at one time.

Does anyone else have any ways they save on produce?

Real Food Budget

I would like to start out by saying that I realize every person has a different budget. Some have more to spend then others as well as more mouths to feed. I feel it is extremely important not to get bogged down with the numbers or to think that what one person is able to do should be what you strive for. Each family should try to do the best they can and be good stewards of what the Lord has given them. So if you can only put beans and rice into a whole foods budget instead of grass fed steak and organic produce that is completely OK as long as you are doing what is right for your family.

I would also like to say that I do not feed my family a completely unprocessed, organic diet. I too am still working on trying to transition everything over as I am able to. I am still in a learning process as well. Sometimes I am not able to get organic things into my budget so I try to at least strive for a whole food such as conventional produce, beans, or cheese. At least it is real food.

My budget every month is typically $250-$300 a month feeding 2 adults, a 5 year old, 2 year old, and a 3 month old. Before I started a whole foods diet I would spend around $400-$500 a month. So I am actually saving money. How you may ask? Well we quit buying junk and convenience food. Yes they may be quick and easy, but at what expense?

I would also like to say that I feel it is OK to spend money on good quality food. I went through a time recently where I was so concerned about paying off debt that I thought our grocery budget was a good place to skimp. I have since learned that it is better health wise to cut other areas of the budget and try to keep as much money as possible in the grocery budget. Think of it as preventative medicine.

Another way I save money in our budget is by making almost everything we eat. You may think that I spend all my time in the kitchen, but you would be surprised. With all of the modern conveniences that we are spoiled with these days I am able to get things done a lot quicker. For example a bread maker, food processor, crock pot, and a yogurt maker. These things take minutes to get started and save me a ton of time in the kitchen.

What are some things I try to avoid in our foods? Hormones, antibiotics, MSG, high fructose corn syrup, artificial colors and preservatives, hydrogenated oils, white sugar, and white flour. If you look at the ingredients in most store bought items you will see at least 1 if not many of these. Even in the so called "all natural" items. Don't let yourself be fooled.

I think I have gotten a little off track here. Back to the budget.

Meat-
Beef $25 a month
I typically buy our meat once a month from a local cattle ranch. I know where my beef is coming from and how it was raised. They even offer tours. The nice thing is they have a store here in town and they have Fill Your Freezer Friday where everything in their freezer case is 50% off! This makes things like ground beef $2.50 a pound. Not too bad. If you live around here the ranch is called Satchel Creek Steaks. Go check them out.

Chicken $? Not sure. I stock up when it's on sale and it lasts for several months
I try to buy Smart Chicken brand at Dillons when it is on sale. I can also get it at farmers market or Satchel Creek Steaks.

Fish $10-15 a month
I live in a land locked state so I have to buy this frozen at the grocery store. I usually find wild fish fillets on sale for $1 each at Target. This can easily be stretched by making fish sticks or fish patties.

Grains and Flour
I buy these in bulk from an Amish bulk foods store in Yoder. If Azure Standards would ever start delivering in my part of the country I may get it from them. I buy 25 pounds of locally grown whole wheat flour for $10 and freeze it in smaller freezer bags. I wish I had a grain mill, but not yet.

I buy beans from a local health food store in bulk.

Produce
I try to buy these in season at the cheapest price possible and freeze or can the extras. Last night my husband brought home at least 5 gallon bags of cherries he picked with his dad. My 2 year old was SO excited. We are still trying to teach him to spit out the seed. I also get produce at farmers market, grocery stores and Aldis (Not always organic, but it fits in the budget)

Milk $30 a month
From a dairy or conventional if I have to. I used to buy raw milk, but have not been as diligent. I plan to start up again, but it is a long drive. I am trying to find someone to share the driving with me.

Misc. What ever is left.

Like I said this is a really rough breakdown of my budget, but hopefully it gives you some kind of idea of what I have to work with.

Stay tuned for my series on transitioning to a whole foods diet and navigating your way through the grocery store to find the most nutritious foods.

Originally published June 2009

Produce Worth Buying Organic

Photo Credit Watch It Photos

Have you ever found yourself standing in the produce section of the grocery store and almost fallen over when you see the prices of organic produce? I know I have. I really want to feed my family only organic, pesticide free fruits and vegetables, but the high price of many of these items has forced me to go with the conventional produce. I always feel bad, but what else can you do?

