Vim and Vigor

Creamy, dreamy homemade raw yogurt!

Hey there everyone!  I hope you and your families are finding time to just be. I so enjoy the rhythm to our days this time of year.  Happy, dirty and exhausted from running around outside, napping hard or resting...coming together for a story.....  I'm trying hard to s-l-o-w down and just be with them.  That is my most important job.  Being available and attentive to my little ones.  (Besides being a child of God and wife.)  It is easy to get too busy....and my recent goals include taking away some of the things that take too much time away from them.  It's all good. 

My husband just recently got a new job....after 5 months of unemployment!  Yes, that is not a time I want to relive.  Well, I would like to say he was eating just as healthy when he went back to work.....but I wasn't packing him lunches...(naughty, naughty wife!), and I tell you what. 

It has caught up with him.

He told me about his "stomach problems" that he's had for a week, and I knew what the answer was. 

No more eating out! 

Wifey to the rescue, with good food filled with probiotics to get his digestive system back in tip-top shape! Okay, first I decided to make homemade raw yogurt....so simple!...and full of probiotics to boot!  Probiotics are basically the good guy bacteria that help us to get back to or maintain a healthy digestive system.  They are excellent to make a part of your normal, healthy diet.  Also, if you are needing to take an antibiotic for any reason, you especially would need these good guys, because antibiotics get rid of all bacteria in your digestive tract, good or bad.  You need the good!  So, I make sure my family and I get a decent amount of probiotics in our diet.  Plus, it's a tasty way to eat!

The how-to's:

Starter: To get started you will need a yogurt culture to add to your milk to culture it.  Your "starter" can be any yogurt that contains live and active cultures.  I recommend a plain store-bought organic yogurt.  Once you have made a batch of yogurt with your store-bought starter, you can use your homemade yogurt as a starter for the next batch.  However, after about 4 batches of yogurt, the strength of the cultures will decline, and you'll want to go back to the store-bought starter again.

This was the starter I chose to use: (Me likes organic valley....but the cost is too high to not make my own!)

Whoa!  Bad, bad fuzzy picture.....as I say below, my daughter confiscated what possibly might be a camera of hers that I possibly use on a daily basis.  I possibly irritate her immensely doing so.....so I assume she gladly finagled it and took it with her on her trip.  She doesn't need it...I do! 

 

Ingredients needed: 

                        - 8 cups of raw milk                       

                        -1 cup organic yogurt starter

• In a large saucepan, heat milk just to 110 degrees (these keeps it raw, including keeping all of it's enzymes intact.), then remove from heat.
• Add yogurt starter and mix well.
• Pour mixture in containers of choice, (I like glass pyrex containers), cover with lids, and let sit to culture for about eight hours.  It needs to stay at a consistent temperature of 110 degrees for the full 8 hours to fully culture.  More on this below.
  

Optional:   

Before it sits to culture and after heating, pour honey and vanilla, fruit of your favorite flavor, or maple syrup into the containers.  When yogurt is done culturing, just stir and enjoy!

Here is my yogurt, ready to culture!

 

Ooh, look!  A clear picture!

This is my method of incubating, or keeping my yogurt consistently at 110 degrees:

You know, I think the yogurt is making my shelves bow in the middle.  Good little shelves, don't break now.  You'll be alright.  You have many years of hard work ahead....so buck it up, please!  I apologize for my picture fuzziness. Again, I miss my daughter's camera.  Well, gotta do with watcha got, right? 

Side note:  The almonds are "crispy almonds" made the Nourishing Traditions cookbook way.  I soaked 4 cups of them in tablespoon of sea salt, and covered with water overnight.  Then drained and threw on the tray.  12 hours later you have wonderful crunchy, crispy almonds.  (Soaking removes the phytates, and makes the nuts digestible, and allows you to absorb all the good nutrients they have to offer.)

