Get Cultured!: An Interview with Jenny McGruther of Nourished Kitchen

Posted on May 15, 2012 by Kendahl

Today I have the privilege of interviewing my longtime followed and now friend, Jenny McGruther of Nourished Kitchen. Everything on Nourished Kitchen is immaculate, rustic, gorgeous, and personally attended to by Jenny. It is that kind of approach that makes it so easy to trust her, both when it comes to interview answers and her e-courses.

Right now Jenny has her class Get Cultured! on sale for $147, which is a $50 savings. However, if you use the coupon code “SAUERKRAUT”, then you can also get an additional $50 off through May 22. So don’t delay: this class is guaranteed to be worth it, and you won’t see this price again! Click here to see the Get Cultured! class information.

But before we get to all that, please enjoy this interview I had with Jenny yesterday. I love what she has to say about the vitality of fermented and cultured foods! Continue reading →

REAL FOOD 101: How to Make All-Purpose Yogurt Dough

Posted on May 3, 2012 by Kendahl

This post is part of a series. You can buy the Volume One of the e-book containing several REAL FOOD 101 tutorials here: To buy the REAL FOOD 101 E-book: Traditional Foods, Traditionally Prepared, click here. Full color photos, step by step tutorials, and more. Only $14.

In Nourishing Traditions, there are separate recipes for pie crusts, crackers and various breads. I love to try different recipes for those baked goods, to see which is my favorite, which is easiest, which works for a particular meal or pairing.

But this all-purpose yogurt dough is one of my favorites, because it is so versatile in and of itself. I have personally made it into whole grain crackers, into a round for a pizza crust, and turned it into a pie plate for a flaky crust. Plus, it’s a lot easier than any pie crust or pizza dough recipe I know!

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Linky Links: April 2012

Posted on April 30, 2012 by Kendahl

This month has been one of my favorites so far this year. I have seen incredible growth here at Our Nourishing Roots. I have finished my REAL FOOD 101 E-book, which is a milestone I have been looking forward to for some time.

Plus, I feel like I’m bursting with ideas for recipes and discussions, which makes writing here so personally satisfying. I’m just getting started, folks!

April has also marked an increase in energy and metabolism, thanks to my realization that carbs are helping me, and not the villain they are currently painted as in health circles. Key to realizing this was reading Diet Recovery, which I cannot recommend enough.

Among my reading this for this month are some of my favorites that I’m sharing below: Continue reading →

Honey-Sweetened Lemonade (GAPS-friendly)

Posted on April 20, 2012 by Kendahl

Last week I got my hands on 5 pounds of organic lemons, and instead of looking at them on my counter I actually did something with them this time!

The acidity of the bright lemon juice cuts gently through the floral honey, creating a pleasantly refreshing drink as it warms up this time of year. You can even stir up a batch and put your kids to work on a lemonade stand Continue reading →

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Skillet Cookie

Posted on April 17, 2012 by Kendahl

(To buy the REAL FOOD 101 E-book: Traditional Foods, Traditionally Prepared, click here. Full color photos, step by step tutorials, and more. Only $14.)

Classic flavors of delicate white chocolate and the smooth crunch of macadamia nuts in a cookie remind me of my childhood. Everyone loves chocolate chip cookies, but I was always partial to the vanilla scented white chocolate confections as a child.

I also remember my mother putting chocolate chip cookie dough into a baking dish to make “cookie bars”. If it seemed easier to me then, then it’s definitely easier as a mom of two! Only now that I am committed to real food, I love baking the cookie dough in a cast iron skillet. Because I always have one or two on my stove, but also because my food becomes more iron-rich because of it.

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Cleft Lip and Palate: How I Came to Embrace Real Food

Posted on April 11, 2012 by Kendahl

(To buy the REAL FOOD 101 E-book: Traditional Foods, Traditionally Prepared, click here. Full color photos, step by step tutorials, and more. Only $14.)

We found out about my son E’s cleft lip and palate at my 20-week ultrasound in 2008. Then I went to an ultrasound clinic and they found other abnormalities. After having an amniocentesis, I had to wait 10-14 days to hear whether or not E was going to be born with a disease or syndrome. Those were probably the worst days of my life. I spent a lot of time meditating, breathing, doing yoga, crying, and reading very distracting and escapist books (Twilight, anyone?)

