Day 5 of no coffee, bread & pasta, and I am still standing :)

I am on day 5 of my juicing/eating adventure, and so far, so good. I had some pain issues, but you can read all about that at https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KO6PY7YTvP-dSq4SO9ShMeRzTg50hruhnrRd2FQNHlc/edit .

I am finding some things I really like to eat, and am not feeling "deprived" at all. Not drinking coffee is not such a big deal....not eating pasta & bread is. My daughter, whom I love, seems to be on a baking spree too, which does not make things easier.

I just made humus for the first time in my life :). Amazing, since it is so simple. It was delicious.

Here you go:

1 can of garbanzo beans (I am sure dry beans will be even better. I will start cooking more to put some aside for hummus).
1 clove of garlic
Lemon juice (I squeezed a half a lemon)
Olive Oil (about 3-4 tblsp, or more, to keep it creamy)
Turmeric & Paprika to taste

Whir it UP! Enjoy!
Heike

The first day of eating bananas instead of biscuits

I decided to start juicing today instead of tomorrow. Today was a quiet, lazy day for us, so it seemed perfect to test how my body would react :).

Even though I feel that I read & prepared myself, I really am not. The Reboot gives GREAT guidelines & daily menus, but many of the items are not in season now, so I have to alternate.

That brings me to something I did not consider. The cost of juicing. Now, we eat lots of fruit & veggies anyways, and I usually buy organic or receive it from friends & neighbors. With the amount of fruit & veggies you need for one juice, this is just not going to do it. So I have gone through the recipes and found things that will incorporate what is in season here now. Mainly: Kale, carrots, apples (not really in season, but readily available), oranges & other citrus, greens, salad, parsley, beets, kiwi. I was able to get lots of kale & carrots at the farmer's market for a $1 a bunch/bag. So I stocked up, came home and washed and prepped them in Tupperware or bags.

I also did not consider the quandary this would put me in. I am proponent of buying local, but may have to go to Costco to buy apples, spinach, etc in bulk, otherwise I will have to starve. I also don't eat soy products, but will have to eat some tofu occasionally to bulk up my salads. The tofu may only be for the first few days while I get used to not eating my yummy bread, cheese, cheese, cheese...did I say cheese? No animal products, which also takes away my raw milk, joghurt, and butter. I don't mind not eating meat, but the bread & dairy...they are a huge part of my normal diet.

I will post occasionally while I wander the road of better health. If you want to see what I am doing daily, with weight, MOODS, :), etc, you can view my doc journal at https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KO6PY7YTvP-dSq4SO9ShMeRzTg50hruhnrRd2FQNHlc/edit (this is on Google, you will have to have a Google account to view it. If you don't, just send me note and I can email you.).

Greetings,
Heike

For the next 15 days, Kale is my new Steak

After seeing the film “Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead” a few weeks ago, I was inspired. The film is a documentary of the 60 day juicing journey of Joe Cross, in which we see a drastic loss of weight (under doctor’s care), a road to better health, and the story of a man who changes people's lives with this experiment. What grabbed me most is the fact that he, and two others in the film, healed a chronic illness by juicing.

He hooked me. I am juicing.

I have never fasted before in my life. I am an eater. I love food, and since I am still on the scale of “thin” even with my weight gain from the two kids & last 10 years of eating, I have never felt the pressure to diet.

I do have a pretty nasty neurological problem that seems to get worse instead of better. Over the last 3 years I have not slept more than 3 hours at a time, I have tried any alternative medicines that were offered: herbs, acupuncture, massage, weed. When none of those worked, I went to the hospital and tried allopathic treatment. The heavy duty medicine worked for about 2 weeks, then my body said: “Hell no!”, I began having adverse reactions. My body is a mystery of its’ own. Even as a child, if I did get sick, I got REALLY sick in a matter of hours, then a few hours later is was completely gone. This cycle baffled doctors all the way into my adulthood. With that said, treatments can have immediate success, or horrendous adverse reactions.

I did lots of juicer research, and ended up purchasing the Breville Fountain on Amazon (had a coupon and free shipping). There are far more intense models out there that are just amazing. The Champion is made in the USA and owners love it, but it was out of my “spontaneous budget”, so I found the best I could afford.

The possibility of “cleansing” my body with juices intrigues me. The website of Joe Cross offers a REBOOT program as a support, and I will be following their 15 day REBOOT. I will be eating raw foods along with my juice, which makes me happy and calms the snacker deep inside.

My juicer arrived 2 days ago, and we have been experimenting with juice. My kid's favorite so far is the beet, orange, mint, carrot juice - before I add the carrots :). I like them all, but I also LOVE any vegetable and drink weird stuff that makes other people cringe. That brings me to the point of food. People are asking me if I will be able to STAND just having juice. Those that know me are concerned, as they know my love of pasta, bread, a good cheeseburger, CHEESE, raw milk, joghurt...ah...the list goes on, is deep. I don’t drink soda, only eat fast food occasionally, and pretty much eat a healthy, mostly organic diet. The transition will not be drastic for my body. The lack of coffee will be. I have been cutting down my coffee consume over the last week. Coffee is my ritual, and I love the taste. I have found some alternatives for the taste, will try to keep the ritual, and hope the lack of caffiene will not turn me into a bitch.

