October Unprocesssed starts tomorrow!!!

Ready for another October Unprocessed?  I am!! Well, almost.  I found out last Friday that my gallbladder will be coming out on the 6th; so there will be a small crimp in my plans as I recover from my surgery,  I won't be doing much cooking (or probably eating) for at least a week.  Which means my daily posts won't happen as planned.  My diet the first week will be simple foods like broth, pasta, rice; boring!!  But it will be worth it in the end to not have to deal with the pain anymore.

I decided I have a few small goals to meet this month; scaling back my plans for the month but only pushing them off a bit, I still plan on doing everything I planned.

Goal 1: to learn more about alternative choices to cane sugar. I want to research how to replace cane sugar with honey or maple syrup SUCESSFULLY (I haven't been successful yet, seems the liquid affects the recipe) as well as how to use (or not use) products like date sugar.

Goal 2: to learn how to successfully replace wheat flours with other types of flours.  I used a hazelnut flour in a recipe not knowing you couldn't just substitute it.  Terrible results!  Apparently it's missing some important part, like a binding agent?  I have coconut flour I tried substituting for wheat flour in breading a backed chicken breast - came out terrible. Dry and powdery...blech.

Goal 3: to learn how to make my own condiments, like ketchup, mustard and mayo.  Problem I have is that we use them so sparingly I'm afraid they will go bad before we can use it all.  We literally use 2 tablespoons of mayo a week on my son's two ham sandwiches he takes to school for lunch.  Most home made recipes say it lasts a week or two.  A lot of work for something we rarely use.  Mustard is a tablespoon a week at most.

So I think that's it to start.  As I start to feel better, I may adjust my plans, but this may be a shortened "month" for me...

Good luck everyone, and HAPPY EATING!!
Kathy

October Unprocessed 2014

It's that time again!  October Unprocessed via Andrew at www.earingrules.com - time to step back, think about what you are eating, how it is made, and how we can make our daily lives a little bit better by putting healthier options into our bodies.

I've been thinking about what I want to get out of the challenge this year; we live pretty much 75-90% clean around here.  My teen boys toward the 75% side of the range, my husband falling into the 80-85% range, and myself the upper 90% end.  There is something every season that just reels me in.  Right now?  That darn Pumpkin Spice Latte at Starbucks.  :)  I know there are recipes out there that are supposed to be just as good, but part of the draw is the fact that someone else is making it for me. :) So what to do for this year's challenge?

I decided I want to put a little effort into learning more about specific types of foods and cleaning up the options.  I want to learn more about sugars, for example.  I get questioned on that a lot - "if you eat clean, how can you still use sugar?  It's so processed."  While I buy organic "pure cane sugar" for some things, turbinado for others, and local raw honey for still more uses, (and there is a bottle of agave on the shelf too) I use it sugar so sparingly I count it as part of my 10% unclean.  I want to learn more about other types of sugars, like date sugar, coconut sugar, etc to find some different options and how to best use them so I can change that % a bit.

Last year I watched a few members of the Unprocessed Facebook group making things like cheese, peanut butter, and almond milks that I was thinking I may try to do something like that as well this challenge.  I have a slightly busy month at work, so I'm thinking one per week; it will take some pre-planning and investigating but hoping it will all work well in the end.  I'll report back what I choose to try and how each one goes.

Lastly, my goal is to report in my daily menus - not only to hold myself accountable for staying on track but so you all can hold me accountable for making good choices as well.  There will be a small amount of deliberate exceptions I'll post in the beginning; life is too short to deprive yourself of something that makes you really happy, like wine from the winery I work at (they do add sulfites plus it's a job requirement to taste all the wines) and a s'more at our firepit.  Marshmallows are made by me though. :)

It's only September 17th so I have some time to get my plans in motion; if you haven't taken the challenge before I suggest you do, and also to join the Facebook group for helpful tips, ideas, advice and support.

Happy Eating!
Kathy

Okay, I'm such a terrible blogger!!

Yes, I admit it. I am a terrible blogger.  I just can't seem to find the time to keep up with all the things I want to do each day.  Having two teen boys, two part-time jobs doesn't help either.  So I'm sorry!  I'm going to try to better this summer.

