Nesting or just hungry??

I have really been enjoying making food in a more traditional way. The goal is to not use any processed foods.  That's tough, but once you change a little thing at a time it's really not that hard.   It's been very rewarding for me and it makes me feel like I've actually been working.  So, I thought I'd share what I've been up to.  

One of little R's favorite meals is Taco Night.  Taco Night is basically a taco buffet.  I set everything out in little bowls and I let her make her taco how she wants it.  (I don't have a picture to show you.  Next time!)  I fry up corn tortillas and set those on the table as well.  I haven't gotten around to making my own sour cream, so for now it's just organic sour cream.  Anyway... Her tacos are usually sour cream and cheese.  BUT.. by allowing her the freedom to eat them how she wants to, she eats everything I want her to eat.  That was neat to see.  She usually puts her meat and beans on the side along with some tomatoes and olives.  Whew!  So, this is just one picture that I took.  These are refried beans.  I soaked them for 24 hours, then cooked them for 8, then mashed them and cooked them in lard.  Yum!  I do it in lard because lard has a super high amount of vitamin d and a.  It's also not nearly as dangerous to your body as vegetable oils.  I've been doing a lot of reading about oils and how the vegetable oil industry got started.  It's amazing that "cholesterol problems" and heart disease actually started to rise and become and epidemic after they convinced people to stop eating animal fats and switch to vegetable oils.  You should definitely check out the documentary 'The Oiling of America' if you're interested.  Anywhoooo.... These are my beans!  

Well, the other night I promised Taco Night and only when dinner time came did I realize I had no meat!  So, I made these parmesan avocados.  I found the recipe on Pinterest. Super yummy!  I've never cooked avocado, so it was good to find something different.  Little R loved them too.  So, that night dinner was just beans and avocados.  Well, fruit too.  We have fruit at every meal.

    

I have had to designate a fermentation corner.  I have just started making lacto-fermented veggies.  Lacto-fermented veggies are very good for you!  Anything lacto-fermented is I suppose.  It introduces many amazing probiotics into your body.  The other thing it does is break down the veggies so that they can be utilized properly in your body.  There's a whole bunch of science involved that I don't get.  Left to right in the picture is:  Sourdough proofing, sourdough starter (waiting to be fed), lacto-fermented carrots, lacto-fermented sauerkraut and a lacto-fermented lemonade.  The Sauerkraut was yummy!  The recipe called for caraway seeds and I found that I didn't care for them as much, but still yummy.  It's not vinegar, so you can eat a lot more of it at a time.  The carrots we will try tonight with dinner.  The lemonade is something we're all looking forward to.  Lacto-fermented beverages are a great way to get started if you're looking to add natural probiotics.  The reason you want to eat or drink them is that they're alive.  These little yeasty beasties and bacterias are alive and you just can't get that in a capsule.  Kombucha is our usual go-to drink, but I'm all out.  I just set up some yesterday and it's now in the fermentation corner.  Kids love the fermented beverages.  They're usually fizzy and so kiddos think it's soda.  It's also a great way to wean yourself off of sodas and harmful beverages.  

 These are my lacto-fermented dill pickles.  I'm especially excited to try these!  From what I hear, they are light and not as tart as the vinegar pickles.  I keep having to swat hands away from these.  

I couldn't be more proud of the way this loaf turned out.  Isn't it gorgeous!?!  This is sourdough made from a sourdough starter not instant yeast.  I haven't gotten to the stage where I can grind my own grains yet.  I don't have a grinder.  I don't even have a mixer, so everything is done by hand at this point.  This is the recipe from Breadtopia.  It's a no-knead recipe, so this was perfect for me.  I'm a beginner.  I have NEVER baked a loaf of bread.  NEVER!  So, when I pulled this beauty out of my brand new dutch oven, I was so excited! (I bought it for this purpose, but I'm glad I did now.  Do you know how many recipes call for them?!)  It tasted as good as it looked.  <---  Past tense because it's almost gone.  I pulled it out of the oven late last night and there may be a quarter of the loaf left.  Child and husband approved!  So, I may just become a good housewife yet!  Thanks to Pinterest and some lovely lady friends here, I have definitely become a better housewife and mommy.

I know this must have been a boring post to today.  I'll try to have a more personal post soon.  I have a visit scheduled Friday with the midwife.  That may bring some exciting updates.  Maybe, maybe not.  This pregnancy has been very "boring" and easy.  I'm definitely not complaining.  I've had an easy time and I'm excited to meet this relaxed easy going little Belina.  Only a few more weeks!