Well there are a couple of things you can do. The first is to become familiar with the Dirty Dozen List for deciding what fruits and vegetables are the most contaminated and worth spending the extra money on.

1. Celery
2. Peaches
3. Strawberries
4. Apples
5. Blueberries
6. Nectarines
7. Bell Peppers
8. Spinach
9. Kale
10. Cherries
11. Potatoes
12. Grapes (Imported)

Thankfully there is also a list of the Clean 15.

1. Onions
2. Avocados
3. Sweet Corn
4. Pineapples
5. Mangoes
6. Sweet Peas
7. Asparagus
8. Kiwis
9. Cabbage
10. Eggplant
11. Cantaloupe
12. Watermelon
13. Grapefruit
14. Sweet Potato
15. Honeydew Melon

There are also things you can do to help offset the price of buying organic. The first of which would be to cut back on convenience foods and non essential items such as soda, cookies, and other junk food that we really don't need anyway. You will have more money to spend on the good stuff when you start learning to either do without or make your own convenience foods.

Another option is to buy your produce locally and in season at farmers markets. Get to know your the farmers around you. Many of them grow organically, but can not technically call it organic because they are not certified organic growers. Often you can get a deal from farmers when you buy in bulk. You are also getting the freshest and best tasting food when you are buying this way.

You should always wash your produce when you get it home to remove any residual chemical residue and other contaminants. One of the best ways you can do this is with baking soda. All you need to do is sprinkle some on your food and scrub while you rinse. It is the safest way I have found to clean produce.

The last option for reducing cost is to grow your own. You will always know what has been put on it while growing. It is cheap and easy to get it when you need it. Even if you think you don't have room for a garden container gardens can produce a surprisingly large amount of food. So even if all you have is a small patio or balcony you can grow your own food.

Hopefully this gives you some ideas to help you decide where and how to obtain the freshest, healthiest produce for your family.

Fun Birthday Food Without Artificial Colors

I guess from the comments I received from my last post I will continue with this blog. I am aiming to update once or twice a week as suggested by a commentor. We will have to see where things go from there. I also was talking with one of the moms from my daughter's preschool and she was commenting on how expensive it is to eat healthy. She loved the idea of this blog and urged me to continue. I am planning to take it slow and not stress if I am not keeping up with my planned schedule.

All that said I ran across a really great idea from Martha Stewart for cupcake icing and ice cream syrup that is made with fruit and herbs. My daughters birthday is in a couple of weeks and I was cringing at the idea of making her a cake full of artificial colors. I now have green, purple, and pink colors ready to test out tonight to see what we think. I wish I had taken pictures of the process, but I did not decide to post about it until after I had it all made. I will try to get some pictures of the finished product and post them later.

Basically what I did was cook up some blueberries, strawberries, and some chocolate mint leaves and add them to a simple sugar solution. They are all really yummy. After straining them through a towel I now have 3 colors to make icing or pink, purple, or green "cows." (brown cow ice cream)

I would love to post the actual recipe, but since it is copyrighted I will just have to send you to the link to check it out for yourselves.

I could not locate the link to the icing, but basically all you do is add powdered sugar to the syrup until it is the consistency of honey. Dip the cupcake in it and you are done.

I am still searching for a good cake recipe. If anyone has one let me know.

Baby Steps To Healthy Living: Whole Grains

When most people start their journey to healthy eating they immediately think about dry, cardboard tasting whole wheat bread, brown rice, and other supposedly tasteless foods. If not cooked correctly this can be true, but there are so many ways to use whole grains as well as tons of different varieties.

Today I would like to focus on a few well known varieties as well as a couple new ones that you may or may not have heard of or tried before. Eating a wide variety of whole grains in your diet is important.

There are many different topics you can focus on when it comes to grains such as soaking, spouting, and sourdoughs. To keep things simple today I will try to stick with just the basics of what whole grains are, how to cook them, and how to ease your family into eating them.

Getting your family to eat whole grains:

The first thing I would recommend to help ease your family into this transition is to start slowly eliminating white flour from your diet. I started by using 1/2 white and 1/2 wheat flour in recipes and then slowly using more wheat as we became accustomed to the flavor and texture.

The same rule can apply to brown rice. Start mixing it with regular white rice and then slowly add more brown rice.

