Simply Honey...RAW Honey

It is that time of year again. Sneezes, runny noses, head aches, swollen. Yes, allergies and pollen season are in full swing in the North State. I am blessed, along with my family, not to suffer from these nasty little side effects. Although, many people do suffer from allergies. There may be a solution for you besides going to your local pharmacist! Even if you don't suffer from allergies, you do not want to skip this post! I pray this information brings to light the amazing benefits of RAW, local, honey....key words being RAW and LOCAL!

Honey is simply wonderful. It can be used for so many different purposes, so much more than in your favorite cup of hot tea! Did you know that honey is more digestible than any other sweetener(natural or artificial!)  Honey is predigested and contains enzymes to help it along in our digestive tract. It is also so much easier on our body than other sweeteners and does not cause that crazy "insulin rush" as sugar does. Interesting huh? Does your child "react" to sugar? Mine do! Switch to honey and see a major difference!

You can replace honey in most every recipe. Keep in mind, the ratio is NOT the same for sugar to honey: 1 Cup Sugar = 3/4 Cup RAW Honey...so just decrease your baking recipe by 1/4 cup and use RAW honey. So next time you are making some homemade banana nut bread or fresh zucchini bread...use honey! Make an fresh fruit smoothie and add a tablespoon of RAW honey(just for the health benefits!) I have not tried replacing honey in my my "melt in your mouth, can't just eat one" chocolate chip cookie recipe...but maybe I might try and be adventurous for you all! 

So, Jennifer, why do you keep emphasizing the RAW in honey? Because, like all processed foods, honey you find on your grocery shelf...is processed! Cooked! Stripped away of all the nutrients, enzymes, vitamins and natural goodness!!! Here is a short list of just some of the benefits of RAW honey:

*balances blood sugar, neutralizes toxins, improves blood pressure, digestion, anti-bacterial, anti-allergenic(see below), anti-inflammatory, fever reducer, sore throats(gargle with apple cider vinegar, raw honey and water)calms nerves....Yes the list goes on!

RAW honey also has treated: 

bronchitis, diabetes, asthma, sinusitis, nerve damage and cholesterolol!!!

Vitamins: A, all B-complex, C, D, E, K, Beta-Carotene, minerals that include magnesium, sulfur, iron, calcium, copper....

WOW!

RAW local honey, from as close to where you live(very important to receive these benefits), will help with your allergies. Bees will pick up bits and pieces of specific pollens that cause you all that grief. They then take it back, along with all of the other pollen they have collected, and make natural honey. You then go to a local bee farm and get that fresh, RAW, natural honey and start eating it...natural immunity will begin! Your body will gradually start vaccinating the body against allergens, a process called immunotherapy.Think of it like this: immunizations the doctors give you, contain a little un-harmful dose of that virus to help with immunity, right? Think of honey like that...except without all of the chemicals, preservatives and additives those shots have :O) This is a great artical that explains using local RAW honey for allergies. WARNING: Do not give a baby less than 12 months old honey! DO NOT USE IF YOU ARE ALLERGIC TO HONEY! (bummer!)

So google: local honey farm in.......(your city) and take the time to pick some up, make a small change that will be benefit your entire family! Remember, local, RAW and unprocessed are the key words when asking about the farms honey! TIP: heat honey over 105 degrees, and you will lose these amazing benefits!

Have a healthy day friends!

Simply Planning...

Myth Buster: Eating healthy costs more. True or False?


