Shop your values to create sustainability and social justice using your wallet. Shopping with social justice and sustainability in mind can change the world one purchase at a time. Connect your values to your pocketbook or wallet. World-wide problems such as hunger, mental illness, health, ecological concerns and others fill individuals with a sense of hopelessness due to their enormity. What can one individual do to right the imbalance in the world?
Recently I read the book How to Change the World: Social Entrepreneurs and the Power of New Ideas by David Bornstein. It was inspiring to read the accounts of ordinary individuals who saw the needs of others and enacted solutions. It left me considering my impact on the world.
I want to leave the world a better place because I lived. I found a way to implement my desire in entrepreneurs who were adopting a business model that sowed resources into a social problem or need with every sale. By partnering with these companies through my purchases, I could have a part in making the world a better place. I could use my pocketbook to help change the world. I could live the maxim, “Put your money where your mouth is.”
Sustainable Healthy Food
High Plains Food Co-op—Farm to table & Organic produce, Eat What you Grow
In 1962, Rachel Carlson’s groundbreaking book, Silent Spring, shared the dangers of pesticides, and could be considered a key component of the foundation of the Farm-to-table movement, advocating for food being grown in accord with nature.
In the face of a world food crisis, the Farm-to-Table movement offers a partial solution for a quality, sustainable food supply. Farm-to-Table enterprises include Farmers markets, community-supported agriculture (CSA), and other venues where people can buy food directly from growers, with the table being the one at your house.
As a culture, when we move away from industrialized and processed foods that create soil erosion, air and water pollution, and the need for synthetic pesticides — we step into the realm of sustainable food and farming. And we meet a wealth of health benefits (for both ourselves and the world).
Pros & Cons
My son and I were discussing the pros and cons of joining a local Farm-to-Table Co-op. I suggested that the food was slightly more expensive. He countered with more pro’s than my lone con:
The food is delivered to your door saving on transport cost.
Much of it is organic.
Your purchase supports local agriculture and community farmers.
The cost to join a co-op is minimal
The quality impact it could have on your food.
New produce could lead to more culinary recipe explorations.
The High Plains Co-op represents 50+ family farmers across the high plains of Colorado, Kansas and Nebraska – organic-minded farmers who want to heal the land. and spend more time with their families. Some are fifth generation farmers who want to bring jobs and children back to their family farms and rural communities by:
Sustaining small family farms through fair income, connections to the marketplace and support for growth.
Being transparent about production, processing and handling methods while connecting consumer with food production.
Earth Breeze Eco Sheets are liquidless detergent sheets which easily dissolve in hot or cold water to provide a powerful clean. This company addresses the issue of plastic litter on the planet.
Earth Breeze Eco Sheets are liquidless detergent sheets which easily dissolve in hot or cold water to provide a powerful clean. This company addresses the issue of plastic litter on the planet.
Over 700,000,000 plastic jugs end up in landfills and oceans each year. Plastic island is over 1 million square miles. It is estimated that about 9% of plastic actually gets recycled. Even with recycling, hardly any of it is reused. By 2050 it is estimated that there will be more plastic than fish. We need to start protecting our wildlife.
Earth Breeze comes in an earth-friendly cardboard package instead of a wasteful plastic jug! Cardboard is much more sustainable, biodegradable, and eco-friendly than plastic. Plastic can take up to 1000 years to decompose. Earth Breeze is paraben free, pthalate free, phosphate free, bleach and dye free, vegan and cruelty free, works in high-efficiency machines, and is gray water and septic safe.
The company is a member of 1% For the Planet: https://www.onepercentfortheplanet.org/ . One percent of company revenue is given to non-profits in the most impactful ways possible. By supporting Earth Breeze, you support the planet. https://www.earthbreeze.com
Social Justice for Child Health With Alovea
Alovéa is a Public Benefit Corporation (social business) with nutritional products that was founded by two international not-for-profit organizations in order to provide sustainable solutions to the world’s most challenging health concerns.
Give the gift of health to children at risk
The rise of chronic and infectious diseases continues as a growing world challenge. Immune deficiency, caused mainly by malnourishment and poor sanitation, makes children highly susceptible to chronic and infectious diseases. Over 6 million children die every year from these conditions while tens of millions more become disabled or mentally challenged for life.
