Kombucha Day and Traditional foods follow-up

I did finally bottle the kombucha.  I followed the recipe that I found online for double fermenting for flavor.  I have noticed that it works better for my tea to ferment it longer.  It makes it a little more tart and strong as well as give it a little more effervescence.  I just love that word.  :)

I mentioned the other day that I think I have been eating less.  Well, it must be true.  Last month at my prenatal visit I gained 8 (8!!!) pounds!  That's a lot.  I mean A. LOT!  I'm only supposed to gain about 1 pound a week at this point.  Well between the last visit and the one this week I only gained about 1.  Not even a whole pound.  Believe me when I say that I eat.  I eat plenty.  I'm just eating foods that are more nutrient dense and higher in fat.  That's been such a life saver for me.  I'm not hungry at night anymore.  I also have way more energy.  I feel so much better.  It's hard to fight this programming that says that more fat makes you fatter.  It's very hard.  BUT, I can't deny the way I feel.  My blood pressure is lower than two weeks ago too.  That may be pregnancy related though.  So... I don't know.  Either way, eliminating processed and sugary foods from your diet is not a bad thing.  I guess that's about all I have to add for today.  Take care!

Chicken Stock

Today we decided to try our hand at making a traditional chicken stock.  We bought a chicken carcass and heads and feet.  I had big R handle the carcass, so actually this is is his stock.  Here's what it looked like pre-simmer.

So, according to the traditional foods experts the head feet are supposed to add amazing nutrients and gelatin to your stock.  I'm so glad that hubby was available to handle this part.  Do you see my big two gallon jug of kombucha?  It's almost kombucha day!  Yay!

I don't know if you can make it out, but the head is at about 2 o'clock there in the picture above.  It wasn't as horrible as I thought it was going to be.

This just cracked me up as well as creeped me out!  I felt like we were doing some sort of witch's brew or something.  It smells amazing though!  I think I'm going to be hungry all day.  It's been simmering since this morning.  We will be having chicken and rice soup tomorrow night.  I can't wait!  I'm going to soak the rice starting tomorrow morning.  I'm also going to make some vegetable soup with the left over stock.  Should be yummy!!

Also on the agenda for my kitchen tomorrow is gravy and biscuits and banana bread.  Mmmmmm!  Don't you want to come over?!

Kombucha Day

Well, yesterday was supposed to be kombucha day but my scoby isn't quite ready.  I'll give it a couple more days.  I have my clean bottles out and ready.  I did try the apricot butter and cream cheese today.  Like everything else I've tried, it's very dense.  Man!  I ate half an english muffin with cream cheese and apricot butter and I started to feel full after just the half.  I ate the other half plain with just butter.  R was only able to eat half of a half with the cc/apricot on it.  I'm not sure if it's true or not, but I think I'm eating a little less now that I'm eating more nutrient dense foods.  I can't be sure.  I haven't been able to change my whole diet yet.  I did order a whole chicken from the farm I get my milk along with the head and feet (yuck!).  I will be making my first attempt at real chicken stock.  It should be interesting.

What else?.... I just gathered all the diapers, so I will be washing those in a few weeks.  It's very exciting!  I can't believe that I'll be seeing the midwife for my 30 week visit this week!  That just seems too close.  Things are going well and progressing normally.  Thank goodness.  Well, I think that's about it.  I have a picture of the apricot/cc snack that I made, but I don't know if I'll post it.  I will be posting a picture of my stock regardless of how successful it is.  And, for dork's sake, I'll post a picture of my newborn diaper stash.  It's pretty impressive.

Nourishing Traditions

I have recently come across a "new" way of eating and cooking.  It's not really new at all, but it's new to me.  A few of my mama friends mentioned to me traditional foods and eating in a traditional way.  I had a friend in California mention it to me a few years ago actually and I had no clue what she was saying.  Haa!  Anyway...  So, the past couple of weeks I have been trying to incorporate this way of cooking and eating into our diet.  It's been tricky that's for sure.  Anyway... If you're interested check out the book or seminar called Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon.  Or, check out the book by Weston A. Price.  I can't remember the name right off.  I'll add it to the bottom of the post when I find the name.  I just wanted to share a couple of pictures of the things I have made today!

Grape Flavored Kombucha!  Yum!  

Buttermilk Biscuits (Someone may have stolen a biscuit before she thought to take a picture.) The flour was soaked for 12 hours before baking

Apricot Butter - I have no idea how this is going to be.  It was warm when I made it, so I couldn't tell.  See my kombucha in the back?  That's 2 gallons!  It should be ready for my second bottling in a few days.

So, that's what I've been up to.  A busy little bee!  I have to brag.  The apricot butter was made with homemade whey.  Yay!  I made my own whey!