Learning to culture my own homemade dairy foods has been one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done. The flavors are beyond delicious, the health benefits greater than anything you can buy at a regular store, and the experience of learning the skills profoundly revealing.

I’m grateful that I’ve had the opportunity to learn to milk both goats and cows and then to turn the delicious, God-given food into sour cream, buttermilk, yogurt, kefir (especially kefir!), cultured butter, and a bunch of delicious cheeses.

You Couldn’t Pay Me Enough

I want to share with you a passage from a book we recently got — Greg Judy’s No-Risk Ranching. He expresses why I’m glad my children are growing up doing farm chores — and things I even feel about myself getting this experience as an adult!

“Our family moved to Missouri in 1966, mainly to escape the long cold winters. My Dad sold the dairy cows shortly thereafter and went to work in town. He kept one cow for the family milk needs. I used to watch in amazement how my dad blasted the milk streams into the bucket with his powerful hands and with such great rhythm. When I reached seven years of age I asked him one night if I could try milking the cow. From that point on, I had the job until I moved away from home after high school!

I remember the freezing mornings, how the back of your fingers and hands would freeze as you tried to get done as fast as possible. The cow was always kicking at biting flies, and runny manure-laden tails would smack you in the face while you tried to milk in the hot summer months. After milking, I let the milk cow’s calf have half of one hind teat. You had to wrestle the calf away from the cow before turning the cow out to grass. As the calf grew it got to be quite a chore. You grabbed him by an ear and the tail and with a lot of momentum because the calf always outweighed you. He was never ready to leave.

After the milking, I would strain the milk through a fine cloth to remove any debris. I remember my grade school principal telling me that it was unsafe to drink the raw milk; we were supposedly at risk of contracting all kinds of diseases! I asked him what he drank while he was growing up? I never heard any more from him about unsafe milk. It was an extremely satisfying feeling to head to the house with a bucket full of fresh milk for the family. The cow was always ready to go back to grazing. The calf was full. The barn cats had a little milk. And I usually poured a little out for the meat hogs on the way to the house. Life was good.

As a youngster, there were times when I was milking the cow that I would have rather have been doing about anything else. But guess what? You couldn’t pay me enough to give up that experience now. It taught me responsibility, a work ethic, and a daily job that had to be done twice a day by me or it would not get done. I know this is not possible, but it would be fantastic if every kid had some type of chores with an animal every day.” –Greg Judy, No-Risk Ranching

He didn’t go into it (and I don’t know him to ask him), but I like to think that his mom (or sisters?) probably took that milk and created all sorts of nutritious cultured dairy foods out of it, giving their family another “I wouldn’t trade it for the world” growing up experience.

Important Virtues Nurtured on the Farm

Joann S. Grohman, author of Keeping a Family Cow, shares the importance of farming and dairying in recent history:

“The dairy cow doesn’t ask for much but she asks every day. People who are creating wealth with a cow either are hard working and reliable or they get that way in a hurry. The fine farms of Europe, England, New England and much of the United States were all established thanks to the wealth derived from cows. … It is certainly no coincidence that such a large number of our finest American statesmen were born on farms. Important virtues are nurtured on the farm, including a graphic understanding of the relationship between working and eating.” –Joann S. Grohman, Keeping a Family Cow

How fortunate we are that even today — in the midst of a society that is vastly raised on boxed non-foods and has no relationship to the farm whatsoever — we can still learn to milk dairy animals or make our own homemade cultured dairy… or even both!

Whether you’re doing it all yourself, or taking a trip to the farm each week for your weekly cow or goat share, you and your children are getting a marvelous and unparalleled education. You’re working hard, reaping the rewards, learning how it is all done, most importantly, seeing God’s hand in it all — from how the animals feast on His grass, to how we and assorted farm animals feast on the abundant milk, and finally to how we make beautiful, delicious and healthy cultured dairy foods.

I Am Grateful

I couldn’t be happier about what my family is doing and learning, and I’m just about positive you share the same feelings about the traditions you’re keeping or learning in your home.

Please share in the comments about your “farm life” — whether you live it or you support it, I want to hear your experiences!

A year ago, I taught almost everything I learned about cultured dairy and cheese in the online Cultured Dairy and Basic Cheese eCourse. That class is always on and always available to members of GNOWFGLINS eCourse. (I’m sorry, but it doesn’t give milking instructions… just loads of things to do with the milk and cream!)

