orange ginger cookie bites {fast friendly & gluten free}

2 Comments September 7, 2019 nourishinggrace

“Love Christ and put nothing before His Love. He is joy, He is life, He is light. Christ is Everything. He is the ultimate desire, He is everything. Everything beautiful is in Christ.”
Saint Porphyrios : Wounded By Love

These super easy cookies are a tangy delicious treat, and a great addition to the kids lunch. Gluten-free and and naturally sweetened, they are a cinch to make and can be enjoyed baked or raw. The basic cookie dough is a riff off of my lemon zest cookies.

orange ginger cookie bites

Ingredients

1-1/3 cups almond flour
1 cup shredded coconut
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
zest of one orange
pinch of sea salt
2 tablespoons coconut oil
2 tablespoons orange juice
3 tablespoons raw honey
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips for melting and dipping

Preparation

Mix all ingredients in food processor and blend until a paste forms. Scoop out dough and shape into balls about one inch in diameter. Place on parchment lined cookie sheet.

Bake in 250F oven for twenty minutes. Take cookies out and let cool about 20 minutes. Place chocolate chips in a double boiler and melt. Drizzle over cookies. Makes about 30 little cookies.

kitcheri

Leave a comment November 16, 2017 nourishinggrace

With prayer and fasting in the Lenten spring, the Christian clears the self’s soil of stony sin and makes rooms within for the birth within of the pierced heart and bleeding flesh of Jesus. “A new heart I will give you and a new spirit I will put within you and I will remove from your body the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh” (Ezekiel 36:26) Our love and labor along with God’s grace can make even the poorest stony soil grow round red beets, sweet hearts of flesh. Vigen Guroian – Inheriting Paradise : Meditations on Gardening

Healing foods : tonight I am making my family an Indian dish called Kitchari – pronounced kitch-r-ree. It is fast friendly, and aside from that it is an alkalizing nutrient rich meal which is so easy to digest and brings balance to the body. It is very good for anyone suffering intestinal discomfort. It is traditionally vegetarian, but one can use chicken or bone broth instead of vegetable broth.
KITCHARI

1 cup basmati rice – rinsed
1 cup mung bean dal (split yellow) 6 cups fresh organic spinach
1 tablespoon turmeric powder
1 tablespoon cumin seed
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
1 tablespoon Celtic sea salt or Himalayan pink salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
2 inch piece fresh peeled minced ginger
4-6 cups water, vegetable broth or homemade bone broth
3 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter) or coconut oil
1 can coconut milk

Preparation
Soak Mung Dal overnight. This makes them easier to digest. .
Place ghee and seeds in large skillet over medium heat. Once seeds start to pop and are fragrant add remaining spices and ginger.
Add rice and beans stirring to coat. Do this quickly to avoid burning. .
Add liquid (bone broth, veggie stock and/or water)

Bring to a boil and lower heat. Co we with lid and cook for 45-60 minutes. .
Add spinach and coconut milk. .
Stir to wilt spinach. Add salt and stir. .
This recipe makes 4-6 servings.
The lentil and rice combination makes for a complete protein. It stabilizes blood sugar and helps the body detoxify. It is so easy to digest that it soothes the intestinal wall.

fast friendly paleo chocolate delight

Leave a comment March 4, 2017 nourishinggrace

To no longer live exclusively for myself, but for God, also means that I now live for my neighbor, loving him as myself. + Elder Aemilianos of Simonopetra

My kids often want a sweet during Great Lent. But I also try to keep sugar to a minimum.

Did you know that sugar is actually a toxin to the body,and robs you of minerals (1 molecule of sugar takes over 50 molecules of magnesium to digest!). But most relevant to us about sugar, with two in the house recovering from Chronic Lyme, is that sugar is an immune suppressant. Not only does sugar compete with vitamin C for valuable space within your white blood cells. It has been shown that 1 tablespoon of sugar reduces immunity for hours after consumption.

