Giveaway: Diet Recovery Book

Matt Stone from 180 Degree Health has generously agreed to give away a copy of his Diet Recovery book.  I reviewed this book a few weeks ago, and am very excited to be able to share it with you.  In Matt's words,

When you’ve had enough and you are ready to stop dieting forever, get your health back on track, stop obsessing over your body fat percentage, be happy, and join the rest of society by eating somewhat normal again, there’s no better book in print for you to turn to.

Diet Recovery is it.  Proven with hundreds of people across the globe to bring metabolism up to its ideal level – easy to track by simply watching your morning body temperature go from frigid Antarctic temps to near the ideal 98.6 degrees F/37 C in a very short period of time (usually less than 30 days).

Along with that are often the disappearance of countless health problems – from infertility to lack of menstrual period to mood disorders to years of constipation to erectile dysfunction to the inability to gain muscle to the inability to lose weight to the disappearance of food sensitivities, autoimmune disease of countless varieties, blood sugar dysregulation, and more.  And it’s fun as hell rediscovering how enjoyable eating can be once again, live your life without some oppressive diet overshadowing the stuff in life that’s actually important, and to stop beating yourself up with guilt over being hungry.

To enter the giveaway for the Diet Recovery book, please leave a comment.  Only one entry per person.  I will randomly select a winner on Wednesday, February 22nd.

The Connection Between Grains and Child Behavior

Over the last month while my daughter and I have been transitioning off the GAPS diet, my husband and I have noticed that eating grains really changes our daughter's behavior.  Eating grains makes her:

• Less even-tempered - She is more likely to meltdown.
• More disobedient - She is more likely to blatantly disobey, and to argue about doing what she is told (even simple things like changing into her pajamas).
• More grouchy and rude - She is much more likely to be downright rude and to be in a bad mood.
• Have less focus and concentration - She has a very hard time focusing on the task at hand.  She gets easily distracted and forgets what she is supposed to do.
• More of a picky eater - She is much more likely to fight about what we're having for dinner (she almost never did this while on GAPS), and to complain that she doesn't like the food.

Needless to say, these behaviors really have us concerned.  And we haven't even been doing gluten-grains! So far, she has been eating corn, rice, and potatoes. With the exception of popcorn once a week, the corn and rice have been properly prepared by soaking.  My daughter did eat some wheat flour in the form of a sopapilla at a restaurant last weekend, and she was downright hyperactive afterwards.

So, we're backing off on the grains for my daughter.  It is actually very easy to do this without her even knowing or making a big deal about it, since she is used to eating GAPS anyway.  We're not going to totally eliminate grains, but we will make sure she's only having them a few times per week to see how she does.  We'll also be a bit more methodical about it to see if she is reacting to a specific food or all of them in general. The last couple days, she hasn't eaten any grains, and she is back to her old sweet self.

This makes me really wonder how much of children's poor behavior is linked to eating grains.  Granted, properly-prepared grains can be a healthy part of the diet for healthy people with uncompromised guts, but it seems like the vast majority of kids in our country could have a compromised gut due to widespread antibiotic use. I am really shocked that after 17 months on GAPS, our daughter's behavior could change so dramatically from consuming non-gluten grains (and she did not have any learning deficiencies or psychological problems going into GAPS).

Have you noticed any correlations between grain consumption and bad behavior in your kids?

This post is part of Fat Tuesday and Monday Mania!

Four Great Ways to Use Bacon Grease

I save bacon grease, but don't typically cook with it much as I prefer the flavor of butter. So what do I do with the bacon grease?

• Drizzle melted bacon grease on a green salad in place of oil: This is my absolute favorite way to use bacon grease!  It makes salads taste fabulous. Balsamic vinegar and honey mustard both pair wonderfully with bacon grease on a salad.  Lately, we've really been enjoying salad dressed with salt and pepper, bacon grease, homemade mayo, and homemade honey mustard (made by mixing equal parts raw honey and dijon mustard). 
• Use bacon grease to replace some of the oil in homemade mayo: This makes for some tasty bacon mayo!  With my immersion blender, I don't even have to melt the bacon grease to use it in mayo (but it should be at room temperature).  And then you can even use the bacon mayo to make bacon-flavored homemade ranch dressing.
• Rub kale with bacon grease instead of oil when making kale chips:The flavor of kale pairs wonderfully with the flavor of bacon.
• Bacon grease can really change up the flavor of soups: I really like the flavor of bacon when added to chicken-based soups.