But while online videos and lessons and forum support prove to be very popular and helpful, others just want something they can take home and study independently. That’s why we compile all the print lessons of each class into stand-alone, single-download, independent-study eBooks. We did this to create the Fundamentals eBook and then the Sourdough A to Z eBook.

Cultured Dairy and Basic Cheese eBook — Now Available

I’m pleased to share that our third eBook — the Cultured Dairy and Basic Cheese eBook — is out and available. Ready to learn simple, delicious, healthy cultured dairy recipes? Now you can!

Our newest eBook contains all 18 print lessons of the online class, teaching you how to make your own sour cream, yogurt, kefir, cultured butter, buttermilk, basic cheeses and more! If you’re not into videos, membership, or forum interaction but want to learn how to culture dairy easily at home — this eBook is for you.

Lots of members like the eBooks to save time downloading and organizing single lesson print materials. Plus, members get a discount on our eBooks.

Click here for a sample chapter.

Just to be clear: You do not need your own cow to make use of this eBook. You do not even have to have raw milk. I cover all your options inside.

Bonus: “Easy Sourdough” Booklet + Video

For a limited time, you get a bonus with any eBook purchase — the “Easy Sourdough” booklet and video. These bonuses are available with memberships and menu plan subscriptions, too.

Don’t forget to share about your “farm life” — whether you live it or you support it, I want to hear your experiences!

I’ve shared this post with Simple Lives Thursday.

“A merry heart does good, like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones.”
–Proverbs 17:22

What is a merry heart? Certainly it is a heart that’s happy. Happy because things are going well and life is grand? Could be. Sometimes is.

But most of us do not live that kind of life. We have struggles and challenges. God is clear that during our lives, we will experience our fair share of labors, cares, and tribulations. And still He tells us that a merry heart does us good. Which means it must be possible!

“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
–John 16:33

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
–Matthew 11:28

How is this possible? We must decide to be happy — and act on it — rather than let our emotions be determined by the things that happen to us. God gives the exact strategy for how to act, in good times and in bad.

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks.”
–1 Thessalonians 5:17-18

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. … If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”
–Galations 5:22, 25

Rejoicing, praying, and giving thanks deepens our relationship with our Savior, and it transforms our whole outlook about our life and our world. Extending grace, forgiveness and mercy (among the other fruits) is good for others and ourselves. Perhaps moreso for ourselves; it is freeing not to carry around burdens of guilt, cynicism or bitterness.

I know it is tough to rejoice when things are hard. But joy — true joy — is not found in our circumstances or ourselves.

“Be glad in the LORD and rejoice,
you righteous; And shout for joy,
all you upright in heart!”
–Psalm 32:11

And — not to be underestimated — by cultivating a cheerful, forgiving, joyful countenance, we are more likely to experience positive improvements in our health. By sharing our merry heart with others, we are helping to improve their health and healing. One tender look, word, or touch can ease a million burdens and stresses.

A merry heart is good like medicine. God bless you with His joy! And be sure to pass your joy around.

What gives you a merry heart? Have you seen or experienced a physical or spiritual transformation through cultivating a merry heart?

P.S. You’ve gotta love this! Dietary Guideline #20 by the Weston A. Price Foundation is: “Think positive thoughts and practice forgiveness.”

Lots of times we talk about the “how” of real food. How to do this, how to do that. But how often do we consider why?

The “why” is often more important than the “how.” It gives us the motivation for all that we do, including how we prepare and eat foods.

This may come as a shock to some who haven’t actively pondered the “why.” Whether we realize it or not, everyone has a “why” lurking behind the scenes. For example, the “why” for the family that eats lots of boxed foods might be convenience. (I happen to think the idea that boxed foods are more convenient is a myth, but I’ll save that for another day.)

Interested in the “how” of preparing nutritious, real foods? This Friday, January 6, 2012 is our next free webinar — Easy Steps to Real Food in 2012. Please come — it is free!

12 Reasons to Embrace Traditional, Real Foods

Before I start the list, I want to clarify this. I start with the assumption that real foods are traditional foods. In other words, they are traditionally prepared and nutrient-dense. For example, contrast these two types of real foods:

Sugar cane. It is real, definitely. But a diet of sugar cane to excess is not a healthy one.

