What have I done instead of blogging and songwriting lately? I reclaimed my kitchen from it's highly processed, brilliantly marketed, pathetically undernourishing foods, and have begun to fill it with power foods, real and organic, much from scratch. Time, energy, and creativity are required, leaving little for my standard creative outlets, but that's OK! One of my words of 2012 is nourish, and I didn't realize when I chose the word that a lifestyle overhaul would be required.
I think of myself now as a kitchen steward. My kids may grumble as chips, cereal, fruit snacks, sugar, and the like slip from their grasp, but I've never seen them so satisfied with raw veggies dipped in homemade ranch. To their delight, we're drinking whole mile, eating butter, using real mayo, and indulging in yummy homemade granola bars.
I turn 40 next month, and I regret that I have not made this a priority earlier. The information is not new, but until I started listening to Nutritional Weight and Wellness' "Dishin' Up Nutrition" podcasts for weeks, I didn't own it. Auditory learning at it's best. I can finally erase from my visual memory the politically correct food pyramid guide, and replace it with something that looks more like a balance scale of protein, healthy fats, and fruit/vegetable carbs. I now understand how nutrition works at the biochemical level of this intricate, amazing temple of the Lord.
I used to think if I am too busy to have a quiet time with God, then I am too busy. Now I think if I am too busy to have a quiet time and cook wisely, I am too busy.
Pinterest has been great for accumulating recipes and seeing which of my friends has joined me on this journey. Likeminded bloggers abound. I long for more time to discover the huge cosmos of nutitional eating ideas, but for now... baby steps. Today...trying something new with cauliflower.
In the bleak midwinter, when skin is crying for Vitamin D, kids are down with colds, and the early morning sound floating in the air is the steady scrape of shovel on concrete, as Manly Husband enters another winter refusing to use a snow blower, I sit in my morning spot and ponder the first 23 days of January.
My Three Words of 2012 are hovering around me, like suspended snowflakes. How can I nurture and decrease with a spirit of thrift? I discovered one thing this week: homemade bread! Many sing its praises for nutritional value and frugality, but I've always had a fear of yeast. I know...weird. But I can proudly say that yeast is my friend and listens to me when I tell it to rise.
When I started considering making my own bread, I thought I was going to have to make a mighty investment in a Kitchen Aid mixer and a grain mill. That didn't sound very thrifty. I found, shockingly, that kneading the bread was half the fun, and my girls were delighted to help. My friend reminded me that we have a mutual friend with a mill that we could use. Yay, thrift! We enjoyed 3 loaves of bread this week: one white and two honey wheat. The smell in itself was healing and nurturing.
How did having homemade bread at my fingertips contribute to "decrease" you may be wondering? Well, two slices of that honey wheat sustained me through 5 hours of worship team practice, worship leading in two services, and many conversations after church. No donuts for me!
Dave was inspired by my Amish-ness, and decided to make some homemade cheese with a kit he had ordered. He and Grace spent Saturday afternoon stirring a big kettle of milk and cream and enzymes, which produces some squeaky and delicious cheese curds. Next up...cheddar!
Don't be too impressed. Last night, the kids warmed up chicken nuggets, thoroughly processed. At least I tried one new thing and hope to make it a staple.