What are your favorite ways to use bacon grease?

This post is part of Fat Tuesday and Monday Mania! 

Curry Meatballs and Veggies (grain-free, GAPS/primal/paleo-friendly)

Subtly spiced with curry, garlic, and fresh ginger, this is one of our favorite recipes.  It also freezes well. My family has been enjoying this recipe for curry spiced meatballs since just a few months into our GAPS journey.  I'm not sure why it has taken me so long to post it for you all!

I tend to try to avoid dirty dishes as much as possible, and that is why this is a one-pot meal.  If you don't mind extra dirty dishes, you could cook the meatballs in a separate skillet and then transfer them to the pot with the veggies when it is time to add the broth. That would be a bit easier.

Curry Meatballs and Veggies

•  Meatballs:
• one pound ground beef 
• 3 cloves garlic, minced 
• 1 egg, beaten lightly with a fork
• 1.5 Tb gluten-free, naturally fermented soy sauce*
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 tsp minced fresh ginger
• handful of almond flour OR 1/4 cup grated carrots
• 1/4 cup milk kefir or yogurt
• 1/2 tsp celtic sea salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
• Veggies:
• 3 large leeks OR 2 medium white onions, chopped 
• 3 large carrots, peeled and chopped
• Optional chopped seasonal veggies such as baby bok choy, snap peas, zucchini, and broccoli
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tb gluten-free, naturally fermented soy sauce*
• 1/2 Tb fish sauce**
• 1 cup beef or chicken stock, preferably homemade
• 1.5 tsp madras curry powder
• 4 Tb unrefined coconut oil, divided
• Celtic sea salt, to taste

1. Combine the meatball ingredients in a medium bowl. Use a spoon or your hands to make sure the ingredients are well-mixed.  Use a large spoon or 3-Tb scoop to make the meatballs and set them aside.  They can also easily be made several hours in advance and refrigerated until cooking time.
2. Melt 2 Tb coconut oil in a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat.  Add the veggies and a little sprinkle of salt. I like to cook the harder veggies (carrots, onions, broccoli, bok choy stems) for about ten minutes before adding any quicker-cooking veggies (like zucchini, bok choy leaves, or snap peas). Cook the veggies in the coconut oil, stirring occasionally.  
3. Once the veggies are mostly cooked, push them to the side of the pan and scoot the pan so that the veggies are not directly over the flame/heating element.  
4. Melt the remaining 2 Tb coconut oil and brown the meatballs.  Turn them after a few minutes.  There is no need to make sure the meatballs are completely cooked at this stage, so just brown the outside.
5. Add the garlic to the pan and cook just until fragrant, about 1 minute. 
6. Add the broth, soy sauce, fish sauce, and curry powder. Gently stir the meatballs and veggies together.
7. Allow the meatballs and veggies to simmer for about 5-10 minutes in the broth.  Cover the pan if the broth is cooking down too quickly. Taste the veggies/broth and adjust the salt as necessary.
8. Ladle into bowls and serve! The meatballs and veggies make a great meal on their own, or you can pair them with a simple side of spaghetti squash or brown rice.  Enjoy!

*To make this recipe GAPS-legal, omit the soy sauce or try substituting coconut aminos. Make sure you add a pinch more salt if you omit the soy sauce.  After several months on GAPS, my family never had any problem eating a little soy sauce now and then. 
**Make sure your fish sauce is sugar-free to make this GAPS-legal.  There is such a small amount used in this recipe that my family had no problems with Thai Kitchen fish sauce (which is the only kind I can get locally) while on GAPS.

This post is part of Fat Tuesday and Monday Mania! 