I would say BOTH! Eating organic and choosing healthy foods can and will be more expensive IF you do not plan! Preparation is key in life. I love a quote from Abraham Lincoln “If I had eight hours to chop down a tree, I'd spend six hours sharpening my ax”. So, how does that relate to saving money? How well do you think you can cut down a tree, if your ax is dull? You could still do it, but it would take a lot longer, more energy, and probably "cost" you more in the long run. It is the same with preparing meals for your family. I have learned over the past couple of years, if I do not take the time to plan, I suffer in the long run. 
Having a family of 6, homeschooling, living on a farm, plus all of the norms of being a housewife...I cannot afford to be unprepared (and I can not afford it at the grocery store) mentally and physically. I will spend more money and stress more during the week! If I go into a store without a POA (plan of action)...I have already LOST THE BATTLE!  So how have I learned to save both money and my sanity? Simply plan.  
Each Saturday, I set aside time to meal plan for the week. I used to try and plan for two weeks, but that became overwhelming fast. It is hard enough trying to come up with new, creative and healthy meals for 7 days...14 was overload. One of the most beneficial things I have learned is to have grace with myself. Set yourself up for success by looking at your calender and plan accordingly. Don't plan a meal that requires a lot of prep and cook time on a night you have a lot going on! Crock pot on that night! I have come up with some great "tools" that give me grace every week that I would like to share with you.
Each week, I have three designated "theme"night dinners. Wednesday nights are sandwich nights. This can be as elaborate or simple as you choose(grilled cheese or a toasted turkey, tomato, fresh mozzarella and fresh basil over a delicious olive oil and garlic bread). You choose! Sundays are my favorite. I know Sundays are suppose to be "a day of rest", but for most of us(if we are honest), we are tired before Church even begins! It takes a lot to get up, get the entire family ready and out the door sometimes as early as 7:30am!!! Sundays are also  my shopping day also because we live 25 miles from town, I plan to get as much done in town while I am there. So Sunday dinners have to be simple for us: breakfast for dinner. Sometimes we cut up fruit and have a bowl of healthy cereal and sometimes do an amazing veggie omelet...again up to you! Fridays...family movie night and homemade pizza every week! Again, choose your favorite pizza! Our family favorite is homemade pesto with fresh pineapple and bacon!
So, after I go through my online brain cookbook, looked over my favorite book cookbooks, and searched online. I make my Mon-Sat menu. Remember for us, Sunday, Wednesday and Friday are  simple for us, so really I only have 4 dinner meals to plan for! 
TIPS for saving money when planning for meals:
*Choose meals that you can double up on ingredients(IE: fresh basil for pizza AND for Capellini Pomodoro)
*Remember that staples only have to be bought about once a month(flour, 100% pure maple syrup, spices, etc)
*BUYING IN BULK SAVES!
*Cooking from scratch SAVES in the long run(again staples last for more than one meal).
*Start with an empty fridge and end with as close to an empty fridge as possible...Yay for not wasting!
*Keep breakfast and lunch somewhat SIMPLE. Breakfasts are changing for us in the near future...adding more homemade...but as of now cereals, oatmeal. pancakes, smoothies. 
*Buy IN SEASON! Saves money AND is more nutritious!
*If you are able, look into buying a half a beef, pig...this has saved us a HUGE amount of money this past year! Again, you might be paying more upfront (like bulk), but you SAVE in the long run!
*A lot of processed "snack" food equals a lot more money! I had a request for a healthy snack post...so keep an eye out for that!


These are just some of the ways I have learned to save...save both money AND my sanity! Planning is critical if you want to eat healthy without breaking the bank. You CAN do this! I spend no more than 1 hour each week preparing. That 1 hour is precious time that not only saves money, but also saves a lot of unwanted and unneeded stress! So set aside an hour this week, get excited that you are about to start saving money and eating healthy.

Simply BBQ Sauce...

Remember my first post, when I said "our family is a steak, potato and loaded salad type of family." Well, I wasn't lying. I also said that, even though we try to stay away from processed foods, it is still a "process" and we aren't fully there.  That being said, we had some out of this world BBQ Pork (our homegrown pork) Spareribs! They looked and smelled so good, I forgot to take a before picture of the ribs  I guess I got a little excited when my 8 year old said "lets get dirty and eat some ribs!" You can see the half eaten ribs in the background...the salad*** was just as good! Also, I cut up some sourdough bread and brushed it with a mixture of olive oil, garlic, sea salt, cracked pepper and fresh thyme. Broiled on high for about 3-4 minutes.
This homemade BBQ sauce goes great on any meats! Throw it on while your BBQ, throw it on shredded meat, throw in the crock pot, use it for "dippin' sauce", use it however you like...but trust me it is gooooodddd! This recipe makes a lot. I cut it in half and we still have plenty left over.  Too bad we don't have any of those ribs left over.

Simply BBQ Sauce
2 cups organic ketchup

1 cup Water

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup Organic brown sugar

1 tsp garlic powder or 1 clove fresh garlic

2 tsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp liquid smoke

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

Throw it all in a pan, cook on med-high until it begins to boil.  Taste and add more of whatever you like...we like it just like this!

PS...Just for the record, the Gambles boys DO NOT make a habit out of eating shirtless :)


***Salad-Organic Arugula lettuce, shredded organic carrots, quartered cucumber, organic cherry tomatoes and some organic mozzarella cheese. Tossed with a homemade balsamic vinegar (recipe to follow soon).

Simply Capellini Pomodoro(2 in 1)

It is absolutely gorgeous here in Northern California. Warm, blue skies, birds writing new songs, life has found favor on our little farm. These are the days that staying inside and taking care of my Saturday norms, usually get pushed back(at least for a few hours). I love cooking an amazing Saturday afternoon lunch. I do make lunch all week and we do all sit down as a family most days to enjoy them together...but there is something sweet about a "dinner-lunch". Bring out all the nice dining ware, and make it special. 
Today was a great day for something fresh, something that reminded us of life, sunshine and Spring. Perfect day for a simple capellini pomodoro. This meal is so easy, costs very little, but when it is served, it looks like you have been "slaving away in the kitchen". 