Alovea’s Mission
Alovea’s mission is to provide the marketplace with the most proprietary, scientifically advanced nutrition products. Through the Buy 1, Nourish 2TM platform for social giving, Alovea donates that same nutritional support to the world’s most vulnerable, medically fragile chldren. for every serving of product purchased from Alovea, a serving of HOPE BoostTM is provided to a child in need.
HOPE Boost is a nutritional dense Alovéa AE™ infused powered blend that can easily be added to any type of meal, turning whatever these children have to eat, into the most nourishing meal they’ll ever eat. In areas of the world where access to health care is either deficient or non – existent, the activation of a child’s immune system has proven to be one of the most effective strategies for saving lives.
31,813,421 servings of nutritional support to children in need… and counting.
“Our world is grappling with epidemics of depression, anxiety, PTSD, and addiction that modern pharmaceutical approaches often fail to adequately address. Psychedelic-assisted therapy is life-saving medicine that the world needs now, especially highly traumatized populations like veterans, first responders and marginalized communities generally. Our family is no stranger to severe depression and anxiety, and I’ve personally experienced the deep healing that these medicines can provide.”
said David Bronner, Cosmic Engagement Officer (CEO) of Dr. Bronner’s.
Clinical Trials Show Promise for Psychedelic-assisted Therapy
Psychedelic-assisted therapy has shown great promise in clinical trials at John Hopkins, NYU, UCLA and elsewhere for treating severe psychological disorders. In 2017 and 2018, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted “breakthrough status” for MDMA-assisted therapy for treatment-resistant PTSD, and psilocybin-assisted therapy for treatment-resistant depression, respectively.
Natural Medicine for treating mental illness
Breakthrough status means that the FDA considers that these therapies may demonstrate substantial improvement over other available options and prioritizes review of safety and efficacy studies in clinical trials accordingly. Canada recently approved psilocybin-therapy for people who are terminally ill and grappling with severe end-of-life anxiety.
$3,000,000 Donated this Year
Dr. Bronner’s, family-owned maker of the top-selling natural brand of soap in North America, has launched its Heal Soul campaign to support public education efforts, advocacy organizations, and political campaigns around the country, The company is working to mainstream psychedelic-assisted therapy and medicines to treat depression, PTSD, addiction, and end-of-life anxiety. The company has donated over $3 million this year to support these efforts and created a special limited edition “Heal Soul!” label on its 32oz. Castile Liquid Soaps now available nationwide. The label aims to educate the public about these life-saving therapies and medicines, and the advocacy organizations and ballot initiatives that are advancing this work. To read the “Heal Soul!” label in its entirety, please visit: https://bit.ly/2EUnoxb.
Healthy Lifestyle Choices
“Used in the right settings, in combination with good diet, fitness, and other healthy lifestyle choices, psychedelic-assisted therapies and medicines offer dramatic healing for many people suffering from depression, end-of-life anxiety, PTSD, and other mental health conditions,” said Michael Bronner, President of Dr. Bronner’s.
“Our Heal Soul message and campaign is about mainstreaming this conversation in a rational and compassionate way, to help enable access to these life-saving therapies as soon as possible with the goal of evaporating the misguided stigma that these medicines face.”
Endangered species–Chocolate bars to save the animals
Each year throughout its history, the Endangered Species company continued to commit to species, habitats and humanity around the globe. Besides crafting delicious chocolate, it also contributed over $2,600,000 to their GiveBack partners in support of conservation while supporting independent farmers in West Africa through Fairtrade sourcing. By donating 10% of the annual net profits to conservation organizations, they can continue to do their amazing work on behalf of wildlife every day.
OVER $2.6 MILLION TO THEIR CONSERVATION PARTNERS SINCE 2016
Micro-economics for Under privileged—Kiva loans for social justice
Kiva envisions a financially inclusive world where all people hold the power to improve their lives. More than 1.7 billion people around the world are unbanked and can’t access the financial services they need. Kiva is an international nonprofit, founded in 2005 in San Francisco, with a mission to expand financial access to help underserved communities thrive.