Book Review: Diet Recovery

While troubleshooting my adrenal problems, Matt Stone's work has been recommended to me.  Matt Stone is an independent health researcher who blogs at 180 Degree Health, and he gave a talk about metabolism at the last Wise Traditions conference of the Weston A. Price Foundation. His latest book is called Diet Recovery: Restoring Hormonal Health, Metabolism, Mood, and Your Relationship with Food.

Diet Recovery is an easy read and, true to Matt's style, there is a bit of humor thrown-in (sometimes funny, sometimes crude, sometimes self-deprecating).  The book contains lots of really good information that has me thinking about health, diets, and metabolism in a whole new way.  Matt wrote,

"With age our metabolism starts its slow descent into oblivion... we become ever more prone to develop heart disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, and other degenerative ailments.  The secret is to protect and prolong the number of years your metabolism is at its highest.  When you manage to do that, you keep a higher ratio of lean body mass to body fat, have greater functionality, more strength and mobility, more energy, and more zest for life in general."

Health and metabolism
Matt pulls on research from people like Broda Barnes, Diana Schwarzbein, and Stephan Guyunet to paint a very convincing picture that metabolism is one of the keys to vibrant health.  When the metabolism drops, all sorts of problems manifest in the body including problems with weight, fertility, adrenal and thyroid glands, sleep, cancer, heart disease, and autoimmune disease. 

Matt outlines a program to raise metabolism that sounds shocking at first, but really struck a chord with me: eat more, exercise less, and rest more. The reasoning is that any stressors (including overwork, not eating enough, not getting enough nutrients, and even exercising) can lead to a lower metabolism.

"...mammalian physiology has a general response to stress that is virtually the same no matter what the stressor.  In this sense, deficiency of any essential substance needed for the body to function correctly - including most certainly vitamins, minerals, fats, carbohydrates, and proteins... was enough to induce [the] same stress chain reaction - ultimately leading to enlarged adrenal glands and atrophied thyroid gland, thymus gland, gonads, and so forth."

What to eat?
In Matt's program, people should simply eat as much nutrient-dense food as possible, and not limit any carbs, proteins, or fats.  This means that you should literally eat as much as you can to feel full (or even a little past fullness), and don't skip meals!

"...disease and dysfunction of all kinds is typically not cured through hard work and depriving yourself but by doing the opposite - flooding your body with the tools it needs to repair and rehabilitate itself."

Matt recommends intuitive eating.  That means that, if you are craving ice cream, you should eat some ice cream.  This is something I have found to be really interesting, as for years I have been over-thinking my food choices by focusing more on nutrition content than what my body wants. But really, since I only eat nutrient-dense foods (95% of the time), it makes sense to me that I should follow my body's cues for what to eat. 

Rest? What's that?
An integral part of Matt's program is resting adequately.  He even goes so far as to recommend at least 30 days of no intentional exercise, and sleeping as much as possible. Lots of health gurus say that rest is important, but this is something I've never paid much attention to.  But Matt's descriptions in Diet Recovery have really convinced me that rest is something I need to pay more attention to.

I've never been the type to rest much; I tend to keep busy all day every day and I haven't slept more than 4 hours straight in over five years (my daughter didn't start sleeping through the night until she was 3 & 1/2 years old, and by then I had her younger brother to contend with).  While I don't think I overdo the exercise (usually only 2-3 times per week, a combination of sprints, yoga, and strength training, plus some walks), it is interesting to me that the body reacts to all stresses the same, and that means that, with my already overtaxed adrenal glands, exercising could actually be contributing to my health problems!

Freedom!
After so many years of paying inordinate attention to what I am eating, and more recently being on the GAPS diet, the ideas in Diet Recovery really feel like liberation. Just eat as much nutrient-dense food as possible, rest as much as possible, and relax about it.  And the fact that this could actually help my health sounds too good to be true.  One thing is for certain: it is worth a shot! 

I'll be blogging about my experience following Matt's plan in the coming months.  I'll also be giving away a copy of Diet Recovery in February.  If you are interested in learning more, check out Matt's free Rehabilitive Rest and Aggressive Re-feeding ebook. 

