Poached Figs

My daughter, Annabelle enjoys new experiences. Truly, no one in my family shares my deep need for adventure, but I will take these little tiptoes on the "wild side" as a sign of acceptance. She recently asked me to buy a flat of figs. I haven't tasted a fig since I was very young. I have no idea if I enjoyed it then. It seemed pretty safe to say that I would be able to find at least one way to consume several pounds of this fruit alone if I happened to be the only one who appreciates them. Papa (the one who should be avoiding high glycemic foods) seems to be the only one who can enjoy their earthiness and unique sweetness, besides myself, of course. With the high temperatures we've been "enjoying" lately, the oven has been off-limits. Too bad, because I think figs would be a lovely addition to my favorite baked goods. (Shameless plug for my next post on deep frying - pies and cakes in the summer heat!) Here are two recipes - one sweet and one savory - that I developed to give you a little hint of fall while enjoying this late summer treat. Bonus: you can freeze the leftovers and eat them when these little gems are out of season. They really do seem like they ought to be part of the holidays!

This recipe renders a delightfully tart dessert addition. It can be eaten alone, with cream or as a topping for rustic shortbread, rice pudding or homemade ice cream.
Poached Figs

2 cups whole figs
1/2 C water
1/2 C cranberry juice
1 whole cinnamon stick
1 fingertip-sized piece of vanilla bean
Splash of good brandy (If you like flavored liqueur, that might be fun. I used a French brandy.)

Bring all ingredients except figs to a simmer over low to medium low heat. Gently and carefully add figs to the liquid. Simmer for 20 minutes. Remove figs with a slotted spoon and cook the liquid until reduced down to a thin syrup. Enjoy!

This is a simple savory side that can be grilled on the BBQ or roasted in the oven. The flavors are complex and pair great with chicken, beef, and lamb.

Rosemary Roasted Figs

1 1/2 C halved figs
1/4 C balsamic vinegar
Drizzle of honey
Fresh rosemary sprigs
Fresh ground salt and pepper

In a bowl, sprinkle figs with salt and pepper and drizzle with honey. Pour balsamic over figs and turn to coat. Place figs in a sheet of parchment and nestle rosemary sprigs throughout the fruit. Wrap up and tie with twine, if necessary. Roast in 400° oven or on a 500° grill. (If cooking on the grill, be sure you place in some kind of roasting pan or a sheet of foil. I don't like to cook directly on aluminum because it can leach out into your food. Yuck.) Now, this is the tough part. I think I left them on for 15-20 minutes. It may have been longer. Let's just say, it bubbled and baked for a nice long time and when the rest of the food was ready I took it all out. Anyway, you can keep an eye on them and when they're really soft and the juice is pretty syrupy it's all ready to go. We ate ours over chicken and it was delicious! A few days later I used the leftovers in fried pies (another shameless plug for my deep frying post) which was so nice and sophisticated in this rustic media - you know I love that! 

I hope you enjoy these dynamic recipes as much as I do! P.S. - Figs spoil very quickly, so do your best to cook them within a couple of days of purchasing. Also, they ripen best on the tree, so try not to get any that aren't at their peak. I think when the weather is cooler I'll try a fig tart recipe. Yum! Do you have a tip or favorite fig recipe?

Parenting mistakes that most of us make...repeatedly...Post 1

1. How many times have I told you...?
The Problem: If you've said it more than once and the behavior is unchanged, either you haven't attached an appropriate disciplinary action or, worse, you haven't been true to your word and followed through. Notice that I said "an appropriate disciplinary action." Sometimes we get so exasperated with our brood that we say outlandish things upon which we all know we have no intention of following through. You just blew a big hole in your credibility to your kids.
The Fix: The great news is that this is not a complicated fix. The bad news is that it is hard. You didn't demolish your authority in one day and you won't gain it back overnight, either. You have to be deliberate, consistent, and honest. 

Being deliberate in your discipline means that you don't just dole out threats willy-nilly (do people still say "willy-nilly"?) and respond in the heat of the moment. If that means that you have to tell your child to please go to the other room while you decide what will be an appropriate way to deal with their behavior, then do so. If you suspect that this action with cause them to create a bigger problem for you, (i.e. making a giant mess or being destructive in their room, throwing a giant fit, etc.) be sure you have decided on a game plan ahead of time and warn them of the consequences. Remind them of those consequences every time you think they may act out. I found it particularly helpful to focus on patterns of behavior that I wanted to change in my kids, and actually discussing it with them. I asked, "What do you think would be an appropriate consequence for leaving your clothes and towels all over the bathroom floor?" Surprisingly, they answered with things like, "Cleaning the bathroom," and "Folding all the towels." I didn't necessarily want to make household responsibilities into dreaded chores, so we ended up choosing something different, but I was impressed with their ability to connect the behavior with a related consequence.