We have modified our fasting for Great Lent – due to the Lyme and some threats from the doctor. My doctor said that I am so aenimic due to one of the coinfections of the Lyme that she threatened me with IV iron. (I have resorted to my least favorite food – liver – but just a few bites a day. It’s all I can bear. The iron pills were not raising my numbers sufficiently and despite the taste, I feel better after eating the liver. Just more proof – and in no way strange – that God made always nourishes better than man made.)

Other than that we are mostly adhering to a very vegetarian Paleo diet.

We tried this Super moist orange laden chocolate cake yesterday, which you can find at Strictly Delicious. It is definitely “strictly delicious” and beyond yummy. I have to share on their behalf.

Normally I cut back the sugar in every recipe but found it wasn’t necessary to reduce it one bit in this cake.

This dessert is fasting and family friendly. We will be making it again!

garden beet salad

Leave a comment July 13, 2016 nourishinggrace

Do not say “this happened by chance, while this came to be of itself.” In all that exists there is nothing disorderly, nothing, indefinite, nothing without purpose, nothing by chance…. How many hairs are on your head? God will not forget one of them. Do you see how nothing, even the smallest thing, escapes the gaze of God? ~Saint Basil the Great

During the summer, we crave salads. They are a nice cool addition to any meal, or can be served as a meal on their own. You simply can not “beet” the simplicity of a garden beet salad. These particular beets are gems straight from our garden, but any from the store or farmer’s market will do. We planted these in early spring.

I actually hadn’t planned to harvest them, but I accidentally pulled one out while weeding… it looked so good, that we harvested the rest from that bed! Beets have a sweet earthy flavor, and are a mineral rich nutritional powerhouse. They have more iron than spinach, and are an excellent source of calcium, magnesium, copper, and phosphorous. They’re also packed with choline, folic acid, iodine, manganese, organic sodium, potassium, fiber and carbohydrates (in the form of natural easily digestible sugars). Quite simply, they are superfood.

One great benefit of the beet is that is alkalizing to the body and that’s great news in a nation with a standard diet that is acid forming. Beets are a stimulator of liver health. They also have many cardiovascular benefits. They can be helpful in reducing cholesterol and their rich potassium content benefits blood pressure. Fermented drinks like beet kvass have been known throughout history as a blood tonic. And the list goes on. Some studies have also shown that beets are preventative for skin, lung and colon cancer, they support the structure of our capillaries, and can also aid in the slowing or prevention of macular degeneration.

Beets, they do a body good!

Garden Beet Salad

Ingredients:

9 beets, washed but not peeled
4 tablespoons goat cheese in small chunks to drop into salad
3 tablespoons pinenuts, slightly toasted
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion, green onion tops or chives
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
sea salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350F and place beets on a cookie sheet. Top loosely with foil and place oven for about an hour. They should be tender.

Remove from oven and let cool. Once cool, using the edge of a knife or a vegetable peeler, peel of the outer skin of the beet. Your hands will get very red!

Next, cut the beets into bite sized pieces. Place all ingredients into your favorite salad bowl and toss lightly to incorporate.

Delicious!

Additional Resources

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=49

i heart organic strawberries

Leave a comment June 7, 2014 nourishinggrace

“For a long time now we have understood ourselves as traveling toward some sort of industrial paradise, some new Eden conceived and constructed entirely by human ingenuity. And we have thought ourselves free to use and abuse nature in any way that might further this enterprise. Now we face overwhelming evidence that we are not smart enough to recover Eden by assault, and that nature does not tolerate or excuse our abuses.”

Wendell Berry ~ Bringing It to the Table: On Farming and Food

For about a year of college I lived in Germany, which was my first exposure to farmer’s markets, a way of life at least where my family there lives. That was some twenty years ago – probably about the very time farmer’s markets were gaining new traction in the U.S. At the time, I’d never seen eggs so fresh they were still adorned with feathers, or vegetables still smelling of the earth.

One thing about fresh food is that it’s always near death ~ counter-intuitively that makes it alive, and allows it to nourish us with all the vibrancy of it’s vitamins, minerals, enzymes and phyto-nutrients (a word apparently so new that my spell check keeps trying to change it).