Does the advice in Diet Recovery strike a chord in you?  Or does it sound too good to be true?

This post is part of Fat Tuesday, Monday Mania and Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways!

Basic Kale Chips (GAPS-legal, grain-free, paleo/primal)

I just harvested our first bunch of kale from the garden, so we made kale chips this week.  The kids and I love kale chips; they are so crispy and delicious.  They are a little bit time-consuming to make, but a wonderful way to eat your greens!  I like to send the kids outside with their portion because the chips are a bit delicate so they can make lots of little crumbs while they are eating.

Basic Kale Chips

• One bunch kale
• 1-2 Tb refined coconut oil, melted and cooled slightly
• finely ground celtic sea salt

1. Rip or cut the tough stems off the kale.  Discard the stems or save them for another purpose.
2. Wash the kale and then dry it well.  I like to use either a salad spinner or a couple towels to dry the kale.  If you do not dry it well, it will steam rather than crisping in the oven.
3. Rip the kale into chip-sized pieces and place it onto a couple baking sheets in a single layer.  Try not to have much overlap of the pieces of kale, or they won't cook properly into chips.
4. Drizzle the melted coconut oil onto the kale.  Try to use just enough oil to coat the kale, but not too much or the chips will be overly greasy.  Use your hands to thoroughly mix the oil onto the kale leaves. 
5. Sprinkle the kale with a generous amount of celtic sea salt.
6. Bake the kale chips in a 250 degree oven for about 30-45 minutes.  They are done when they are nice and crispy.  They are wonderful straight from the oven.  

This post is part of Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways, Fat Tuesday and Monday Mania!

Could Ice Cream be a Superfood?

One of the ways I try to promote health in my household is to limit the consumption of desserts, such as ice cream and cookies.  I have read time and again how eating too many sweets can contribute to many health problems.  So for years, I have limited desserts to rare occasions.

But last week I learned something astounding: ice cream is the food that most closely resembles breastmilk!  Check out the following comparison from 180 Degree Health:

% fat –

Ice cream – 53%

Breast Milk – 55%

% sugar –

Ice Cream – 39.8%

Breast Milk – 38.7%

% Protein

Ice Cream – 7.3%

Breast Milk – 6.3%

% Saturated Fat

Ice cream – 57%

Breast milk – 45%

% Monounsaturated Fat

Ice Cream – 27%

Breast Milk – 38%

% Polyunsaturated Fat

Ice Cream – 3.5%

Breast Milk – 9.7%

% Omega 3 fatty acids

Ice Cream – 1.38%

Breast Milk – 1.19%

% Omega 6 fatty acids

Ice Cream – 2.2%

Breast Milk – 8.5%

Calcium per 100 calories

Ice Cream – 59 mg

Breast Milk – 46 mg

Cholesterol per 100 calories

Ice Cream – 40 mg

Breast Milk – 20 mg

So breastmilk and ice cream are surprisingly similar in their nutrient composition (and this comparison uses a high-fat ice cream, like Haagen Daz)!  Obviously, there are many things in breastmilk that babies need (such as antibodies and probiotics), so ice cream is no substitute for breastmilk for an infant.  But what about kids who have already weaned? 

Give the Kids (and Pregnant Ladies) Some Ice Cream!
The nutritional comparison shows that ice cream could indeed be a superb growth-promoting food. In particular, children, pregnant ladies, and nursing mothers could potentially benefit from eating more ice cream.

I found this comparison shocking, to say the least. It has really gotten my head spinning. One thing is for sure: I'm going to be making lots of ice cream!  There will be more ice cream for every member of our household, from my small-for-age daughter to my low-weight husband to myself who provides milk for an avid-nursing-toddler. This is one change that will be embraced by us all. Mmmm, raw cream, honey, egg yolks, wow!  I'd better get to churning. 

Do you find the nutritional comparison to breastmilk to be surprising?  Will you be allowing more ice cream for your kids?  How about trying some homemade mint ice cream, blackberry ice cream, vanilla chocolate chip ice cream, or strawberry ice cream?

