Whole Wheat Bread

After 3 years of praying for a wheat grinder, I finally got one last year for my birthday!!  I was so excited I ordered wheat berries right away - TONS of them!  Actually, it was more like 100 pounds, but who's counting, right?

I got busy baking bread.  But it didn't work.  Something was really wrong!  I couldn't figure it out! 

My chocolate chip cookies, banana bread, pumpkin breads, and plenty of other such recipes worked just fine, but the regular, old sandwich bread that I kept trying to make was a flop!  As in F-L-O-P!! 

After much confusion, research, and way too many wasted wheat berries, I finally begged a friend of mine, who was in town visiting her parents, to come rescue me.  {More like rescue my husband and children from many frustrating rants of self pity due to the fact that I was by no means the natural born bread maker that I had imagined myself to be.}

Kami came and with her the knowledge that all wheat berries are NOT created equal.  In my attempts to make a healthy, yet soft wheat bread that my husband and children would adore, I bought soft white wheat berries.  Did I mention I bought  ONE HUNDRED POUNDS of them??  In my little brain it made complete since.  They were completely natural, organic, and fresh ground.  What could be wrong with them?  Not a whole lot if all you plan to make is cakes and cookies, but for sandwich bread it was all wrong. 

Long story short - I had to buy another big bag of hard white wheat and another of hard red wheat beside the 100 pounds of soft white berries I already had!  <sigh>  The good news is that my Kami's bread turned out just as soft and yummy as I had originally hoped! 

Here's Kami's recipe: 

1 1/2 cup warm water
1/3 cup of oil - I suggest cold pressed coconut oil or olive oil.  I use olive oil.

1/3 cup of raw honey

2 teaspoons of sea salt

4 1/2 cups of flour - which being interpreted is 1 1/2 cups of hard white wheat berries and 1 1/2 cups of hard red wheat berries.  Throw it all in the ole grinder and there you have it - 4 1/2 cups of fresh ground, whole wheat flour!! 

1 Tablespoon of yeast

1 Tablespoon of lecithin

1 Tablespoon of gluten 

Slight variation: * I don't use lecithin or gluten.  I simply throw in an egg and it works just as well.

Directions:

Dissolve yeast in warm water.  Add oil, honey, salt, *egg and flour.  Mix together.  I don't have a mixer - YET - so I kneed by hand.  It really isn't that hard and makes me feel quite domesticated! 

Put dough in warm place to rise until doubled.  This takes about an hour.  After dough has doubled, punch it down.  Separate your dough into 2 equal parts and form your loaves.  Let your loaves rise in greased bread pans.  Bake at 350* for only around 20 minutes!  Very easy and delicious!! 

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Treasures of Healthy Living {Book Review}

Do you get overwhelmed when you think about all the changes you can, or should, make in your family's diet and or life style?  I don't know about you, but the more I learn about living healthy, the more I realize I don't know.   If you can relate, then Treasures of Healthy Living  by Annette Reeder is definitely a book you'll want to read!  

I was so excited when Mollie asked me to do the review!  I firmly believe that the Christian life demands a healthy diet and life style.  After all, we are bought with a price - our bodies belong to HIM!!

1.  My favorite thing about Treasures of Healthy Living {beside it's name - anything with the word "treasures" in it has to be good, right? ;)}  is that it's based on the Bible and used Scripture to tell us what God thinks about food.  Most of us don't realize just how much God wants us to enjoy food.

Treasures of Healthy Living will walk you through your Bible and help you understand food and how God made it for our physical benefit as well as spiritual comparisons and applications.

Did you know God refers to Himself as the "Bread of Life"?  God knew how much we would depend on food, and yes, even love it, and that's why He lovingly explains life to us through examples and pictures He knew we'd understand. And who doesn't understand food??  {The Bible mentions all kinds of foods including apples, grapes, figs, honey, barley, fish, cheese, and pistachios to name just a few.} 

2.  I also love how this book was divided into sections.  Each section, or chapter, is devoted to a different topic.  These topics range from beverages, to bread and whole grains, to fruits and vegetables, and yes, even toiletries, cosmetics and cleaning supplies!  This book covers it all!

I love how Treasures of Healthy Living is divided into 12 parts.  It made it easy for me to read and not so overwhelming.  You study one thing at a time.  You will be invited to make small decisions and life applications on a daily and weekly basis over a 12 week span.

Treasures of Healthy Living is a great Bible study tool for you and your girl friends, or maybe you could even use it as Sunday School materiel?  There's also a cook book that goes along with this study guide!  I can't wait to order it for myself!  What would be better than a weekly Bible study that includes a new recipe to try?  And - it would all be healthy!! 

