Family Photos and Thoughts on the Future

I have to say I have the hottest hubby around. Sorry ladies. He also keeps me and our kids in stitches...which if you know me is a blessing as I have a tendency towards intensity. Speaking of...Brent had our church congregation quite amused recently...

We both spoke in our Church on Sunday. I spoke first, speaking about the power of examples, how each of us should strive to let our light shine a bit brighter to help draw others to the saving light of Jesus Christ. It went well. I felt the spirit helping me. Upon my conclusion, Brent began very graciously expressing his love and affection for me...and then the following:

B: When I met Rebecca, as you can imagine, I was not the only suitor. In fact there were quite a few with whom I had to compete to win her. My only hope lay in her propensity towards short, bald men.You can imagine what followed... More importantly what followed that, was a beautiful talk on the importance of being examples to our children. He spoke of how as a family we are striving to instill in our children core principles and ideals.

• Physical/Spiritual Health: Both are crucial. They cannot be separated, just as the body and the spirit. If we do not teach our children to treat their bodies sacredly, nourishing them properly with food and exercise, their spirits cannot be nourished. The Word of Wisdom is a principle with a promise:
  

Doctrine and Covenants
"All saints who remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in obedience to the commandments, shall receive health in their navel and marrow to their bones...And shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge...And shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint. "

• Proper Education: From the age of six, our children will leave the home to be educated in so many ways. As parents we must be vigilant, active participants in what they are learning, intellectually and socially. (On my own personal note...I am dreading Ellery leaving me next year for first grade. The idea of her being swept away from me for so long and for so many years....I must find ways to hold her close.) Elder Russell M. Nelson “Because of our sacred regard for each human intellect we consider the obtaining of education to be a religious responsibility.”
  

• Media/Entertainment: The average American watches over 4 hours of television day. This equates to 2 months out of the year, or if you reach the age of 65, nine years of your life is spent in front of the television. (Personal Note...This is extremely disturbing. We have never been big television people, but in the last 6 months the time we spend with it has been nearly eliminated. Too many other more productive uses for our time...think blogging, reading and recipe experimenting :-))

Elder M. Russell Ballard
"The choices we make in media can be symbolic of the choices we make in life. Choosing the trendy, the titillating, the tawdry in the TV programs or movies we watch can cause us to end up, if we're not careful, choosing the same things in the lives we live...If we do not make good choices, the media can devastate our families and pull our children away from the narrow gospel path..."

• Fiscal Responsibility and Preparedness: The concepts of sacrificing and building for a better tomorrow have been pushed aside for living for today, easy credit and a consumption-oriented society. Many Americans have never seen a rainy day and therefore simply never choose to save for one. We want things to be different in our home.
  

President Ezra T. Benson
“Each of us should make every effort to become economically independent, at least within the family unit. Avoid looking to government for handouts or future security. A government which is unable to pay it’s own bills can hardly be depended upon to pay yours. Any government powerful enough to give the people all that they want is also powerful enough to take from the people all that they have.”

Clearly, I have been richly blessed by the Lord. My husband is a bastion of spirituality, strength and heart. My children bring me a fullness of joy I never anticipated. I am unabashedly adoring of all three. I thank my Heavenly Father every day for these gifts, and the knowledge we will be together through eternity. I pray fervently to be ever worthy of this abundance.

Technical Difficulties

I apologize for the mess of the blog. My fonts and colors keep getting messed up, as well as my archiving. I am definitely tech impaired, so things look a mess right now. If you have any suggestions to offer let me know!

Buttermilk-Chocolate Sheet Cake of course minus the Refined Sugar

The beauty of cooking a lot is you keep getting better, as long as you are willing to risk disaster in search of a triumph. Case in point, last night. I tried a soup recipe in my shiny new pressure cooker. Thumbs down from all 5 family members.

...However all the practice does pay off. Most of the time I can take any recipe and modify it into something I feel comfortable feeding my family. This means excluding processed or refined ingredients. Such was the case with this recipe. I found it in my Better Homes and Gardens cook book. With a little bit of massaging it was a healthy hit. Sprinkles are optional, unless you have 3 and 5-year-olds whose names are Callista and Ellery.

Buttermilk-Chocolate Sheet Cake

2 cups kamut or spelt flour
(low gluten)
1 c brown rice syrup
1 c agave nectar
1 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1 c butter
1/2 unsweetened cocoa powder
1 c water
2 T powdered eggs (if using fresh decrease water by 4 T)
1/2 c buttermilk
2 t vanilla

Combine flour, baking soda, salt, and powdered eggs.
In a saucepan over medium heat combine butter, cocoa, and water.
Bring to just boiling, stirring constantly. Add brown rice syrup and agave.
Stir and remove from heat. Add to dry mixture and beat on medium until well combined.
Add buttermilk and vanilla. Beat for 1 minute (batter will be thin).
Pour into a buttered pan. Choose your own size depending on the thickness you want.
Cook at 350 degrees for 15-30 minutes.