This post is part of Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways, Fat Tuesday, Seasonal Celebration, Monday Mania and Fight Back Friday!

Getting Young Kids to Take Cod Liver Oil

UPDATE:You can read about why my family stopped taking fermented cod liver oil here. Now we use Extra Virgin Cod Liver Oil instead, and my kids actually enjoy it!

While I am not big on taking supplements, I try to make sure that everyone in our house has a daily dose of fermented cod liver oil.  This nutritional powerhouse provides Vitamins A and D, plus Omega 3's, DHA, and EPA.  Weston A. Price's studies showed that the diets of traditional people contained ten times the amounts of Vitamin A and D present in modern diets, and this higher nutrient-content led to people with robust health and virtually no cavities, heart disease, or cancer. Cod liver oil is also a great supplement for boosting the immune system.

You Want Me to Eat That?
We never had any problems taking the original Green Pastures cod liver oil.  But once they switched to fermented cod liver oil, things started to get interesting. The flavor of fermented cod liver oil is not the best.  Some bottles I've had have been okay, and some have been downright disgusting (this coming from someone who has been taking cod liver oil daily for over 6 years).  I can make myself grin-and-bear-it, though, especially if I immediately chase it with a sip of water.  But what about the kids?

Tips for Getting Young Kids to Take Cod Liver Oil
I've had to be fairly creative to get my kids to take cod liver oil on a daily basis.  They are both under five years old, and can be pretty stubborn in their refusals if they don't like a certain food (especially my youngest).  I have to remember to be patient and try new methods when they start to fight about taking their cod liver oil. Some methods that work well for us are:

• Singing: I sing the kids' favorite song of the moment right as I'm bringing the spoon to their mouths.  For the last few months, I've been singing Rudolph the Red-Nose Reindeer, and for many months before that it was My Favorite Things (from the Sound of Music).  I've even made up strange songs, like the Cod Liver Oil Robot song (which I sing in a deep, scratchy voice).  This method has turned something that could be a daily hassle into a daily happy time.
• Rewards: Sometimes, I have to bribe the kids with a whole foods vitamin bear.  This is usually only necessary for a day or two when they are feeling particularly stubborn. These vitamin pills are treated as treats only, so the kids are always excited to get one. 
• Variety: In our house, we stock 4 flavors of fermented cod liver oil.  The kids each have their favorite, and it works well to let them choose what flavor they want.   This gives them at least a little control over the whole process.
• Modeling: I make sure that the kids see me taking my daily dose, and that I smile when I do it!  Hard as it may be sometimes, keeping myself from grimacing is very important to getting the kids to take their dose with no troubles.  For my youngest, watching his big sister take her dose is a sure way to make him excited about having his as well.
• Chaser: Let the kids choose their favorite drink to chase the dose with.  I like water myself, but my kids prefer raw milk.  This can really help to soften the strong flavor.
• Persistence: When my son was under a year old, one dose of fermented cod liver oil was enough to turn him off from it for quite a while.  In fact, it made him distrust any food I wanted to give him for a little while.  I refused to give up, and kept trying until he finally started taking it.  Keeping a positive attitude was crucial for this, as was asking his sister to help out by looking happy when she took her dose.  I also had to try a few different flavors to get him to readily accept it. 

What methods do you use to get kids to take their cod liver oil?

This post is part of Monday Mania, Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways and Fat Tuesday!

What do you want to see on Nourished and Nurtured?

As I come to the end of my GAPS journey, I am wondering what you readers would like to see on Nourished and Nurtured.  I have an exciting series coming up on Homeopathy for Parents, and plenty more grain-free recipes to come.  I'm also working on a grain-free e-cookbook featuring the best grain-free recipes from Nourished and Nurtured. But I am wondering:

• What do you like the most? Recipes, parenting topics, gardening topics, or all of the above?  
• Are you here for the grain-free recipes, GAPS-recipes, or just nutrient-dense recipes in general?  
• Will I lose lots of readers if I start incorporating potatoes and non-gluten grains into some of the recipes I post?
• Would you be interested in reading book reviews of health, nutrition, and parenting-related books?
• Do you want more giveaways?
• Are you interested in recipes for homemade cleaners, detergents, etc?

