I'm brewing kombucha!

Don't know what kombucha is? Well I'll tell ya...
Kombucha is a fermented tea which has been consumed for thousands of years, an ancient elixir. Though the benefits of kombucha are completely based individually, some benefits it's known for are improving digestion, clearer thinking, and increased energy.
Here is a list of some other benefits from Kombucha Kamp website:

*Probiotics – healthy bacteria
*Alkalize the body – balances internal pH
*Detoxify the liver – happy liver = happy mood
*Increase metabolism – rev your internal engine
*Improve digestion – keep your system moving
*Rebuild connective tissue – helps with arthritis, gout, asthma, rheumatism
*Cancer prevention
*Alleviate constipation
*Boost energy – helps with chronic fatigue
*Reduce blood pressure
*Relieve headaches & migraines
*Reduce kidney stones
*High in antioxidants – destroy free-radicals that cause cancer
*High in polyphenols
*Improve eyesight
*Heal excema – can be applied topically to soften the skin
*Prevent artheriosclerosis
*Speed healing of ulcers – kills h.pylori on contact
*Help clear up candida & yeast infections
*Aid healthy cell regeneration
*Reduce gray hair
*Lower glucose levels – prevents spiking from eating

I'm not saying it will do any of these things for you, but it might. None of these statements have been approved by the FDA (haha, all the more reason to try it!) and I am not a medical doctor #disclaimer =)

Brewing kombucha is something I've wanted to do for quite awhile. I never started because I couldn't find a bottle of plain flavored kombucha locally, never really thought of ordering a bottle online. Well, I finally ordered a case, and then they sat in the fridge for awhile. FINALLY I did some research and decided to start brewing. I didn't have a SCOBY to start with though. I found instructions on how to grow my own, but apparently that is no longer recommended since the strength of kombucha that's allowed to be sold retail is not able to grow it itself. So I was stuck. No one I know brews is so I couldn't snag one from a friend. Finally I decided to order one from http://www.kombuchakamp.com/ They seemed very reputable and there are tons of articles and how-to's on brewing kombucha. I highly recommend visiting their site if  you have any interest in brewing. I was very excited when it arrived and wanted to start brewing right away! But somehow I failed to notice you need a gallon sized container (How did I miss that???) So I ordered one because I couldn't find one locally. I was itching to start and everytime I tried something was missing!!! FINALLY the jar came and I was able to start brewing. Here's a picture of my brew on the first day:

Today is day 8 and I took my first taste of the brew. You're supposed to take a straw and put it under the SCOBY and take a sip. Yeah, I kind of looked at it for a minute thinking "I really have to drink something with that thing floating on top???" I did it though. It tasted great! I think I'm going to give it a few more days of brewing though since this is my first time. I want to see how it tastes if you go longer. Not sure what my preferred "kombucha taste" is.
Here is a picture of it today:

The SCOBY multiplies every time you brew and a new one is formed. I think this is a really cool process. Next I need to figure out how I'm going to flavor it!!! So exciting! I know...I'm a dork.

And, by the way, I actually tried to grow my own SCOBY even though it was doubtful it would work:

Uh, yeah, a month later and nada. So save yourself the time and buy one! Or if you're local to me, I'd be happy to pass one on. Like I stated above, each time you brew a new SCOBY is formed. Fun stuff!

There is an initial cost to brewing your own kombucha, but over a few batches you'll make it back in what you would have spent if you bought bottled, and you'd have a far superior product. I think I spend $25 on the SCOBY and $10 or so on the gallon size jar. Considering a bottle in the store can range anywhere from $3-5, you'll make back that money quickly.

More later on my adventures with kombucha!

If you've tried brewing kombucha I would LOVE to hear about it!

Hot Tonic

I was just making a fresh batch of this and it occurred to me I've never shared this recipe here before. This tonic is so good for many ailments. It was developed by a naturopathic physician. The ingredients have been used for centuries with powerful antioxidants and disease fighting properties. It's been known to help people with arthritis as well as many other ailments. It clears the nasal passages which makes it powerful for colds and flu.

Note that this is very spicy. You can mix it in water or with honey to make it easier to take. Though, my kids take it straight on a spoon, so pull your panties up and try it ;) Do not take it on an empty stomach.

For a three week cleanse:
Week 1: 2 TB a day with each meal
Week 2: 3 TB a day with each meal
Week 3: 4 TB a day with each meal
After that 2 TB a day is a good maintenance.

In a blender, blend up: (organic ingredients are highly recommended)

1 bulb garlic (not a clove, a whole head), peeled

1 small yellow or red onion, peeled and cut in 1 inch chunks

1 piece of fresh horseradish (about the same size as the onion) peeled and cut in 1 inch chunks

1 or 2 fresh, small hot red peppers, seeds removed and cut in 1 inch pieces

1 piece of fresh ginger (about the size of the onion) peeled and cut in 1 inch chunks

apple cider vinegar to cover (about 2 cups)

This will last 2 weeks at room temperature or months refrigerated. Shake before use.