Social Justice through Crowdfunding Loans
Kiva uses crowdfunding loans to unlock capital for the underserved, improve the quality and cost of financial services, and addresses the underlying barriers to financial access around the world. Through Kiva’s work, students can pay for tuition, women can start businesses, farmers are able to invest in equipment and families can afford needed emergency care.
Kiva’s belief that lending alongside thousands of others is one of the most powerful and sustainable ways to create economic and social good. Lending on Kiva creates a partnership of mutual dignity and makes it easy to touch more lives with the same dollar. Fund a loan, get repaid, fund another.
$25 to Change the World
By lending as little as $25 on Kiva, you can be part of the solution and make a real difference in someone’s life. 100% of every dollar you lend on Kiva goes to funding loans. https://www.kiva.org/
What’s your favorite social business? Comment on this article to share your favorite way to make an impact on the world.
Recently we found that my husband had developed a reaction to gluten which we diagnosed as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Researching gluten-free bread substitutes led us to sourdough products,
Sourdough starter culture is rich in Lactobacilli bacteria. Lactobacilli, besides being great for the gut microbiome, makes the bread more nutrient rich by neutralizing the undesirable phosphorus, or phytic acid, found in the wheat’s bran.
Phytic acid in conventional bread binds to important minerals like calcium, zinc, iron, and magnesium, making these nutrients bio-unavailable to us, meaning we are unable to absorb them. Being a fermented food, sourdough is rich in prebiotic and probiotic bacteria, acting as a positive aid in balancing the microbiome.
Wild Yeast for Sourdough Starter
Our research led us on a hunt for air born yeast needed for a sourdough starter. My husband and I are intrigued by the invisible phenomena of wild yeast. We had not yet heard that there be “wild yeast” having only been introduced to the yeast found in little foil packets at the grocery store, so we set a trap to hunt the invisible guests floating though our airwaves.
Following information on Pinterest I mixed 1/4 cup flour with 1/4 cup distilled water. It was important to use filtered or distilled water as the chlorine in tap water kills the airborne yeast that we are trying to capture in the flour and water mixture. I didn’t have any cheesecloth, so I used a coffee filter secured with a rubber band on the jar mouth to keep marauding insects or dirt from harassing my wild yeast which were small enough to enter my restaurant trap.
Sure enough, the next day saw our trap bubbling with yeasty bubbles. Of course, once captured, I was responsible for feeding the little critters just like any other pet with a daily ration of ¼ flour and ¼ cup distilled or filtered water stirred into the existing concoction. I fed the mixture for seven days. The wild yeast needs food to digest every day to continue producing yeast.
The sourdough starter will expel alcohols on its surface. They can be stirred back into the starter or poured off before adding more flour. I pour it off as the alcohols may adversely affect IBS sufferers.
Making Sourdough Bread from Culture
After seven days of feeding, I removed ¼ cup of the yeast mixture, placed it in a clean jar, and fed it with ¼ cup flour and ¼ cup distilled water to start a new batch of sourdough. I placed the new starter in a warm counter location and turned my attention to making bread.
Recipe
I used the 4 Ingredient Sourdough Bread recipe from the Practical Stewardship blog. The recipe calls for ¼ cup of starter, 2 cups flour (and more for kneading later), 1 ½ cup distilled or filtered water, and 1 teaspoon salt. Mix these four ingredients together in a glass bowl, cover with plastic or a dishtowel, and place in a warm spot overnight.
My 8 cup mixing bowl makes it easy to see how much the sourdough has risen.
Kneading
The sourdough mixture will look somewhat sponge-like after rising overnight. After 12-16 hours, scoop the sourdough mixture onto a well-floured counter. It will literally pour out of its container. At this point I sprinkle 1 teaspoon of baking soda over the sourdough mixture. I found that this gives a lighter loaf when baked. Gently fold flour into dough until it does not stick to the floured surface. I use a spatula to fold in flour at this point as the dough is very wet. Continue adding flour until you can knead the dough without having it stick to your hands. The outside of the dough should not be sticky although the middle dough may be somewhat sticky. This process may take up to 1 cup of flour and sometimes more.
After kneading to a bread dough consistency, I place the dough into my crock pot which I line with parchment paper and coat with cooking spray. Let rise until almost double. Then cook on low for 2 ½ hours. To check on progress, gently lift parchment paper to examine crust. The sourdough will not brown on top, but the bottom will turn a light brown when done.