1 package of capellini of your liking(would love to make my own one day, but until that day arrives, you can't beat 99 cent capellini from Trader Joe's)


2 handfuls of organic cherry or grape tomatoes- cut in half or quarters


1 handful of organic fresh basil-chopped*** 


Olive Oil to your liking(usually about 1/4 cup)


1-2 cloves fresh crushed garlic


1/4-1/3 cup of fresh grated Romano cheese(adagio is wonderful too)


Sea Salt and fresh ground peppercorn to taste

Cook capellini according to instructions. Remember it cooks in about 3 minutes, so I prep everything else first.


Drain capellini and put back into stock pot. Add all other ingredients and toss! Serve right away or put it in the fridge for a yummy cold pasta dish for later. Add a salad, a loaf of sourdough bread, or it is great as a stand alone meal.

PRESTO! Capellini Pomodoro, simply delicious!

2 in 1- TOMATO PESTO...Now for a fun variation of this dish and if you prefer a more smooth consistency....take your basil, tomatoes(3 handfuls this time) and add a 1/4 of toasted almond slices into your food processor. Add olive oil (starting with 1/4 cup), 1 cloves fresh garlic (or two, I do two because I LOVE fresh garlic) 1/4 tsp sea salt, 1/2 tsp rice vinegar, and ground peppercorn to taste. Now PUREE and serve over the top of your capellini...a wonderful and tasty dish your family and friends will go wild over! You can even add some red pepper flakes for spice...now were are talking!


***Did you know fresh basil has these amazing health promoting benefits, minerals and vitamins?
 Anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties, beta carotin, Vitamin K and A, great source of iron, potassium, manganese, copper, and magnesium

Simply a Mouser...

Every farm needs a barn cat. A couple months ago, our amazing Maximus had to be put to sleep because he was hit by a car. The damage was too bad, and it broke every bit of all of our hearts. It was no doubt the best thing we could do for him, but that didn't lessen the pain and sadness. Our family tries to learn from every situation, to find joy in the pain and hope for the future. The last thing we wanted to do was "replace" our Max...so we took our time and grieved him. The farm wasn't the same with out our hunter. With all of this warm weather upon us, Cam and I knew that those little squeakers were going to be in full force in no time at all. Hence our new little mouser. He fits in my hands, and has the most incredible markings. He reminds us of a tiger(already had a cat named tiger...that is a no-go). We can't call him an official barn cat, because he will be indoors more than a barn cat...but just for kicks, meet........, our "barn" kitten (name to be inserted at a later time).

Simply Baby Steps...

A great question was asked on our Facebook page. I believe it is a good place to start:


“What was your diet like before “Food Inc” and what were the first small changes you made?” 

I love to cook. So much so, I would love to open a small café one day. Small, quaint and simple. That is important because before “Food Inc”, I loved to cook. Cooking from scratch, experiement with new foods, flavors and fun deserts. “Food Inc” was a very dramatic documentary for us. I was somewhat aware of the difference between “organic” and “non-organic” foods, but to be honest I was very ignorant to the concept behind those two phrases. Mostly, I believed the biggest difference between the two had to do with the cost. Like I mentioned in my first post, that is a myth and I will write on that down the road (sooner than later).
Before, our family ate somewhat healthy. I tried to cook from scratch, but I was still using a lot of processed foods. Processed foods are anything that is altered from their natural state, either for convenience or just for what the FDA deems “for safety” reasons. Either way, processed is processed and I believe that the closer you can keep your food to its original purpose and natural state, the better and healthier you will be. Examples of several kinds of processed foods can be:(but not limited to. Remember I mentioned that up to 90% of grocery stores are stocked with processed foods)

• Canned foods • Breads, pastas, white flour • Snack foods, chips, candy • Packaged cakes, cookies, ice cream • Oatmeal, breakfast cereal • Milk, yogurt, creamer, cheese, etc.