With that in mind, any one attempting to stay as local to their food sources as possible knows the importance of preserving the harvest. Fresh food is not immortal! At the moment we are at the waning edge of strawberry season here in Virginia. In fact, we missed getting any at the past two markets due to our late arrival, so this morning we got there early!

Making that effort to find the best food for my family is really important. These are not delicacies or haute cuisine at all, but no-frill foods that are raised in harmony with the land, in such a way as to be nourishing rather than depleting.

If we don’t eat the strawberries we bought this morning in about four days, they will rot. So, extending the harvest has become a habit allowing us to enjoy the delights of spring even into the upcoming winter. There are many ways to preserve what’s currently in season from canning, to lacto-fermentation and even simply freezing.

As a rule we try to stick with organic whenever possible, but particularly with strawberries which are a fruit known as one of the dirty dozen. That’s because they are covered with some of the most toxic agricultural chemicals available. Many of these chemicals are carcinogenic and known endocrine disruptors – that means they mess with your hormones. Nice! Even after washing, 67% of fruits and vegetables sprayed with these chemicals still contain them. Hmmmm.

Over time, many of these toxins bioaccumulate in our fat cells. Our bodies really do not know what to do with these, and that can have negative effect on our physical health.

The blessing of the farmer’s market is being part of a community. People get to know one another and look forward to chatting, sharing and learning. You know your farmer’s name, and feel confident in his word. None of our local strawberry growers sprays, which is a testament to their dedication and nurture of the land. It’s all connected…in providing well nourished soil to the plants, the plants then become strong and less susceptible to disease and pests, which means these farmer’s don’t need all of the toxic pesticides and fungicides in the first place.

Buying organic can seem more expensive – perhaps in the short run it might slightly be – mostly because we buy en masse. That said, at the farm stand I can pretty much guarantee you will get a discount – most of the time without even asking – if you buy in bulk.

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Whether you freeze them, make them into jams, pile them atop of shortcake or eat them right out of the flat, they are a seasonal delight that brings a smile to everyone’s face!

kombucha

Leave a comment February 28, 2014 nourishinggrace

Blessing “the “hands that feed me”…

To bless doesn’t just mean “think good thoughts” or “be nice.” To bless is far more radical. It is to actually give life, to have one’s cup run over into the lives of others. To have one’s parents’ blessings is to have each of them send you off into life saying “I see you. I know you are good. I believe in you. I trust you. I am proud of you. May you be fruitful and multiply…” To bless is to speak from and for and to the divine, as a priest blesses a marriage or christens a baby. To bless is to respect the integrity and mystery of the life of another.” (Vicki Robin – Blessing the Hands That Feed Us)

In case it’s new to you, kombucha is sugar sweetened tea that is fermented and cultured into a sour tonic drink that can be double fermented to get a fizzy carbonation in the final beverage.

The fermentation occurs through the work of a community of microorganisms. Kombucha is cultured into fermented tea through the SCOBY – a rubbery disk that floats atop of the tea and takes the shape of the fermentation vessel. This is similar to the making of apple cider vinegar – which forms a similar by product known as mother of vinegar. It’s pretty interesting stuff… and takes some getting used to, but it works!

Some Russians call kombucha tea kvass.

In recent years kombucha has gone from relative obscurity to top selling health tonic and is now available in most health food chains, including MOMS Organic Market and Whole Foods.

One point of note is that kombucha is not for everyone, and so if it doesn’t agree with you, don’t drink it. It’s not meant to be guzzled like a tall glass of water.

We’ve started making ours, but in small batches. Last summer we babysat a friends kombucha brew, which made more than a gallon per brew. It was too much.

You can find lots of information on brewing kombucha as well as supplies and recipes here: Kombucha Kamp.

