From Scratch - Bread

Fall here has brought a winter like chill to the air.  My favorite kind of weather for hot soups and delicious, fresh baked bread.  I started baking my own bread about a year and half ago and haven't turned back.  My husband prefers store bought bread for his sandwiches, but the rest of the family likes homemade.  When my husband made my daughter's lunch he would just use the store bought bread.  I later found out that my daughter had been throwing away her bread and just eating whatever was in the sandwich.  When I asked her why, she responded, "it's just not as good as yours mama."  Now how could I be mad about that?

My recipe comes from the book Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg MD and Zoe Francois.  It is a fabulous book full of wonderful recipes and very detailed instructions.  I would highly recommend it.

As with most recipes I have changed it to make what I consider the best end product.  I will include the original recipe with my changes to it italics and in blue.  This can also be made into a peasant loaf, but I usually make mine in a bread pan for sandwiches.  So I changed the directions for use of a bread pan.  At the end I will include the instructions for a peasant loaf, which is super yummy with stews and soups.


Light Whole Wheat Bread
 
Ingredients:

3 cups lukewarm water

1 ½ tablespoons granulated yeast
1 tablespoon salt or 1 ½ tablespoons of kosher salt
1 cup whole wheat flour  (2 cups whole wheat PASTRY flour)
5 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour (4 1/2 cups unbleached BREAD flour)

Directions:

1.      Mix the yeast and salt with the water in mixer.  Make sure the water is only lukewarm, hot water will kill the yeast.

2.      Mix in the remaining dry ingredients, using the dough hook attachment.

 

3.      Transfer to a large container, that has been lightly greased with olive oil, and has a lid (NOT airtight) and allow to rise for 2 hours.

 

 

 

4.      Split the dough in half, leaving half in the container and put it in the refrigerator for later use (within 5 days).

5.      With the half you are going to bake dust that piece with flour and quickly shape it into a ball by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four sides, rotating the ball in a quarter-turn as you go.

 

6.      Stretch to an oblong shape that will fit in a bread pan.  Place in lightly greased (with olive oil) ceramic bread pan. Allow to rest for 40 minutes.  If it has been in the refrigerator, it may need up to two hours to rise again.

 

 

7.      Twenty minutes before baking time, preheat the oven to 450°,  Place an empty broiler tray (or an empty muffin tin) on the bottom rack.

8.      After the bread has risen again sprinkle liberally with four and then slash the bread three time or make a tic tac toe slash. 

9.      Place the bread pan in the oven.  Pour 1 cup of hot tap water into the broiler tray or muffin pan, and quickly close the oven door.  Bake for about 30 minutes, or until deeply browned and firm.  (If you use the original recipe you may need to lengthen baking time to 40 minutes.)

10. Allow to cool before slicing or eating.

 

 

Changes in directions for a peasant loaf in numbers 6, 7, and 9:

6.      Allow to rest on a cornmeal-covered cutting board for 40 minutes (if it has been in the refrigerator I find that it needs about 2 hours to rise again.)

7.      Twenty minutes before baking time, preheat the oven to 450°, place a baking stone on the middle rack.  Place an empty broiler tray (or an empty muffin tin) on the bottom rack.

9.      Slide the loaf directly onto the hot stone.  Pour 1 cup of hot tap water into the broiler tray or muffin pan, and quickly close the oven door.  Bake for about 30 minutes, or until deeply browned and firm.   (If you use the original recipe you may need to lengthen baking time to 40 minutes.)

 

I hope you enjoy this delicious bread as much as we do!  It is really difficult to eat anything other than homemade now :)  Here's to Natural, Healthy and Homemade!

  

Favorite Beauty Products

 

Unfortunately I have not mastered making all of my own beauty products.  I have tried to go "poo" free and ended up with a frizzy, straw like mess on my head.  I tried making my own shampoo and that wasn't much better.  I also tried the oil face wash method which did not work for me.  After some severe break outs, my dermatologist suggested that may not be the way to go.  Instead of making my own of these products I purchase natural alternatives.  What should you look for when purchasing natural products?  Actually, it is what should be missing from the ingredients list that you should be aware of.

 

Parabens - Parabens are used as a preservative in many cosmetic and hygiene products.  On the ingredient list they may show up as methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, and butylparaben. 

When products containing parabens are used, they absorb into the skin, blood and digestive system.  Research has shown that breast cancer tumors often contain intact parabens.  Parabens are also known to imitate estrogen and can disturb hormone function.  For me, there is enough research available to dissuade the use of products containing parabens. 

 

Propolyne Glycol(PG) - While Propolyne Glycol has not been found to cause cancer it can cause allergic reactions, especially for people with eczema.  Three of our four family members (including myself) have eczema.  I have noticed since replacing our beauty and hygiene products with PG free options we have very few flair ups of eczema.

 

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate(SLS) - SLS is often found in products that foam, such as: shampoo, soap, toothpaste etc.  There is varying research on SLS and its effects.  As a harsh chemical detergent it has been found to be a skin irritant.  With sensitive skin issues anyways, we have found it better to steer clear of SLS.  There are much less harsh options on the market.

 

Also, I try to avoid artificial fragrances and dyes if at all possible.

As always, I encourage you to do a little research of your own and see what you learn.

 

With all that information in mind, here are a few of my favorite beauty products.

 

For myself and my hubby, I love Giovanni Shampoo and Conditioner.  My favorite is Tea Tree Triple Treat.  It helps with dry scalp and leaves my hair soft and manageable (which really is a feat).  It is free of SLS, PG and Parabens.  It does have some wonderful natural stuff in it, like: aloe, peppermint oil, tea tree oil, eucalyptus oil, lavender oil, and much more. 