Makes about a quart.

Delicious Baked Potato Casserole

This is good, so good! Now that I'm looking at the picture I'm wondering why it's been so long since I've made it! This is a hearty casserole that can serve as a main dish or side dish, or bring it to a potluck! Very versatile!

Also, apologies for the lack of posting for the last month. I find as we near spring and the end of the school year there isn't as much time for writing and posting. I have many articles and recipes in the works, so those will be coming in the future. We like to wind down our school year by mid-May to allow for a much needed long summer. Not to mention, it's SO hard to concentrate when it's been so cold for so long and it's warm again!

Enjoy this recipe!

Delicious Baked Potato Casserole
by Amanda @ Natural and Organic Lifestyle

3 lbs organic potatoes (6-8 depending on size)
1 cup organic milk
1/2 cup organic sour cream
2 cups organic shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 - 1 ts of good salt, or to taste
Pepper to taste (I like about 1/4 ts)
1/2 ts organic garlic powder
1 lb organic turkey bacon, cook and crumbled, divided
Green onions to garnish

Boil or bake potatoes until tender. Once potatoes are done, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 baking dish. With a hand or stand mixer, beat potatoes with milk, sour cream, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Stir in half the bacon and 1 1/2 cups of cheese. Spoon into prepared baking dish. Bake for 20 minutes. Top with remaining bacon, cheese, and green onions. Bake for 3-5 minutes until cheese is melted.

Broccoli Cheese Rounds

These little gooey rounds are a great appetizer, lunch, or side dish. These are a great way to get veggies into picky eaters. Lucky for me I really don't have to get fancy with broccoli to get my kids to eat it thanks to the "broccoli monster" game my hubby created when our oldest was one or two. It consists of the kids eating the tops off the broccoli and then the broccoli monster gobbles up the stem, complete with loud sound effects. It was really great, all the kids LOVE broccoli and eat a ton of it now. Unfortunately for hubby, they still expect him to play the game, 8 years later (aside from our oldest who always declares that he eats his own stems now). They even save the stems for the broccoli monster if he's not home in time for dinner. Nothing like cold, slimy broccoli stems wrapped in a napkin waiting for you when you walk in the door ;)

Anyway, back to these rounds. Luckily for the broccoli monster the stems are all incorporated in and it would be really hard to save stems from these. Though I do have to say our three year old did find a way to liberate a stem. These taste great on their own or dipped in just about anything. And I do mean anything, lol. I think last time we had them there was a variety of dipping going on consisting of ketchup, mustard, ranch, and blue cheese. All were a success with the dippers. Please don't take my word on that and blame me if you gag after dipping them in blue cheese or something, I only dipped them in ranch =) I can't vouch for the sanity of my kids dipping pleasures.

Plus I made these grain-free! Other recipes I've seen all incorporate bread crumbs, which you could do, but I used almond meal.

Broccoli Cheese Rounds
by Amanda @ Natural and Organic Lifestyle
Makes about 20 rounds (about 2 inches wide)

2 heads of broccoli
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
4 large eggs, beaten
1/2 ts good salt
1/4 ts ground pepper
1/2 ts garlic powder
1 1/2-2 cups almond meal, start with 1 1/2 cups and if your batter ends up to gooey you can add more (you could use bread crumbs here if you want)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Chop the broccoli real small and steam until tender. If it's small enough it shouldn't take more than a few minutes to steam it. Let it cool for a few minutes. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. With your hands, form into patties, I make mine about 2 inches wide but you can do any size you want. Place patties on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Bake for 15 minutes and then flip them and bake for another 15 minutes or until a nice golden brown. Let cool a little before serving. Enjoy!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Garlic Aioli Dip

Up until I made these, I hated brussels sprouts with all my being. I'd gag my way through eating them occasionally but generally we wouldn't eat them because I couldn't stand the taste or smell, and I'm the cook, so that's my choice =) I love aioli sauce though so I thought I'd give this recipe a whirl. I figure aioli can make anything good right? Turns out these are good even without the aioli! I have to say though, my oldest kid decided he loved them with honey mustard...weird, but whatever, he eats a ton of them and asks me to make them again and again!
This is a recipe I found on pinterest (though I modified it), and I think this is the original:  Costa Kitchen She uses canola oil and I do not recommend that. I understand why she did, but no one should consume canola, for any reason. It is an unhealthy oil and is one of the top genetically modified foods. So I used olive oil, though I don't totally agree with cooking with olive oil, it doesn't withstand high heat very well. I thought coconut oil would be a little weird. If anyone tries any other oil I would love to hear about it!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Garlic Aioli Dip
by Amanda @ Natural and Organic Lifestyle

1 lb brussels sprouts, organic is preferred
A couple tb organic olive oil, or oil of choice
Good salt, to taste
1/4 ts organic ground pepper
1/4 ts organic garlic powder

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 ts organic crushed garlic
pinch of dried parsley
Salt to taste
Juice from half a lemon

Toss brussels sprouts with oil, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Spread on a parchement lined cookie sheet and roast at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes, until they are just browned.