Anytime is a great time to make healthy changes.  Why not start this year out on the right foot?  Order "Treasures of Healthy Living" now.  Use it to help you understand food, what the Bible says about it, and how much God wants you to enjoy it {and your health!}.  Go to the Designed Healthy Living site and enter the code:   hiddentreasures   to get 10% off any books and treasures note cards.  {Coupon will expire after February 28.}

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No-Sew {very afordable!!} Curtains

Not sure if you would consider this a curtain or a valence?  I always call them curtains, but technically, I suppose, they are more of a valence.  Call it what you want, I made them myself without sewing and without spending money!  

My kitchen window.....

All you need is an old table cloth, piece of fabric, or even a bed sheet that you like, a staple gun, a 2x4, some "L" brackets, and some ribbon.  Most of us have these things or can get them easily without spending too much money.

1.   To make these "curtains" you simply cut the 2x4 down to the size of your window.  It should be at least 2 - 3 inches longer than the width of the window.  Be sure you include the window frame in the size of your window as you will not want to mount this to the window frame.  Your fabric should be at least 4 inches longer than the 2x4 so that you can cover the ends it and not just the front.  We don't want the ends of the 2x4 to show...just not attractive at all.  :) 

2.   Next, simply staple your fabric {in this case I used a nice table cloth that I no longer need} to the 2x4.  Starting at the ends.  Be sure you staple the fabric on the end of the board and then wrap it around the front so that it hangs correctly on the window. 

3.    After you have stapled it on each end, you can staple the center of the fabric to the center of the board.  Depending on how much fabric you have, you may or may not have to make to a pleat {or 2} on each side.}  I prefer one pleat on each side.  You can do what you like or what works best with your fabric and window sizes.  

Above you see I have stapled it to each end of my 2x4. 

Below, you can see how we stapled it to the center of the 2x4 and the excess fabric is just kinda hanging there....that's where the pleat will be...right in the center of the end and the center.  Ah, yeah, there's got to be a better way to say that!!   {If you aren't going to have a pleat in your curtain, you can skip down to step 6}

4.   So, ANYWAY, measure your board from the end to the center and divide that number in half.  Mark that many inches from the end of the board and THAT is where you should staple your pleat. 

5.  Above, you can see where I made the pleat and simply stapled it right on the board at the place marked as instructed above.  Below, you can see how we stapled the pleat to be sure it wasn't going to come undone.  

Most of the time I would sew this on my machine, but since my sewing area is under construction and I'm very impatient, I decided to do it all without my machine.

Below, you can see the whole board with both completed pleats.....

6.   Next {below} you simply measure and attach your ribbon to hold the curtain up in a "blousy" manner right at the pleats.  If you don't have pleats in your curtains, you simply measure as we did in step 4 and attach the ribbon where the pleat would have been.  One end of the ribbon will be stapled straight to the board on the underside of the fabric and the other end will be stapled to the board through/on top of the fabric.   {sorry, no picture was taken of this step.}

7.   To hang the curtains, {below} you will need to screw the "L" brackets to the bottom of the board.  Be sure you put it on so that the back of the board is against the wall.  We don't want our curtains hung backward!  This would look very cute to all the Peeping Toms....not so cute to guests!!  

 Then, you simply measure, level and screw the curtains straight into the wall........

 .....and there you have it!  

My dinning room window....simple...easy....very inexpensive.

{I think I spent a grand total of $6.00 on hardware and ribbon to dress both windows!}

Tips:

1. I used one table cloth to make "curtains" for my dinning room and kitchen windows.  I cut it in half and stapled the UN-hemmed edge to the board.  This saved me from needing to hem my fabric!!   
2. Because my table cloth was too long for the kitchen window I simply doubled it and stapled it up that way.   If I had cut it down to size, I would have had to hem it, and, as I stated before, my sewing machine/area is not available at the moment. 
3. My fabric has stripes!!  Stripes always make it so much easier to get it all straight!!  
4. If you measure your ribbons wrong...as I did...you can "tack" it up to the desired length in the back/underside of the curtain with a safety pin.  Even the Peeping Toms won't see it...unless they're standing directly on the opposite side of the window...in which case you have more problems than a safety pin in your curtains!!!  : D

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New Year's Resolutions 2013

Resolutions.  We make them every year.  But how often do we keep them?

Honestly, I never made any New Year's Resolutions until I started this journey to healthy living.  Fear of commitment?  Maybe.  Fear of  failure??  YES!!  I don't want to make a resolution and then be guilty of not following through with it.  However......

