The farther from the equator, the farther we are from Father Sun. In the Northeastern United States and the Subarctic Rainforest region of the Northwestern United States we receive very little sunshine during the winter months. The opportunities to metabolize some good old vitamin "D" from its most natural source, the sun, are scarce. This is even more so for those who choose to hibernate, rather than get their exercise participating in mountainous, outdoor activities.
According to Sally Fallon, author of Nourishing Traditions, of the Weston A. Price Foundation, Getting your healthy dose of Vitamin "D" is best sourced from natural, Cod Liver Oil and purchased from a company with a reputation for screening of pollutants and toxins. (For more information on this you can visit... |
12/25/2015 0 Comments Liquid Sunshine for Winter BLUES!
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With bountiful harvests showering us with nourishing foods, this time of year can inspire even the most novice food enthusiast.
If you are like me, you watched your mother pack pickling cukes into canning jars, drowning them in a vinegar and spice concoction and then processing them in a large canning pot. While this process produced edible pickles, a notch up from the ones found on the supermarket shelves, they were unfortunately devout of beneficial nutrients and enzymes. However, just a couple of generations ago, our relatives did not have the luxury of freezers or high heat, canning machines to preserve food. Instead, an ancient method called lacto-fermentation was used to preserve food. Lactic acid is a natural preservative that inhibits the growth of harmful bacteria. These methods have been used all over the world for ages to preserve a wide range of nourishing foods. To make pickled vegetables is easy and requires little ingredients. 1. Vegetables 2. Water 3. Sea Salt 4. Spices According to Sally Fallon of the Weston A. Price Foundation (author of Nourishing Traditions), "Salt inhibits putrefying bacteria for several days until enough lactic acid is produced to preserve the vegetables for many months. The amount of salt can be reduced or even eliminated if whey (the watery stuff on the top of yogurt is an example of whey) is added to the pickling solution. Rich in lactic acid and lactic-acid-producing bacteria, whey acts as an inoculant, reducing the time needed for sufficient lactic acid to be produced to ensure preservation. Use of whey will result in consistently successful pickling; it is essential for pickling fruits. During the first few days of fermentation, the vegetables are kept at room temperature; afterwards, they must be placed in a cool, dark place for long-term preservation." There has been a lot of recent attention and information surfacing as to the benefits, the methods, and the history of lacto-fermentation. Sally Fallon further explains that, "lacto-fermentation has numerous advantages beyond those of simple preservation. The proliferation of lactobacilli in fermented vegetables enhances their digestibility and increases vitamin levels. These beneficial organisms produce numerous helpful enzymes as well as antibiotic and anticarcinogenic substances." Sandor Katz, author of Wild Fermentation,notes that, "Hundreds of medical and scientific studies confirm what folklore has always known: Fermented foods help people stay healthy." Until fairly recently, the only option for fermenting pickles was to submerse the pickles under the line of water in a crock or jar. This was done in order to create an anaerobic (oxygen free) environment to further inhibit "bad" bacteria growth. Occasionally the crock would need to be checked to skim off any benign growth on the surface. Eventually, you would have nicely pickles veggies, packed with beneficial enzymes and nutrients. We now have the ability to create an anaerobic environment easily with a handy little tool called an airlock. This removes the responsibility of having to 'baby-sit' or check on your fermenting jars on a daily basis and negates any need for skimming. There are a few companies who have created a optimal combination of a glass pickling jar with an airlock. (*see link below) The lids on these traditional canning jars are removable and interchangeable so when it comes time to transfer your pickles to the fridge, you can place a standard lid on top.
Several years ago it was brought to my attention that dangers may be present in our own kitchens. The very place and the very tools I use to prepare nourishing meals for my family may also be poisoning them. I also learned that we must be objective and diligent in our research to find truths about manufactured products. For instance in regards to cookware, food storage and dinnerware, when an item is labeled "food safe" this does not mean that it is lead free. This only indicates that the item's toxicity levels are within the approved limits. Well, this leaves me with many more questions.
1. Who decides these limits, why do limits change frequently, and if something is within limit today, will it be next week, month, or year? 2. Everyone is not the same. We all react differently and have different levels of sensitivity toward foreign substances. In addition, babies and children have much smaller systems than adults and can be at risk for higher toxicity accumulations at a quicker rate. Is this taken into account when quantifying the "approved limits"? 3. When they state "lead free glaze" they are speaking of the glaze, this disclosure does not say anything about the rest of the item. Slow Cookers aka. Crock Pots and Rice Cookers In some homes this small appliance is the center of the kitchen. Wholesome meals are created and are often times welcoming us home. Why then, have the safety of these pots been overlooked for so long? Lead paint in toys has been banned for quite some time as children can put the toys into their mouths. But for some reason it is okay to feed them food that has been cooked in ceramic glazes containing lead. Some manufactures have now addressed this danger and have opted to sell products that are now labeled "food safe". While we can rest assured that toxic substances such as lead, cadmium will be within "approved limits" this does not mean that it is free of these substances and actually is safe. In addition, products made in other countries where they often do not have lead and cadmium limits may not meet permitted levels for lead and other toxic substances. As a general rule, terra cotta cookware without lead glaze seems to be the best option at the moment. The Vita Clay Slow Cooker uses an unglazed terra cotta pot and also doubles as a rice cooker. This was a real bonus for me since I could combine two appliances in one and the model I use is fully programmable. I use it for making bone broth stock for soups, pork roasts, and even set it to have porrage (oatmeal) waiting for us in the morning. While it is not a perfect machine (the heating element is aluminum although no aluminum comes into contact with the food) I feel it is the best option out there for what it offers. Below is a handful of units that I have found to be wiser options. The clay pots are made of a nutritionally mineral dense clay and are unglazed. For those wanting a more durable, dishwasher safe option there is an "all" stainless steel Rice Cooker. While stainless steel is not as safe as unglazed clay, it is far safer than BPA and other toxin leaching plastics as well as lead contained ceramics. I wonder if a local potter could make a custom pot for a slow cooker? Hmmmmmm..... |
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