Being consistent can be tough. When we just want to go to dinner at our friends' house and have some grown up conversation, making the decision to stay home and follow through on discipline feels like we're the one being punished. Too bad. I say that with the deepest sense of humility and sympathy possible! It is genuinely a sad and unfortunate situation when our social lives are disrupted by poor behavior. However, I think we all know the long-term results of a child who never has to be accountable for their actions. We see it in Hollywood and in the prison system all the time. It is not pretty. This is where my previous point comes into play. Do not make an empty threat. If you say, "We won't go over to Tommy's for dinner and a movie if you don't clean your room by 5:30," you had better the prepared to stay home and endure the wailing and begging that will likely ensue. This is very likely if you have made concessions in the past to accommodate your own social needs. Trust me, as a single mom, this is my number one greatest dilemma. I have given the kids a pass and spent the next several weeks trying to recoup. It is definitely not worth it to me. You can always make a consequence that you know you can stick with: If your room isn't clean by the time we have to leave to go to Tommy's, you will not watch cartoons tomorrow, even after your room is clean. Instead you will finish cleaning your room and then you will fold and put away laundry with me. Added bonus: laundry folding is an important skill, and an opportunity for some quality time. Quality time doesn't always mean playing at the park or a major event. Sometimes it's just talking about life with your kid over some mundane task.

Honesty may seem like a no-brainer. Sometimes, though, it requires a little (okay, a lot) of humility. Telling your kids, "Guys, I have been trying to do things the easy way and it is making our family really out of balance. We can't live in chaos; it's making me really unhappy and your behavior is out of hand. I know that out of control feeling doesn't make you feel happy or safe, either. I'm the parent, so it's my job to make sure you're growing up right. I've let you get into some bad habits and I'm sorry, but we're going to change that and work on it together as a family." That is not the easiest speech to give, but when I gave it a couple of years ago for the first time (they've heard it more than once, I'll admit), my children were completely engaged and seemed excited about making positive changes. By the next day some of the enthusiasm had dwindled, but when I reminded them that our family was going to be happier, healthier, and have more time for family togetherness, they jumped right on board. Being forthcoming with them about that I was doing and the fact that I could no longer negotiate the consequences of their actions made my job a whole lot easier! When your only option is to accept the situation and work with it, you stop fighting. Kids want to know that the parents are in control. They need to trust and respect you. They really do need and want defined boundaries. This allows them to know the expectations and spend less time testing the limits and more time enjoying what they're able to do within them.

Parenting with grace and compassion can be challenging. Remember Christ's attitude toward us when He bore our burdens on the cross. It was all for love. We are created to be image-bearers of that great love. Your kids need to see that in action! You are their first exposure to God. Many children develop their early opinion of the Father based on their parents. As adults, they may find it difficult to establish their own relationship with Him if their relationship with you is one of distrust. You still have time to establish a better pattern! I am praying for you daily. Keep wandering aimfully...

Pancakes for Chaz

This boy is so clever. He wants everything to resemble dessert, pizza, or hot dogs. He is very particular about his food and is willful enough to not eat anything until it's just right. I'm convinced he would starve to death and wail right through to the end that it has to have chocolate chips or he will not, not, not eat it! Before we realized exactly what we were working with (he is currently operating with a diagnosis that may soon include Asperger's), we used to insist that Chaz eat what we were eating or go whine elsewhere, as it is very rude and ungrateful to balk at food that someone worked hard to prepare. Now we take a different approach. We let Chaz know what the options are and how he might be able to modify them to better suit his tastes. He has choices, but not free reign over meals. It works, most of the time. This morning I offered French toast or pancakes. He asked for waffles. Very funny. So we compromised with pancakes, "the kind with tiny chocolate chips." I've mentioned in other posts that I am a fan of Enjoy Life brand chips. They're gluten-, dairy-, soy-, and nut-free. I happened to be out of eggs this morning, so it's a good thing he didn't ask for French Toast! Oops. They came out nicely, anyhow! See? They're like little chocolate chip cookies, which is great during the summer when most of us avoid turning on the oven.