This year I have a few resolutions:

1. No More Rules!!  I've decided that my children shouldn't have to follow a bunch of man made

   

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   rules!  In fact, I told them that.  You should have seen their faces light up! 
   
   If they take issue with a rule and they can prove that it is not valid based on the Bible, I will throw it out.  This way they have to study their Bibles for themselves and they will understand that we do what we do to please God rather than men.
   
2. Honoring One Another!!  I've decided that if we, as a family, could work on honoring one another above ourselves, everyone will benefit and the fruit of these lessons will last for years and affect more than just our family relationships.  I have 2 Bible verses that I've asked my husband to print out so I can put them on the fridge: 
   
   Romans 12:10 ~ Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour prefering one another; not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord. 
   
   Jude 22 ~ And of  some have compassion making a difference.
   
3. Homemade Bread!!   The ladies at church gave me a wheat grinder for my birthday!  I've wanted one of those for several years and now I have one, so one of my goals for this year is to find bread recipes that we all love and making it all myself - every bit of it!  No more store bought breads of any kind for us!! 
   

   

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4. More Music!!   We will be replacing our piano - it's having issues.  We bought a guitar for our oldest for Christmas, so she'll be taking basic guitar lessons as well as piano lessons.  The younger 2 will be starting piano lessons in the fall and the second will continue with her piano lessons as that seems to be her "thing". 
   
5. No More Plastic!!  I hope to have replaced all plastic serving utensils and measuring spoons with glass and stainless steel by the end of the year.  This is something I've been trying to do for a while, and we're almost there, but this year we will accomplish this goal.

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 These are my resolutions.  They aren't anything fancy or inspiring, but they fit my family and my budget - especially grinding our own wheat and baking our own bread!  Definitely a money saver!   I love to change a few little things over the period of year that will, in the long run, improve my family's health and well being!

What are your New Year's Resolutions?  I'd love to hear them.  I'm always inspired by hearing other ideas and maybe adding your resolutions to my list!!  ;)  

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Halloween At Our House

For years we told our children that we don't "do" Halloween.  That was enough for them.  They didn't really care.  I think they figured the only thing they were missing out on was candy.  I was very careful to make "harvest foods" that still allowed them to enjoy the season and have some sweet treats too!

This year, though the two older girls {ages almost 10 and 8} have been asking about it all.  They know Christian friends, who like us don't celebrate Halloween and they know Christian friends who do.   The other night on the way home from church the topic came up.  They wanted to know why certain people celebrate it if it's so wrong.

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I had to explain to them that  #1 - What they do is not our business.  We do what we feel is right and good, and we are not to "play God" and judge others for what they do or don't do.  They, more than likely, have other "standards" that we don't and, therefore, we each will answer to God for the decisions and the choices that we have made.  We will not answer for anyone but ourselves. 

#2 - We don't celebrate Halloween because it's the "Devil's Day".  My children often refer to it as this because they've heard us do so and not because they know the history behind it all.  Given their ages, I was careful not to say anything that would scare them, but I did tell them about the very first "Trick or Treaters", namely the Druids.

According to Pastor David J. Meyer, who is a former astrologer and occultist,  "As darkness set in on October 31st, the clan of Druids would put on their white robes and hoods. They would carry sickles and Celtic crosses as they began a torchlight procession. At the beginning of the procession, a male slave was killed and dragged by a rope fastened to his left ankle. The Druids would walk until they came to a house or a village where they shouted the equivalent of “trick or treat.” The treat was a slave girl or any female to be given to the Druids. If the people refused to a girl as a “treat”, blood was taken from the dead slave and used to draw a hexagram or six-pointed star on the door or wall of the village. Spirits of the “horned hunter of the night” were invoked by the Druids to kill someone in that house or village by fear that night."   

You can read more of what he has to say here.  And he does have plenty to say. 

After we discussed the darkness behind Halloween, we talked for at least an hour about the power of God and how He keeps us safe from these things.  We talked about the love of God and His protection on His children.  We talked about different miracles that God has done for missionaries that we've read about and even miracles that He's done for us.  It was such a good talk - and a long one!  It started in the van on the way home and ended in the bed room of my oldest daughter about an hour and half later.  By the time we went to bed we were all laughing and happy to think that the God of the Bible is our God too!! 

