The BEST Gluten Free Sandwich Bread EVER!

If you’ve been around here for a while, you know that I discovered last year that cutting gluten from my diet helped tremendously with my Crohn’s symptoms. You also know that I tried and tried to find a suitable gluten free sandwich loaf and was disappointed time and time again. My loaves were passable, but they weren’t great. They were either too crumbly or too gummy, or they had that off-flavor which characterizes so many gluten free breads. I’ve done my share of whining about the cost of store-bought gluten free sandwich loaves, and what’s worse, these loaves were not wonderful either. Far from it. We even did sourdough for a while, but I found that it sometimes gave me trouble.  I am so happy to tell you that I stumbled upon a recipe for the most delicious and versatile gluten free bread dough. We’ve made loaves for sandwiches with this dough. We’ve made pizza. (Yes, very good pizza!) This bread pairs well with a bowl of soup or stew. It would make fabulous buns for burgers or hot dogs. Cinnamon rolls are next up on the agenda. You can even roll it thin for crackers. You see, this dough isn’t like all the others I’ve tried. It’s not runny like cake batter. It’s dough. You can shape it. And it’s absolutely delicious! There’s nothing about this dough that screams gluten free. It’s incredibly crusty on the outside and moist and chewy on the inside (without being gummy). It reminds me of a nice loaf of Italian bread. My kids are begging me for a piece of this bread every time they think about it. The best part? You can mix up 4 loaves of this bread and store it in the refrigerator (for up to 5 days) until you’re ready for it. Hallelujah! We now have good bread again folks. And it costs me roughly $1 per loaf to make. I had to share it with you. For me, the sad part is that I’ve owned this cookbook for quite a while. I bought it before we were eating gluten free. I used it for whole wheat bread and didn’t give the book a second thought when we switched to gluten free. I wish I had. There’s no telling how much money and time I’d have saved. Store-bought gluten free loaves are a thing of the past for this family. This is the only recipe I’ll ever need. No more failed attempts!

Upstairs Renovation: Kids rooms & Playroom

I always enjoy seeing other people’s remodeling projects, and I thought you might like to see our latest completion. Remember this trip when we left the project in full swing? Well, we actually finished the renovation just after Christmas. I just never got around to posting pictures. And since I’m still mending, I haven’t got anything else to do today. ; )

Before the renovation, the upstairs was actually a huge master suite. It was a wonderful space. You can see the before shots here if you scroll down through my old sewing posts. My sewing machine was parked in front of those gorgeous windows in Sara Lynn’s room.

You may be wondering what would make a person be willing to give up such a wonderful space. One word: STAIRS. My bones need all the TLC they can get these days. And the kids aren’t complaining about the swap one bit. Everyone’s happy with their rooms now.

Every piece of furniture in both of these rooms came from estate sales, yard sales, or flea markets. I much prefer the character and craftsmanship in older pieces. And the money I save buying things secondhand is a nice bonus. But mostly, thrifting is just plain fun. It just takes a little patience waiting to find the right piece at the right price.

Daniel’s bedding came from TJ Maxx on clearance and Sara Lynn’s came from an estate sale. It looks brand new and was obviously barely used on someone’s guest bed. I still need to deal with the walls and windows in both of these rooms, but they are for the most part done. Whew!

Are you familiar with Quercetti? Daniel received this gift for Christmas and he and all his friends love it.

It was just the right gift for a boy who feels he’s getting too old for toys but enjoys games and building things.

This is the view of the playroom from Daniel’s bedroom door. It’s never this clean, which has a great deal to do with why I never posted pictures before.

We have lots of books. (Mostly thrifted books). I can never seem to get enough of them, either for myself or the kidlets. We do use our local library frequently, but I don’t mind buying books either. Come to think of it, I can never have enough books, fabric, or seeds. Oh, and put a gardening book or crafting book in my hand and I’m in heaven! With this remodel done, we have only the bathrooms left to tackle. Here’s what we’ve done so far: Living room & Kitchen Dining room (I don’t have a decent shot of this room – how did that happen? This is the before shot. Basically all that changed in this room was the installation of wood floors. But I can’t wait to show you my farmhouse table that seats 12! Next post?) Sewing studio (Did I mention that this was the garage in it’s previous life?) And of coarse, the upstairs. I’d love to see what you’ve been up to around your house lately!