Types of whole grains:

Wheat flour-

There are 2 types of wheat flour that are typically used in baking: Hard red winter wheat and hard white spring wheat. Winter wheat is what you will usually find in the grocery store when you are buying wheat flour.
Spring wheat is best for baking because it yields a lighter texture and color when baked. You can usually find this in a grocery store or health foods store. You may have to look a little harder for it though.
Another option would be to grind your own wheat for flour. Grinding your own flour is much healthier as well as giving you fresher flour. This is something I would love to start doing as soon as I am able to get a grain mill. The cost of grinding your own flour is actually cheaper in the long run once you purchase your mill.

Brown Rice-

Brown rice is a great whole grain. It does have a different texture then white rice, but it is so much better for you.

Oats-

Oats can be used in so many different ways. Most people think just about a bowl of oatmeal, which can be really yummy, but there are other ways to incorporate them into your diet. I will often toss some in when I am baking bread or muffins. Another way I get oats into our diet is to grind them up and add them to meatloaf instead of bread crumbs. I have even used them ground up as a flour in oat and nanner drops (yummy!)
One of our favorite ways to eat a bowl of oatmeal is to either soak it overnight and cook it in the morning or to cook it in a crock pot over night. I will then add some cinnamon, salt, milk, butter, and honey. You can then top it with fruit for some extra nutrition.

Millet-

Millet has a great nutty flavor to it. These tiny seeds can be used in a couple of ways. I will typically add them to baked goods for an extra crunchy texture or cook them like you would rice and serve as a side dish. Instead of using water when cooking millet try chicken broth for extra flavor.

Quinoa-

This is one of my husband's favorite grains. He is a runner and quinoa is very high in protein. If you eat very little meat like my family and you are looking for another way to add some protein to your diet quinoa is a great alternative. I usually cook it the same way you would rice. It has a cute little "tail" that sticks out of the grain when it is cooked. Quinoa can be a bit pricey so make sure to look for it in the bulk food section where it is usually cheaper.

Popcorn-

Believe it or not popcorn is a whole grain. Make sure to buy organic corn. I will cook popcorn for my kids on the stove with some coconut oil or butter and sea salt. Sometimes we add some Parmesan cheese. They absolutely love popcorn as a snack. It is filling and low in calories.
Making your own popcorn is FAR superior to microwave popcorn. We avoid microwave popcorn when we can. It has lots of added preservatives as well as genetically modified corn.

How to store whole grains-

Whole grains will keep a long time if stored correctly. I often buy grains in bulk to save money. I am planning to get some large 5 gallon buckets to keep them in. I then transfer smaller amounts to glass jars as needed. I love to display my glass jars full of grains, beans, and other baking ingredients. They are so pretty.

Great Post On Lowering Your Grocery Budget

Catherine at A Spirited Mind wrote an excellent article on how you can buy natural foods and still stay on a budget. Since that is the topic of this blog and I have been so swamped the last several months I thought you might be interested in reading it. It is always nice to see someone elses's perspective on a subject.

Baby Steps-Healthy Oils

Oils and fat are things I grew up being taught that they should be avoided. I was a teenager during the whole fat free trend. My mother still believes this is the best way to go. I on the other hand have had a change of heart. Maybe I am wrong, but I feel that the body needs fat to run properly, but like all things it should be used in moderation. Fat is naturally occurring in foods that are left alone and not messed with by man made ideas. Have you ever noticed that the low fat milk is cheaper then the whole milk? I can not figure out that one considering they have to work harder to get the fat out of the milk.

After doing a lot of reading and research of the last several years I have come to the conclusion that the healthiest forms of fat and oil include olive oil (mentioned many times in the Bible as a healthy oil), coconut oil, butter, ghee, and if you have nothing else lard.

Yep, I said lard. I don't know if I could eat it, but it is a naturally occurring and cheap form of fat. I have seen it mentioned in the Maker's Diet and Nourishing Traditions. Both are great books to have in your library if you have not read them yet.

Olive Oil
Your best bet with olive oil is extra virgin olive oil. It has an excellent taste and is the best for your body. You do need to make sure that olive oil is not super heated or it will lose all of it healthy benefits. It is best used as a marinade, dressing, or dipping oil. I will admit that I have used it in baking before when I have been out of anything else.

Another great use for olive oil is as a moisturizer for your hands and legs after a shower. It does not stay greasy and absorbs very quickly. I have hear that this is what women in Italy do and have you ever noticed how beautiful these women are?

You can buy extra virgin olive oil in most grocery stores. Lately I have been getting mine at World Market in large bottles for around $8-9.

Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is a high in saturated fat oil that comes from, you guessed it, the coconut. It has been used by people for many years, but has just recently become popular again by those of us who do not live in a tropical climate. At first I was very unsure about using this oil do to the saturated fat, but my mother started putting about 1 teaspoon in her oatmeal every morning and the doctor could not believe how much her cholesterol had come down.

Thanks to Lindsey at Passionate Homemaking for pointing out this article excerpt from Sue Gregg about why we should not fear coconut oil.

According to Sue Gregg, “There is a double reason not to fear coconut oil. First, it is highly debatable that saturated fats cause heart disease. Uffe Ravnskov, MD, PhD in The Cholesterol Myths (www.NewTrends Publishing.com) presents the facts of exhaustive research over the decades to disprove this theory. Secondly, the saturated fat of coconut oil is different than the long chain fatty acids of meats and also of polyunsaturated fats.” Read the full article here.

Coconut oil has been said by some to be a miracle oil for it's many health properties and uses which include:

Diaper rash ointment
Deodorant (recipe coming soon)
Lotion
Cooking
It is heat resistant and great for cooking
Heart health
Diabetes
Cholesterol lowering
The list goes on and on

If you are interested in reading more about the health benefits of coconut oil you can check them out here.

Coconut oil can be bought in bulk online with Azure Standards or Mountain Rose herb. If you are concerned about price you may consider buying a large amount and splitting it with a friend.

Other places I have seen it area at Walmart (Spectrum brand) and all health food stores.

Some other good oils to consider...
Sesame oil
Peanut oil
Unrefined sesame oil
Palm oil
Grape seed
Flax seed

Lindsey has a great article regarding these oils here. I considered getting more in depth with them, but this post would get really long if I did, and I think Lindsey does a great job.

Oil to avoid:
Canola oil
This has been considered one of the most healthy oils in the last several years and is nearly impossible to avoid in processed foods.

I can say first hand that it is not good for the body. I used it to make doughnuts before I studied it and became very ill. To the point of the Dr doing a sonogram to find out why I was having such terrible intestinal distress. They never found anything, but I began to notice that whenever I used my canola oil the pain started all over. Needless to say I tossed the bottle.

What is canola oil? I got to thinking one day olive oil comes from olives, peanut oil comes from peanuts. What in earth is a canola? I discovered that canola is a highly processed oil that comes from the rapeseed plant which is considered toxic in it's natural form. Well that was it for me on using this so called healthy oil.

Other oils to avoid include:
ALL hydrogenated oils
Soy, corn, and safflower
Cottonseed

These have all been linked to heart disease, fertility issues, learning disabilities, as well as many other things.

Well I think that about sums up my view on oil. They may be a bit more expensive then some other products on the market, but you only need to use them in small amounts. I think my health is more important then saving a few dollars.

As an afterthought if you are wanting to cut down the cost of baking you can always swap out butter for applesauce, bananas or other fruit. This will also cut down on the amount of sugar you need to use as well.

Thanks for hanging in there for this LONG post.

Baby Steps Continued

Yesterday I wrote about the easier things you can do to start switching your family over to a whole foods diet. Today I thought we might discuss some of the harder and sometimes more expensive ones.

1.) Switch your meat (beef, chicken, eggs) to grass fed, free range and if possible organic. Also if you can find it local is best.

Although the meat in the grocery store may be cheaper you have no idea where it is coming from, what it ate, what conditions it was housed in, if it was given antibiotics or steroids, and many other problems.

Here is a great website called Eat Wild that can give you some great ideas for starting to find local meat. If you are willing to search hard enough you can usually find it. If you live near me try Satchel Creek Steaks or Yoder Meats.

2.) If possible try to switch your dairy products over to raw milk or at the very least non homogenized. A lot of us have begun buying milk and cheese that is organic, but unfortunately it has also been ultra pasteurized and homogenized. These 2 processes kill all of the good bacteria and nutrients in the milk. Sometimes people who are lactose intolerant have found that they area able to drink raw milk without any problems.

If you are still a little unsure about raw milk you can check out my post here or this website called Real Milk.

3.) Buy local or organic produce when possible. Often organic produce is much higher in price then conventional. You will notice though that when you are buying produce in season the prices are often comparable. Lately I have noticed that apples and lettuce are only slightly more or the same as conventional.

If you are unable to buy all organic, which most of the time I am not, there are still things you can do to help reduce your pesticide load. Buy from local farmers, remember the dirty dozen, and buy in season.