Bake in Crockpot
Sourdough bread can also be baked at a low temperature in a crock pot for a longer time. A lower temperature and longer cooking time help preserve the nutritional value of the grain and aids in breaking down the gluten protein.
The remaining sourdough starter may be used as it is in recipes for biscuits, waffles, pancakes, muffins, dehydrated, or disposed of if unneeded.
What’s
the most dangerous creature on earth? Without question the answer is: the
mosquito. Mosquitoes and the diseases they spread have been responsible for
killing more people than all the wars in history.
Mosquitoes are carriers for some of humanity’s most deadly illnesses, and they are publicenemy#1 in the fight against global infectious disease. Mosquito-borne diseases cause millions of deaths worldwide every year with a disproportionate effect on children and the elderly in developing countries.
With Spring’s arrival, outdoor activities increase, and the inevitable swarm of blood-sucking mosquitoes storm our cottages and castles. My husband is one of those individuals that are “sweet meat” to Summer’s invading hordes.
Last summer I used a natural mixture that seemed to decrease the mosquito element in our environs. I sprayed this concoction on my husband, around windows and doors, on our patio and front porch, and around the backyard fire pit area with the good result of few or no mosquito population. If the spray just kept mosquitoes at bay, it would be enough, but the repellent has the added benefit of being non-toxic to people, plants and animals.
DIY Mosquito Repellent
Recipe:
1 big bottle blue mouthwash
3 cups Epsom Salts
3 stale beers
Mix ingredients and put in a spray bottle to spray anywhere you sit outside. Good for 80days!
Preventing Mosquito Attacks
Avoid perfumes: Mosquitoes sense body chemicals, such as the
lactic acid in perspiration.
Wear light clothing: A
mosquito looks for the movement of dark objects.
Stay inside during early morning and at dusk: During the heat of the day, most mosquitoes rest in a cool place and wait for the evenings, although they may still bite if disturbed.D
Use mosquito repellent spray: Mosquitoes detect carbon dioxide exhaled by their hosts many feet away and zero-in on people and other animals they seek to bite. Since we can’t quit breathing, spray the pests away!
Other practices to reduce infestation
include:
Empty standing water every week: Mosquitoes hatch from eggs laid in places that are or will be filled with water. They cannot develop in running water and water that is present less than a week.
Prevent water from accumulating in containers including tree holes, ditches, sewage and septic system water, catch basins (storm drains), non-chlorinated swimming and wading pools, decorative ponds, bird baths, flower pots, buckets, clogged gutters, abandoned tires, and water-retaining junk and debris of all sorts.
Empty water out of them on a weekly basis.
Disease Transmission
Only female mosquitoes bite, because a blood meal is usually
required for egg laying. All male mosquitoes, and the females of a few species,
do not bite. They feed on nectar and other plant juices instead of blood.
Once a female mosquito finds you, it lands, inserts its proboscis
and probes for blood vessels beneath the skin. When it finds one, it injects
saliva into the wound. The saliva contains an anticoagulant that ensures a
steady, smooth flow of blood. Unfortunately, the mosquito’s saliva also may
contain pathogens such as malaria parasites or encephalitis virus. This is how
mosquitoes transmit disease.M
Malaria
Mosquitoes transmitting malaria kill 2 million to 3 million people and infect another 200 million or more every year. Tens of millions more are killed and debilitated by a host of other mosquito-borne diseases, including malaria, filariasis, yellow fever, dengue and encephalitis.
Mosquito-Borne Encephalitis Diseases
Mosquitoes pick up the virus usually from an infected bird and transmit the disease to other animals, such as birds, horses or humans. Horses and humans are generally thought of as “dead-end” hosts because they do not produce enough virus to infect mosquitoes. Thus, dead-end hosts are not involved in the spread of disease.
West Nile Disease
In recent years, the West Nile virus has been the most common disease transmitted by insects and their relatives, including mosquitoes, other biting flies and ticks. West Nile virus arrived in the United States in 1999, inside an infected mosquito or bird.