Happy Starter

Happy starter makes mama happy… We’ve I’ve been making lots of sourdough bread lately. I’m happy to report that I tolerate wheat/spelt very well as long as it is allowed a long fermentation period. And really, this is the most nutritious way for anyone to enjoy bread. It can be soooo yummy! You just need to learn how to make it. Here are the instructions I used for making starter (which worked so well). Here is Wardeh’s (delicious!) recipe and instructions for making sourdough sandwich bread. And in case your wondering, here’s why sourdough is so nutritious.  No more high-dollar gluten free bread from the health foods store for this family. And admittedly, I was never completely comfortable with the ingredients list on those packages. I really tried, but I was never able to master baking gluten free sandwich loaves (with nutritious ingredients). I feel good about our bread again. I have an appointment tomorrow. I’m not very excited about it. I’ll be having a painful procedure (you know it’s going to be bad when the doctor forewarns you that it will be painful and you will not be able to have anesthesia! Sigh.) but hopefully we’ll have a better idea about what is going on with the discs in my neck/back. On a better note, my Crohn’s flare seems to have finally subsided. I have traded my oral pain medication for a topical cream that is giving me some relief. I appreciate all your well wishes and prayers more than you can know. Blessings to you!

Some days are better than others

Can I be honest here? I’m having a really tough time lately. And that’s okay. Sometimes life doesn’t make sense, but there’s no use crying over spilt milk. I’ve learned that the hard way. We’re in God’s hands and only He can see the big picture of our lives. So, we must keep going - putting one foot in front of the other, and praying for better days. Sometimes, everybody hurts. Everybody hurts, sometimes. ~REM I’ve found that the key to surviving the difficult times is to focus on today. What can I do right now? I try not to think about all those things I can’t do. I try not to worry about tomorrow, because honestly, today has enough trouble of it’s own. Right now, these words are very real to me. I trust that the Lord will not put on my plate any more than I can bear. I remind myself of Paul’s words: “Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

So, I cook for my family. Gluten free peach crisp.

I make sauerkraut.

I marvel at 2 cabbages that barely half-fill two quart-size mason jars.

I prepare sourdough bread for my loved ones.

And on the days when mama hurts too much to move, we eat take-out pizza by candlelight. I find myself in the midst of a severe Crohn’s flare-up and unable to take medication to ease the pain of two more degenerative discs in my spine. But, I know that there’s a better day coming…

A Handmade Christmas (and my first whole cloth quilt)

I’ve wanted to learn to quilt for what seems like forever. This Christmas, with one week to spare, I finally decided it was time to bite the bullet. I made each of my children a whole cloth quilt (mostly because I had no time to make a proper quilt and partly because I was scared I’d mess it up) as an early Christmas gift. We took them with us on the long drive to Disney and now the quilts have been rightfully dubbed our “Road Trip” quilts.

I really love the way they turned out. Unfortunately, I haven’t taken the time to photograph the finished quilts and it’s raining out. More pictures will come later. I’m most in love with Daniel’s quilt. I simply adore the fabric combo and colors. All of it was purchased at Hobby Lobby where you can print out a coupon online that’s good for 40% off (in-store purchases) most weeks. Oh, yes. I’m nothing if not frugal.

I really enjoyed making my first two quilts, even if I was a bit pressed for time. I completed both quilts in less than one week. I finished the binding of my baby girl’s quilt on the oh-so-long trip down. I believe hand-finishing the binding was actually my most favorite part. Stress relief at it’s finest I tell you. There was also a good bit of knitting done on this trip, but I only have one UFO to show for it. I’m still trying to get the hang of knitting, and I can’t tell you how many dropped stitches I’ve had to deal with. I should probably frog it and start over. It sits abandoned in my knitting basket for now.

This is exactly what I felt like when I was halfway through marking the lines on Daniel’s quilt.

And this is what I felt like when I finished. My mom gave me this cute pencil sharpener. I love it.

Good gravy… that was a lot of marking!

In case you’re interested on getting started in quilting, here are some tutorials which helped me tremendously:

http://www.crazymomquilts.blogspot.com/ You’ll find links to picture tutorials of all the basics in Amanda Jean’s sidebar.

http://anyonecanquilt.typepad.com/my_weblog/machine-quilting-tutorial/ This is the method I used for basting - easy.

Gluten free apple oat muffins (soaked in kefir)

I’ve been meaning to post this recipe for a while now… thanks for the nudge, Diane!