We’ve been having fun experimenting with kombucha infused with grapefruit and with ginger.

sauerkraut

Leave a comment February 15, 2014 nourishinggrace

“I have come to the conclusion that the most important element in human life is faith. If God were to take away all the blessings, health, physical fitness, wealth, intelligence, and leave me with but one gift, I would ask for faith— for with faith in God, in God’s goodness, mercy, love for me, and belief in everlasting life, I believe I could still be happy, trustful, leaving all to God’s inscrutable providence.” —Rose Kennedy

Most people would agree that we live in a germ-ophobic country. YET, all around us and within us there is a microscopic world, things invisible – an interconnected multitude of fungus and bacteria. (uh-oh…) From the beginnings we coexisted with these little organisms; we even harnessed their help to age and preserve our food without refrigeration. However, when Louis Pasteur uncovered the role of bacteria in disease, (which is a great thing!) we began to fear them as dangerous enemies and in fearing them we forgot about their role in health.

Not all bacteria and fungi are bad.

In our modern antiseptic world, it can take a leap of faith – and maybe even a little science – to calm our fears, reacquaint ourselves and get comfortable with the microcosmos around and within us. A little reminder that the world God created is good (it was also raw and unpasteurized, by the way!) and that I can rely on that whole food creation -more than food scientists and industry- for the plentiful nourishment of my family! You know what? So can YOU!

The word sauerkraut is German for “sour cabbage” – but the French call it choucroute. Whatever you call it, sauerkraut is probably to most widely known fermented food behind, pickles, olives and yogurt.

Probably the most widely known sauerkraut is Bavarian style, which is shredded cabbage, salt and seasoned with caraway seeds. Some other German styles use juniper berries to season the kraut.

A word on the nutritional virtues of sauerkraut.

Fermented sauerkraut is not only pre-gested thereby making it’s nutritional profile more bioavailable, it is also low in calories, high in fiber, and is a good source of vitamins K, C and folate and also the minerals potassium, calcium, magnesium, copper, manganese and iron. It has a great profile of antioxidants and is anti-inflammatory. Cabbage is exceedingly nutritious on it’s own merits, but let it ferment and it’s full potential is silently revealed.

Studies that “analyzed cabbage before and after fermentation to see how the elements had changed found that the glucosinolates in cabbage dissolved into a class of enzymes that have been shown in prior studies to prevent cancer.” (Preventdisease.com)

But that’s not all! Sauerkraut also helps to maintain the acid/base balance of the body, helps to regulate blood sugar levels making it useful for hypoglycemics and diabetics and has been associated with preserving ocular health.

Like all ferments, sauerkraut is high in naturally occurring lactic acid which helps maintain a healthy acidity in the large intestine, thus creating an environment that is hostile to parasites and yeast but comfortable for good bacteria.

Ready to give it a try?

Fermentation takes neither much time, or effort. It’s a great way to add great nutrition to the table, and making it yourself is a real money saver when you’re on a budget and feeding a large family.

It’s super nourishing, unassuming and delicious. We eat it because it tastes great. On it’s own, adorning a brat or hot dog, or even as a great garnish on a wintery day’s BLT. You can buy sauerkraut in the store, but if you want all the benefits of the ferment, then it’s best to look for small batch, artisinal, organic, lacto-fermented varieties that are also non-pastuerized.

Michael Pollan says about fermenting, “Koreans, who know a thing or two about fermentation, distinguish between the “tongue taste” of various foods and the “hand taste“. Tongue taste is a simple matter of molecules making contact with taste buds – the kind of cheap and easy flavors any food scientist or food corporation can produce. Hand taste is the far more complex experience of a food that bears the indelible mark – the care and sometimes even the love – of the person who made it. The sauerkraut (and most anything else) you make yourself will have hand taste.”

That makes a lot of sense here at Nourishing Grace, because the word nourish is quite beautiful and comes from the latin nutrire, which means to feed or cherish, to preserve, look after or suckle. That implies a “hands on” relationship!