4.) Start making your own food rather then buying processed food. Rather then trying to do this all at once start with one thing. Make just that one thing until you are comfortable with it and then slowly start adding things one item at a time. You will find that it gets easier. Some great things to start with would be yogurt (I use a yogurt maker, really easy), tortillas, bread, or granola.

Next week I plan to start going over certain food groups in more detail.

Don't let yourself get discouraged. You will get there. It has taken me a long time to get to the point I am and I still have a LONG way to go.

There are still many things you can do to add nutrients to your diet such as sprouting seeds, soaking grains, and making some of your own dairy products (cheese, kefir, buttermilk...), but I think I will save those for separate posts since they are more involved.

Baby Stepping Your Way To A Healthier Lifestyle On A Budget

Today I am starting a series on ways you can slowly work your way into a healthier lifestyle. I know first hand just how overwhelming it can be. When I began my journey about 4 years ago I had no clue where to start. I then started looking at the cost of it all and just about changed my mind. So today I think we should begin with looking at the budget.

Of course, everyone has a different budget to work with so I do not want you to feel that you have to strive to do the same thing as I or any other person would do. If you are interested in looking at my personal grocery budget you can read about it here.

One of the hardest things for me to get over was the fact that it is OK to spend money on food. There is such a huge craze right now to see how much you can get for as little as possible. I will admit that I have been a huge couponer, and still am to some extent. The only problem was that I was discovering that I was coming home with less then natural food. In most other cultures food is something to be enjoyed. As Americans we tend to be in a hurry and want as much as possible for as little as possible. So my husband and I decided that we must remind ourselves it is OK to spend money on food. I am not saying we spend a huge amount, but we have learned to buy the best quality food we are able to with what we have been given.

So what are some tips to staying on a budget while eating healthy, whole foods?

1.) Stop buying processed foods and save your money for the better quality real stuff. You will be better off. If your great-grandmother would not recognize it don't eat it.

2.) Make a list/menu and stick to it. No more impulse buys. This is probably where I struggle the most. If I fail to make a menu we are more likely to eat out and just buy what looks good. This is a big budget buster. When you go to the store have a list and do your best to stick to it.

3.) Make as much of your own food as possible. You may be thinking that you will be spending all your time in the kitchen. You will be there a bit more then before, but modern conveniences have also helped to cut time in the kitchen, such as a bread makers and crock pots. You can also dedicate one day to cooking ahead and freezing meals. This works well for me. The extra time you spend preparing your food will pay off in the long run. Keep things simple.

4.) Search for local food. You are most likely to get the most bang for your buck this way. To help you find sources of local food check out my post here.

5.) Shop with cash. Try to have a predetermined amount for the month and take that weeks amount shopping with you. You are less likely to overspend this way. If you are sticking to your weekly menu and shopping list this is somewhat easier to do. You can even try to adopt the envelope system that Dave Ramsey recommends. This is what we have done. It is one of our methods we are using to get out of debt. Getting out of debt is a HUGE goal we are working on. If you have not already taken Financial Peace University high highly recommend it.

6.) Buy on sale and stock up when you can. If you learn to watch for sales and clearance prices at the right times of the year you can buy things at their lowest prices and save tons of money. For example today I bought 4 pounds of shredded cheese. I really did not need that much, but I got it for around $8. It fit in the budget so I bought it. I took it home and portioned it into 2 cups per baggie and froze it. This should be enough to last us the rest of the month.

Another way to stock up is after the holidays or buying in season. Soon after Thanksgiving and Christmas I can almost bet you there will be some cans of pumpkin, meat, and other baking supplies marked way down.

7.) Be creative and flexible. If you run out of an item before your next shopping trip try to find an alternative. There have been many times we have run out of something and the kids will of course be asking for it. I have had to tell them to wait many times. I will not say that I do not ever give in, but I try to make them wait. It is good for them to learn this lesson and it also helps with the impulse buys that will most likely happen when you go to the store for that 1 item causing you to blow your budget.

8.) Watch for sales on Amazon. I have found many organic items on sale with Amazon lately. I will do my best to highlight them when I see them. If you have any Swagbuck gift cards saved up you can easily score some free or cheap organic/ natural food.

Tomorrow I am planning to post about where you should start to make the changes in your diet to help ease your family into this new way of life.