These muffins are a family favorite and a (quickly disappearing) staple around here. I promise you can serve this to guests without apology. No one would guess that they are gluten free! They’re not too dense and they’re very moist and flavorful – attributes I accredit to soaking the flours overnight in kefir. Try it. You’ll be hooked, too.

Apple Oat Muffins

1 c. rolled oats (I use certified gluten free oats)

1/2 c. brown rice flour

1/2 c. millet flour

1 c. kefir

Combine above ingredients and allow to soak overnight (up to 12 hours)

The next morning, blend in the following ingredients:

2 eggs

1/2 c. honey

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. sea salt

3 tsp. cinnamon

1 medium apple, unpeeled, cored, and grated coarsely

1/2 c. raisins (optional)

1/2 c. walnuts (optional)

After mixing all ingredients, fill paper-lined muffin cups until almost full. Bake at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes or until done.

Don’t let the use of rolled oats scare you here. Soaking them overnight makes them tender and delicious. Really, you won’t notice that they are in the finished muffins. A nice variation we often enjoy is substituting 1 c. pureed pumpkin for the apple, no raisins, 2 tsp. cinnamon, 1 tsp. ginger, and 1 tsp. nutmeg. So delicious! You may find you need to add extra flour if your pumpkin puree is too thin, which is often the case with homemade pumpkin puree. I usually add a little brown rice flour if needed.

***It’s important to note that gluten free batter will not be as thick as a whole wheat batter. Gluten free baked goods have a tendency to be dry if the batter is too thick. Always err on the side of more liquid than less liquid if in doubt. Often, the batter should be thin like pancake batter.

***EDITTED TO ADD: You may use buttermilk or yogurt diluted with water (to the consistency of buttermilk) in place of kefir.

Making kefir and a Banana Nut Bread recipe

Chai it… and you’ll like it!

This time of year (and anytime, really!) I adore a nice cup of hot Chai tea. Soothing and uplifting all at the same time, this tea is a perfect pick-me-up. In the past, I’ve always bought organic Chai tea bags and brewed the tea that way. But after Diane’s post, I really wanted to try making my own loose Chai tea. Unfortunately, Mountain Rose Herbs was sold out of several of the spices I needed. Rats!

Not being the patient type (at all), I proceeded over to Amazon where I found a loose Chai that I absolutely adore. This mix has a wonderful balance.

Frontier Loose Organic Chai Tea is fair trade certified and absolutely delicious. I’m hooked! I’ve been making it in my French press and it works beautifully. Best of all, this tea is priced for less than what I could buy the spices and make it myself, and it qualifies for Amazon super-saver free shipping. Yes!

Nourishing Traditions Meatloaf (gluten free version)

This meatloaf is so good! I must admit, I’ve always been a big fan of meatloaf. My mom has a wonderful recipe that I’ve made for my own family for years now. What I like about the Nourishing Traditions recipe is all the added vegetables that are tucked inside it!

Seriously, look at all those veggies! And every member of the family eats this dish with glee… (mama is smiling.)

I adapted the original recipe to suit our family’s needs: gluten free rolled oats were substituted in place of the bread crumbs, I omitted the chili flakes (for the kids), and kicked up the cracked black pepper. I chose to use a mix of ground turkey and ground beef in equal amounts, and I omitted the ground heart and fish sauce (mainly because I didn’t have these ingredients on hand).

 

This is the meatloaf all ready to go into the oven. IT’S SO GOOD!!!

If you’d like to give the recipe a try yourself, you can find it recipe here.

A busy season (and I’m still here!)

I’ve had an incredibly busy season around here the past few weeks. Actually, I quite literally bitten off more than I could chew!

I’ve been teaching a bible study, attending another, substituting for Daniel’s class, planting my fall garden, learning to cook without gluten (more on that later), and trying to maintain my sanity while keeping up with all of my usual chores… WHEW! I’m still here. Tired, but here.

I must tell you that I feel incredibly blessed. I have wonderful friends and family (thank you to those who asked about me!), a little homestead in the making, and access to good nourishing food – truly a blessing.

Last week, one of our girls laid a gigantic egg (look at the top middle photo above) that had a double yolk. It was destined to become an egg and cheese sandwich. So, so delicious. And, I’ve been absolutely delighted to find out that giving up gluten didn’t mean I had to give up bread.

I was frightened at even the thought! We LOVE brownies, muffins, and bread. LOVE. LOVE. LOVE.