“Better is a dish of herbs where love is than a fattened ox and hatred with it.” —Proverbs 15: 17

Of all our nourishment let it be rooted in goodness and love as we prepare and enjoy our meals with loved ones at the table!

how to make your own sauerkraut

Equipment

1 – 1 gallon Ceramic crock or wide mouth mason jar

plate or plastic that will fit inside

ingredients for sauerkraut

2 medium heads fresh cabbage (fresh local cabbage is the best because of it’s higher moisture content the salt will draw out more water for the brine.

3 tablespoons sea salt

process

chop or shred the cabbage. We use a food processor

As you process the cabbage, place in bowl and sprinkle salt on each layer. The salt osmotically draws the water out of the cabbage. This becomes the brine in which the cabbage ferments without rotting.

mixing the sauerkraut

Mix the ingredients together and you can either pound the cabbage, or massage with good firm squeezing. That will all serve to draw out the brine. You can also mix it and leave it for a half an hour and then start the pounding or massaging.

massaging the cabbage

Transfer the mixture to the crock or mason jar. Tamp it down firmly. You can use a tamper or your fist. I use my hands. Push the cabbage below the brine level. Fermentation works because the vegetables stay below the brine. So in this oxygen deprived environment, anaerobic, only the good bacteria are able to survive and thrive. Place a clean weight over in the crock over the cabbage to keep it down. This can be a smaller jar with water in it.

To be honest, I do not always use a weight. My ferments are always on the kitchen counter, so I wash my hands and push it beneath the brine several times a day. But if you are not able to do that, it’s best to use a weight.

The sauerkraut will develop at a rate directly correlated with temperature. At 45 Fahrenheit, fermentation is very slow, at 90 Fahrenheit it is notably faster. Lower temperatures, in the 70 Fahrenheit range make a superior kraut.

After 3-5 days, give the sauerkraut a taste.

See if it suits you. Some people love the flavor of an immature green kraut. If it’s not the flavor profile you want, let it sit longer for the flavors to develop. Once it is to your liking, place in smaller jars and move to the refrigerator or other cool spot (like a root cellar). The slows down the fermentation process.

Taste-testing the developing sauerkraut has become my daughters job and her taste buds are definitely evolving. We currently have a jar of sauerkraut that has been on the counter for three weeks. We are using it, but she has not asked to have it moved the fridge. Surprisingly it has not gotten very very sour, just more delicious.

There are many ways to enjoy your kraut, most recently we had ours atop BLT’s served on a great sourdough made during the big snow storm.

sourdough BLT with sauerkraut

Sources:

Katz, Sandor Ellix. The Art of Fermentation: An In-Depth Exploration of Essential Concepts and Processes From Around the World. White River Junction, VT: Chelsea Green Pub., 2012. Print.

“What Are The Benefits Of Sauerkraut Juice?”. Livestrong.Com

Ten Reasons to Eat Fresh Unpasteurized Sauerkraut | Vitality Magazine | Toronto Canada alternative health, natural medicine and green living

matzoh ball ~ soup for the soul

1 Comment February 10, 2014 nourishinggrace

“Real humility is light and buoyant, not weighted down by insecurity, self loathing or an obsession with being known and admired. Humility spends the time and energy freed up by not agonizing over one’s self reveling in the grace of everyday blessings big and small. Humility genuinely rejoices with those who rejoice and weeps with those who weep. Humility retains forever its childlike sense of hope and wonder.” ~ Molly Sabourin

Matzoh ball soup is comfort food at its finest and a great use for your homemade chicken stock!

Food sustains physical life and yet is greater than the nourishment it brings to the table. Food gathers people and traditional foods – passed from generation to generation tell a story. These generational foods – shrouded in history, symbolism and ritual tell the story of peoples and their journeys of life and in that category Matzoh Ball Soup definitely tops the charts.

The Matzoh is probably one of the best known Biblical foods and one that has humbly stood the test of time. It is a food which tells the story of the exodus of a chosen people and the guiding Hand that frees them from bondage in Egypt.