Cookies and Cream Frosting

2 c whipping cream
2-4 T agave (to your taste)
1/4 c butter
3 T cocoa
3 T buttermilk
1/2 t vanilla

In a cold metal bowl whip cream with metal hand mixer, until peaks form.
Add agave to taste and mix a little more. Put in fridge.
In a saucepan over medium heat combine butter cocoa and buttermilk.
Bring to boiling. Remove from heat. Add vanilla. Beat until smooth.
Put in a bowl and place in freezer for about an hour.
Remove chocolate mix from freezer and beat with whip cream to combine.
You may want to add more agave to your taste.

(If you prefer a smoother chocolate frosting, allow the chocolate mixture to cool in the fridge. Then mix with cream until smooth)

My Five-Year-Olds first Diaper Change

Behold the results of Ellery's first solo diaper change. I was in the shower. She was so proud of herself. Despite being put on backwards, the velcro tabs held fast through all Emmett's cruising and army crawling.It was even a poopy diaper! Upon inspection I found his chubby little buns semi-clean...not kissable but not bad. She neatly folded up the dirty diaper ready for the wash....because yes, you saw right those are cloth diapers...and placed it in the wash bag. I love cloth. He is wearing a Haute Pockets brand. One of our favorites. Thankfully we didn't snap a photo in the "blossom pink," he doesn't look too manly, but Callista's little bottom sure used to look cute in that shade :)
A plug for cloth diapering...so easy even a five-year-old can do it.

Mulitgrain Hot Cereal for the Rice Cooker

MultiGrain Hot Cereal for the Rice Cooker

4 c steel cut oats
1/2 c barley (whole not pearled)
1/2 c red quinoa
1/2 c kamut
1/2 c spelt
1/2 c rye
1/2 c amaranth
1/2 c millet

Combine all ingredients. Put desired amount of cereal into a strainer and rinse thoroughly. Add to rice cooker in 1:3 ratio of cereal to water. You can add a dash of salt and some coconut oil or butter, if desired. Set on brown rice setting for extra soft and a white rice or quick cook for a firmer texture. Add desired toppings. We love pure maple syrup, raisins and almond or coconut milk. Fresh or frozen berries and cream (if you do dairy), be creative. I have also put in vanilla or almond flavoring. Experiment and share.

I do all the prep the night before. It takes 2 minutes and is piping hot for us at 7:10 am. You could do this on a stove top, cook as you would rice. A crock pot would work. I would cook a large batch in a 1:2 ratio, and just keep the leftovers in the fridge.

I recommend buying your grains in bulk and mixing up a huge batch to keep in your pantry. I actually fill a 5 gallon bucket and put a gamma seal lid on. These grains are so healthy and this cereal is the perfect way to incorporate them everyday into your families diet.

If my 10-month-old with that adorable little sharptooth, is this happy about it, you have no excuse but to try it! Feel free to add new grains and in different ratios...varying taste and texture keeps things interesting.

How to Make Sense of all These Whole Grains

I have a tendency to talk about obscure grains as if everyone knows what they are. For clarification and to hopefully compel you to incorporate them in your diet, here is a quick rundown on how to make sense of all these whole grains. I've included a description of my favorites and those I use daily: Hard white wheat, kamut, spelt, quinoa, and steel cut oats.

My basic whole grain flour mix:
1 part Hard White Spring Wheat: 1 part Kamut: 1 part Spelt

I also briefly include some I use more infrequently but am trying to incorporate more often. All of these may be purchased from a good health food store or online in bulk. I buy in 50 lbs bags or buckets and put gamma seal lids on them so they stay fresh. I store some in my garage but the majority is in my basement food storage. The most cost effective way to buy these grains is by finding a local grower. In the Mountain West we have 3 graineries I like to use. Walton Feed, Honeyville and less frequently Lehi Roller Mills. Do a little research an find one near you and visit their outlet store. You will save yourself 50-75% off even bulk bin prices from your grocer.

Hard White Wheat is a cross between traditional hard red wheat and soft wheat. It retains the best properties of both. It is high in protein but alkaline instead of acid like the red wheat. White wheat is therefore less bitter and more palatable to many people. It makes a lighter loaf similar but more flavorful than refined white bread. I buy it in 50 lb bags for $0.51 per pound. I purchase my bulk grains from Walton Feed. They have great prices, selection and quality.