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So, you're probably wondering what we do on Halloween night??  Here it is:

We usually go out on the town - eat out, do something fun.  It's actually a great night for family fun because everyone else is roaming the streets in search of treats and we're getting into restaurants without waiting!!  :)  We leave our house dark, no lights on inside, no porch lights.  I have friends that give out tracts or invitations to church along with candy on Halloween night and that's fine if that's what you chose to do, but I'd rather just not have anything at all to do with it.  :) 

Other fun "Harvest Time" ideas:

1. Pumpkin Bread or Muffins
2. Caramel Apples
3. Apple Cider
4. Hot Chocolate
5. Funnel Cake 
6. S'mores
7. Roasted Hot Dogs
8. Potato Candy
9. Harvest Cookies 
10.  A Chilli Cook-Off

There are so many fun thing to do around this time of year!  Autumn really is one of my FAVORITE times of year!!  But, we don't have to spend it celebrating darkness and evil.  Let's spend this Fall praising God for His goodness in the beauty we see around us, for giving us 4 seasons to enjoy, and for allowing us to know the truth behind this day we call Halloween so that we can know better how NOT to celebrate it.   

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How to Dry Herbs From Your Garden

Drying herbs is one of the easiest things ever!  I've seen it done several  ways including brown paper bags, ovens and even microwaves.  I don't use any of these methods.

Here's my preferred method:

Pick your herbs in the morning when they contain more oils...especially you're planning to make essential oils from them...which is altogether a different post entirely.  :)

Know your herbs.  Some herbs, such as spearmint should be dried before they flower.  Don't use any herbs that are past their peek because they won't be as tasty or potent. 

I cut my herbs with scissors just to be sure I'm not damaging the plant by pulling to hard. Pull and discard any brown, withered or bug eaten leaves.

Wash in a bit of cold, running water.

Be sure you pat your clean herbs dry so they don't mold while they're hanging there....and it just makes since...why hang them up dripping wet when we're trying to dry them?  ;)  

Tie together at the tip.  I use plastic hair bands.  I used to use string or twine, but herbs and flowers shrink as they dry and tend to fall out of the twine.  I could never tie it tight enough.  My herbs {and flowers} would fall in a heap and crumble up.

One day I couldn't find any string but I did have a few of these little hair bands on hand, so I decided to give them a try.  They were super easy to use and they shrunk along with the herbs I was drying.  They worked so well, I buy them especially for my herbs now!.  They will eventually dry up and fall apart, but not before we have a chance to store them away the we want them.

Don't tie too many together in one bunch and the air will not be able to circulate around them all and they won't all dry evenly.   Several smaller bunches of drying herbs are much better than one large one.

Hang your herbs in a warm dry place to dry.  To much humidity or cold air won't help your herbs dry as successfully.  I just hang mine around in the kitchen for a few days.  I hang them is very small bunches so it doesn't take as long.  For bigger bunches I hang them in my basement or the garage depending on the weather. 

You can also hang flowers to keep. They look pretty and help us remember those special occasions.

The small pink corsage represented my oldest daughter at my Great-Grandma's funeral.  She was the only Great-Great-Grandchild at the time.  The three single roses were the first roses my husband ever gave my daughters and one of the rose bouquets were given to me after one of my miscarriages.

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The BEST Bread & Butter Pickles EVER

My husband pastored a church in North Atlanta for a while.  It was my first time ever living in the South...well, that far south anyway...  {I had only lived in ND, IL and AZ...and TN for Bible College...before this.}  There's something to be said for "southern cooks".  They may not always fix healthy food, but it always tastes good!  I like to tease that we moved back up north because I couldn't face the "competition".  :P

Here's a recipe for Bread & Butter Pickles that was given to me by one of our deacon's wives {Mrs. Betty Cox is one of the BEST cooks EVER!} 

 

You need:

• 4 quarts of cucumbers {cut into chips}
• 6 medium white onions {chopped}
• 1 green pepper {chopped}
• 1 red pepper {chopped}
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1/3 cup salt
• ice
• **Vinegar, sugar and spices are listed below**

Prepare above ingredients and layer with salt.

Cover with ice and let soak for 3 hours.

 Discard ice and rinse salt off your veggies.  

In large stock pot mix:

• 3 cups distilled white vinegar
• 5 cups of evaporated cane juice {sugar}
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons Turmeric
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons celery seed
• 2 Tablespoons mustard seed
• Your rinsed veggies

Bring mixture to a boil.  **Notice the nice white color.

Continue boiling until cucumbers change colors.  

**You can see how the cucumbers have change to a lightly darker color.

Once color changes you can put them in your jars.  Put hot cucumbers into hot jars and seal tightly.  Be sure all lids seal themselves.  If they don't, you may want to put them in a water bath for a few moments just to be sure they seal.  We don't want to waste all that food or time put into it!  {That would be a real pickle!!} 

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