Matza is unleavened bread – and one of the three biblical culinary components of the Jewish Passover Seder – it is also called the bread of affliction. For Jewish families, Matzo is the only type of bread eaten throughout the Passover festival. The generational story of the matzo is one of slavery and freedom. The last shared act that every Israelite performed before being freed from slavery in Egypt, as well as the very first act that the entire nation shared as free people at their first stop, was eating matzo. (Encyclopedia of Jewish Food).

The first time my family ever tried matzoh ball soup was last year, visiting grandparents in Florida. We went their favorite Deli, TooJays in Orlando. Such a simple dish, utilizing the most basic and unassertive ingredients – chicken broth, seasonal vegetables, eggs, schmalz (saved chicken fat – from your stock) salt and pepper. This is quintessential comfort food!

Traditionally, matzo balls are served in a broth only served with carrots – but you can make it your own with whatever favorite vegetables you love! This recipe doubles and triples nicely! It also freezes well if you make a big batch. We portion it into servings for two or four and freeze. That way it is on hand, ready to thaw, heat and nourish on those busy school nights laden with activities and little time!

Matzoh Ball Soup – it brings nourishing comfort to the body and as the old saying goes – the soul too!

ingredients:

3 eggs

9 cups chicken stock

1/4 cup grated onion

1/2 cup melted chicken fat (Note: Jewish families would not substitute butter as that is prohibited during the Passover. We used butter (preferably pasture raised).

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated black pepper

1 cup matzo meal (you can make your own by placing Matzo crackers and pulse in food processor or blender. The other option is to buy it ready to use)

4- 5 diced carrots, sauteed

2 talblespoons chopped parsely and/or chives (optional)

preparation

Beat the eggs together and 1/2 cup of stock.

Stir in the grated onion, salt, pepper and fat.

Add the matzo meal. The dough will be moist. Cover the mixture and refrigerate for one hour or overnight.

Shape into matzo balls – about 1 inch in diameter.

Now, you can either heat a pot of salted water or heat your chicken stock (which is a personal preference.) Drop matzo balls into boiling broth. The matzo balls will expand and absorb a lot of liquid. Turn the heat ti medium and let the balls cook for about 30 minutes to set.

Serve one to two matzo balls with broth and sprinkle with chopped parsley and or chives.

winter ferments – gingered beet and carrot slaw

Leave a comment February 4, 2014 nourishinggrace

The dinner table in a monastery is always set with care for both daily fare and feast days. Food is arranged to show the full beauty of God’s harvest in vegetables, grains, dairy products, and fruit.

Victor-Antoine d’Avila-Latourrette

Oh…! The rich earthy flavor of this slaw just get better over time. If you are a fan of beets, this does not disappoint – not one bit! Fermenting is a low-cost, efficient and easy process that preserves foods – some indefinitely! We still have the remnants of a corn jalapeño salsa ~ from two years ago ~ that is still viable, delicious and enjoyed!

Ferments have a self sufficient versatility – but at the same time, pair well with a variety of dishes. Fermenting your own vegetables is an artisanal delight that is flavorful, healthy and when made with your local harvest good for the planet too!

Gingered Beet and Carrot Slaw

When fermenting – use the best quality ingredients available to you. Remember, local, simple and seasonal freshness make all the difference in and to the world!

ingredients:

300 grams fresh shredded carrots

500-600 grams fresh shredded beets

100 -200 grams onions (optional)

1/2 – 1 teaspoon shredded fresh ginger

2 teaspoons salt

preparation:

Wash hands. Place all ingredients in large clean bowl. Mix and massage the mixture with hands, squeezing to extract the natural juices. Some recipes call for a brine to be added to the slaw, but my experience (and preference) is that my local fresh ingredients produce enough liquid when the salt is added to cover the vegetables. This is the same principle used for sauerkraut.

Mix for about 10 minutes (this is a great work out!). Place in a clean mason jar and leave out of direct sunlight.

After about 5 days taste and continue to do this every day until the taste you desire is achieved.