West Nile virus is transmitted predominantly by Culex mosquitoes. Culex are medium-sized mosquitoes including the house mosquitoes that develop in urban areas, and the western encephalitis mosquito more commonly found in rural areas Adult Culex mosquitoes do not fly far from where they develop as larvae. And unlike other mosquitoes that die with the coming of the first hard frost in autumn, the house mosquito can “over-winter” in protected places like sewers, crawlspaces and basements.
Like all encephalitis producing viruses, West Nile virus survives in birds and/or mammals, using them as reservoirs. Most birds and mammals survive infection, while the mosquitoes that bite them can ingest the virus and infect other animals they bite, including humans.
My kombucha jar wears a doily to hide the SCOBY for my husband’s sensibilities.
Kombucha has been appreciated by humankind for a very long
time and has become a continuous treat at our home. Its origins are lost, but kombucha probably
originated in China over 2000 years ago.
Kombucha is a fermented tea which means that its production involves the
breakdown of sugars by bacteria and yeast.
This fermentation process is similar to brewing wine and beer and making
sourdough bread.
Probiotics Function
Fermentation enhances the preservation of foods. Eating fermented foods can also boost the number of beneficial bacteria, or probiotics, found in your gut. These bacteria line your digestive tract and support your immune system, as they absorb nutrients and fight infection and illness. Since 80 percent of your immune system is located in your gut, and the digestive system is the second largest part of your neurological system, it’s no surprise that the gut is considered the “second brain.” The bacteria that live inside our intestines break down our food. But they also modulate things like our blood sugar and even our immune system.
Probiotics have been associated with a variety of health benefits, including improved digestion, better immunity and even increased weight loss. Although more research is needed, animal and test-tube studies have found that kombucha could help protect the liver, decrease blood sugar and reduce levels of cholesterol and triglycerides. Two thousand years of human consumption would indicate kombucha’s merit and enjoyment.
I find the process of making fermented food fascinating. My first foray into wine-making opened up the invisible world or wild yeast which I explored in an earlier blog post Hunting Wild Yeast & Other Game. That exploration led me to hunting the kombucha SCOBY.
What is a SCOBY?
SCOBY is the acronym for {Symbiotic Culture Of Bacteria and Yeast). A scoby is the living home for the bacteria and yeast that transform sweet tea into tangy, fizzy kombucha, It looks like a thick, rubbery and cloudy mass that aids the fermentation process of kombucha. Kombucha is made by adding a SCOBY to green or black tea with sugar added for the SCOBY to feed on. The mixture is then allowed to ferment for 5-7 days. In the fermentation process the tea becomes effervescent as the SCOBY consumes most of the sugar during the fermentation process. There is very little sugar left in the recipe after fermentation. Kombucha has a minimal alcoholic content of about .5%. Pregnant women should consult with a health professional about consumption of this probiotic drink.
Requirements for Success
Tea, sugar, water & a SCOBY create kombucha
I use a continuous brew kombucha method to ensure that I always have a supply for daily consumption and to reduce the time spent replenishing our family supply. The only equipment needed is a 2-2 ½ gallon glass container with a tap for dispensing the kombucha. I found a glass dispenser at Walmart for $14.99. Avoid ceramic containers as they will release lead into the kombucha due to its acidic nature.
Besides the container the only other necessities are a
SCOBY, black or green tea, sugar and distilled or filtered water. Tap water contains chlorine and other
additives that will kill the SCOBY, so it is essential to use filtered or
distilled water when brewing kombucha.
If you don’t have a friend who is brewing kombucha who will supply a
SCOBY, they are available on Amazon for about $9.99 which is how I acquired
mine. You can create a SCOBY from
scratch, but in the interest of time I ordered mine on-line.
When brewing kombucha, cleanliness is essential. As in canning, cleaning and sterilizing both equipment,
your hands and workspace is necessary to keep harmful bacteria from invading
the tea. My dishwasher and antibacterial
soap for my hands and counters have supplied the necessary cleaning procedure. If your SCOBY develops mold, dispose of it
and start over. Contaminated kombucha
can develop salmonella!
Recipe and Process
Ingredients:
6-8 green or black tea bags (or 2 Tablespoons loose tea)
1 cup organic raw sugar or honey (I have used raw honey effectively, but sugar is more cost effective.)