Kamut (kah-moot) is a relative of wheat. The kernals are about 2x the size a are a golden color. They contain about 20-40% more protein and are higher in vitamins and minerals. The gluten content is lower than wheat so if you are sensitive to wheat you may be able to tolerate kamut better. It has a rich, buttery flavor. It is a staple in my whole grain flour mix, hot cereal and granola. I buy it organically grown in 50 lb bags for about $1.16 per pound.

Spelt is an ancient grain similar but far superior to wheat. It's protein content is 60% higher and it contains all eight essential amino acids. It is very high in fiber and vitamins and minerals. Because it has a high water solubility it is digested easily in the stomach. Special carbohydrates in spelt promote blood clotting and stimulate the bodies immune system. It has a sweet, nutty flavor and is a staple in my whole grain flour mixture, and hot cereal. I buy it organically grown in 50 lb bags for about $1.22 per pound.

Quinoa (keen-wah) is a true super grain. It is tiny in size but packs more protein than any other grain. It contains all eight essential amino acids and is considered a complete protein. High in unsaturated fat, lower in carbohydrates , and chock full of niacin, potassium and lysine. Quinoa comes in several varieties. I like the red for the color or the white. Quionoa cooks quickly and expands up to 4x its volume. I use it as a substitute for wheat berries, rice, or meat. It is also a staple in our morning cereal. Quinoa should be rinsed well before use. Otherwise it has a bitter taste. It does have a distinct flavor, I find my children love it when I toast it in the skillet with a little butter or olive oil. It improves the taste and texture. Just last night we filled our burritos with quinoa and pinto beans (cooked in my pressure cooker!) cheese and fresh salsa. A fan favorite. I buy quinoa from my local health food store.

Steel Cut Oats are simply oats which are cracked and not rolled like oatmeal. Because the whole grain is intact they retain a higher nutritional content. You can buy these usually at the grocery store in the health food section or bulk bins at your local health food store. The most cost effective I found is a local grainery store Honeyville Grains (I do notice their online prices are double the store!). I can purchase 25 pound bags for $12.25 at their store in Brigham City. They also have a store in Salt Lake City. I love these in my morning cereal and in my multigrain bread.

More Grains I am still learning to incorporate frequently...

Millet, I'll be honest, this is bird seed. But it is amazingly good for you. I put it in our granola, and add to my multigrain bread. It can be popped. Popping grains is an art I am still perfecting. It is really easy to burn, and burnt grains are completely unappealing. I’ve tried them. Not recommended. The idea is to put just a couple tablespoons of grain into a deep pan over high heat. It takes just a minute. Somehow I can’t get it quite right yet, although I haven’t tried in a while. Millet can be milled into a flour, or added whole to salads, soups, breads, cookies, pastries, soups and salads.

Amaranth, one of the little grains like millet. It is high in vitamins, minerals and protein...I feel like I am getting super repetitive here... It can be popped or milled into a flour and added to salads, soups, breads, cookies, pastries, soups and salads. I have started adding this to my multigrain hot cereal and it tastes wonderful.

I also use rye, barley (whole, not pearl), and buckwheat (which is actually an herb not a grain).

Just writing this post has motivated me to use these other grains more. I'll keep you posted on my experimenting.

Whole Grain Bread..Finally the Recipe

This has been a long time coming...I took these pictures forever ago. Here is my bread recipe.

Whole Grain Bread
14-18 c Whole Grain Flour Mix
(can change ratio for more wheat or all wheat)
3 T yeast
6 c warm water (almost hot to the touch)
1+ c raw honey
2 T sea salt
3/4 c olive oil
(extra virgin is a little strong I recommend a lighter version)
1 1/2 c potato flakes (improves texture)
3 T vital wheat gluten (holds dough together)
5-6 T raw, organic Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar*
(*acts as a preservative, can substitute lemon juice)
butter for greasing

Option 1: Multigrain Version
Increase gluten to 4-5 T
Mix together 1 c steel cut oats, 2 c oatmeal, 1/3 c flax seeds
Add mixture to dough, reserving 1/2 c
Brush top of loaves with egg white, sprinkle remaining mixture on top



Option 2: Cinnamon Raisin "Snail Bread"
Set aside 2 loaves
Roll out into a large rectangle
Sprinkle with cinnamon and raisins
Roll as you would a cinnamon roll.
Dust roll with cinnamon and raisins again.
Roll up dough like a snail shell (Callista named this one)
Put in bread pan and let rise




Option 3: Dinner Rolls
Increase gluten 4-5 T
Decrease honey to 3/4-1 c
Divide dough into 3 equal parts
Shape as desired* Crescent Rolls are my favorite

Grind your grains. Do this as close as possible to when you make your bread. The fresher the better, the nutritional quality of the flour decreases quickly...imagine how little is left from the grocery store bread! Keep any left over flour in your freezer. I fill the entire machine, and the recipe uses the majority of the flour to make 6 loaves.