Other ways to incubate your yogurt:  

• Pour yogurt into glass containers and cover.  Place them in the oven with just the oven light or pilot light on.
• Pour the yogurt into glass containers and cover....place in a crockpot with warm water in it.  Then wrap the crockpot with a towel to keep it insulated.
• A yogurt maker or dehydrator are the easiest, due to the fact that you can regulate the temperature.
• Put yogurt in glass containers and cover...put into a thermos with a lid and place the thermos in an insulated cooler filled with warm water.  Wrap the cooler with a towel for insulation.

            -All the methods, OTHER than the yogurt maker and dehydrator, must be checked frequently.  You want to be sure it is maintaining a 110 degree temperature (or just below), for 8 continuous hours. 

***Please note:  This won't be creamy or dreamy unless you use a thickener in it of some sort....my top two favorites are knox brand gelatin and xanthan gum.....For the gelatin...use 2 teaspoons for every 8 cups of yogurt.  For the xanthan gum use 1 teaspoon every 8 quarts.  Sprinkle either one on as the yogurt is warming up, stir in with a spoon, and whisk up with a fork.  It will not thicken until it has cooled, so please keep that in mind.

I'm thinking of doing a post on regular homemade yogurt, and more on my methods on soaking/drying nuts....if that's something you might like to see.....leave me a comment and let me know....

Have a blessed day!  Joy

Natural living 101: Gardening

                                                                           

                      

                                                      

It's been a bit since I have posted....and I have tried and failed all week to make time to put this on the blog.  But now, 10:30 p.m. on Sunday night....it is the time. 

Natural living is the name of a group a very good friend and I started a couple of months ago.  We get together here in northern Indiana with a great group of friends and new faces and discuss, learn about and brainstorm ideas on different topics related to natural living. 

This past month our topic was gardening....and we had a wonderful guest come and share her knowledge with us....and many of those there had so much great input for everyone!  I believe everyone left with a bit more knowledge, a few more laughs, and a smile on their face....oh, and some peppermint from Connie!  Thanks!  (And thanks to you too, Kara, you did a great job!)

This is the area of my blog where I will put up my ideas I took away from our time together.  Anyone interested in natural living could glean from this.  If you have questions/comments, leave them below in the comment section, and let's help each other out!  I  don't have the answers for all, but will help lead or guide if I don't know the answer, to those that might.  I also will list some great resources for gardening mentioned last week as well.

Resources for gardening tips, general know-how, and planning:

•         Countryside magazine
•         Book: Back to Basics---by Reader's Digest
•         Country Wisdom and Know How--Everything you need to know to live off the land
•         Disney's Gardening with Mickey

General natural gardening tips:

1)  Keep a garden journal: 

    - Gardens are time consuming enough...why bring a journal into the mix?  Well, with a journal, you can look back every year and not only see your progress in gardening....but also where you could do better.  You will be able to write down what works well in your soil, and what doesn't.  You can draw out your garden, thereby knowing where to rotate your crops for the following year.  Did you know that legumes put nitrogen back into the soil, that the corn takes away?  So with rotating, you are not depleting the soil in any one area of certain nutrients.  Writing down mistakes, such as, don't plant hot peppers by the melons next year!, might be a great way to avoid the same mistakes!  Plus, if you have pictures of your garden in your journal, it's a fun way to look back on memories of you and the kids in the garden.....and of all the beauty your hard work produced!

2) Choose heirloom seeds over hybrid seeds:  

    Why heirloom?  Choosing heirloom is where you, the individual gardener, are really making a difference.  In a nutshell, heirloom seeds (also know as open pollination seeds), are not genetically modified in any way.  Your seeds can be saved from your plants, and planted again forever, and you will get the same as the original plant.  With a hybrid plant, you cannot do so.  Hybrid plants are hand-pollinated, sterile, and will not produce the same plant again.  They have been patented, and are sold from multi-national seed companies.  They have been genetically modified, whereas heirloom seeds, could be considered a pure seed.  Heirloom seeds can be passed from generation to generation.  Did you know there are 10,000 varieties of heirloom apples, but only a few varieties of hybrid apples?  Unless the backyard gardeners and organic farmers keep these seeds safe, they will all be gone.  This is how we can make a difference in the food we eat, and for generations to come, even from our backyards.