Here is my proposed schedule of posts for this series. I am open to suggestions.
Week 1-Baby Steps and Budget
Week 2- What, Where, and Why? Food groups
Week 3- Frugal ways to buy natural personal care and toiletry items.
Week 4- Household items
Week 5- Anything I may have left out.

I would love to have you join me. I am thinking about starting a monthly post with a link so everyone can share their progress stories. That way we can all help each other along with additional ideas and support.

Transitioning To A Healthier Lifestyle Starts Tuesday!

Make sure to come back tomorrow (Tuesday) when I will be restarting a series on how to slowly transition to a healthier lifestyle. Topics this week will include budgeting, planning, and baby steps.

Hopefully next week we can discuss different foods groups such as dairy, grains, oils, sugar...

Nature's Gate Toothpaste Review

I am sorry the rest of my baking day did not get posted. Time got away from me and the kids needed some extra attention. It was so nice yesterday that all we managed to make was some cookie dough and play dough. We then decided to go to the park. I did manage to get all 50 pounds of flour bagged and put in the freezer even with a little "help." I also did get a couple of meals, beans, rice, and cooked meat frozen. I am really excited that I had time last night to finish up my November menu and start on December. Anyway here is a quick review of a new toothpaste we have been trying out.

Recently we have decided to start slowly switching over all of our body care products to more natural products. Since these things tend to be a bit pricey and I have been spoiled in the past with getting most of them for free using coupons this might be a bit hard for me.

I thought about going the more frugal route and and making most of my own products to save money, but toothpaste seemed to be the one that I had the most trouble with. The recipes I have found did not sit well with me. We have made our own deodorant with great success. I am planning to do a post on that later this week.

In the end I decided to go with Nature's Gate Creme de Mint toothpaste after a suggestion from Laura at The Heavenly Homemaker. I decided to go ahead and order it from Amazon using my Swagbuck gift cards. Unfortunately I could not find any coupon codes for it, but I still managed to get a pretty good deal. I ended up being able to get 6 tubes for $10 shipped. Not too bad a deal for natural toothpaste.

When it came in the mail I decided that I had better like it since we now have a lot and it will probably last us a good 6 months. Thankfully I really did like it. Since I am pregnant I was a bit concerned that the taste would not sit well with me. I am happy that I decided to go with mint since mint seems to be a flavor that calms the stomach. It is not too strong either. It left me feeling like I had a very clean mouth. The tubes were also much bigger then I anticipated.

Overall I am very pleased with my purchase. I will probably have to get the kids something else since it may be a bit too minty for them.

Here is a list of ingredients I took from the Nature's Gate website. I was happy to find something that was fluoride free. I know this is a debatable subject, but for us we have decided to try and avoid it for now.

Ingredients:
Calcium Carbonate, Glycerin, Water, Chondrus Crispus (Carrageenan), Mentha Viridis (Spearmint) Leaf Oil, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Sodium Bicarbonate, Calcium Ascorbate, Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Root Extract, Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Seed Oil, Calcium Glycerophosphate, Sodium Chloride, Flavor.

More Bulk Food Fun

I wish I would have taken a picture of my bulk food purchase yesterday. There was enough to fill up the back of my small SUV! My husband and I decided to make a quick run to Yoder Saturday morning to restock on some staple items. We had so much fun shopping and spending some time together without the kids.

Here is a breakdown of what I came home with....

Carriage Crossing- 2 HUGE cinnamon rolls. We are talking dinner plate size. Total these were less then $3! (definitely an item we "needed")

Yoder Meat Market-I already stocked up on meat from Satchel Creek so we just poked around and bought 2 things of raw milk cheese on sale BOGO, hydroponic, organic tomatoes, and a little cheese snack. I think we spent around $7-8

Yoder Bulk Foods-Our main reason for going........

25 lbs oats

10 pounds black beans

10 pounds pinto beans

10 pounds red beans

5 pounds split peas

50 pounds of flour (No grain mill yet, sigh. I store this in my big freezer)

5 pounds of cornmeal

10 pounds of rice

5 pounds of lentils

6 pounds sugar (Yes, the processed bad stuff. The holidays are coming and my extended family does not care for the natural sweeteners)

Lots of different spices

About 1 lb sea salt

I think that is it unless I left something out. Total for the bulk food store $105! Not too bad. This should be enough to last us 4-5 months. With the meat I bought earlier in the week I am hoping to only have to buy produce and eggs the rest of the month. We will see how it goes. Yes buying natural food is a little more expensive, but when you consider how many things you are not buying it almost evens out.