I use a Nutrimill. I love it. In the summer I grind my grain on my deck in the backyard. In the winter in my garage. While they advertise it as quiet, it is still pretty noisy and can get dusty. But it is the best electric mill on the market.




Add 9 C of flour and yeast into Bosch mixer. Mix until combined. Add water. Mix until smooth.






Cover and let sit and sponge for 15 minutes.











This is when I grease my pans, or enlist my children to! Callista loves to paint the butter on.








Turn mixer on low and add remaining ingredients. Add the flour last 1 c at a time. Add only until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl. Mix on medium speed for 5 minutes.








Grease your hands and divide dough into 6 equal parts. Knead several times with your hands on a clean greased surface. Put loaves in bread pans.







Cover and let rise until double in size. This will take anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours. It is faster the warmer your house is.





Put pans in a cold oven. Be careful not to let the pans touch. It is tight fit. Unless you are one of those pampered people with double ovens. Turn oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 30-40 minutes. Begin checking at 30 minutes. The trickiest part is knowing when these are done. They should be golden brown and sound hollow when you tap on them. Brush the tops of loaves with butter.



Let loaves cool on a wire cooling rack for 10 minutes. Shake loaves loose and finish cooling out of pan on rack. Store in bread bags in the freezer. The bread will stay fresh in the freezer for weeks. Once your bread is at room temperature it is best if eaten within 3 days. Do not store in the fridge.

Thirty-one and Still Going Strong

Last night I panicked. Wondering what I had done with my life. Will I have regrets of these last 30 years. I felt time creeping too fast. I wasn't ready to face a birthday. The night brought little peace as Emmett struggled to sleep and little pip wandered back and forth from room to room (we are trying to transition her to sleep in a room with Ellery). Things weren't shaping up for a great birthday.

However, I woke up to a peaceful 8 mile run in the freshly fallen snow. After five I left my friends, slowed up the pace and just kept going. It was so quiet. So I ran and kept counting my blessings. Perfect.

Thanks to my amazing husband for a wonderful birthday. His present to me...an enhanced, beautified, economized laundry room. The best present ever. I am up so late because I just keep wandering into it and gazing around and hanging things up. A little piece of heaven in my home. Contented Sigh...
Snow, snow, snow all day long. But my girls and I enjoyed making a yummy Chocolate Buttermilk Texas Sheet Cake made with kamut flour, brown rice syrup and agave. Delicious! Frosted with whipped cream sweetened with agave and a little cocoa powder, butter and vanilla. Then my wonderful sister Monica babysat and Brent took me to Sushi. A perfect day. I guess I will take 31 afterall. Life just keeps getting better. Bring it on.

New Years Resolutions: Part 2

Part 2 New Years Resolutions:
Live my Religion More Fully
by following The Word of Wisdom.

This is a three-fold mission...eat meat sparingly, use the grains/crops of the field as our staff of life, use herbs more effectively.
My church has a health code called The Word of Wisdom. Mormons are famous for abstaining from coffee/tea, alcohol, tobacco and other illicit drugs. However, what is less commonly known, and much less commonly practiced is the entire other portion of the health code. The Word of Wisdom is much more than this basic level of "shall nots."

The Word of Wisdom also includes "shalls." Specific counsel is given in Doctrine and Covenants Section 89:

"Yea flesh also of beasts and of the fowls of the air, I, the Lord, have ordained for the use of man with thanksgiving; nevertheless they are to be used sparingly...only in times of winter, or or cold, or famine...All grains are ordained for the use of man...to be the staff of life... as also that which yieldeth fruit, whether in the ground or above...All wholesome herbs God hath ordained for the use of man."

In order to step up living my religion...

Eat no Meat. Okay...so I know I already do this, but my family doesn't. 1-2 times a week is our new standard. I am excited for the adventure. I admit a definite advantage having been a vegetarian for almost 20 years. Don't think I am committing my children to vegetarianism...I will let them decide at a more accountable age. To aid in my quest I have 2 secret weapons.