I’m now soaking ALL my grains (even though they’re gluten-free) and it’s made a tremendous difference. Before, I would soak if I remembered to, but not always. (Shame.) I just didn’t understand how truly important and necessary the process was. And I’ve been sick not realizing that it could be SO EASILY remedied. Now, I’m meticulous in the kitchen. It’s made a difference in my health. You can read about preparing nourishing foods here. (Do yourself a favor and check out the link.)

I’m making bread (I’ll be trying sourdough with gluten free grains this week) and crackers and yes, BROWNIES! All with gluten-free grains. It wasn’t as hard as I imagined it would be, and I’ll be sharing my new favorite recipes with you soon. I’ve long loved lacto-fermented veggies such as sauerkraut, but now I’m learning to enjoy kefir (thanks Diane!) and kombucha as healthy additions to my diet. I feel better than I have in a very long time.

Here on the homestead, life is good. God has blessed us with a few fall tomatoes (with more vegetables forthcoming), fun times spent together in the great outdoors (now that it’s finally cooled off a little!), and hope for the future. Did I mention we’ll be getting goats soon? Oh, my goodness!

Delicious 100 % Whole Wheat Banana Nut Bread

I’ve always had a fondness for banana nut bread. Not only do I love the flavor, but also it appeals to the frugal cook inside me - never wanting to waste bananas that are past their prime to eat out of hand. My grandmother, my mother, and I made this banana nut bread for many years. The old recipe is delicious, but my new banana nut bread recipe is tasty and better for you than the original version. No white flour or white sugar allowed in my kitchen these days. I’ve spent the last year or so perfecting this recipe, and I believe I’ve finally nailed my idea of the perfect banana nut bread. It’s rich and moist, and not overly sweet. And it’s crusty good on the outside. Oh, yeah! We never make it waiting on this bread to cool… it’s so yummy still warm from the oven.

Go ahead and give it a try. It’s super easy…

Mel’s 100% Whole Wheat Banana Nut Bread

2 cups whole wheat flour (Use freshly ground hard red wheat if possible. If not, store bought whole wheat flour works, too.)

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 cup oil (Organic canola oil is great, and butter works, too.)

1/2 cup evaporated cane juice (Organic sugar – go ahead and double this if you have a moderate sweet tooth.)

1 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs

3 medium very ripe brown speckled bananas

1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl (I use my KitchenAid mixer) beat together bananas, oil, vanilla, and eggs for about 1 minute. Directly to mixing bowl (you can combine the dry ingredients in a separate bowl first, but I skip this step with no adverse effects) add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Mix on low speed just until combined and somewhat smooth. Fold in chopped walnuts. Pour into a greased tube pan or two loaf pans. Bake 40-45 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Enjoy!

Canning Season

Slowly but surely, my canning pantry is beginning to fill up with deliciousness.

There are plum preserves… and fig preserves will soon follow. The figs are plentiful, but not quite ripe.

And one of my favorites, bread-and-butter pickles. I have a dear friend who gave me some yellow squash pickles this winter and I knew I would make these this year. Aren’t they gorgeous? I’ll make some dill pickles out of my lemon cucumbers soon. I’m planning to pickle them whole which I think will be lovely.

And I’m on the verge of a tomato canning marathon. There will be salsa, spaghetti sauce, and stewed tomatoes to enjoy this winter. Yum!

I had to share this fluke with you…

Have you ever seen such? I’d never seen anything like it, and oddly enough, a friend of mine had a couple of these turn up in her garden, too.

It’s a mystery to me.

Yes, it brings me happiness to see these empty jars being filled. I know we’ll appreciate all of this hard work come winter. There’s nothing I’d rather be doing than nourishing my sweet family. It just feels right to be doing these things. I don’t plan to do much canning this summer. Only tomatoes, pickles, preserves, apple pie filling, and applesauce. I simply won’t live without these things in the winter. For everything else, we’ll enjoy it while it’s in season. I’m planning a fall and winter garden this year, and we’ll enjoy what the ground offers then. It just makes sense to eat this way - with produce at it’s peak. Besides, I love cabbage, rutabagas, turnips, broccoli, and other cool weather veggies. There will also be stored winter squash to enjoy, as well as onions and potatoes. I am grateful that God allows us to enjoy the fruits of our labors and find joy in the simple things. This is such a good life He has given us. I purpose to make the most of it each and every day. What a magnificent creation he has given us to enjoy!