feeding a family: part one

i've been trying to write this post for about a month now. but for some small little reason i've had a hard time getting around to it......

thankfully my friend recently messaged me a question about feeding her one year old daughter, and this gave me the starting point to "feeding a family."  i want to share this with you because having a "picky eater" is so common in our culture. so i hope you can gain inspiration from our conversation. please jump in and leave a comment about what has helped you to nourish your children (and other loved ones). after all, i think our best resource is each other and the trial and errors we've gone through on the journey. tune in next week for part two of this series, as i bring the "logistical" part of feeding everyone nourishing foods:)

here is her message to me:


Hi Eleni, 
I am writing you because I am having a bit of a problem with "julie" being picky with food. I was wondering if you could suggest something. Before, she loved everything- spinach and all. Now she is really giving me more of a hard time eating. She still gets homemade goats milk formula. Did Dimitri go through any picky stages? It is an awkward eating time because she doesn't really want pureed foods anymore. She wants solid foods. But obviously they have to be in bitty pieces. She likes any fruit, ezekiel toast, eggs, oatmeal, mushrooms(random huh?), and she likes crunchy things a lot. But not too many veggies these days. I thought maybe I could give her green smoothies to get some of the greens she is lacking in. Luckily, she does get some spirulina powder in her milk. Do you have any suggestions?



here is my message back to her:


well it really sounds like your doing a great job of getting variety in. have you tried the green smoothies with her? does she like them? with dimitri i always felt assured that he was getting everything he needed each day by having a "fully loaded" green juice or smoothie every morning. that way later in the day if he chose to only eat other foods that weren't nutrient dense (like toast, pasta, or any baked goods i might have around) i knew he had already surpassed his nutritional needs. at this stage, while she hasn't been exposed to overly sweet foods, she should be pretty receptive to some hardcore green juices. i think her shift in not eating everything you put in front of her is just her realizing what she likes and doesn't like, so don't worry if she doesn't eat what you've chosen for her every time. when dimitri was still transitioning to solids, he would nibble on raw collard greens no problem. but later, as he ate more and more new foods, eating a raw collard just wasn't as appealing to him as other more exciting foods.

I've read a lot that babies and toddlers will go through phases where they'll be really into a certain food one day and then have no interest at all in it the next. they're total "swingers." hehe:) anyway, continue to offer the foods she resists and when she's ready she'll try it again and at some point enjoy the flavors again.

another thing thats always worked really well for us is, whatever I'm eating, dimitri will eat. no matter what:) maybe you could let her pick the food right off your plate if she's ready for that.

a recent discovery for us was giving him a few options at a time to choose from at snack time. he would ask me for a snack and i'd get him what i had ready for a snack or whatever i could get quickly, like a banana. and half the time he wouldn't eat it, and would get all upset. i finally read an article that talked about toddlers liking to have choices. so whenever he asks for a snack now ill put three healthy things on a plate and let him have at it. some times hell eat just one, other times hell eat all three. either way i can feel good about his decision making. i know "julie's" not at that toddler stage yet, but since girls mature faster, she might be ready for something like that.

oh and another way to sneak veggies in would be to "hide them in plain sight." literally just sneak them in everything she already likes. lets say she wants something sweet so you make her chocolate avocado pudding...pulse in some zucchini with it and spinach too. dimitris a big fan of rice. whenever i make it i sautee veggies in the pot first and then cook them up in the rice. that works really well with all the grains, legumes and beans we eat. does she do scrambie eggs yet? that's another great place to sneak them in.

dimitri eating a sunday afternoon lunch of brown rice, lentils and sautéed vegetables.

jeeze, i just thought of another one. if i leave food out on the counter, dimitri will be so curious he won't stop until he's tasted it.... and then of course stood there and finished off the whole thing. this usually happens after i've roasted chopped veggies and just left them on top of the stove to cool. yesterday i had to pull him away from the kitchen to stop picking at the roasted broccoli...what a great problem to have! or if i have a bowl of nuts and dried fruit sitting around, hell get excited when he "finds" it and eat the whole thing. so i guess for this one, have little things within her eyesight that she can grab if she wants it.

i hope you can use some of these suggestions with your princess. i think the most important thing is that you only offer foods that are nourishing. as long as you do that, no matter what she's eating, you know its doing good in her body.