   

3)  Locate some reputable natural gardening companies, and find all they have to offer!

    Some to get you started include:

            -Garden's Alive

                    -have excellent coupons, will usually be sent out with catalog

            -rareseeds.com

            -Gurney's

            -Burpee.com

                    -good selection of heirloom seeds, and more

            -Treesofantiquity.com

                    -offers heirloom fruit trees

4)  Give raised beds a try!

    -Advantages of raised beds:

        -One of the greatest advantages of raised beds is the avoidance of soil compaction.  Plant roots need air to thrive, and in a raised bed, they have more access to that air.  You are not walking all over the soil when pulling weeds and such, which compacts the soil down.  You can walk around your raised beds, doing all the work needed, and letting the roots get their precious air!       

     -They tend to drain away excess moisture better than ordinary garden beds.  This is another advantage that allows the roots to breathe!      

     -Soil type can be controlled much more easily, and can even vary from bed to bed if needed!        

     -Studies show that fruits and vegetables grow up to 2 times more per square foot, compared to regular gardening in the ground.  You can produce more, in a smaller space!      

     -You will spend less time weeding your garden, and more time enjoying it!

  5)  Know your soil!

    -Call your local county extension office, and they can give you details on how to get your soil tested...some will do it for free....others there will be a fee.

    -When you know more about your soil, you will be able to know what nutrients your soil may be lacking in, which you than can add to your soil,  to get the best from your garden! 

    -For instance, have you been putting lime on your soil?  Does it need lime, or could you have been using your time and money more wisely?  Test your soil and find out....

6)  Keep it simple!

    -This is especially for those who are new to gardening.  One smart gal at our get-together started with just two types of plants last year.  She had room for more, but wanted to see what she could do, before she attempted more.  This year, she will add maybe one or two more varieties of plants.  She knows she needs to go slow, or possibly be too overwhelmed.  I wish I could apply that principle to more areas of my life! I tend to jump in too fast!

7) Earthworms are your friends!

    -worm castings, (a.k.a. worm poopy), is wonderful for your garden! It acts as a wonderful natural fertilizer. The castings add mineral nutrients and much needed organic matter to your soil.  Worms dig pathways in the soil, which again, allow for air and water to get to the roots of your plants.  Are you noticing a trend, here?  Air and water to the roots, air and water to the roots.....say it with me now!  Keeping your soil aerated is VERY important =)

    -if your soil is devoid of worms, then buying worms and adding them to the soil, well, it really won't help.  The worms you buy will either die or move on to better "pasture", so to speak.  What you want to invest in is improving your soil, so that worms want to live there.

    -A few resources for attracting worms to your garden:

            -http://harvestgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/07/let-worms-do-your-work.html

            -www.dirtdoctor.com

8)  Choose plants that are natural to your area:

    -Get to know your neighbors, and their gardens!  Talk around a bit and see what grows well in your neighborhood gardens'.  Chances are, it will grow well in yours, too!

9)  Have some idea of what you can use for weed control:

    -If using raised beds, your weeds already will be limited...yeah!

    -Some ideas are putting down different materials in the "pathways" of your garden, and in between the plants after they start coming up.  Some ideas might include carpeting, cardboard, grass clippings, and newspaper to name a few.  If using grass clippings, be careful that the dandelions in your yard have not gone to seed already....then you'll just have a garden full of dandelions!

   

10)  Have fun in the garden!

    -Try to enjoy your time in the garden.  You are providing excellent nutrition for your family, encouraging vibrant health, as well as saving your families hard-earned money!  Now that is something to feel great about!

    -One idea on having fun with the kids is to take some long sticks, about 4-5 feet high or so, out of the woods and put them in a tee-pee formation in  the garden.  Push the bottoms into the ground, and tie the tops with twine or rope.  Leave an opening for a small child to have as a "doorway".  Use that tee-pee as your trellis for growing snow peas, pole beans, or any climbing vegetable or flower.  The little children can use this as a fun fort in the garden after it's all covered with your growing plant....what fun!  They can crawl in and have a snack in the shade!