On the Ferment – the amazing health benefits of fermented foods

Leave a comment February 4, 2014 nourishinggrace

“Monastic cookery, as it has been practiced through the centuries, is cherished for its emphasis on simplicity, wholesome frugality, basic good taste, and the seasonal rhythms of the ingredients used.

Monastic kitchens always strive for a healthy and balanced diet, fully aware from past experience that the monk and the nun must be properly nourished to serve God well.

The human body is the temple of God, and its dietary needs must be respected.” Victor-Antoine d’Avila-Latourrette

Ferments, in all their glory and wonder, are an amazingly simple way to boost the nourishment of vegetables, boost immune function and honor our body’s dietary needs. They are a staple in the pantry stocked for ease of meals and vibrant health. It seems strange to us that people from earlier generations knew how to extend the edible life of their vegetables without the use of freezers or pasteurization. But, throughout the ages, people around the world, without any awareness of the scientific principles involved, utilized and prized fermented foods.

One of the benefits of fermentation are the formation of probiotics. These are friendly tiny little micro-organisms that promote digestive wellness. These healthy communities of beneficial microflora and bacteria in our gut have an intensely positive impact on our overall health.

Most people these days are aware that 80% of our immune system resides in the gut BUT did you know that the vast majority of the DNA in you does not even belong to you! It’s a pretty amazing fact that

You have ten times more bacteria in your gut than you have cells in your body. And those bacteria comprise 99 percent of the DNA in your body. If only 1 percent of our DNA is human, and 99 percent is alien, you have to ask the question, who hosts whom?? These bacteria are called your microbiota… The microbiota function much like an organ, and they act as a major part of the immune system. They protect us from microbial and parasitic diseases… and contribute to our rate of aging. (Lipski, 2012)

In that light, it’s clear that we were designed to live in symbiotic harmony with these bacteria. Yet, modern advances – while wonderful in many respects – have led to an age where antibiotics, stress, over consumption of refined processed foods, alcohol, and over the counter prescriptions easily disrupt the delicate balance of of our digestive biome. As a result, we are the first generation needing to consider how to refortify our diets with these helpful organisms!

There is still so much to be known about this remarkable ecosystem within us – but, thus far, we have learned a lot! Did you know that:

Probiotics maintain the integrity of the intestinal tract. Each different probiotic has specific effects on the human digestive system and is able to compete with disease causing bacteria. Thriving microflora in your gut actually fights for your very health and survival!! Think about that for a minute!
Certain probiotics secrete large amounts of acetic, formic and lactic acid, which makes the intestinal environment inhospitable to invading microbes and helps prevent or lessen the severity of food poisoning.
Probiotics manufacture vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12 and K
Probiotics aid in the digestion of lactose and dairy products and digest proteins.
Probiotics increase the absorption of minerals.
Probiotics reduce intestinal inflammation.
Probiotics balance intestinal pH.
Probiotics improve or prevent irritable bowel syndrome.
Probiotics prevent and treat diarrhea from antibiotics and traveling.
Probiotics manufacture essential fatty acids and short chain fatty acids. These fatty acids actually feed the cells of the colon and optimize the colon’s pH for improved or optimal colon health!
Probiotics prevent and control vaginal yeast infection, thrush and bladder infection.

The list above is just a partial highlight of the amazing things that go on inside you when you eat simply and well! It’s clear that intestinal microbes play a vital and front line role in our immune defenses. Because they only reproduce in our digestive system for a few weeks before being eliminated – probiotic rich foods are a staple of a well balanced diet.

Properly prepared ferments add probiotics in the trillions per spoonful, with an efficacy far superior (and cost effective) to probiotics in tablet form.

When selecting your foods, keep in mind, variety is the spice of life. If the only fermented food you eat is yogurt, you are missing out on all of the anti-inflammatory benefits of foods like sauerkraut, kimchee, kefir, brined pickles & olives, and various slaws.

Each different ferment provides a variety of bacteria and the different vegetables all bring their unique health properties to the table.

ready for duty!

New to ferments? Wondering how to introduce them to your family?