I like this recipe because I've modified it with a little cocoa powder and maple syrup in the batter to make chocolate pancakes. I've even added fruit pulp from the time I made homemade soda (not much of a success, but I'll keep trying!) for a little vitamin and fiber addition. Here is the basic recipe, with the optional little additions I made for Chaz. (He's not a fan of soggy bread, so I put some sweetener in there. Added bonus: molasses is a good source of iron! Great for my picky guy.)

Sprouted Flour Pancakes

1 cup sprouted whole wheat (or spelt) flour
2 tsp baking powder (I use aluminum free, they get a bit fluffier.)
1/4 tsp Himalayan salt
1 cup milk (we use raw dairy in everything, today I had buttermilk on hand)
2 Tbs applesauce (or 1 egg, I was out and egg day isn't until Monday! If you use an egg, you will need some melted butter or coconut oil.)
Coconut oil for skillet
Optional:
1 Tbs blackstrap molasses
handful of chocolate chips or blueberries (sister likes blueberries)

Whisk together dry ingredients, add all wet (and optional ingredients), whisk until just combined. Heat skillet on low and melt 1 Tbs coconut oil. Drop batter into skillet to make little cakes about 4" in diameter. (You could probably use an ice cream scoop, but I just use a spoon.) Allow to cook on one side until bubbles form and edges are dry. Flip pancakes; they are finished when both sides are golden brown.


These are mine, instead of chocolate chips I put in a Tbs of raw cacao in about a cup of basic batter and topped with homemade ricotta and strawberry syrup. Yum!

Good Morning My Lovelies!

Don't you just love that moment when you are exactly one mile into your run (and one mile away from home) when you realize you have horrendous pain in your feet because you should have replaced those running shoes about a hundred miles ago? Well, I love it even more when that moment is compounded by a sudden and simultaneous radio app crash which causes me to slow down and get lapped by someone at least ten years my senior. Let's not mention the fact that I was wheezing like I had never run before in my life. Embarrassing. Honestly, I'm content with a twelve-minute mile. I'd prefer ten, but I can be satisfied with twelve. This was not a twelve-minute-mile kind of day.

Enough of my whining. You really want to know what I'm eating, don't you? I mean, active people have to eat, right?! Who am I kidding? I eat when I'm not active. I just enjoy the process of creativity and actually sitting still and enjoying the moment while I savor my food. Needless to say, I often eat after my children. Ha! Anyhow, on the menu for breakfast today is one of my personal favorites: steak, eggs, and toast. (I will post my favorite sourdough recipe when the weather permits. For now, we've been enjoying Charlie's Best Bread.) The best part of the meal, for me, is the coffee. I was recently introduced to cold brewed coffee and find that I tolerate it much better than traditional brewed. The acid content is much lower and the caffeine seems to be a bit lower, as well. I simply pour 2 Tbs. coffee grounds per cup of coffee, which is about how I brew regular coffee. I blame my dad for this practice. He got me started on truck stop coffee when I was 8. I'm 99% sure it was (mostly) decaf back then, but when you're taking a little girl fishing that early in the morning, you have to get her moving with a donut or pancakes and coffee. A little cream and sugar didn't hurt. Nowadays, I prefer my cream raw or of the coconut variety, and my sugar comes in the form of pure maple syrup. Add a little ice and you're good to go! When I'm feeling really special, I whisk some raw cacao into my maple syrup before adding to the coffee. It blends better, in my opinion. Oh, and when I'm feeling extra special, I make coffee ice cubes and have a blended drink with whipped raw or coconut cream on top. (See coconut whipped cream instructions below.) I'm feeling pretty average today, especially after that run. I did happen to notice Mom's amazing gluten-free cookies on the counter. I also might have mentioned to my son that these were healthy enough for breakfast (just in the summer!). Hmm...

As tasty as that looks, I'm hungry. Time to make some steak and eggs! 

Here is how to make whipped coconut cream:
If you don't have a can of coconut cream, you can put a can of coconut milk in the fridge. The cream will firm up on the top and the liquid can be poured off and used in smoothies or curry soup. Add maple syrup to taste and then whip with your hand blender or a whisk (if you have that kind of endurance, rock on!) until fluffy and holds its shape. Enjoy!