    -Another idea is to scratch your children's names, (or have them do it themselves), into pumpkins when they are small.  As the pumpkins grow, there name will as well.  A great photo opportunity in the fall!

Hope you enjoyed some of these tips for natural gardening......Blessings, Joy

     

Bulk shopping....how we have started....

                                                  

We have been enjoying some bulk purchases from Amazon as of late.  No, they are not, (even though I might not mind that), paying me in any way for this article....anyone out there from amazon?????

Buying in bulk can definitely save money over the long haul....or is that the long term?  Anyways, we have found that purchasing items this way saves me from spending more time in the grocery store, and amazon has a wonderful selection of healthy and organic foods.  You do have to watch, because it isn't always a good deal.  Learn what is a good price for some of your favorites foods that you buy over and over again.  Then, when you see a price, you'll know if it's better than what you normally pay or not.  Even if it is just for 10-20 of your most frequently purchased items, knowing the price you regularly pay for them, will help you to know when you might want to buy a few extra, because it will save you money later!

And, really, who loves to grocery shop?  

Okay, some might, but I would much rather be playing on the trampoline with my kiddos than strolling down aisle 3.

Plus, sometimes it just gives me a headache!

Yeah....well, enough about that.....onto bulk shopping!

First up, we purchased 6 bottles of seventh generation natural dish soap....sometimes amazon will have coupons available to put toward your purchase, which we did.  Also, these sometimes go on "manager's special", for a discounted price for a limited time.  We paid around $1 for each bottle!

Paid around .10/piece for lollipops.....we like these cuz they have no junk in them....and my littles like to have a special "treat" after their naps some days.  I like to have extra when friends come over, and this matched the lowest price I've seen for them, without having to purchase only smaller quantities.

We also purchased endangered species chocolates. 12 bars @ just under $2/bar.  I have seen these at upwards of $3.50 a bar in some stores.....we like to have just a square or two after dinner....it helps keep my husbands craving for oreos at bay, so to me it's worth the price!

Nutiva coconut oil is available now at amazon at a great price.  Assuming you are an amazon prime member, (you get 2-day shipping at no cost), you can use the subscribe and save option....and receive 30 ounces of coconut oil for $10.40 shipped!  That's a good deal on coconut oil, and this is now the second time I have ordered it at this price from them.  Another place I order it from is The Raw Food World online.

And this?  No, I didn't order this on amazon.....no, no, no.This is a little girl ordering me to take her out to the swing!Like now!

Always listen to a girl in boots.....especially when she's 2!

Hey, could be worse, I could be in aisle 3 right now, but I'm headin' out to the swing!

What we are reading now--young teen version:

                                                                

Where the Red Fern Grows

• Where The Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls 

• I thought I would jot down the stories we are enjoying now for a number of reasons.  One is to look back and see what we read together.  Notice, I said together.  Yes, my oldest kiddos have read on their own for years now, but there is something about getting to know a character in a book together, as if they are a friend of everyone's in the family.  I have been homeschooling for almost ten years now, and I never weary of reading aloud to my children.  This is the time to snuggle in close, lean a head on my shoulder, and laugh and cry together over a good book.
• This book is a classic, I know.  And for good reason.  My oldest daughter is not into hunting, dogs, or anything like that, (and this book has a lot of that in here), yet she is captivated by it!  It is so well written, you cannot help but be drawn in!  You will find yourself feeling pain alongside, crying with, and cheering for the main character.  The beauty in hard work, character, love and determination are the main themes of the book.  Something we all want for our children, don't we?
  
• We chose to get the audio version, and have been listening in the car.  We did a lot of driving yesterday, back and forth to homeschool classes and such, so we were very weary when returning home for the last time.  Noone wanted to get out of the car, because the story was so compelling.  It holds us spellbound, and actually keeps my car quiet.....that is a miracle in itself!
  