Okay, I totally understand that! If you have infants and toddlers, you are in the best situation. Little ones tend to accept new flavors readily. We started later on the journey, with some pretty opinionated tastebuds and peer pressures. So what was helpful was to keep in mind that a little goes a long way. It’s really not necessary to eat a lot. Just a tablespoon as part of each meal yields wonderful health benefits! Build up from there if you wish.

Taste buds vary among our kids and some enjoy ferments more than others. Our oldest loves the sauerkraut and salsa. She usually takes more than a spoonful at each meal. The youngest isn’t the biggest fan and she gravitates toward gingered carrots, beets and pickles. Any vegetable can be fermented – even green beens and asparagus.

A great friend of mine from Bulgaria, actually remembers her parents and grandparents fermenting all their summer vegetables because, during communism, there was not a year round supply to be found in stores during the winter.

I was in awe!

Sauerkraut on the Ferment!

nourishing traditions

orange ginger cookie bites

Garden Beet Salad

Wendell Berry ~ Bringing It to the Table: On Farming and Food

One thing about fresh food is that it’s always near death ~ counter-intuitively that makes it alive, and allows it to nourish us with all the vibrancy of it’s vitamins, minerals, enzymes and phyto-nutrients (a word apparently so new that my spell check keeps trying to change it).

Making that effort to find the best food for my family is really important. These are not delicacies or haute cuisine at all, but no-frill foods that are raised in harmony with the land, in such a way as to be nourishing rather than depleting.

Over time, many of these toxins bioaccumulate in our fat cells. Our bodies really do not know what to do with these, and that can have negative effect on our physical health.

Buying organic can seem more expensive – perhaps in the short run it might slightly be – mostly because we buy en masse. That said, at the farm stand I can pretty much guarantee you will get a discount – most of the time without even asking – if you buy in bulk.

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Whether you freeze them, make them into jams, pile them atop of shortcake or eat them right out of the flat, they are a seasonal delight that brings a smile to everyone’s face!

Blessing “the “hands that feed me”…

A word on the nutritional virtues of sauerkraut.

Ready to give it a try?

“Better is a dish of herbs where love is than a fattened ox and hatred with it.” —Proverbs 15: 17

how to make your own sauerkraut

ingredients for sauerkraut

process

After 3-5 days, give the sauerkraut a taste.

Matzoh ball soup is comfort food at its finest and a great use for your homemade chicken stock!

The dinner table in a monastery is always set with care for both daily fare and feast days. Food is arranged to show the full beauty of God’s harvest in vegetables, grains, dairy products, and fruit.

Victor-Antoine d’Avila-Latourrette

Gingered Beet and Carrot Slaw

“Monastic cookery, as it has been practiced through the centuries, is cherished for its emphasis on simplicity, wholesome frugality, basic good taste, and the seasonal rhythms of the ingredients used.

Monastic kitchens always strive for a healthy and balanced diet, fully aware from past experience that the monk and the nun must be properly nourished to serve God well.

The human body is the temple of God, and its dietary needs must be respected.” Victor-Antoine d’Avila-Latourrette

Certain probiotics secrete large amounts of acetic, formic and lactic acid, which makes the intestinal environment inhospitable to invading microbes and helps prevent or lessen the severity of food poisoning.

Probiotics manufacture vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12 and K

Probiotics aid in the digestion of lactose and dairy products and digest proteins.

Probiotics increase the absorption of minerals.

Probiotics reduce intestinal inflammation.

Probiotics balance intestinal pH.

Probiotics improve or prevent irritable bowel syndrome.

Probiotics prevent and treat diarrhea from antibiotics and traveling.

Probiotics manufacture essential fatty acids and short chain fatty acids. These fatty acids actually feed the cells of the colon and optimize the colon’s pH for improved or optimal colon health!

Probiotics prevent and control vaginal yeast infection, thrush and bladder infection.

Properly prepared ferments add probiotics in the trillions per spoonful, with an efficacy far superior (and cost effective) to probiotics in tablet form.

New to ferments? Wondering how to introduce them to your family?