We dodged most of the genetic bullets we feared during those days of waiting. But there were still the issues at hand. Tests. Breastfeeding complications. Surgeries. Waiting. But first there was the cleft. Was there a nutritional deficiency that caused it? Was there something I could do to fill in the deficits?

E’s cleft was a bilateral cleft lip and palate, complete on the right side and incomplete on the left. You can see it pretty well in the picture above. It was this smiling little face that solidified by commitment to real food. Continue reading →

Make-Ahead Breakfast: Bacon, Egg, and Cheese “Muffins”

Posted on April 5, 2012 by Kendahl

Salty bacon, sharp cheddar, and light fluffy eggs all speckled with herbs and spices in a handy little cup. Now that’s my kind of a breakfast! If you’re like me, you’ll want to pair it with sourdough toast and jam plus a little salted orange juice. Or if you still can’t do grains, try it with a side of roasted herbalicious potatoes.

It’s perfect for GAPS, too: just add a little grain-free banana bread and you’ve got a hearty meal that will keep you going all morning.

I love taking a day when I have lots of time and working for a day when I don’t. That is what I love so much about this recipe. You can make a batch or two and keep them in the fridge for a quick breakfast. Plus, they are delicious!

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REAL FOOD 101: How to Make Whey (and “Cream Cheese”)

Posted on March 16, 2012 by Kendahl

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(To buy the REAL FOOD 101 E-book: Traditional Foods, Traditionally Prepared, click here. Full color photos, step by step tutorials, and more. Only $14.)

Whey is incredibly useful when making lacto-fermented drinks (such as beet kvass), condiments (such as mayonnaise), and vegetables (such as these dilly carrot sticks) at home.

I have mentioned in several recipes that I use whey. Have you ever bought yogurt from the store and there is a little liquid on the top before you stir it all together? That’s whey. However, it’s only a teaspoon or so if you pour it off. You will need more than that to make ketchup on a regular basis!

So if you want to make whey, then it’s best to use my method below. Plus, when you make whey my way you get “cream cheese”*, too. (That’s a bonus for those of you taking the Whole Grains E-course and you’re learning to make your own bagels. That’s a match made in heaven.) Continue reading →

REAL FOOD 101: How to Make Yogurt

Posted on March 1, 2012 by Kendahl

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(To buy the REAL FOOD 101 E-book: Traditional Foods, Traditionally Prepared, click here. Full color photos, step by step tutorials, and more. Only $14.)

Yogurt can be made many different ways: raw milk yogurt, 24-hour yogurt, yogurt made from one of many different culture strains. That’s the great thing about yogurt. It’s very simple, but it’s also variable depending on what you would like to make yogurt for. Some are thick, some are thin, but all have that bright and sour flavor that we all love.

Yogurt is basically milk and cream that has been thickened with beneficial bacteria. We all know that yogurt is “good for you”, but why? Probiotic foods are claimed to be good for our bodies in many ways: gut flora balance, immune system defenses, and general health. Making your own yogurt at home is simple, and yields the freshest probiotic bang for your buck!

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REAL FOOD 101: How to Make Quick Fish Stock (Dashi)

Posted on February 24, 2012 by Kendahl

(To buy the REAL FOOD 101 E-book: Traditional Foods, Traditionally Prepared, click here. Full color photos, step by step tutorials, and more. Only $14.)

This stock is hands down the easiest one to make. It is completely done in less than half an hour. (This is not to be confused with fish stock made from the bones and carcasses of non-oily fish. That is different, and delicious as a base for fish chowder, yum! I’ll be making that one for Real Food 101 soon.)

But that’s not what I’m talking about today. Today I’m sticking with simple and quick: dashi! Dashi is made from three ingredients. Yup. Don’t get me wrong, I still think throwing a chicken carcass and veggies into a slow cooker for 12-24 hours is pretty simple. But dashi beats all the other stocks. It’s just that easy.

All you need is kombu and katsuobushi. Zuh?

Continue reading →