Secret Weapon One: A Brand New Pressure Cooker! Think beans in 30-60 minutes. Miraculous. No soaking. I will be searching for fabulous bean recipes. If you have any please share. The best recipes come from friends and family.Say Good Bye to Cereal. I am slowly working to wean my family off of cold cereal. Grapenuts excluded (which btw I have a great homemade version I will share sometime). The rest...too many ingredients. Emmett, Callista and Brent are on board. Ellery is my trickiest conquest.

Secret Weapon Two: A Brand New Rice Cooker! Think waking up to perfect chewy mulitgrain cereal every morning. I have a fabulous recipe and the best cooker on the market. (If you haven't guessed it already, this was the holiday/birthday season of appliances for me.) My amazing sister Charlotte introduced me to the joys of the pressure and rice cookers. I am still learning.Finally, to utilize the herbs God has ordained for our health I have a fancy new tool.
Secret Weapon Three: My Brand New Aerogarden!
This nifty little device should provide me fresh herbs year round. I don't know anyone who has used this. I actually saw an add for it in the Bed Bath and Beyond mailer. I asked my mom for it for my birthday. I was ecstatic to receive it. Brent was ready to buy 4 more, he thought it was so amazing. He wants them in every room of the house. I was able to hold him off until we give this first one a shot. I love fresh herbs and can't wait to see if this works. After 5 days I already have mint, oregano, basil, dill, chives and thyme sprouted.

New Years Resolutions: Part 1

Choose the events. And... Pay the Money. This years docket:

March 21: Moab 1/2 Marathon...Goal: 1:30. Run fast. Run hard. Pray for good weather.

April 20: Boston Marathon...Goal: Complete with a smile, and enjoy a fabulous vacation.

Training starts full force the end of January. I am currently running around 20-30 miles a week, in 3 runs. It is blissful at 6 am and 12 degrees outside. Actually, the winter running has been a perfect fit for me. However...I am enjoying a cycling and kickboxing class on my non-run days...I will miss abandoning them at the end of the month.

July: Spudman Triathlon...Goal: Conquer my fear of Open Water and achieve a PR.

Swim the entire course freestyle with confidence...as a former swimmer this should be a piece of cake for me but the open water throws me for loops. I thought about not doing the race this year, because it was so frightening for me last year with my panic attack. But...this is something I can conquer. It is not beyond my physical abilities. But it scares me. A lot.

Refined Sugar Free Pumpkin Cookies

This is one of my families all time favorite cookie recipes. We love Pumpkin Cookies year round...they aren't just a fall/winter treat. The distinct flavor of pumpkin is very forgiving for alternative sweeteners. It is really hard to mess these up. My favorite version is sweetened with 1 c sucanat, 1 c barley malt syrup. Most cost efficient is honey, which works too, as does maple syrup. I do throw in a few chocolate chips sometimes for my kids instead of raisins, but they are equally as good with raisins (my favorite).

Refined Sugar Free Pumpkin Cookies
2 c sweetener (agave, sucanat, maple syrup, honey, barley malt, or xylitol)
4 c whole grain flour blend* (may need to add more if dough is too thin)
1 c olive oil (coconut oil works, but not as well)
2 c pumpkin (1 small can)
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t ginger
2 t vanilla
2 t baking soda
1 t salt
1 t nutmeg
2 c raisins or 3/4 c chocolate chips

*Can substitute 2/3 c wheat germ, 2/3 c oat bran and 2/3 cup white bean flour
for 1 1/2 cups of flour...delicious and extra healthy!

Combine all ingredients. Cook at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes. Makes 72 cookies.

Happy New Years: Indulging the Children

We spent a fabulous New Years at my parents Full Circle ranch. And for the first time I indulged my children and allowed them to stay up until midnight, not Eastern time you cheaters out there! Actually they made it until 11:55 pm....it seemed torture to keep them up even a minute longer.

I spent the evening listening to my poor baby awaken every 30 minutes or so to his cousins shrieking Peter Pan lines... (Charlotte wondered if there were ear plugs for monitors so only parents have the pleasure of listening to their children cry...hmmm)a lengthy game of speed scrabble...an engrossing read of several chapters in The Creature from Jekyll Island: A Second Look at the Federal Reserve...(Extremely enlightening. I highly recommend this to anyone understand our current monetary/economic system. Extremely disturbing.)...fondue (a family tradition) and a discussion on pressure cookers. To sum it up...I live a wild life.

The children spent the evening running around crazy with their cousins...gaily dancing and banging pots at a fire...rapturously enjoying fondue....and cheerfully submitting to bed time at 11:55. The camera was a desperate attempt at a "flashlight" to pacify Callista, do you think she looks tired?I may have to rethink next year...