So before Easter I was on a hunt for "clean' Easter candy.  Have you ever been to this online store?

http://www.naturalcandystore.com/

Lots of great choices!!! And not an artificial color in the whole place!  Their prices are a bit high, but you are paying for a premium product, so to me it's worth it.  Especially when it's just for a holiday. Jelly beans, chocolate eggs, it's all there.  Not every product is completely clean, but ALL are better choices than what we can buy in the store.

Happy shopping!
Kathy

Love this blog!

I was cleaning out my bookmarks today and I totally forgot about this blog I found a long time ago.  It's called An Organic Wife and Cristina has some really great, basic recipes to replace some of the horrible processed versions.

She even has a recipe to replace Velveeta. OMG!

In the immediate future, I will be making my own powdered sugar. So easy!

Happy Eating!
Kathy

Welcome Spring!

Tomorrow is the first day of spring and boy I hope that means the cold weather will be gone!  As I type, I'm sipping an extra cup of coffee - one more than my acid reflux allows - as I am freezing!! It is so cold.  My New Jersey winter has given us more snow that I'd like to ever see in one season again; we've lost spring break from school, and we will have some tired stressed out kids come June.

But with spring approaching other things start appearing too...wish it was colorful flowers.  But alas, it's colorful candy as Easter season takes over the stores.  All those artificial colors and flavors calling my kids...jelly beans, marshmallow Peeps, spring colored chocolate eggs...need I say more?  Sigh.

St. Patrick's Day was easy; I have veggie-based food coloring that made everything green; I brined my own brisket for corned beef.  And breakfast, a substitute for Lucky Charms: Mallow Oats not perfect, but better. And the kids don't feel like they are missing out.

I am going to work hard trying to find substitutes for my kids this season.  I hate to deprive them of things they love, and they understand that their overall health is more important than that squishy, soft, sugary purple bunny, but they are teenagers after all, and peep pressure almost always wins out.

So let's see what I an find!!

Happy Eating!
Kathy

P.S.  Rita's Ices gives away free cups on the first day of spring each year.  I contacted them and they have two flavors free of artificial colors and flavors; Alex's Lemonade and chocolate custard, in case you wanted a free treat. :)

Happy snow day!!

Well I had planned on going to Costco today to do all my pre-Christmas shopping.  The things you can buy now, and put either in the freezer or set aside until you need them.  Around here it is so busy in the stores the week before Christmas, I'd prefer to not have to fight my way to the butcher section.

Mother Nature had other plans for me.

So here we are, stuck home for a snow day.  My 14 year old son & I decided to have some bonding time by searching for cookie recipes on Pinterest.  If you have not joined yet, what are you waiting for?? Be forewarned, it is addicting.

We had an enjoyable time picking out new cookie recipes and decided which old recipes to skip this year.  We only have a gathering of 10 people, so I don't need a LOT of desserts.  I decided this year to do a small cookie assortment, skip the heavy pies or cakes, this way we could pick as the evening goes on,  We're making a mulled wine to serve after lunch, to smell up the house nice and festive.

If you want to follow me on Pinterest, I am KathIsMath - click on my name to find my page.  Some of my recipes are under Christmas 2013; others are in my cookbook and not online.

If you are interested in my Christmas fun last year, search back by clicking the labels below the post; I had a lot of fun celebrating "The Twelves Treats of Christmas."  I'm off to re-write my shopping list with the new ingredients I need.

Happy Eating!
Kathy

Post Thanksgiving Yumminess

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving, Thanksgivukkah, or how ever you spent the day.  Our meal was delicious, and very filling.

We spent the day at my sister-in-law's house.  Alas, as hard as I tried I could not get good photos of most of our meal.  Hard when it's not your place.  I wanted a pic of my herb infused olive oil & artisan bread from my bread maker, but it was not displayed in a form pleasing to the camera.  Again, hard when it's not your house.  I should have done it at home before I left.

But I can share some of my desserts; again, not nicely displayed but in their travelling containers.

 Pecan pie rugelah 

Sugar cookies in seasonal shapes.  Only veggie based colors used. 

Apple pie!! 

My hubby made this yummy veggie turkey for an appetizer!

Now...time to plan Christmas!

Happy Eating!

Kathy