JESUS LOVES YOU!

the latte revival

upon moving to germany in september i sadly waved goodbye to my beloved raw lattes:( you can enjoy some of my favorite recipes here, here and here. finding quality raw nuts at a decent price was harder than i thought. remembering to soak nuts overnight for milk making in the morning, was even harder as i became more and more pregnant;) ahhh but the time has come for a revival! 

athena at eight hours old

12 days ago i gave birth to the sweetest little girl i have ever met. athena gloriella was born at 6:15 a.m. at our home, which was dimly lit with candles as the subtle sounds of worship music created an unforgettable atmosphere. when the time is right, the chronicles of her journey to earth will be posted....as well as dimitri's since that's something i never got around to. soon after her arrival....ok you got me, it was the very next morning.....my mind switched from pregnancy mode to full on mothering gear to take care of everyone and everything in my path.....because how would the world survive without me doing everything?! i had to think of a quick and easy way to nourish my two year old and myself before the midwife came over for our check up appointment, all while carrying a fresh 24 hour old baby, and taking care of my mother who had woken up sick that morning. god creates funny situations sometimes to let us know what we're capable of! if i hadn't had to "do it all" right after my baby was born, perhaps i'd be questioning my mothering/wifing skills and how i'd...well, do it all.

so i cracked some eggs in a skillet, threw some homemade sourdough blueberry muffins, fresh from the freezer for emergencies like this, into the oven to thaw, and then the light bulb lit up. how else to round out this breakfast for optimum energy, nourishment, and of course enjoyment? the latte! since i haven't kept fresh nut milks in the house for a few months, the basics to my glass of magic needed to be altered just a bit. i now keep homemade kefir in my fridge on the regular, so that obviously needed to make a star appearance. for dimitri to enjoy this concoction as much as i would, it definitely had to have a chocolatey flavor. and so the most amazing latte was born, as i danced around the kitchen with the most amazing children i know, on the morning after the most amazing day of my life:)


dimitri and i just guzzled down this latte this afternoon. unfortunately we did it so fast, i didn't get any photos of it! i did however steal some photos of the new princess around here, so you can enjoy those instead;)

                cuddling in daddy's arms

when my husband tasted this, he described the flavors as "something you would get at a coffee shop," hence the name.....

bath time with grandma

CHOCOLATE COFFEE SHOP LATTE
1 1/2 c raw milk or coconut milk (i prefer the raw milk, but on the weeks i can't make it out to the farmer, organic canned coconut milk will yield the  same rich creaminess)
1/4 c kefir
1 handful spinach
1 handful ice
2 dates
2 tbs roasted sunflower seed butter
2 tbs cocoa powder
1 tbs maca powder (optional)
1 tbs coconut oil (optional)
1 tbs raw honey
1 tsp bee pollen (optional)
1 tsp vanilla extract
dash sea salt

*throw everything except ice in the blender and blend on high until everything is smooth and creamy like a proper latter should be;)

*add ice and blend again.

*pour in your favorite starbucks thermos and pretend like your trendy.

JESUS LOVES YOUR LATTE DRINKIN SELF!

grain free chocolate cupcakes

let me just tell you how cool my husband and i are.  every year on valentines day, we get super excited for the food that we'll be celebrating with.  

no romantically plotted dates.

no forced cheesiness.

no flowers.

no store bought chocolates.

just food.

the first year we were together on valentines day, we planned to celebrate by making a gluten free pizza together.  since i was such a great girl friend, i let him have total jurisdiction over the topping choices.  i should have been expecting it when he chose something so weird....eggplant.  so to honor his request, i prepared roasted eggplant chunks. and then i made the dough. and i let the dough rise. and then i rolled the dough and baked it. and then i topped it with sauce, cheese and the eggplant. ....while he watched tv.... yes, this is our idea of romance.  anyways, the pizza turned out incredible!  we enjoyed it while watching a movie and cuddling.  and thus the monster was created; a husband who expects eggplant pizza every year on valentines day.

we've continued with this tradition, but more recently ive made us gluten free pizza or calzones once a month or so.  apparently this repetition has worked beautifully to my advantage to calm down his valentines pizza cravings, cuz you better believe im all about chocolate!  i usually make one thing for valentines dessert, but perhaps being nine months pregnant has influenced me towards the decision to make multiple treats for us to enjoy this year;) among them will be my favorite cupcakes.

this chocolate cupcake recipe has been under my belt for a few years now.  i love to feed it to non gluten free people and watch as it rocks their world.  this cupcake is so smooth, moist and chocolatey, that you would never guess its base is black beans, let alone gluten free!  its light and fluffy, leaving you feeling heavenly with each bite lingering on your taste buds:) oh i can't wait for valentines day!

GRAIN FREE CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

1 15 oz can organic black beans, drained and rinsed well

5 organic eggs, plus 1 yolk

2/3 c honey

6 tbs butter

6 tbs cocoa powder

1 tbs pure vanilla extract

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

*preheat oven to 350 degrees and line muffin tins with cupcake papers.  i read a trick recently to make cupcakes the shape of hearts: place a marble in between each paper and the side of the pan. as you pour the batter in, this should create a heart shape. haven't tried it, so don't be mad at me if it doesn't work out!

*place all ingredients in food processor and mix until smooth.

*pour 3/4 of the way up each muffin tin. bake for 22 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  

*these are so great on their own, a crazy frosting just might ruin them. if you want to top them keeping it simple would work out wonderful with something like real whipped cream, or a chocolate drizzle made of coconut oil, cocoa powder and honey.

*enjoy them with your valentine:)

wouldn't you love it if this stud was your valentine too?

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!

what will you be making for valentines day?

JESUS LOVES YOU:)

the ravioli fiasco

"sorry this is so crappy guys. but at least try to get full." dinner should never start off with such harsh words, and yet it did last night.  to my horror, the homemade gluten free ravioli i had envisioned to serve my husband and son for dinner, played out far worse than my scariest nightmares.  spending hours in the kitchen, using up expensive gluten free flours, and six freaking organic eggs!!!....only to have it land on a  plate as a total disaster, literally left me feeling unsatisfied with my whole day as i laid my head on my pillow last night.  am i crazy or what?

not only did it taste horrible, but it looked horrible as well

so let's start from the beginning.  ever since we got to germany, i've had strange longings for foods that i haven't had in a while.  some may say pregnancy, but i know myself, and i say it's desiring to eat for comfort and to induce feelings of familiarity in a foreign place.  cheese filled ravioli has always had a special place in my heart.  whether it was the frozen garbage straight out of the bag, eaten for lunch with friends as a teenager, or ordering it in an upscale restaurant, those raviolis always treated me right.  so i've been searching for a frozen gluten free ravioli to make, knowing in advance that it would be a task and a half to try this from scratch.  with no luck (for the last five years!) i finally had the courage for some stupid reason this week, to think "hmmm ill try to make homemade ravioli for dinner one night." oh how naive of me.....

so i found a good sounding recipe from a trusted gluten free blog.  i love everything over at http://glutenfreegirl.com/, and felt pretty confident about how straight forward her gluten free ravioli recipe was.  and as a bonus, she was also rolling her dough out with a rolling pin for lack of that "must have" pasta making machine.  watch enough food network, and you too will realize that this is a necessity in every kitchen.  things were promising as i blended my flours of choice; brown rice, quinoa, corn starch and xanthan gum with the eggs, oil and salt in my food processor.  to my surprise the dough actually looked like a dough! and i was able to knead it! now we all know how rare that happens in the gluten free world... so i joyfully rolled the dough into a ball and set it in a dish to rest for a while.

things looked promising as i went upstairs to put dimitri down for his afternoon nap. just over a half hour later, i glided into the kitchen on a cloud thinking i was about to make a successful dinner from such a previously daunting task. wrong! here's where everything started to fall apart.  of course, when rolling gluten free dough, it will inevitably stick to your rolling pin. so, annoyed that this happened with my first portion of the dough, i pulled out my trusty wax paper and placed the dough between two sheets.  back and forth. back and forth. i vigorously rolled this dough out as thin as i could get it.  of course, when i tried to peel the top layer off, it was one huge sticky mess and wouldn't come off with out ruining the whole disk.  i regrouped, made a new game plan and decided to put the flattened dough, still between the sheets of wax paper in the freezer, so it could think about how to behave.  of course, my two year old had to wake up after only an hour of sleep.  so i laid down with him to help him fall back asleep, therefore leaving me more time to nurture this pasta to life. nope. didn't happen.  of course, he fell asleep, but woke up every time i moved to get off the bed for the next hour.  now this really put me behind.  the rest of my portions of dough were in the fridge waiting for me when i finally got back to the kitchen over an hour later.   so i rolled the three remaining portions between wax paper and stuck those in the freezer too.  when the first disk was finally frozen enough to take the wax paper off of it, i set out to cut them in squares, fill them with about a teaspoon of cheese and seal them off, all with a beautiful crimped
edge.  ive seen giada, mario and even bobby do this a million times on the food network in five seconds flat...how hard could this be?  ill tell you how hard it could be...i slaved in that kitchen for at least the next hour, trying to problem solve my way through this mess, as everything around me became disorderly, and my back cried out for a heating pad, only to have the dough continually fall apart in my hands and stick to everything! i did manage to get most of them into the pot of boiling water so i wouldn't be completely defeated.  at this point, i tried to get past the fact that they were all misshapen and looked ahead to smothering them in a delicious red sauce. wrong! of course, the texture was thick...like card board, and the flavor was just off, leaving a strange after taste in your mouth. it was utterly and completely gluten free. and the last thing you want to be thinking when you're eating something, is that it's gluten free.  if you can figure that fact out by just tasting something, then some where down the line things went horribly wrong. my husband comforted me by making jokes and continuing to taste them through out the cooking process.  but all we could really say in the end was "this would have been the most simple thing, had it just been regular white flour...."

if you have any information of the whereabouts of good gluten free ravioli (homemade or pre made...although at this point i think it will take a lot of counseling and reflection before i attempt to make it from scratch again) please send me the info.

jesus loves you! and thankfully he loves us when we make huge mistakes too!

sunbutter chocolate bites

homemade chocolates are my favorite

 and apparently, they're my husband's favorite too...a tray of twelve was gone in a week! 

and i only had three!

when i decided to come up with the recipe for these chocolates, i wanted them to be bigger than bite size, but small enough that they could be eaten in two or three bites. an ice cube tray was the perfect mold for the job.  smooth velvety homemade chocolate will make your conscience feel good about eating a sweet treat at any time:) since it's loaded with healthy fats from coconut oil, sunflower seed butter and almonds, you'll be nourishing your body as you tame your sweet tooth as well.

with two layers of filling, your tongue will dance with delight, as the chewy nougat mixes with the cookie layer!  i was even surprised at how well this combination worked out to transport me to that magical chocolate candy bar land.... but on a more important note, the nougat i created for this chocolate bite contains raw egg whites. what better way to come up with a healthy, fluffy consistency with just the right chew to it?  if this is concerning to you, or perhaps you've never had whipped raw egg whites, consider this: research shows that as few as three per thousand eggs are infected with salmonella.  and these findings are referring to the commercial variety.  i never use anything other than organic eggs in my kitchen for many reasons, but to avoid salmonella contamination is a reason high on the list.  Dr. Mercola states, 

whipped egg whites are fluffily like marshmallow dreams

"only sick chickens lay salmonella contaminated eggs."  stick with a trusted organic brand and this should never be an issue.  although egg whites, raw or cooked contain many nutrients, it's important to not overeat raw them.  Sally Fallon teaches, " it is fine to consume plenty of raw egg yolks, a custom found in many traditional diets, but consumption of raw egg whites on a regular basis can lead to digestive problems.  the problem is...that raw egg whites contain enzyme inhibitors that can interfere with protein digestion."  so have some self control, and don't go making these chocolates everyday!

to learn more about eggs and their true benefits check out these articles from the Weston A. Price Foundation.

this is what your cookie layer should look like

Sunbutter Chocolate Bites:

cookie:                                                                        

1/2 c almonds

5 dates

2 tsp maca

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/4 tsp sea salt

*place almonds and salt in food processor.  grind until the almonds have become a flour.

*pulse in the rest of the ingredients and run until the mixture holds together. add another date if its not sticky enough, or add a little water if it's too sticky.

* set cookie mixture aside.

nougat:

2/3 c gluten free puffed rice cereal (see notes)

1/2 c roasted sunflower seed butter

2 organic egg whites

2 tsp raw honey 

pinch sea salt

*beat sunbutter until smooth. (to help mine out, i added a tbs of warm water, since i store nut butters in the fridge.) set aside.

*in a separate bowl, beat the egg whites with the salt until you have reached firm peaks.  this should take around five minutes.

*little by little, fold the egg whites into the sunbutter.

*next stir in the honey and cereal.

*set aside.

he had to taste everything! he was downing coconut oil:)

chocolate:

1/2 c coconut oil                                                  

1/2-3/4 cocoa powder

1/2 c dark cocoa powder

1/4 c raw honey plus two tbs

dash sea salt

*gently melt the coconut oil on low heat.

*combine cocoas and salt.

*pour oil and honey into the cocoa mixture and whisk until smooth.

*taste and see if the chocolate is dark enough to your liking or sweet enough.  adjust by adding more cocoa or more honey.

assembly:

*pour about a teaspoon of chocolate on the bottom of each ice cube mold. let stand in the freezer for at least five minutes.

*after mold has been taken out of the freezer, pour a teaspoon of nougat in each mold. return to the freezer for at least five minutes.

*after mold has been taken out of freezer, mold a teaspoon of cookie layer to fit just inside the perimeter of the mold and set it on top of the nougat. press down gently.  next, cover the top with chocolate and enough to run down the sides and reach the bottom of the mold.

*let chocolates chill in the freezer for at least fifteen minutes before popping them out of molds. 

*this chocolate will not hold up very long at room temp, so store in freezer.

notes:

1. i wanted the inside of this chocolate to have a crunch factor.  my solution was the box of gluten free puffed rice cereal we had laying around. (we only eat cereal in emergencies around here...like when my son decides to wake up before 7 am and im not even alive yet to fix a real breakfast!) however, to my extreme disappointment, the cereal lost its characteristic crunch during the freezing process.  if you want to achieve a crunch with this bar i would suggest folding in raw cacao nibs, or chop up one of your favorite nuts.

2. when you're finished making chocolates, check around your house for mysterious little chocolate hand prints:)

instead of making a couple batches of these in ice cube trays, i decided to use my leftovers to make truffles for a new years party we went to.

i rolled the cookie layer in tiny balls. and then rolled a chocolate brownie layer made of walnuts, dates and salt around them.

then i covered them all in melted semi sweet chocolate:) they were awesome!

just between you and me, we all kept sneaking back to the fridge all night to grab more of these;)

happy new year and happy chocolate making!

JESUS LOVES YOU!!!!!

oh the christmas season....sigh....it comes and goes so fast.  and what is there left to do once all the hustle and bustle have died down, the presents have been opened and the egg nog has been drank?  make delicious broth of course!  our christmas morning was rather quiet this year.  we only had ourselves, and our plans included nothing more than watching dimitri tear through his presents, and eat my homemade gluten free cinnamon rolls while lounging in our pajamas all day.  it was a very successful christmas!  so my number one priority once all the fun was had, was to get the bones from my beautiful christmas eve turkey boiling away on the stove top.  our christmas smelled delicious:)

so what's so great about making your own broth?  why not just buy broth from the grocery store?  if you ever ask me these questions, ill slap you across the face and tell you to snap out of it!  not only is homemade broth filled with much more complex flavors than the can of mass production could ever offer, its nutritional density is matchless.  broths have been a staple in traditional societies around the world for centuries.  before western society harmed the purity of these civilizations, these people instinctively understood the life giving nutrients in homemade broths.  according to sally fallon, our modern science has proved that broth made properly with meat, bones, vegetables and herbs is loaded with calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, sulphur, gelatin and trace minerals.  although there are lots of nifty supplements on the market today to receive these nutrients, consuming homemade broth is the easiest way for the human body to assimilate all this magic.