1 kombucha SCOBY
(I repeat the tea process three or four times the
first time I fill my continuous brew container.
Only one SCOBY is required for the entire dispenser.)
Directions:
Place tea bags in 8 cup jar and add the boiling water;
Allow the tea to steep until cool.
Take out tea bags.
Dissolve sugar in tea.
Add 4 cups cold water.
Pour tea into drink dispenser.
Add SCOBY to cooled tea with a cup of starter kombucha tea. High temperatures will kill the yeast in the SCOBY, so temperatures less than 105 degrees are needed for a SCOBY culture to live.
Cover the mouth of the dispenser with a dishtowel, coffee filter or muslin. I use an over-sized hair tie to secure a coffee filter over my drink dispenser. Do not use cheesecloth as fruit flies love kombucha and will find their way into the kombucha for a party. Do not use a lid as kombucha requires oxygen for fermentation.
Set the drink dispenser in a warm place where it will not be
disturbed and let it ferment for 5-7 days.
Little bubbles will form showing that fermentation is taking place.
Begin tasting the kombucha after 5-7 days until the flavor suits your taste. The longer it brews, the more acidic it becomes. I like mine on the sweeter side and bottle it sooner rather than later. I use recycled wine bottles for bottling the kombucha before putting it in the refrigerator to stop fermentation and to extend its shelf life.
Health Benefits
If you already eat a whole foods-based diet, drinking
kombucha regularly is a great addition that can help you maintain peak immune
health, which trickles down into an impressive number of benefits for your overall
health. Kombucha usually contains a bit
of caffeine (since it’s made with tea), but the amount is small when compared
to coffee, tea, soda and other popular caffeinated beverages. Typically, about
one-third of the tea’s caffeine remains after it’s been fermented, which is
about 10 to 25 milligrams per serving for black tea.
You can also add fresh fruit to flavor kombucha. Flavors are limited only by one’s imagination. If you add flavoring, consider that when storing the it. For example, fresh fruits will go bad in the kombucha long before the drink. I use fruit concentrates from Piping Rock to flavor my brew and increase health benefits of the drink. Just a small amount of concentrate in the bottle flavors and enhances the kombucha.
Blueberry juice concentrate has many health benefits. Blueberries get their blue color from anthocyanins that are a type of white blood cell that fights inflammation. Research suggests the anthocyanins in blueberries can be as effective as medicine at lowering blood pressure in healthy adults. So, we’re seeing that blueberries not only fight the root cause of diabetes (inflammation), but also boost our gut’s “good bugs” and combat insulin resistance. Kombucha made from green tea is likely to be even more beneficial, as green tea itself has been shown to reduce blood sugar levels.
Elderberry syrup may benefit respiratory health; they have been used to support healthy lungs in folk wellness practices. Elderberries support the cardiovascular system as well, and are believed to influence blood lipid levels and arterial flexibility. Blueberry and elderberry concentrate make healthy additions.
SCOBY Growth & Reproduction
To keep your continuous brew kombucha going, add more sweetened
tea as you drink it down. The SCOBY will
continue to feed on the fresh sweetened tea and transform into a refreshing
probiotic drink. The mother SCOBY will
add layers to its culture with each addition of fresh tea infusion. The mother’s life will deteriorate after
about a month. At this point it is simple
to remove the SCOBY (remember—clean hands and utensils) and peel the older SCOBY
from the newly minted SCOBY. It is very
easy to peel the layers apart but very tough to cut. I found that out through experience. Cutting does not hurt the SCOBY, but it is
tough to slice vertically,
As the SCOBY grows each month, it is a simple procedure to save baby scobies peeled from the mother in a SCOBY hotel. Store the baby SCOBY in a bit of already-made kombucha in a glass jar while not using it so you have it on hand to start a new batch when you want it, or give it as a gift for friends wanting to start kombucha production. It will be “active” for several weeks when it’s stored in some kombucha at room temperature on a counter top or in a pantry. I have also added old scobies to my compost pile to activate composting. Other enthusiasts have fed old scobies to the chickens.
