Pomona's Universal Pectin & Turbinado

Okay.  The results are in.  And we have a WINNER!

I mentioned last week when I made strawberry jam using Pomona Pectin with turbinado that using that particular sweetener was not recommended by Pomona.  Because the crystals in turbinado are large, the pectin could not be completely disbursed throughout the sweetener.  That could cause pectin globules to be throughout your jam...a very undesirable outcome to say the least.

Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread

A good sourdough is one of those things that I just absolutely love.  Paired with a good cheese and some fresh fruit...Mmmmmm.

Sourdough is also one of the healthiest breads you can eat.  Because of the natural yeasts and long slow rise, many of the anti-nutrients are broken down and ready to be assimilated (my kids' favorite word lately) into your body.

Menu Monday, July 9

Yep.  Summer has hit the Pacific Northwest.  Been doing my best to get in my Vitamin D.  I think this past week I've gotten the same amount I'd gotten the whole year so far.  It's good.

Monday
B: Oatmeal with peaches
L: Grilled cheese on sourdough; raw veggies & dip
D: Shredded beef soft tacos; Spanish rice; garden salad with ranch dressing; mock frozen yogurt

Strawberry Syrup

Photo credit

Our son, Dane, really loves fruit on his pancakes and waffles.  I normally will make a fruit compote for him on the weekends to enjoy along with a small amount of pure maple syrup.

So when we went strawberry picking, I decided to pick a little more than we did last year so I had enough to make jam and to try my hand at strawberry syrup.

Making strawberry syrup is so easy.  I was amazed at how beautiful and flavorful this treat is.  And it isn't just for pancakes or waffles.  I can see that it would be wonderful drizzled on ice cream or fresh fruit like cantaloupe or pears for simple dessert.  You could even add it to a sparkling water with cream for a healthier Italian soda.  Do I have your attention yet?

Pomona Pectin Turbinado Sweetened Strawberry Jam

Yikes.  That post title is a mouthful.  But, oh, what a sweet mouthful it is.

I mentioned a couple days ago that I had made strawberry jam last week using a different pectin that allowed me to use a natural sweetener.  Last year, my friend Roberta told me about Pomona's Universal Pectin and the benefits of using this product. 

But let me digress for a moment.  Someone gave us a jar of jam last year that was wonderful.  It tasted like the real fruit.  But there was one little problem.  There were these small pellet-sized white jellybean-like things all throughout the jam.  They didn't taste like anything, but it made the texture pretty weird.  We all wondered, what...is...that?

My Allegiance

I pledge allegiance to the flag

Of the United States of America

And to the Republic for which it stands

One nation

Under God

Indivisible

With liberty and justice...

For all. 

May God bless you and your family this Independence Day and always.

Live in Victory!

Lynette

Urge Trader Joe’s to Sell Meat Raised Without Antibiotics

A shocking 80% of antibiotics sold in the U.S. are used not by humans, but by the meat and poultry industries, making factory farm animals grow fatter faster and enabling them to survive crowded and unsanitary conditions. The facilities and feedlots where these cows, chickens, and pigs live are teeming with antibiotic-resistant bacteria that make their way into the air, water, soil, your food, and you.

Unfortunately, the Food and Drug Administration has done little to protect us, so now it’s time for consumers to act. That’s why I joined the Center for Food Safety and the Meat Without Drugs campaign, starting where we can have the most impact – our neighborhood supermarkets. We’re calling on Trader Joe’s to commit to selling only meat raised without antibiotics.

Retailers drive change throughout their supply chains, but first they have to hear from us! This campaign starts with Trader Joe’s – they are an industry leader and can start a chain reaction throughout the marketplace.

This rampant use of antibiotics completely disregards the public health, the environment, and food security in exchange for short-term profits. The consequences are real: according to the Centers for Disease Control, every year 2 million people contract an antibiotic-resistant infection, and 90,000 of them die.

Join me in asking Trader Joe’s to lead the way in getting antibiotics out of our food chain!


Live in Victory!
Lynette

Please sign the petition here:
http://bit.ly/TraderJoesPetition

FREE Real Food Summit!

If you’ve wanted to take a Real Food class in recent months but couldn’t swing the cost, now is your chance to take advantage of a complete online and FREE Real Food class!

Sean Croxton’s Real Food Summit begins soon, and you’ll need to be signed up to take advantage of the special, so sign up here!!!

The first 500 registrants will receive a FREE 1-year subscription to Organic Gardening Magazine.

And as a bonus…

When you register here, you’ll also receive Joel Salatin’s Real Food Defined presentation, also for FREE!  He’ll teach you:

• How properly-raised animals contribute to farm sustainability
• How to cut through the poultry, beef and poor labeling confusion
• The problems and obstacles within the commercial supermarket system
• The art of humane animal treatment
• Whether or not Real Food can feed the world

SIGN UP NOW!

A Year's Worth of Strawberries

Strawberry season is late this year in the Pacific Northwest.  Just late last week, our favorite berry farm opened for u-pick, so the kiddos and I jumped in the truck and off we went.

This year we picked 43 pounds of berries.  What does one do with that many strawberries?  Well, this is what we did:

Book Review: Mondays with My Old Pastor

I just finished reading Mondays with My Old Pastor by Jose Luis Navajo.  Honestly, once I picked it up I couldn't put it down.  Between the author's honesty in his relationship with God and work for the church, and his "old pastor's" insight and colorful stories that helped to teach, I finished the book in a day.

Menu Monday, July 2

Photo credit

I've lived in the Pacific Northwest almost all my life.  Yes, we do get a lot of cloudy, rainy days.  And we joke in our household that summer doesn't actually arrive up here until July 5th.  This could be the week.

Fireworks.  I can tell that I'm not as "youthful" as I used to be. I used to have a more "live and let live" attitude toward the numbskulls that are desperately trying to blow their own hand off at the wee hours of the morning.  But now, I'd be happy if our town passed an ordinance that allowed fireworks only on the 4th.  That says a lot because if you know me, you know how much I love government regulation.  Uh, ya.

For Independence Day, our family normally enjoys a nice, (hopefully) quiet day at home.  This year, though, we will be spending it out on the boat (weather permitting, of course).  Boy am I looking forward to that.


How do you like to celebrate the 4th of July?


Monday
B: Oatmeal with strawberries
L: Meatloaf sandwiches; raw veggies & dip; fruit
D: Layered fiesta bake; garden salad with ranch dressing; mock frozen yogurt