The Process is Important - Magic Cookie Bites

Hello lovelies! I hope you enjoy my late night, caffeine-induced humor. It has been a wild day in the kitchen, let me tell you. No really, I want to tell you right now. You see, some days I have these incredible culinary successes that make me think to myself, "Self. I am going to do just fine. It may have taken thirty years, but I am really starting to get the hang of this 'life' business." Like, even though I kind of messed up the homemade yogurt (I couldn't just leave it alone. It was so cool looking!), I ended up making the most DELICIOUS ricotta I have ever had in my life. Maybe it was more mascarpone. Whatever. It was delicious with a bit of honey and strawberries. I heard angels singing. Then, sometimes, I have situations like this:

The left is what happens when you don't follow the proper procedures. Here's a little tip: if the recipe says, "Heat to x degrees, then add such and such until thoroughly combined, remove from heat and whisk in ingredient c," then by all means DO IT. Do it precisely as instructed. Do you know why? Because some bonehead probably did what I did. I got antsy waiting for my fabulous boyfriend to come home from the store (he brought mini rose plants for the kitchen window, the sweetheart!) and I mixed up the wrong ingredients, resulting in the mess you see on the left. It's basically a burned glob of raw cacao and pure maple syrup, and some organic coconut oil (which I strained off to be used on my hair. I don't care if I smell like a burned cookie. I'll use it when Aaron is out of town. Hee hee!). I haven't tossed them yet, but I'm afraid I may have ruined about $6 worth of ingredients. The sad thing is, I probably needed about 1/6 of that for the recipe I was creating. Yes, I was creating something. Would you like to see it? Of course you would. Here is my nourishing take on the old magic cookie thingy:

My family has gone under a huge lifestyle change as of March of this year. My mom is combining a nourishing diet with some of the GAPS principles, along with keeping her eye on things that will effect her thyroid and Dad's blood sugar. She has also recently cut out gluten. (Rough! I've only ever been able to do that for a few weeks at a time.) A lovely, brilliant lady friend of ours introduced us to the Nourishing Traditions book and style of eating. We have shared documentary reviews and recipes. Mom visits her almost every week and they have fun experimenting and learning. I told you all of that to tell you this: this recipe is safe for Mom. WOO! I thought it couldn't be done. I only had to shred my own coconut, make my own chocolate, substitute...okay wait. Let me just give you the recipe. I know you're curious. BUT REMEMBER - the process is IMPORTANT. In that top photo, the shiny, smooth, beautiful chocolate drizzle was made in under a minute using the proper procedure. Don't get me wrong, there are often many ways to approach a new creation or solve a problem. There is pretty much only one way to make this chocolate. Yup. Just save yourself the heartache. So enjoy the recipe and please, wander aimfully, my friends!

Disclaimer: this is not a low fat or low sugar food. However, the fats and sugars are not processed and the ingredients I used were from approved sources, so your body knows how to turn them into usable energy and nourish you from the inside out! I tried to be specific about what I used on the things that were especially significant.

Disclaimer #2: I eyeball everything, and I pretty much wing everything else. I'm really terrible about this. Really. So, I do my best to measure and give you accurate measurements, but if it looks a little off, feel free to tweak and post back to let me know what worked for you. 

Okay, for real now. Here you go:

Nourishing Magic Cookie Bites

     Almond meal crust:

• 1 1/3 C almond flour (made with blanched almonds)
• 5 Tbs (give or take) melted butter (We like Kerrygold)
• 1 tsp pure maple syrup (Optional)

Combine all the ingredients and press into an 8x8. (My pan is oblong, but I'm pretty sure this is ok in an 8x8. You have permission to kick me if it doesn't.)

     Topping -

• Sweetened condensed milk (See recipe below)
• Shredded coconut (I shredded mine by hand because I didn't see any unsweetened and they usually use icky processed sugar. If you can find a safe alternative, awesome!)
• Chocolate drizzle (See recipe below. It is a bit strong, so use a light hand. Alternatively, you could use Enjoy Life brand chocolate chips. I'm a fan! You could also omit the chocolate, if you're not keen on it.)

Homemade Sweetened condensed milk

• 4 C whole coconut milk
• 2/3 C maple syrup (You could also use rapadura or sucanat, like in the video below.)

I (mostly) followed this tutorial: http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/video-sweetened-condensed-milk-that-is-actually-healthy/

This is another one in which the process matters. Bring the coconut milk to a boil, THEN add sweetener and boil, stirring occasionally, for 2 whole hours. You cannot try to speed this up or anything. Just let it do its thing. It is AMAZING. It is also going in my coffee tomorrow, and forever and ever because I love it SO! Also, I did not use this entire recipe on my cookie bites. There was about 3/4 cup left over, after I sampled a LOT of spoonfuls. No double dipping. I promise.

     Chocolate drizzle

• ½ C raw cacao or cocoa powder (I love Navitas cacao!)
• 3 Tbs pure maple syrup
• ½ C coconut oil (I usually stick with organic)
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract (Avoid imitation. It usually has vanillin and caramel color. Yucky.)

Again, the process. Melt the coconut oil on low, remove from heat and add vanilla and maple syrup. Stir until combined, then whisk in cacao.

NOW, the whole process. Preheat the oven to 350F, 325F if using a glass pan. Press your crust into the pan. Top with sweetened condensed milk (it can be fresh off the oven or previously cooked and out of the fridge, but I recommend letting it come to room temp so you can pour it on easily). Sprinkle an even layer of coconut over the top. If using chocolate chips, put them on now. If using drizzle, put in oven without chocolate and begin cooking drizzle after 10 minutes of bake time. Bake time will vary, I estimated mine at about 20 minutes. You should definitely check them after 12 to 15 minutes. When the edges are golden brown and the coconut is toasty, it's ready. Drizzle on the chocolate. It can go on when they're hot or after they cool. (Read: don't panic if you didn't start cooking the chocolate until the timer went off. This is one instance in which the process is whatever works. Yay!) Let them cool enough to not melt your face, and enjoy!

Do you have a favorite "copycat" or "modified" recipe for a special diet? Please share!

The Best Intentions

Well, I had completely intended on making a go of this sewing blog when life took a hard right turn. Months later, the dust has settled. My little family is starting to find a new rhythm. My relationship with God is strong and growing. There is an amazing man making me realize that my full life was still a little incomplete. (It's true. I love him.) I'm very close to starting an exciting new career. Now I'm finding that there is a network of people living precisely the way I've been striving to for many years. I thought they only existed deep in the woods, on the tops of high mountains, and way back in the swamps. I thought I would have to fight my way up in the rat race in order to (God willing, and economy withstanding) possibly retire to this kind of lifestyle in my early fifties. Little did I know, a homesteading and simplified living movement had been sweeping the nation. Along with it comes an increased knowledge base for nourishing living, as well as eliminating toxins from the home (something I started back in 2007 when my then newborn son started having health issues), and becoming more self-reliant and less dependent on outside sources for food and energy. Don't get me wrong, there is a place for all of that automated and convenient stuff. I just think that as a society we have become, well, lazy and a bit naive about our consumerism. Did you know that the United States represents less than 5% of the world's population, but contributes 25% of the annual waste production? In fractions that is - 1/20 : 1/4. (http://www.forbes.com/2006/05/23/waste-worlds-worst-cx_rm_0524waste.html) Yuck. We are disgusting. Each of us makes as much waste as 5 average people in the rest of the entire world.

On the other end of the spectrum, my boyfriend teases my about my obsessive saving of  "even two tablespoons of mustard. It's like 3 cents worth!" Hey man, when you've been hungry enough to eat leftovers of food that made you sick to your stomach, you save stuff like that. It's perfectly good food! Why dump it? I will even eat other peoples' leftovers. I know it's weird. Growing up, my dad and I were both the "you gonna eat that?" kids. We both ended up being taller than our siblings. In fact, at 5'10" I'm the tallest woman in my family, on both sides! As far as I know, he is the tallest man in his family. It worked out for us! I digress. I don't like to waste food. This morning, I used fruit pulp, strained off from the liquid I used to make lacto-fermented soda, in my pancakes. In case you're wondering, they were chocolate pancakes and the pulp was from berries. I topped them with homemade cream cheese (which I made by straining the whey off of homemade yogurt I made so as not to waste some sour milk. I know. I'm out of control. Oh, and they whey went into the soda. See what I did there?) and strawberry syrup made with whole berries (that were about to go bad and on clearance - winning!), honey and lemon juice. They tasted like the BEST chocolate donut you've ever dreamed of. Not joking. I saved some for Aaron (boyfriend) to try, just to confirm. He's still in Montana, so I'll give you the verdict in my next post.

To sum up, I'm going to share with you my experiences, tips and recipes from this new endeavor to live a little under the radar, slightly off the grid, and maybe a few degrees off center. Maybe next time I make my chocolate pancakes I'll pay attention to how much stuff I put in so you can make them, too! Wander aimfully, my friends.