As you go the grocery store, a good rule I learned is stay on the outside perimeter of the store. I would be confident in saying that a good 99% of isle foods, are processed, and packed full of harmful GMO(genetically modified organism). Again, another post. So as you can read, that is OVERWHELMING! “Food Inc” opened our eyes to the unbelievable health concerns of soy and corn. According to www.truefoodnow.org, 85% of US corn and 91% of US soy supplies are genetically engineered. You might be saying to yourself, “I do not eat a lot of soy or corn, so I don’t see the big deal.” That is exactly what I thought until “Food Inc” began to challenge me to read labels. Do you know just how much corn and/or soy are top ingredients in your food? Scary thought when you learn the process of GMO and just how much of it has saturated our food supply. Enjoy that Coke, Pepsi…made from corn. Look for Non-GMO foods! Rabbit trail…
So, like I mentioned, OVERWHELMED and I wanted to throw away ALL of my food…ALL of it! The problem was I just went grocery shopping that afternoon. Bummer! I am way too frugal to waste! So, I am going to share a little secret with you that I just recently learned (2 years later). Baby steps are the best! Find out what is truly most important and do-able for your family right now, and be OKAY with that step. Processed foods might not be the best first option for you, it wasn’t for us, but it might be. You know your family best, you know yourself best, don’t take such a huge plunge that you get discouraged and quit all together (been there also).
Our first big steps were changing our meats. This is probably the most expensive part, but I believe one of the most critical. Research what standard beef, pork and chicken production entails, what they feed these animals, what they pump into these animals, how they treat them, how the process these meats (example bleaching your chicken) and ask yourself if you really are okay with your family consuming these meats. This was NOT okay with me. Another step we felt important was changing to organic dairy (i.e. Milk, cheese, yogurt, etc.). At the time, it was the best decision we were aware of. Up until 10 months ago that is. Again, another post, but something I feel strongly enough to share. We currently drink RAW milk from a local, amazing dairy, Duivenvoorden Farms in Cottonwood, Ca! Remember, I am answering what we did initially, but if I could go back, I would have started with RAW milk no question! It is what our family refers to as “liquid gold”…HA! Back to the beginning…yes, organic dairy! Fruits and Veggies were added later. Processed foods were the most difficult for me to weed out. Little by little we are still doing that…like I said it is a process for our family.
So those were the small changes we made at first. Costco was a great help as they carried both meats and some dairy. My recommendation is to buy local grass fed beef. There are many places that you can buy from. Google grass fed organic meat in your area! $$$ Saving tip: buying a half beef, half pig, etc…saves you A LOT of money in the long run! There are things we have learned that cost more upfront (which requires planning and a little saving), but in the end really, really saves! A half of beef for our family will last us just about a year! You won’t beat those prices. You won’t beat the health! And there is nothing like having a full freezer full of nutrious, organic, yum!
So, put the kiddos down for bed, enjoy that bag of microwave popcorn (really enjoy it) and pop in “Food Inc”. Be prepared for it to rock your world, rock your health, and that popcorn you just ate…well you will see.

Simply "Hello"...

I thought that a good first post would be an introduction..."Hello!" I am Jennifer and this is a blog that I pray brings encouragement, hope, joy, laughter and LIFE.  I am married to a visionary man who does amazing things(but that is not what this blog is about...check out www.projecttaken.com for more info on him). We have four unique, energetic, outgoing and amazing home schooled children.  We live on a little 10 acre farm in Northern California. It has always been a dream of ours to live on a little "bigger" farm "off the grid". You know solar power, huge garden, orchard, a cazoosal of animals(I think I just made that word up...won't be the first OR the last time). Sometimes I think I was born 2 centuries too late!!! As I was saying, a little farm...a lot of work, but somehow simplicity has ushered in, and life abounds here.

Over the past two years, after watching a mind boggling, eye opening movie(Food Inc.) we have began our journey to becoming self-sufficient, eating good whole organic foods, and removing things from our diets that cause nothing but harm and damage.  From changing simple things such as the meat we eat, to the more difficult task of staying away from processed foods(which is on average 90% of the food at a grocery store folks!). We are still in the process of learning and educating what we eat, where it comes from and what does it REALLY do? The key word here is PROCESS. I remember feeling completely overwhelmed when I started to research and begin our journey of eating healthy! What I have learned is that baby steps are crucial! Any step towards eliminating bad and replacing good...is a HUGE step. So have grace with yourself! The point of this blog is to share what we have learned and what we are still learning, so be encouraged!


One of the most exciting parts and one of the biggest reasons for starting this blog is to bust the myth that healthy eating is more expensive. Nope, not true! Trust me I know. Starting our ministry, living by faith,  doesn't allow for a HUGE grocery budget. I will be dedicating an entire post on this subject, maybe even two. I will leave you with this; with a little planning and some motivation you can actually lower your monthly grocery bill and eat fresh and healthy. And when I say fresh and healthy, I don't mean grass, raw and no fun desserts! Don't get me wrong, there are some amazing recipes that I will share that are raw and simple and delightful. My family is a steak, potato and load me up with an amazing salad type of family..BUT, it is about moderation, it is about knowing what you are eating and why you are eating it! As I write this hello, I am enjoying a cup of homemade organic strawberry ice cream(made with real raw cream and milk, organic strawberries, raw local honey or pure maple syrup and a pinch of sea salt) All natural, whole, health promoting ingredients. Cost about $2.50 half gallon! You will simply be amazed.
It needs to be simple because being a stay at home, homeschooling, homesteading, missionary Mama...time is a precious commodity. So lets have fun. Lets explore and enjoy the precious gift of health, family, food and LIFE!