• I highly, highly recommend for pre-teens to adults, boys or girls!

Nourishing Granola Bars

Hi all!  Hope you are ready for a granola bar, that is sooooooooo heavenly tasting, that you cannot believe how nourishing it is for you!  These little bars are just brimming with nutrients to boost our health,  such as healthy fats and protein.  This is a fun way to eat dried fruit, seeds, and nuts.....oh, and did I mention chocolate?

Throw all listed ingredients into your food processor, besides the chocolate, and whirrrrrrr away! 

--2 cups of almonds----I have used half almonds/half walnuts.....substitute pecans or whichever nuts you have on hand.......I soak all of my nuts prior to eating according to the principles in the cookbook Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon.  These almonds were soaked overnight and dehydrated in my dehydrator.  You could also use nuts that have just soaked overnight......you will just end up with bar that is more moist! Still, very good.

1/4 cup of flax seed.....this is pre-ground flax seed.......

And this is the flax seed after I ground it in my coffee grinder......(you could substitute pumpkin seeds (papitas), or chia seeds for the flax seed.....grind them in the same manner....

1/2 cup of raisins.......you can also use dates, prunes, dried cranberries.....most any dried fruit will help it all stick together, and adds wonderful flavor.  We loved 1/4 cup dried cranberries mixed with 1/4 cup raisins......

 

1/2 cup unsalted peanut butter........I like to substitute this with raw maranatha almond butter when I have it on hand....we ran out, and I had picked this up at the store.  A good friend pointed out to me that it had organic sugar in it!  Whoops.....for once I didn't read the label and assumed it had just nuts and oil.  Well, lesson learned I guess.  It did make for some tasty bars, but next time I'll stick with sugar free.  My kids are plenty sweet enough, thank you!

 

1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut:

1/2 cup of melted coconut oil:  Nutiva naturals is my favorite brand.....I either buy it in the 54 ounce jars from The Raw Food World, or buy it when there is a deal on Amazon.....coconut, red palm, and olive oil are the only oils we now use in our home.  We believe they are the best for you for myriads of reasons=)

2-3 teaspoons of organic vanilla extract:

1

1/2 teaspoon of sea salt:  If your nut butter is already salted you may not need any.

Throw it all in the food processor and give it a good whirrrrrrrrrr.....

 

Press into an 8x8 pan, cover with cover, and place in fridge for 30 minutes.....

Optional but tasty:  Melt 1/4 to 1/2 a bag, or half of a dark chocolate bar to layer on the top after the pan has chilled out in the fridge for 30 minutes.  Place back in fridge 20-30 minutes.

And there you have it!  Scrumdidlyumptious! 

After I inhaled....er, I mean, slowly savored, my portion, I dished out the remainder to the kids. 

"Why kids, I don't know why there is only half the pan left, daddy must have gotten into it while it was in the fridge..."  (wink, wink)

 

Just to recap in one spot, here is the recipe:

• 2 cups almonds
• 1/4 cup ground flax, chia or pumpkin seeds
• 1/2 cup dried fruit
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup unsalted peanut or almond butter
• 1/2 tsp. seal salt (if needed)
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• Not pictured:  1Tbsp. Honey or Maple Syrup
• 2-3 tsp. vanilla extract

    Mix all ingredients in food processor, then press into 8x8 pan, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

• up to 1/2 cup or 1/2 dark chocolate bar

    Melt chocolate on a lower heat setting on stovetop, and pour onto bars.  Refrigerate again until chocolate hardens....around 20-30 minutes depending on how thick it is.
   

That's it....I think you will be very suprised at how easy healthy granola bars can be.  I recommend doubling this recipe....for they go fast!

Blessings to you,

Joy

Recipe originally sent in by reader from Passionatehomemaking.com


Please note:  I may be a nurse, but I am not a doctor....I am just passing on info we have found to be helpful in our home that has added to our health.  Please do not assume I am attempting to cure, prevent, or treat any diseases!  Thank you!