One of my favorite things is homemade bread fresh from the
oven and slathered with butter. After 50
years of daily meal preparations, I have some recipes that deliver enjoyment and
satisfaction “over the moon.” My
mother-in-law shared this recipe with me 40 years ago or more. It’s what one would term “a keeper,”
This recipe requires no kneading which makes it simple and easy to stir together. I use a large Tupperware bowl with a seal-able lid to mix the ingredients because the dough is refrigerated for three hours or overnight before baking. Alternately, a cook could use a dishtowel or plastic wrap to cover the bowl while it is refrigerated.
No Refined Sugar
One of the best features of the recipe is that it requires no refined sugar. Molasses is a sweetener that is formed as a byproduct of the sugar-making process. Molasses is a thick syrup made during the sugar-making process. It comes from crushed sugar cane or sugar beets. Unlike refined sugar, molasses also contains some vitamins and minerals including Vitamin B6, calcium, potassium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese and selenium.
After baking the bread in the oven, one should let the bread rest in the pan as it will continue to bake (just like cookies) and firm up the texture. Personally, I have never been able to resist the magnetism of hot, fresh-baked bread of any variety.
Best Pan
I bake my raisin bread in an angel food cake pan because the texture of this bread is dense, and I have found over the years that a large artisan loaf has difficulty cooking the center of the loaf without charring the outer edges of the bread. The angel food cake pan solves that problem due to its center funnel. An angel food cake pan delivers consistent texture and doneness throughout the loaf without scorching the outer edges.
This recipe makes a large loaf of bread. When our children were at home, the raisin bread vanished in a twinkle. Since I cook for two now, I freeze half the loaf for a later day. This bread would also serve as a delectable basis for French toast or bread pudding. It’s great to share at get-togethers, teas or brunch buffets
Recipe
No-Knead Raisin Bread
Ingredients:
5 cups flour
1 cup quick oats
2 packages yeast (original not rapid rise)
1 Tablespoon salt
2 cups water
½ cup light molasses
1/3 cup shortening or oil
2 eggs
2 cups seedless raisins
Directions:
In a large bowl combine 3 cups flour, oats, yeast and salt.
In a medium saucepan over low heat, heat 2 cups water, molasses, and oil or shortening until warm. You should be able to test the temperature with your finger. It should be only slightly above body temperature. If the liquid is too hot (above 135 Fahrenheit), it will kill the yeast.
With mixer at medium speed, slowly pour the warmed liquid into the dry ingredients.
Beat 2 minutes.
With spoon stir in eggs, raisins, and remaining 2 cups of flour.
Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.
To Bake:
Grease or spray an angel food cake pan.
Spoon raisin bread dough into pan and smooth to even height.
Let dough rise in a warm spot until double in size (about 1 hour),
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Bake for about 70 minutes. Bread will sound hollow when thumped when it’s done.
May you enjoy this recipe for the next 40 years as I have for the past 40. Blessings to you and yours.
My son gave me a crepe pan for Christmas which was his subtle way of inducing more crepes from my kitchen. The specialized pan made it easy to create uniformly thin crepes perfectly.
My family loves crepes. We often eat them as a light supper or
festive luncheon. My son recently brought home a recipe that makes a scrumptious
breakfast especially for kids with sleep-over guests.
At our family get-together luncheon crepes were requested. Our son brought bananas and Nutella to the occasion for each of us to try. Oh my!!! I was hooked from the moment the hazelnut chocolate spread bananas hit my taste buds. Besides being delicious the crepes had healthy aspects as well.
Bananas are rich in antioxidants and several nutrients. A medium-sized banana has about 105 calories. Bananas hold very little protein and almost no fat.
Bananas are rich in potassium and fiber. They may help prevent asthma, cancer, high blood pressure,diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and digestive problems. One medium-sized banana contains 422 milligrams of potassium.
Potassium also helps
muscles to contract and nerve cells to respond. It keeps the heart beating
regularly and can reduce the effect of sodium on blood pressure.
Potassium may reduce
the risk of kidney stones forming as people age. In turn, healthy kidneys make
sure that the right amount of potassium is kept in the body.
I want to share our family’s delicious delight with crepes, so here’s the easiest crepe recipe you’ll ever find.
Basic Crepes
Ingredients:
3 eggs
6 Tablespoons flour
3 Tablespoons softened butter
½ cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Directions:
Put all ingredients in a blender and mix.