Pumpkin Cookies The Healthy Way-I Think

I do have more interesting posts started, but I have not had time to sit down and finish them. So for now I will post about the pumpkin cookie recipe that my daughter and I tried to make a little healthier then the original version. I will post pictures as soon as they come out of the oven and let you know how our experiment tastes.

Pumpkin Cookies Lorrie's Way

2 1/2 cup whole wheat flour (Next time I may cut it to 2)

2 T ground flax seed

1 t baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 t cinnamon

1/2 t nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

pinch ground cloves

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup softened butter

1 cup pumpkin

1 egg

1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2.) Mix together butter, maple syrup, honey, pumpkin, and egg with an electric mixer.

3.) Add remaining ingredients.

4.) Place dough on cookie sheet.

5.) Bake for 10-12 minutes

If you are interested in the original recipe you can check it our here.

Lunchbox Limbo

I have been searching for ways to get my picky 4 year old to eat healthier foods without a fight. I am sure this is something that most moms go through. I was so excited when I stumbled onto the blog Lunchbox Limbo. Amanda has some really good ideas for helping ease your kids into healthier eating habits. I love all the cute ways that she presents the food to her children so that even healthy foods can be fun.

This is an example of one of the creative lunches you will find at Lunchbox Limbo. It is called"Pinkalicious". Pinkalicious just happens to be one of my daughters favorite books. I will have to give this one a try. For many more inspiration and seasonal ideas on making your kids lunch boxes healthy and fun make sure to check out Lunchbox Limbo.

Milk

If you are anything like me you have been told growing up that you should always drink low fat or skim milk from a grocery store because raw milk and whole milk will make you sick and fat.

Have you noticed that there has been a huge increase in the incidence of heart disease and other cardiovascular disease within the last half of the 20th century? How could this happen? We are doing the right things by cutting out butter and full fat milk? Well I believe the answer is that the Lord put fat in our milk for a reason. He knew we needed it to survive. Fat is not the enemy.

Seriously have you looked at the ingredients in a tub of margarine? My husband read an article once that said margarine is one molecule off from having the same makeup of plastic. I don't think I want to eat that.

But isn't raw milk dangerous? I used to think so. I have a mother who is a nurse and is still convinced that I am making a mistake. A couple of things that have sold me on raw milk is that it can be so helpful for children who have eczema and allergies. The other thing I noticed was that I had a partial gallon that was forgotten at the back of our fridge for a couple of weeks. When I discovered it I thought it would be stinky when I opened it. Would you believe it had no smell at all? If you need more in depth info I would recommend the web site real milk. It has a wealth of information. Way better then I could ever put together.

Isn't organic milk just as good? Well yes and no. Organic milk is great because it has not been produced by cows who have been given synthetic hormones or antibiotics, but that is about where the similarity ends. Most organic milk has been ultra-pasteurized and homogenized. Pasteurization heats the milk up to a point that it kills all the so called bad germs to the point that it no longer resembles real milk anymore. This process also kills off all the vitamins and minerals in milk. To make the milk worth drinking they have to add back synthetic, fortified vitamins.

Homogenization is a process that keeps the milk fat from separating from the milk liquid. Raw milk will have the cream at the top. This cream can be used to make so many things. For example whipped cream, not Cool Whip, real whipped cream. Never ever buy Cool Whip. It is not even real milk. It is a man made hydrogenated oil. Have you seen the commercial lately asking if you would like cream or oil?

Another thing I discovered about organic milk today is that not all organic dairies treat their cows well. You can read a report about it here. Notice where Horizon rates.

Won't eating fat make me fat? No, on the contrary. Eat fat to lose fat. I know this sounds crazy, but it is true.
The following is from the book Real Food: What To Eat And Why. This exert is taken from the article written by Kelly The Kitchen Kop.
"Unlike polyunsaturated fats, which the body tends to store, the saturated fats in milk are rapidly burned for energy.” “The butter fat found in milk helps the body digest the protein, and bones require saturated fats in particular to lay down calcium.” “The cream on the milk contains the vital fat-soluble vitamins A and D. Without vitamin D, less than 10% of dietary calcium is absorbed.”
Read more about Eat Fat Lose Fat from one of my favorite authors, Sally Fallon, here.

If I can not get raw milk what is the next best thing? I believe that if you can not get raw milk try to find unhomogenized milk. I have seen it in health food stores. Kelly the Kitchen Kop has a great article dealing with just this issue and more. Check it out here. If I were to get into everything about raw milk this would be a very long post.