I have warned friends & family :). I am ready, making my shopping list, and will start officially on Monday morning. As excited as "I" am, I will not post every day of my progress (there are lots of "Juicer Blogs" out there!), but will check in every couple of days. If you are curious how things are going, I will post a public Google doc address where I will journal daily with weight, recipes, yippees & gripes.

If you have any yummy juicing or raw salad recipes for me, please share now. Going to the farmer’s market on Sunday!

Much love,
Heike

Glühwein ~ This is why we always sleep well during the Holidays!

Glühwein is one of the wonderful things of my German roots :). I still remember the first time I was officially allowed to have Glühwein at the Weihnachtsmarkt. Cold, crisp air, roasted chestnuts, Christmas lights & decorations, pots & pans, herbs, cookies....and lots & lots of people. I looked forward to the Weihnachtsmarkt every year, and it was a bonus if it snowed!

Now, I neither have snow, nor the Weihnachtsmarkt, but I sure still have my Glühwein!

If you can't come over to have a cup, I am sharing the recipe:

1 bottle of wine
One organic lemon or orange, unsprayed
2 cinnamon sticks
3-5 whole cloves
about an inch of fresh ginger, chopped
a pod of cardamon (optional)
1/2 cup of sugar

Put the spices and sliced citrus in a pot with sugar, add just enough wine to cover. Let it simmer a bit until the liquid has almost evaporated, but make sure not to let the sugar burn. Fill up with wine, cover, and let simmer on low for about 30-60 minutes to let the spices infuse the wine.

Take a cup and sit outside with friends, or designate a driver and go Christmas light looking :).

Enjoy!
Warmly,
Heike

Settling down....

Wow...I can't believe it has been since OCTOBER that I have posted here!

I am not under a rock.

And it is not quiet here at all. I have been brewing & mixing for weeks, as the first wave of the flu hit our circle. Both of my kids caught it, and I was brewing elderberry syrup like a mad woman! Thankfully, it kept me healthy, made it through with just a little fatigue. Making your own syrup is simple, economic, and you can adjust it to taste. I add lots of cloves, cinnamon, ginger...:)..and nutmeg. Raw honey. I mix it with bubbly water and make "soda" for the kids, pour it on pancakes, ice-cream, etc.

Check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOYzWyFGkqM for a video tutorial.

With that thwarted, I am clearing, once again :). In time to welcome the Winter Solstice and 2012.

After a tremendous chicken trauma, we now have an Orpington (not a Leghorn), and a Silver Laced Wyandotte chicken. I say CHICKEN, because we are sure if both of our chickens are hens....Your guesses are most welcome! :) Go ahead, wager...



They are quite funny little creatures, and I keep manifesting "GIRL!!", as I would have to part with either or both. They kinda grow on you......They still live with us in the house in a kennel at night. My country life....

The garden is fairly dead. I planted a few winter veggies, that promptly got devoured by snails, and the chickens. Then the dog proceeded to "warm" them...and most of it is dead. Just spread some cover crop, and am browsing seed catalogs :).

Hope everyone is staying safe & warm.
Much love,
Heike

Last Harvest...for the fifth time

I have the "Little Tomato Plant that Could." :)

I keep taking 'last harvest" pics, just to go out a few days later and find hidden gems. I am starting to take down the tomato plants now, though, and will prepare the beds for either winter gardens, or clover.

The raised lasagne style beds have been fabulous. I have never had tomatoes plants that were so big and bountiful. The eggplant is still producing and ripening, the peppers are all well, and I am FINALLY getting some beans. My rasberries, highly neglected, are benefiting from my neighbors consistant watering habits.

We also have some new family members....


Already perching....




One of the tomatoes I pulled up. Look at the size of the root, vs. the height of the box. Roots went right through clay earth :).

Damn, that was good! Or, the hidden surprise in the cupboard...

Today, I cut up some cabbage to make "Mason Jar Sauerkraut". I stacked red & cabbage, just 'cuz it looks purdy :), stamped it down (great zen moment to let go of the cares of the day), added saltwater, and got ready to put it up on my "culturing shelf".

Alas! There was a forgotten jar of Sauerkraut!

It had to be at least 5 months old, it slipped behind some other jars, and I completely forgot about it.

Adventurer that I am, I opened it, sniffed it, removed the curdly white stuff (harmless), rinsed it off.....and tasted. YUM! Actually, I could not stop myself and ate over half of the jar. Left a tiny bit for the kids tomorrow. One tip for all you Sauerkraut makers: add Fennel seed! It makes it even better.

You can just Google "Mason Jar Sauerkraut" and get a zillion instructions, so I won't post the recipe (shred cabbage, put in jar, STAMP IT DOWN, sistah!!, cover with salt water...1 tsp to 1 cup of water, lid loosely, and let sit at least 2 weeks...or 5 months like me). You can see how I made sauerkraut in the crock at http://www.herbmagik.blogspot.com/#!/2010/08/kraut-is-making-kraut.html. I love the crock, but you have to make a lot to make it worth the "watch", plus it makes my kitchen smell like gas (we do have a funny story with that, that I will post if someone wants to know ;)...).

Enjoy, and go ferment something!