Because we prefer to buy much of our food directly from farmers, we often visit the farms where our food is grown or raised. Below is footage of my attempt to “greet” a dairy cow at Kvam Family Farm (West Point, NE). We tried to approach cow after cow, but every one just politely rejected us and walked slowly in the opposite direction. So when this cow actually stayed put…and not only that, but lifted her head in my direction, I got a little “spooked.” It’s embarrassing to look back at the video and to see how docile these creatures really are, but I just have a fear (as slightly irrational as it may be) of most any animal that weighs more than I do – horns or not!!
Author Archives: Christy
It’s Everywhere!! The Many Hidden Names for MSG!
So…you’re not eating MSG anymore because you’ve heard all about its health effects, right?!
Unfortunately, many products that say “MSG-Free” on the front of the package actually still contain hidden sources of this toxin. And it’s perfectly legal according to current labeling laws!
Outraged?! You should be!
It’s difficult to list all of the possible names that can disguise MSG because the food industry always seems to stay one step ahead of us consumers when creating new ways to “describe” their ingredients. For starters, though, click here for an overview of many of the names which disguise MSG on food labels.
Commonly reported physical effects of MSG ingestion are also included in the above link. I’m sure most of you will see a few ailments on that list that “hit close to home.”
This is just one example of the crap that we’re better off avoiding in our food as much as possible. Reading food labels can be really tricky, so it’s best to just:
1) Avoid foods with lengthy ingredients lists.
2) Don’t assume that a food has no ingredients list. For example, you may think that “sour cream,” “ground beef,” and “garlic salt” are pretty self-explanatory. But you’d be surprised at what you’ll find lurking on the back of the package of certain brands (I’ll blog about those later)!
3) If a food contains even ONE ingredient that you don’t understand, then leave it on the grocery shelf!
For many of us, it doesn’t take much of a toxin to have a devastating health effect, so don’t fool yourself into thinking that a little bit doesn’t matter! And, unless you enjoy spending hours at the store and online researching chemical ingredients, just stick with basic additive-free foods! If you’re not sure where to start with making such dietary changes, I’ve worked hard to create a book just for you! My “Eating Additive-Free” Natural Cookbook & Grocery Guide contains 160 delicious and simple natural recipes as well as ALL of the grocery shopping guidance you need to make every one of my recipes! Click here for more details, pictures, complete Table of Contents and ordering instructions. It’s available as an e-book (instant download)!
How NOT to Recycle!
First off, I apologize for the blurry photo (click to enlarge…if you dare!). I snapped this shot as quickly as humanly possible. It’s hard enough to get along in this world as a “food freak;” the last thing I need is to be spotted out in public taking pictures of trash receptacles!
Throwing away my trash used to be soooooo easy! Not anymore. And I’m the first to admit that I am no match for these new set ups. It literally took me 3 minutes to figure out what to do with my fork – and I’m pretty sure I still got it wrong!
With my extreme food sensitivities it is nearly impossible for me to go out to eat – usually more stressful than it’s worth. So you can imagine my dismay when this additional obstacle greeted me just as I was about to declare my dining experience a success!
Admittedly, I was already feeling intimidated and defeated upon approaching the “recycling center” at this local eating establishment. I was just sure that everyone else knew exactly what to do and that even the slightest hesitation on my part would reveal me as some sort of “un-green,” heartless, waste-producing consumer.
As I neared the bins, I was relieved to see that “hard plastics” clearly belong in the red bin. Awesome! My fork met both of those criteria!
As I reached to deposit my fork, I realized that the sign for this bin also instructed, “Clean materials only. No food.” Ahhhh…..my fork totally still had food on in it. Don’t worry though, I had the fork tightly in my grasp at this point (crisis averted).
But, what to do?? I consulted the guy next to me who informed me that I was not misinterpreting…this bin, indeed, only accepted “clean” plastics.
Alright. Here’s the embarrassing part – I panicked and threw it in the “landfill” bin. And, yes, these recycling set-ups sure do make a person feel guilty for throwing something away….but, hey, I truly wanted to recycle that darn fork…really!
Unfortunately, good intentions don’t count for much with the landfill bin, which went on to taunt me with its sign stating, “Recycling bins are available on the premises.” Yes, thank you; I realize that! But, evidently, I don’t have what it takes to successfully utilize said bins, so here’s my fork. Sorry.
Why not just lick the food off of the fork?!?!? Brilliant! But that didn’t occur to me until it was too late.
So, here’s my suggestion (for what it’s worth). These bins need to join the 21st century. Would it be too much to ask for them to be equipped with scanners that inspect your items and then counsel you on your depositing decision? Just sayin….
3 FREE Sample Recipes from My Cookbook
Wondering if you’d enjoy the recipes in my “Eating Additive-Free” natural cookbook & grocery shopping guide??
Here’s your chance to take my cookbook for a “test drive” and try a few of them for free! Let me know how you like the recipes below; there are over 150 more waiting for you in my cookbook…enjoy! Click here for pricing info, ordering instructions and the complete Table of Contents!
Lemonade
(sweetened with raw honey!)
-¾ cup raw honey (or less, to taste)
-1 cup lemon juice (preferably freshly squeezed)
-6 cups water or carbonated water
-ice cubes (optional)
Mix the honey with lemon juice until the honey dissolves, using a whisk or shaking in a jar or other tightly-sealed container (we just use a half-gallon glass jar). Add the water and refrigerate until cold or serve immediately over ice, if you prefer.
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100% Whole Wheat Banana Bread
Preheat oven to 350.
Grease a Bundt pan or mini loaves pan.
**Tip – Just use the inside of the wrapper from the butter stick to grease the pan. It works great!
Combine with a hand mixer in a large bowl:
-2 eggs
-3/4 cup honey
-1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened
-2 or 3 VERY ripe bananas, smashed (enough to yield about 1 1/4 cups once smashed).
-1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Then mix in:
-1/4 tsp sea salt
-1/2 tsp aluminum-free baking powder
-1/2 tsp aluminum-free baking soda (like Bob’s Red Mill brand)
Then mix in:
-2 cups 100% whole-wheat flour
Mix well. (This batter will be lumpy, due to the small chunks of banana and, possibly, some chunks of butter….that’s fine.)
If using a Bundt pan, bake 40-45 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean when poked in the middle of the loaf.
If using mini loaves pans, cut time back to 37 minutes. Ovens vary, so keep checking with toothpick.
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Smothered Chicken
Serves 4
-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
-1 TBSP olive oil
-1 green pepper, sliced
-1 red pepper, sliced
-1 onion, sliced
-1/2 cup each: shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheeses
Spices
-1 tsp dried oregano
-1/2 tsp salt
-1/2 tsp garlic granules
-1/4 tsp black pepper
-1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
*Check out our Grocery Shopping Guide for our tips on selecting the most additive-free versions of every ingredient used in our recipes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a large casserole dish. Thin/flatten breasts: place on a cutting board, cover with plastic wrap and beat gently with a meat mallet. Mix all spices together and spread over chicken breasts. Bake uncovered for about 20 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 170 degrees.
While chicken is cooking, heat oil in a large skillet. Add veggies and sauté until tender. When chicken is done, spoon vegetables over chicken and sprinkle with cheese. Return to oven until cheese melts. Enjoy!
(Psst….If you enjoy these recipes, be sure to get yourself a copy of our additive-free cookbook & grocery shopping guide, “Eating Additive-Free“! It’s stuffed with 150+ more tasty recipes!! Your satisfaction is guaranteed…or your money back!)
Completely Nourished 