My Tuesday Twister posts are my weekly round-up of what’s going on in my kitchen and our lives, as it pertains to real food. So here we go – I’ll catch you up on what’s twisting in my kitchen this week!
To participate in the Tuesday Twister Blog Carnival, visit this post. See you there!
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- peanut butter
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- frozen black beans
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- water kefir
- Peanut Butter – Homemade peanut butter is a staple in our house. We went without for a bit before our vacation in Montana, but now that everyone is back, it was time to replenish!
- Beans – Like Millie last week, I’ve made a ton of beans. This time of year, I start craving beans in chili, dips, on salads, in main dishes. So I made two huge crocks full of beans over the weekend – pinto beans and black beans. What we didn’t eat in a big pot of chili, I put in the freezer for use later.
- Water Kefir – Finally trying this! We’re excited. Everyone wonders what this “natural soda” is going to be like! I got my water kefir grains (see my Resources page for sources). They are different than the kefir grains you’d use to culture dairy foods. Since we like things on the less sweet side, I’ve let it ferment for 48 hours. It is bubbly, which is a good sign. What I have to do next (I believe) is strain out the grains and then flavor the water kefir with dried fruit, fresh fruit, or fruit juice. So far, everyone is chiming in with suggestions, but we’ve not decided how we’re going to flavor this, our first batch.
So, that’s it for me – what’s twisting in your kitchen? To participate in the Tuesday Twister Blog Carnival, visit this post. See you there!
About Wardeh
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Take the guesswork out of what to fix, what to buy and what to prepare. This week:
Class materials compiled into easy downloads: 
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Wardeh, homemade peanut butter?! Is it more economical than buying all natural peanut butter? Have you ever logged how many hours you spend in the kitchen? Because I’m thinking it must be a lot.
.-= Marg´s last blog post… There’s good news and bad news. =-.
Hi, Wardeh—I was wondering whether you sprout your beans before cooking them. I know people who do it, and I just read in Nourishing Traditions that sprouted beans cook in less time than regular dried beans, but I haven’t tried it before. I can’t wait to see how you flavor your water kefir! I want to do this, too! Gearing up to place a big order with Cultures For Health!
—Sonya
.-= Sonya Hemmings´s last blog post… Season’s Eatings =-.
Twitter: wwwebbs
says:
For just-starting-out tastebuds, grape goes down well. Pomegranate, blueberry and black cherry are good if the drinkers aren’t used to sweet drinks.
.-= Peggy´s last blog post… Pickled Red Peppers: A Lacto-Fermented Treat =-.
Marg – The economics of it changes – currently it is more economical to make it myself. Not a year ago, I was buying it pre-made (just ground peanuts and salt). Sadly, I spend more time at the computer than in the kitchen.
I bet if we compared our kitchen times (not saying we should), you might beat me!
Sonya – I do both. This week, I didn’t sprout. But yes, sprouting them for just a day or two is phenomenal! I love it that the beans are converted into simple vegetables and they do cook fast. We don’t notice any difference in taste. You should try it!
Peggy – Thanks! Since I was at a grocery store today, I bought some organic grape juice. What percentage of juice to kefir do you recommend? At the moment I’m a little worried about my water kefir – it isn’t bubbly and it is still sweet and it has been more than 48 hours.
Wardeh,
I just wanted to ask you a question. My friend made some of the drinks in Nourishing Traditions and they turned alcoholic. Can that or does that happen with kefir and komucha?
That is why I have hesitated in making some of these drinks.
Thanks,
Tiffany
Tiffany – From what I know, Kombucha does have a very, very slight alcohol content. Sometimes people experience similar symptoms to what they’d feel if they drink alcohol, but it is not the alcohol in the beverage that causes it. I feel that the process of making Kombucha (for instance) is different from what creates a true alcoholic beverage, so this wouldn’t be considered alcohol. It is a health-supporting lacto-fermented beverage. I would say the same for the other cultured beverages. If you read in Nourishing Traditions in the beginning about alcoholic beverages, Sally Fallon Morell makes a distinction between alcoholic beverages and the beverages in NT. Hope this helps – for what it’s worth!
Thanks Wardeh for reminding me about what it says in NT. I read through that last night. Actually what interested me the most was when they talked about liquids absorbing faster. I am ALWAYS thirsty. It doesn’t seem to matter how much I drink, I just always feel thirsty. I am definite these drinks will help with that.
When I did that health fair last week, someone there was telling me that Reverse Osmosis is “dead” water. Have you heard that?
They were saying that ionized water was a much better choice. There are a couple of different brands that I found Kangan water and KYK Genesis water–basically same machine, huge difference in price.
Just wanted to hear your thoughts on RO water being dead.
Thanks,
Tiffany
Tiffany – Yes, I have heard that – in fact, I was reading it in NT yesterday, and Sally Fallon Morell addressed it. She said there’s no perfect water solution – all have limitations. She called “RO” something like denatured – also that it has no minerals, so if one uses it, they could remineralize it by adding mineral ions to it, or via a mineral supplement of fine clay to the diet. We currently have RO water – but no other option because our well water has lead. We are redoing our water system – and in the next few months, hope to be using well water again and not having to filter it. I can’t wait for that day! I haven’t been adding mineral ions to our water, since I just learned this last night.
THANKS!