OK, you have convinced me. So where can I find raw milk? The best place to start looking is at Real Milk. They have a list of dairies that offer it. Although you may still have to look if there is nothing listed in your area. The way I found my dairy was word of mouth. If you have a farming community near you go there and ask around. You might be surprised what you find.

If you have any questions that I have not addressed please feel free to leave a comment and I will try my best to answer it for you.

A Whole Foods Budget

I had planned to do a post on dairy foods and where to find them today, but I have decided that I should start with a rough break down of my grocery budget instead. I thought it might help to see where I am coming from and what I have to work with.

I would like to start out by saying that I realize every person has a different budget. Some have more to spend then others as well as more mouths to feed. I feel it is extremely important not to get bogged down with the numbers or to think that what one person is able to do should be what you strive for. Each family should try to do the best they can and be good stewards of what the Lord has given them. So if you can only put beans and rice into a whole foods budget instead of grass fed steak and organic produce that is completely OK as long as you are doing what is right for your family.

I would also like to say that I do not feed my family a completely unprocessed, organic diet. I too am still working on trying to transition everything over as I am able to. I am still in a learning process as well. Sometimes I am not able to get organic things into my budget so I try to at least strive for a whole food such as conventional produce, beans, or cheese. At least it is real food.

I promise tomorrow I will start into each food group and navigating the grocery store, but I felt it was important to get the basics down first.

My budget every month is typically $250-$300 a month feeding 2 adults, a 4 year old and a 19 month old. Before I started a whole foods diet I would spend around $400-$500 a month. So I am actually saving money. How you may ask? Well we quit buying junk and convenience food. Yes they may be quick and easy, but at what expense?

I would also like to say that I feel it is OK to spend money on good quality food. I went through a time recently where I was so concerned about paying off debt that I thought our grocery budget was a good place to skimp. I have since learned that it is better health wise to cut other areas of the budget and try to keep as much money as possible in the grocery budget. Think of it as preventative medicine.

Another way I save money in our budget is by making almost everything we eat. You may think that I spend all my time in the kitchen, but you would be surprised. With all of the modern conveniences that we are spoiled with these days I am able to get things done a lot quicker. For example a bread maker, food processor, crock pot, and a yogurt maker. These things take minutes to get started and save me a ton of time in the kitchen.

What are some things I try to avoid in our foods? Hormones, antibiotics, MSG, high fructose corn syrup, artificial colors and preservatives, hydrogenated oils, white sugar, and white flour. If you look at the ingredients in most store bought items you will see at least 1 if not many of these. Even in the so called "all natural" items. Don't let yourself be fooled.

I think I have gotten a little off track here. Back to the budget.

Meat-
Beef $25 a month
I typically buy our meat once a month from a local cattle ranch. I know where my beef is coming from and how it was raised. They even offer tours. The nice thing is they have a store here in town and they have Fill Your Freezer Friday where everything in their freezer case is 50% off! This make things like ground beef $2.50 a pound. Not too bad. If you live around here the ranch is called Satchel Creek Steaks. Go check them out.

Chicken $? Not sure. I stock up when it's on sale and it lasts for several months
I try to buy Smart Chicken brand at Dillons when it is on sale. I can also get it at farmers market or Satchel Creek Steaks.

Fish $10-15 a month
I live in a land locked state so I have to buy this frozen at the grocery store. I usually find wild fish fillets on sale for $1 each at Target. This can easily be stretched by making fish sticks or fish patties.

Grains and Flour
I buy these in bulk from an Amish bulk foods store in Yoder. If Azure Standards would ever start delivering in my part of the country I may get it from them. I buy 25 pounds of locally grown whole wheat flour for $10 and freeze it in smaller freezer bags. I wish I had a grain mill, but not yet.

I buy beans from a local health food store in bulk.

Produce
I try to buy these in season at the cheapest price possible and freeze or can the extras. Today I had a ton of apples that I decided to make into applesauce. I often get these at farmers market, grocery stores and Aldis (Not always organic, but it fits in the budget)

Milk $30 a month
From a dairy or conventional if I have to.

Misc. What ever is left.

Like I said this is a really rough breakdown of my budget, but hopefully it gives you some kind of idea of what I have to work with.

Stay tuned for my series on transitioning to a whole foods diet and navigating your way through the grocery store to find the most nutritious foods.