 

For my children we just started using Jason All Natural Shampoo.  It does not contain SLS, PG or Parabens.  It is tear free and has a nice light scent. 

 

I would highly recommend either of these products.



 

 

For skin care I really like Neutrogena Naturals.  Again, they are free from SLS, PG and Parabens.  They are non-comedogenic, meaning they won't clog pores and cause breakouts.  My skin is soft and moisturized without being greasy.  It has all of the natural ingredients listed on the back and what they are used for.  Great product, I hope they don't stop making it anytime soon!





 

Since I haven't learned to make soap yet, our favorite is Sappo Hill brand soaps.  These soaps do not contain any of the ingredients I like to avoid and there are a variety to choose from.  Our favorites are oatmeal, aloe, almond and occasionally lavender.

 

 

 

I hope this post gave you some insight into the world of natural beauty and hygiene products.  Start checking your ingredient lists when you go to replace products that you have run out of.  Research and try out some natural options, you might be surprised by the results!  I have found for me that Natural, Healthy and Beautiful go hand in hand.  

 



From Scratch - Pesto

Tonight we had crab ravioli for dinner, which I did not make from scratch.  On mine I had wonderful, delicious pesto, which I did make from scratch.  I LOVE pesto and eat it on pasta, pizza, fresh baked bread, in salad and more.  It can be pricey if you buy it at a health food store, so I grow my own little basil garden in the summer and then prepare enough to last for the winter. 

Here is my recipe(with variations) which, in my opinion, makes a delicious pesto.

Ingredients:

2 cups fresh basil
    Variation:  1 cup basil, 1 cup carrot tops
    Variation 2:  1 cup basil, 1 cup fresh spinach
1 garlic clove
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup pine nuts (or walnuts)
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil (you can add a little more if you like your pesto less thick)

Directions:

Process all ingredients in the food processor.  Place serving size spoonfuls into an ice tray.  Place in freezer until thoroughly frozen.  Pop them out of tray and store in freezer bag or other sealable container.

When I want some pesto I usually just thaw it in a hot water bath and spread it on my hot pasta.  I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do.  Natural, Healthy, Pesto!

Gardening - Heirloom Seeds and Seed Saving



Gardening season is officially over in our neck of the woods with several inches of snow now on the ground. But I am already preparing for next spring. This year I decided to use heirloom seeds instead of the typical hybrid seeds you see at all the big box stores. I had to order them online and found a company that I really like - www.mypatriotsupply.com They have a great variety of seeds along with planting and seed saving instructions.

The beauty of heirloom seeds besides being non-GMO is that you can save the seeds and replant year after year and can expect the same plant. In contrast, hybrid seeds will not produce the same plant if seeds are saved and replanted. Hybrid seeds can also be sterile and may not produce any plant at all. Hybrid seeds may or may not be genetically modified. For a quick overview of the difference between Heirloom and Hybrid seeds check out this short article: http://www.libertyseedcompany.com/blog/heirloom-seeds-vs-hybrid-seeds

This year I planted spinach, lettuce, carrots, tomatoes, peas, and beans. I decided to save the seeds of my peas and green beans since that seemed like it was the least complicated process. The directions on the website said to simply earmark a couple of the plants and let the peas or beans grow and stay on the plant until the are completely dried up and the beans/peas rattle inside the pod. Easy enough.

 

 

The hardest part of the whole process was not picking those beautiful green beans!  As soon as they were dry, and I could hear the seeds shaking in the pod, I picked them.  I saved about 10 green bean pods and have about 80 seeds for next spring.  I saved around 25 pea pods and have at least 100 seeds for next year.  Since I won't need nearly that many, I kept what I would use next year, some for a reserve, and shared several with fellow gardeners. 

 

 

 

Seed saving has been a fun experiment and I am looking forward to planting my saved seeds next spring!  I know the process is a little bit more extensive, but next year I am going to learn how to save seeds for my spinach and lettuce.  I am also going to increase my garden by adding several herbs, blueberries, peppers and potatoes. If you like to garden, I encourage you to try heirloom seeds and seed saving.    

From Scratch - Granola Bars

I love oats.  Not the slimy gray instant version, but the golden, steel cut oats.  They take longer to cook, but when I have time that is what I love for breakfast.  My hubby never has time to wait for oats to cook, so I started making him homemade granola bars.  They keep him full until lunch and the honey gives him a little boost of energy first thing in the morning. 

I have given out the recipe many times over and everybody I know who makes them seems to love them.  So I thought I would share a healthy, homemade breakfast option here.  You might be wondering why we don't just buy granola bars and save the time, effort and energy.  We used to but then I started reading the ingredients and researching the preservatives used, not only in the bars but also in the packaging.  Too many chemicals and too much corn syrup for us!  I don't know where I originally found this recipe, but as always I have modified it many times over to get what I feel like is the perfect end result.  I encourage you to do the same, play with recipes until you are happy with the outcome!

Ingredients:

2 cups oats (not quick)
1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg (you can leave the egg out, the bars will just be slightly denser)
1/2 cup add-ins (sliced almonds, chopped pecans, coconut, dried fruit, chocolate chips, etc)

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

In a stand mixer or mixing bowl, stir together dry ingredients.  Then add the oil, honey, vanilla and egg and mix on medium speed until all ingredients are well combined.

Press the mixture into a lightly oiled 9X13 glass baking dish.  You will really have to use your hands to spread the thick mixture into the dish.



Bake for 25 minutes.  Remove and cut into serving sizes before they cool completely.  They should hold together well and come out of your dish fairly easily.



 

Enjoy a breakfast or snack you can feel good about!  Natural, Healthy, Delicious!