I want to hear from you!

Kombucha Tea and Vinegar (GAPS-legal)

Kombucha tea is a wonderfully refreshing and healthy drink. It is reputed to protect against cancer and gray hair, and it is also a powerful detoxifier.

Homemade kombucha tea is very inexpensive to make. We especially like it with a large squeeze of lemon or lime juice. If you've never drank kombucha tea before, start slowly as the resultant detoxification can cause headaches if you drink too much before your system is used to it.

Making kombucha vinegar is as simple as letting your normal brew ferment for awhile longer. The resultant vinegar can be used in salad dressings, sauces, and any recipes calling for vinegar.  You can also add a splash to bath water for a detox bath.

If you know anyone who brews kombucha, they likely have SCOBYs you can have for free.  If not, SCOBYs can be purchased from Cultures for Health for about $12 or you can grow your own using this method from Food Renegade.

Kombucha Tea and Vinegar
Makes about 3 quarts

• 4 organic tea bags (black or green tea can be used; we currently prefer 1 black tea bag and 3 green tea bags)**
• One cup white sugar (this gets consumed during fermentation)
• 3 quarts (12 cups) of filtered water
• One cup of kombucha to act as a starter
• One kombucha SCOBY
• Equipment needed: one gallon glass bowl or jar, clean white kitchen towel, a large rubberband

1. Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil. Add sugar, stir, and continue to boil for 5 minutes.
2. Turn off heat. Add 4 tea bags to hot sugar water.**
3. Steep for 10 minutes.
4. Remove tea bags and let tea/sugar mixture cool to room temperature. This will take several hours, or you could put the whole pot over an ice bath. Do not let it cool too long (don’t leave it overnight, for instance, as mold could form.)
5. When mixture has reached room temperature, pour it into your glass brewing bowl/jar.
6. Stir in one cup of kombucha starter. Then, with clean hands, add the kombucha SCOBY.
7. Cover with a clean, white kitchen towel and attach with a large rubber band.
8. Move the brew to a quiet location with no direct sunlight (we use our home office room; try not to leave it in the kitchen as food particles could get in and ruin your brew).
9. For kombucha tea, let it ferment for 7-21 days. Don’t move it at all for at least 7 days. You can taste a spoonful to see if it is done when you see a new baby SCOBY on top that is about 1/8” thick. In the winter, it takes 3 weeks for ours to get to our preferred sourness; in the summer it takes 2 weeks. This varies greatly from house-to-house depending on temperature, etc. We also like ours very tart, so it won’t take as long if you like it a bit sweeter.
10. For kombucha vinegar, let it ferment for at least 4-6 weeks, or even longer.  The longer it ferments, the more vinegar-like the tea will get.
11. When it is time to bottle the kombucha, pour it into clear glass bottles and store in the refrigerator (we use old bottles from store-bought kombucha). Reserve one cup of the finished kombucha for making your next batch. 
12. If you want your kombucha to be more fizzy, try bottling it with a tight lid and letting it sit on the counter for a few days.  Beware, though, that it can build up pressure quickly sometimes, so it is recommended to keep it in a cardboard box just in case it pops!  
13. If you want to have flavored kombucha, follow this recipe.
14. Store the SCOBY in the 1 cup of finished kombucha. You can leave it at room temperature for a few days, but if it will be longer before you start the next batch you can store it in the fridge. (It is preferred to just start another batch rather than putting it in the fridge.) The SCOBY will get bigger each time you brew, so at some point you will probably want to divide it and either start another batch, give some away, or compost it.

*Kombucha tea is GAPS legal so long as it is fully brewed to be tart.

**If desired, the caffeine content of the final brew can be reduced by doing one of the following:

• Use only green tea, which contains less caffeine than black tea.
• Pre-steep the tea bags for 30 seconds in a small pot of boiling water. This removes most of the caffeine content. Then proceed with step 2 by adding the tea bags to the large pot of hot water.

This post is part of Kombucha Challenge Carnival, Fat Tuesday, Monday Mania and Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways!