New blog....

Its been a while since I blogged! But this blog (and the journey that went with it), is somewhat of a background for my new blog. (and business!!) Yes, yes, all of those who encouraged me to sell my wares.....(and I ignored at the time).....well now i am ready!! slowly does it, but I am ready! Wooo! 

Bet you are all saying "FINALLY!" haha!

anyway it is yet to be titled, as is my business.

here's the link:

http://diymadwoman.blogspot.com.au/

join me on the next leg of my journey :))

Crumpets

These delicious crumpets are soooo easy!

Simply make a batter out of some freshly ground wheat and a good helping of your sourdough stater and in this case i had some left over whey, so added that too. next morning stir through some salt to taste, some bicarb soda and a little baking powder. cook in egg rings 3-4 mins each side. we served them with butter and honey or molasses.  

These are delicious, aside the color, you would never know it was made with the whole grain! So light and decadent! I cant believe how crappy store bought ones are now, rubbery and not satisfying at all!!

Example of use: feed to the kidlets for grins like these :)

Lactofermentation. Fun. Easy. Delicious. Good for you too.

It is such a shame that business/ industry have stolen (and ruined in my opinion!) another artisanal form of preserving food. They have been replaced with vinegary or sugary rubbish! Pasteurisation produces bottles and jars for supermarket shelves, but are not so great for you when eaten in large quantities, can be loaded with other additives, stabilisers and/or sugar. They have been robbed of all those beneficial bacteria, not to mention the enzymes you are missing out on, destroyed with high heat,  aaaand if you don't lactoferment, you don't get the essential nutrient choline which is formed during the ferment. Have people forgotten that some of our favourite condiments were designed to aid our digestion, not simply to decorate your meals, or slather things in sugar? Anyhoo, i wont start too much of a mini rant!!

 Not only are lactofermented foods better for you, but they taste great, make you feel great, help digestion and you have so much more variety then what is available on the shelves at your local supermarket.

Lactofermentation Station!!
Wholegrain mustard. Puts hair on your chest this stuff!!
Cherry Chutney (see use below)
Kefir milk -irrelevant in this post LOL- as is the wine ;)
Mini batch of kraut my last one was an epic fail :0
Pickled garlic.

Xmas day ham, and cherry chutney.

I have endeavoured to follow the instinct and wisdom of generations past, and ferment some of my produce! Lactic acid is a natural food preservative, as it inhibits putrefying bacteria. Lactofermented foods, are easier to digest, and aid in the digestion of foods they are eaten with! You get the goodness of many enzymes, the essential vitamin choline, apparently it also has anti-carcinogenic and antibiotic properties too- i intend to do more reading on this- and the by product lactic acid gives your good intestinal flora a boost!

It is a really easy process too! I save my whey from cheese making, kefir milk, or when i drain yoghurt for cream cheese etc. it stores in the fridge for ages! up to 6 weeks i believe. So it is just a matter of preparing the food (use organic if you can, homegrown even better!!) wash, chopping, removing pits etc. Mix it up with some water, whey and salt. The salt is to inhibit unwanted bacteria until there are sufficient numbers of lactobacilli. You can add other flavourings like herbs and spices. Just make sure the food is completely covered in liquid, seal and leave at room temp-2 days for fruits, 3 for veg. then transfer to cold storage. Consume fruits within 2 months. longer for veg. Some folk say they wont touch their krauts until they are 6 months old!

I am very excited to try more produce from my own garden, and to try more relishes, and salsa style stuff, also in different consistencies. Nom nom nom!! :D

Cinnamon pears (or apples)

Here is a tasty quick snack for you! My kids love these for morning tea, or after school.

Quite simple really;

 Chopped fruit- we usually use apple or pear, in various shapes/cuts.

Sprinkles- seeds or chopped nuts with a sprinkle of cinnamon :)

Just chuck in your favourites, stir and enjoy :)

Too easy.

Vital wheat gluten???

Im after the 75% protein -vital wheat gluten- as opposed to gluten flour- any one know where i can get it in Aus??

(im after a better rise in my 100% whole wheat bread)

Jerky.....

OK so I'm new to this jerky thing, Ive never even tried it before, so talk about winging it!! The above picture was the Moroccan beef just as it was going into the dehydrator. I also tried a honey soy batch, but it didn't look as pretty so i didn't bother. i was really excited about these! Turns out these were far too salty! The honey soy turned out with a delightful delicate flavour! and they are all gone! Hehehe. So i shall continue to experiment with a few different flavoured cures etc. They certainly are a hit with the men of the household!! If anyone has knows of any good recipes, please share!!

Untitled....perhaps sugar free raspberry mess??

This was an attempt at a raspberry style Eaton's mess type of thing.....and deliciously easy.

Whip cream with a little vanilla, blend some raspberries with some cultured milk (i used kefir here, but you could use yoghurt, or even good old plain milk) you want a really stiff/ice creamish consistency.
Throw a generous dollop of each in a bowl with a few more raspberries in a bowl and fold gently a couple of times. I think it would have been better with the crunch of a meringue though, but sugar free meringue just doesn't work. Perhaps ill throw some nuts or toasted coconut or something in it next time for that crunchy texture I'm looking for!

Great on a hot afternoon! or for dessert :)