our modern lifestyles have robbed us of the goodness that comes from slow boiling a broth all day long on the stove.  although broth from the store may seem like a great way to save time, or even sound healthful as it boasts "organic" or "low sodium" on the label, it will only be doing harm to the body in the long run.  MSG has been used in foods in the U.S. since the fifties, when food companies discovered how to use it to produce a meat like flavor in foods, with out actually using meat.  it is found in almost every store bought soup, stew and broth (not to mention all the crackers, chips, snack bars, boxed meals and frozen meals etc.).  this is extremely dangerous for the customer, but profitable for the companies who can extract a meat flavor by just manipulating inexpensive proteins from grains and legumes, to trick the tongue into tasting meat like flavors in flavorless processed foods.  MSG is usually disguised on the ingredient label as "spices," "natural flavoring," or "hydrolyzed  proteins."  making broth yourself is the only way to ensure this harmful substance is not sneaking its way into your body.  if you are not familiar with MSG and it's dangers, here are some sites to help you gain more understanding:

http://www.resourcesforlife.com/docs/item1225
http://www.truthinlabeling.org/
http://www.foodmatters.tv/_webapp_378860/The_Dangers_of_MSG
  

the greatest thing about broth is that it doesn't require a  specific recipe.  there are endless possibilities of wonderful deep flavors just waiting to be born in your kitchen once you have the basic formula down.  here are the basic steps i take to make a nourishing broth:

*i take my whole turkey or chicken (i don't like fish, so fish broth is a no go in our house, but by all means knock yourself out. i haven't made beef broth yet, but its certainly on my to do list!) and cut it loose from its packaging.  while washing the little guy off in the sink, i take care to find the package of "giblets" and store it in a ziplock in the fridge until im ready to make the broth.
*at this point i prepare the bird to be roasted. i usually stuff the skin with butter and fresh herbs and lay the bird on top of a "roasting rack" of any vegetables i have on hand, including carrots, apples, onions, celery, broccoli, sweet potatoes... just follow your heart's desire:)
*when the meat is done roasting, my family and i enjoy fall off the bone tender meat along with vegetables that have soaked up the rich flavors of the marriage between the meat, fat and herbs:)
*the day after our feast, i place the bones in a large 12 quart stock pot, along with the giblets, any scraps of meat that we won't be eating as leftovers and two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. (the vinegar draws minerals out of the bones.) i then cover it with water and let it sit for a half hour.
*while the vinegar is working to begin pulling minerals out of the bones, i prepare my vegetables.  i usually use about eight carrots, six stalks of celery, one onion, one head of garlic and a bundle of parsley.  all i do is wash the vegetables, trim off any bad spots and cut them in half.  my mom swears that the skins of the onion and garlic add extra flavor, so i always leave them on.
*next i turn the heat on high as i add all my prepared vegetables to the pot.  then i add about two tablespoons of sea salt, two or three bay leaves and a cinnamon stick.  i learned on the food network that a cinnamon stick in broth adds depth of flavor:) you can't taste it in the broth, but it lends a hand in the background to meld flavors together.
*once everything is in, i add more water if necessary to reach the top inch of the pot. when the broth comes to a boil, i skim off the foam which is impurities floating to the top.
*finally i put the lid on, turn the heat between low and medium and let the broth develop into a nourishing miracle for at least the next six hours.  i check on it occasionally and add more water if necessary.
*when it's done cooking, ill take it off the heat and let it cool to room temperature.  using a medium sized mesh strainer, i dip all the solids out of the broth.
*and now im left with delicious broth!

one turkey and three chickens later.....and this is just a portion of the broth i made this week!  i already used some up making quinoa, mushroom soup and lentil soup. yum!  