Let sit for 20 minutes.
Spray crepe pan with cooking spray and heat pan over medium-high heat.
When water drop sizzles on heated pan, pour a small amount of crepe batter in center of pan and swirl to cover pan with a thin layer of the batter.
When bubbles appear on the top surface of the crepe, flip the crepe and quickly toast the other side. (Due to the hot pan and a thin crepe, this happens very quickly.)
Place crepe on a plate and continue cooking individual crepes.
Place paper towel between each crepe to keep them from sticking together
Filling:
Banana
Nutella
Slice a banana on an open crepe and drizzle with Nutella. Fold the crepe over the filling and enjoy!
This crepe recipe makes 5-6 crepes. It’s easy to double for more!
Nutrition experts have begun to advise low-carbohydrate diets to treat or prevent some chronic diseases and conditions, including cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, high blood pressure, obesity, and diabetes.
A low-carb diet focuses on proteins, including meat, poultry, fish and eggs, and some non-starchy vegetables. A low-carb diet generally excludes or limits most grains, legumes, fruits, breads, sweets, pastas and starchy vegetables. Some low-carb diet plans allow small amounts of certain fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
Decrease Carbohydrates
The idea behind the low-carb diet is that decreasing carbs lowers insulin levels, which causes the body to burn stored fat for energy and ultimately leads to weight loss. According to Dr. Atkins, a carbohydrate count of less than 20 per day for two weeks will start a fat-burning state called ketosis.
Ketosis
Ketosis is a normal metabolic process, something your body does to keep working when it doesn’t have access to carbohydrates. Ketosis uses stored fat as body fuel due to the limited amount of glucose available when carbohydrate restriction is used for dieting. Without carbohydrates, the body’s fuel of choice, the body uses up the energy in the body’s fat stores which results in weight loss.
Net Carbs
Some types of carbohydrates do not affect blood sugar in the body as much as others, so the thought is that net carbs only account for carbs that do affect blood sugar. Net carbs are total carbohydrates per serving minus the number of grams of fiber (soluble and insoluble) per serving.
When counting carbohydrates for a recipe, I use net carbs which is the total carbohydrates minus the dietary fiber and one-half of the sugar alcohols which reveals the net carbs in a recipe.
Sugar alcohols
5-6 Carb Crock Pot Taco Soup
Sugar alcohols are another form of carbohydrate that has an extremely small impact on blood sugar levels. Sugar alcohols, like sorbitol, malitol, lactitol or sucralose, have half of the calories than those contained in other sugars, and therefore, half of the carbs from sugar alcohols can be deducted from the total carbohydrate count. Since fiber and sugar alcohols are not absorbed by the body, they do not affect the blood glucose.
Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef, chicken or turkey
1 medium onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves
1 Tbsp chili powder
1/4 tsp each of garlic powder, onion powder, crushed red pepper flakes and dried oregano
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
Dash of salt and pepper
cups chicken broth
1 four oz can of green chilies
4 medium tomatoes, diced
1 cup salsa
Avocado (optional)
Instructions:In a skillet over medium heat, brown meat.Drain fat from meat and put in crock pot.Add remaining ingredients to crock pot (except avocado) and cook over low heat for 6-8 hours. Garnish soup with avocado, if desired.
The information contained in this book is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment, and, as author, I encourage readers to consult with qualified medical professionals for treatment and related advice for their health. 5
I encourage individuals and their families to consult with qualified medical professionals for treatment and related advice on individual cases before beginning any diet. Decisions relating to the prevention, detection and treatment of all health issues should be made only after discussing the risks and benefits with your health care provider, taking into account your personal medical history, your current situation and your future health risks and concerns. If you are pregnant, nursing, diabetic, on medication, have a medical condition, or are beginning a health or weight control program, consult your physician.
Welcome to Country Parson's Wife, I'm Dr. Mary Ellen, author, teacher and wife of a country pastor for 50 years. My blog is dedicated to a lifestyle built on faith, family, simplicity and self-sufficiency that enhances the health, peace, beauty and industry of our homes and gardens.
My prayer is that you be encouraged and propelled into the abundant life God has prepared for you.
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