While the brussels sprouts are roasting, whip together your aioli sauce. Mix together mayo, garlic, parsley, salt, and lemon. Serve alongside your brussels sprouts in a ramekin.

Natural Watercolor Paints

This was part of one of our unit study lessons and thought I would share it. I thought it was a neat idea. Not only do the kids get to participate in the cooking of the paint, then they get to paint with it. I would say there isn't anything my kids love more than painting. They would paint at any moment in any day if I let them.

How we did it:
Bring 1 1/2 cups of water to a boil
Drop in 1 cup of fresh or frozen blueberries
Simmer until water is very dark, about 20 minutes
Strain
Let cool
Paint!
This can be stored in the fridge for a week

We also did spinach. As you can see above it did not come out green. It came out yellow :/ I "think" that if I had processed the spinach in the food processor before boiling it might have been more green.

From what I've read you can also do raspberries, red cabbage, blackberries, cherries, and more.

Just thought it was a neat idea. I really liked the way it dried on the paper. It actually darkened as it dried.
So go for it, make your own watercolors!

Lemon Bars

This recipe is super exciting to me. When I was a kid I used to make these, from a box. Every holiday I would take some to my grandparents house, and like clockwork, my step grandpa would snatch them up and not let anybody have any. So I started making two batches, one just for him, and one for everyone else. Then he would try to steal the second batch...it was hopeless ;)

I stopped eating these ten years ago when we became enlightened on healthy eating. Those bars from the box do not equal healthy eating. Disclaimer: I am not at all claiming this recipe is healthy, there is a lot of sugar, BUT there are a minimal amount of ingredients, and you can pronounce them all =) So, on to these delightful little treats. These are a great "special occasion" or occasional treat.

Lemon Bars
by Amanda @ Natural and Organic Lifestyle
Inspired by Mommy Bistro

1 cup softened organic butter
2 cups organic whole wheat flour (pastry flour would be great here if you have it)
1/2 organic powdered sugar
1/4 cup fresh Meyer lemon juice (about 4 Meyer lemons)
Zest from 2 lemons
1-2 cups organic sugar (using sucanat would make these healthier than regular pure cane sugar. Original recipe calls for 2 cups, I think that's a bit much.)
4 organic eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor (or by hand with a fork) mix together softened butter, flour, and powdered sugar until well combined. With wet hands, press dough into a 9x13 baking dish, evenly. Bake for 20 minutes or until edges are starting to brown. In a large bowl, whisk together lemon juice, zest, sugar, and eggs. Pour over hot crust and bake for 25 minutes. Let cool on the counter and slice with a wet knife. Dust with more powdered sugar if you desire, makes it pretty =)
Dig in! Or...place neatly on a plate to serve to guests, hmph....and hide some for later.

FDA to approve first Frankenfish

Organic Consumers Association

The FDA has cleared the way for approval of the first genetically engineered animal for human consumption - a GMO salmon gene-spliced with an eel - despite mounting concerns that it's likely hazardous for humans and poses a threat to the wild salmon population.

The FDA’s own testing revealed that “Frankenfish” causes increased allergy risk in humans. “Frankenfish” grows twice as large, twice as fast as the average wild salmon. If it escapes into the wild, it could threaten the entire wild salmon population.

Click Here To Tell the FDA: NO FRANKENFISH!
http://www.organicconsumers.org/ocaactions.cfm?actionnum=9142

Learn more about Frankenfish here:
http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_26811.cfm

2012: Top ten most viewed posts!

I'm happy to announce this list of the top ten most viewed posts from 2012! Happy New Year!

Kimchi 
This will make my hubby happy =)

Homemade carpet cleaner


Natural Odor Eliminator
Along with my compost cracker fail, haha.

Raw Date Balls
About to make these right now!

Reusing your green onion ends
Still love this idea. Tried it in dirt too, worked for a few times and then just stopped growing.

Ricotta Stuffed Hot Peppers
Made these last night! Ate the rest for lunch today =)

Baked Chicken Parm Casserole


Queso Dip


Mom Rules
One of my fav's too =) If you haven't read this it's a must read!


Non GMO awareness month 2012

Onion cutting at its best!

We eat a ton of onions around here. That means a lot of onion cutting, and crying, and fear of cutting my fingers off because my eyes were tearing so much I couldn't see. I've tried the freezer method. I've tried the spoon in mouth (which works sometimes but when it doesn't its miserable). I've tried cutting them as fast as I can like Rachel Ray suggests. Still a miserable experience. Suddenly I got this great idea! I dug through our box of summer stuff and snagged a pair of my kids goggles! It worked perfectly!!! I later was informed that"onion goggles" is a real thing that already existed, go figure. But hey, if you have swim goggles laying around, don't spend the money on fancy smancy onion goggles :)