having broth on hand at all times, makes your cooking possibilities limitless.  once my broth is done cooking, i like to divide it into two cup portions and store it in ziplock bags, labeled with what type of broth it is and the month and year it was made.  if broth even lasted six months in my house, i suppose six months would be the longest i would feel comfortable keeping it in my freezer.  whenever i cook beans or grains, i can just pull a bag out of the freezer to use as the liquid in the recipe and its ready to add deep flavor and nutrition to our dinner.  when im feeling like a fancy upgrade to a meal, i know that i can always boil the broth down to a gourmet souce.  when im feeling a sickness coming on i help my body regain strength by sipping on warm broth.  and of course, on days when i go all out and make big pots of soup i always have broth to pull it all together with ease!

now is the perfect time to start loading your freezer up with broths as there are still plenty of long and dreary winter days ahead of us.  get in the kitchen and experiment with meat and vegetables to find your winning combination!

not only is the week after christmas for broth making, but it's also the week for yummy raw chocolates! come back next week for this insanely delicious recipe!

JESUS LOVES YOU!

egg nog: christmas in a glass

christmas day will never be complete until i have my glass (or too many to count) of egg nog.  end of story.  i am lucky enough to have never had the misfortune of drinking store bought egg nog from those scary cartons that show up every year after thanksgiving.  i dont even want to know what kind of chemical mess these companies are trying to pass off as a traditional holiday drink.  so, i apologize to any of you reading this who have ever had the unpleasant experience of drinking said concoction and coming to the terrible conclusion that you dont like egg nog.  but not me...i have lived a life filled with hope, because every year on christmas eve my aunt would serve us homemade egg nog.  you can often find me on my knees thanking god that this tradition was always a part of my life;)  as we would walk into her house every year on christmas eve around 7 pm, paradise beckoned from the kitchen.  a crystal punch bowl filled with that oh so creamy and sweet drink was serene and peaceful as it waited on the center of the table for my siblings and i to get busy.  and to top it all off, my aunt would float huge chunks of french vanilla ice cream in the punch bowl to keep it cold.  genious!

now stay with me.  although the egg nog of yesteryear holds a special place in my heart, this egg nog will never find its way into my own kitchen, and certainly not into my child's mouth.  no, dimitri is far more lucky...not only will he grow up enjoying his egg nog, but it will actually nourish his body too!  miracles do exist!  leaving the SAD (standard american diet) world and entering one of raw foods or even whole foods may have you down, thinking that egg nog is just a memory of your past.  but i challenge you this year to make egg nog with real ingredients and enjoy it for the healthful drink that it was originally created to be.  if you prefer one that is vegan or raw, try this recipe, which i enjoyed through out the holiday season last year.

i tried out multiple recipes for egg nog, and after some adjusting and fine tuning, this is the recipe that comes straight from my egg nog lovin heart:

EGG NOG
8 organic egg yolks
7 c raw milk (if you dont have access to raw milk, organic whole milk from a reliable source is your next best option, and if you are completely dairy free, half almond milk and half coconut milk should yield the same consistency)
2 c raw cream (if you dont have access to raw cream, buy fresh pasteurized, never ultra pasteurized.  a dairy free option would be coconut cream, although youd probably have to play around with the spices a little bit more)
3/4 c raw honey
8 cloves
1 tbs pure vanilla extract
1-2 tbs cinnamon
2-3 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

*gently heat milk and cream over medium heat.  add in cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg and warm on low heat for around twenty minutes stirring every couple of minutes.

*beat egg yolks until light and fluffy.  gradually beat in honey.

*with one ladle full at a time, temper the warm milk into the eggs while continually whisking. once the eggs have come closer to the temperature of the milk, very slowly add eggs into milk while continually whisking.

*once all the eggs are in the milk, take the mixture off the heat and keep whisking for a couple of minutes.  if the egg nog is on the heat for too long, or not continuously whisked, it will get too thick and more resemble a very loose custard.

* dip out the eight cloves and stir in the vanilla.  let cool completely before storing in the fridge.  letting it sit overnight will let the flavors really collide:)  this egg nog will last four days.

now go ahead and sit back while drinking your christmas in a glass!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!  JESUS LOVES YOU!!!