Post 1--Not that, but This!....series

 So, we have been having some changes around our house lately....trying to avoid all the expensive packaged up foods in the middle of the grocery store.  Are you trying to avoid these at your house, too?  Well, come along with me on our families journey...and find out how we try to have:  Not that, (packaged, refined, processed)--But This!  (real, unrefined, whole, organic, TASTY, yumminess)  As a nurse, and a mama to many, I want to nourish my precious family and friends, and give them Vim and Vigor (thus the name of my blog.)

Well, in light of that, our first post here on this little bloggy, is something yummy and healthy to replace that box of sugar fruit loops, or wheaties sitting in the cupboard.  It is so incredibly yummy, and delicious----oh my, I ate way too much as it was dehydrating...a little here, a little there, and soon most of a tray was gone!Okay, here is the recipe.  And by the way, you can mix and match different nuts, seeds and sweeteners in this recipe....it's so versatile.  If you don't have almonds on hand..use walnuts!  No honey?  Use agave nectar.  ( However, we are moving away from agave too, more on that another day.)  

                       SWEET LITTLE SOMETHIN'

                               a.k.a. raw granola

2/3 c. sprouted buckwheat groats   

1/2 c. sprouted sunflower seeds                                                                  

1/2 c. sprouted oat groats

1 c. soaked & chopped almonds   

1/4 c. coconut oil

1/4 c. raw honey or maple syrup

1 Tbsp. vanilla

cinnamon & sea salt to liking

Mix w/ hands and spread onto dehydrator sheets                           

                                                                                            

Dehydrate at 115 degrees for 8-12 hours (May take longer)If you don't have a dehydrator, put in oven at lowest temp. possible, maybe you could even crack the door open?  (Maybe good to do at night when wee ones are asleep.)

Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!                                                                         

P.S.  There will be posts to come on soaking and sprouting seeds, and why in the world you would even want to go to the trouble!  Also, posts to come on soaking nuts, as well as what we view as the best sweeteners for health!  Ta ta for now.

Vital energy smoothie!

Hi all!  The kids are in bed, and hubby, (a.k.a. John Wayne), is sleeping on the couch next to me.  A good time to blog, no?

Okay.....time for a breakfast recipe...wait....that's all I've done so far!  Actually.....you could eat any of these recipes for breakfast, lunch....or for snacks as well!

Since some of these recipes are obviously more labor intensive then throwing a bowl of cereal in front of the kiddos, I try to make extra of everything....sometimes even a double or triple batch to save on labor later.  I believe in healthy eating, and I'm willing to work hard for my family......but a game of Uno with my kiddos.......well that is of UTMOST IMPORTANCE, so making extra buys me a little time!

Here's the ingredients I threw into my NON high-power blender....ye old Osterizer is my baby. ( I swoon over Vita-mix's on a regular basis.)

Homemade raw milk kefir

Organic frozen strawberries

Organic, frozen, ripe bananas--no green nanas here, please!

Romaine--okay, just try it with me.  You want to blend this in well first with your liquid, and then add remainder of ingredients.  As long as you have more fruit than greens, you will not taste any greens...and, no, you cannot sue me if you do.

Organic vanilla....we are experimenting with making our own...I'll let you know how it turns out!

 

Frozen mixed berries

Free sample of hemp protein received in the mail.....excellent source of protein.....

Spirulina....no, I did not tell my children I put that in there....what do you think I am, some kind of idiot?....lol.....Seriously though, spirulina is a blue-green algae.  Yes, you heard it here.  I put algae in my kids bodies!  It is an unusually high source of protein, contains all of the amino acids, has all the B vitamins, including B-12.  It has also been said to help reduce symptoms of hay fever...and look at that green color....only God can make something that green.

 

Raw honey...that would be unpasteurized....still has all the enzymes and good stuff

intact, because it has not been heated out of it.

 

Maca Powder--known for combating fatigue, (definitely need that), increase stamina, (okay, gimme a double shot), and increasing libido----(okay, a triple...and another when hubby gets home...wink, wink!)

 

Here is my finished frothy, yummy smoothie.....and yes, it turned out a little pink!

 

I definitely feel a huge difference in my energy and concentration ability when I have this for breakfast.  Soooo nourishing for our kiddos growing bodies, too!  Time for a "Big Drink", as my littlest would say!

Tip:

All you really need for this smoothie base would be the kefir, (and you could replace that with any variety of yogurt you have on hand)....and the frozen fruit and/or bananas.  A little honey would do nicely, too.  All the other ingredients are added health boosters, or make  it even tastier, such as the vanilla.  I urge you to experiment on your own, and use what you've got!

For you local yocals out there: 

In case you wondered, I bought the raw honey at E&S sales.  It's the best price I have found for local, raw honey.  It is one gallon for $31.95.  It might seem like a high price, but when you buy in bulk, you do save a lot of money in the long run.  I have been aiming to buy in bulk whenever I can fit it into our budget, to help save money later on.  Also, the organic frozen fruits and the organic romaine I buy at Kroger.  Their private selection generic brand has lots of organic items, for much cheaper than other organic brands.  I will be stocking up on berries this summer again from local farms, but right now this is the cheapest alternative till summer comes again!  We go through a lot of bananas at our home.....we will now be buying a 40 lb. case from Kroger.  I'll need to call ahead, then when the truck comes in, I can pick it up.  Many will be green, and I'll wait till they brown up a bit to peel, break into thirds, and freeze in freezer bags.  Some will be eaten long before they turn very brown.  By buying the case, I spend 50 cents a pound, versus the 60-90 cents a pound regularly priced on organic bananas.  Maybe some of you would want to go halves on it?  That way you share the savings.

Blessings and enjoy,

Joy

A nutrient-dense breakfast

  Banana-Blueberry Ice Cream     

 

              * Please note: All that is needed to make the base for this ice cream is:

           Frozen bananas and a few splashes of your choice of milk.  For an added nutrient-boost, we go for more add-ins.

                                                    The Base                         

                                                  - approx. 4 Frozen bananas  

                                     - 1-1 1/2 c. Frozen Blueberries

                                     - 1 Tbsp. Maca Powder

                                     - 1-2 Tbsp. Flax Seed (freshly ground)

                                      - 1 Tbsp. Chia Seeds

                                      - a few splashes of your choice: Raw milk, Almond

                                                    milk, or milk of choice                                                                

     Here is the bananas and blueberries!         

 

                                                                                                                       

        Here are the rest of the base ingredients!

                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                          

 Want  to see what the base ingredients look like individually?

                                                                                                            

  Maca  Powder   

                                                                                                             

 Flax Seed            

                                                                                                           

   Chia Seeds        

                                                                                                             

Raw Milk              

                                                                                                             

     Throw all the base ingredients in the food processor and give it a good whirrrrrrr.

                                                                                      

At first it will appear crumbly........

 

                                                                                                                                                   Then it will turn into creamy dreamy goodness....... 

                                                                          

                                       Now for the best part...................The Toppings!

 

         - Please note:  You can add as few or as many as you want...don't have what I have?

         Use what you've got and be creative...get the kids involved, too!

 

                                            Toppings and pix to follow:

 

  Soaked and dehydrated walnuts and/or almonds ..... 

 

                           Goji berries(We ate the rest of them!)          

 

 

                                                          Shredded Coconut              

 

                                                                    Pumpkin Seeds                   

 

 

                                                               Hemp Seeds                       

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Chocolate Chips                   

 

 

This breakfast is full of Omega-3's, protein, fiber, healthy fats.....all sorts of health boosting stuff to help you have the very best start to your day!  One of the healthiest breakfasts ever!!!

   

Doesn't it make you want to make some right now?

Well, that's it............hope you enjoyed this post!  I know we sure enjoyed our breakfast this a.m.!

Blessings, Joy