Traditional food preparations (like culturing dairy or souring dough). Real, yes. And healthy because the preparations make the foods highly digestible and nutritious.

In the benefits and reasons listed below, I primarily focus on the second type. Of course.

So… here are my top twelve reasons for embracing real food… aka GNOWFGLINS.

1. God’s foods are real foods.

Before there were factory farms and processed foods, there were nutrient-dense foods prepared traditionally. These whole foods came from the field to the table with very little processing, other than traditional preparation methods.

Though we have studies to show that traditional cultures were more healthy than people today, let’s not turn this reason into a scientific debate. Let’s embrace real foods simply because they are in the form our Creator gave them.

We honor Him by honoring His design. It’s that simple.

2. Real foods are nutritious.

Real foods contain vitamins, minerals, enzymes, probiotics, fiber and more — the stuff we need for healthy bodies and healthy minds. Processed foods are basically empty calories and do not support health.

3. Real foods taste good.

Your picky eater may not agree. Yet.

For most of us, real foods are unparalleled delicacies when compared to their commercial, processed counterparts.

Recently, I gave a half gallon of raw milk — with a cream line 4″ deep — to someone who helped us. That evening, he grabbed the regular milk jug to serve his son a glass of milk. But his son saw the mason jar of real milk peeking out of the fridge, and he asked for that instead. He’d tasted our real milk once before. Clearly, it made an impact.

4. Your kids get to know their food.

Many kids (and probably adults) are so removed from reality, they have no idea their food doesn’t grow on a grocery store shelf.

When you embrace real food, your kids see/read/hear/discuss farming, learn that carrots grown in the ground, that eggs come from chickens, and that milk comes from real cows not a plastic jug.

This is exciting, mind-blowing stuff for children. They love it.

5. Working around allergies or health issues? Real foods to the rescue.

When you’re cooking from scratch with whole, real ingredients, you don’t have to worry about the unpronounceables that cause allergies, reactions, side-effects or general illness. Work around them with whole food recipes, tailored to fit.

6. Real foods support Liberty.

I know you’re a lover of Liberty. When you support local farmers growing real food — or you grow your own — you’re supporting the idea that people have a right  to choose, grow and prepare the foods they desire.

Presidential candidate Ron Paul is a supporter of individual Liberty, including raw milk freedom. He believes individuals should be able to make their own choices about food (and other things), rather than be told by the government what they can and cannot eat or buy. Check him out.

7. Real foods support local, simple food transactions.

When you purchase whole, real foods from local farmers, you’re helping them and your local economy. When you grow your own food (and perhaps share with others in your area), you’re helping yourself or others get off the industrial food machine.

8. Real foods put you in touch with God’s world and seasons.

To grow or purchase local, whole, real foods is to get to know your world better — the world God created. He is the author of the seasons, of planting and harvest, and even of rest. I believe that getting to know His world helps us know Him better.

9. Real foods = return to tradition.

People of old knew how to bake with sourdough, create ‘good-for-you’ crunchy and sour pickles, make farmhouse cheeses and churn cultured butter. They lived close to the land and its bounty and passed their knowledge down from generation to generation. When you embrace real foods, you return to those roots and old-fashioned skills. Good stuff.

10. Real foods help you learn real skills.

In your pursuit of real food you may garden, raise chickens, or milk a goat. Or at the very least, you may visit with your local farmers who do these things or more. You’ll be soaking up skills whether you desire it or not! For me, there’s not much more excitement in life than learning about traditional food preparation!

11. Real foods slow you down.

Tending to a batch of cheese, cutting curds, milking a goat or cow, churning butter, kneading dough, packing cucumbers in a jar for old-fashioned pickles — these are simple, nourishing, enriching tasks. They add up to a slower, satisfying life. A life more in tune with natural rhythms and God’s providence.

12. Real foods introduce you to cool people.

I love the people I’ve met through my family’s traditional, real food journey. From the Farmer’s Market, to co-operative gardening, to reading comments on this blog, to visiting with eCourse members on our forums, the people behind real foods are fun to know. I love you all.

What would you add? Please share in the comments!

Don’t forget! This Friday, January 6, 2012, we’ll discuss the “how” of preparing nutritious, real foods in our next free webinar — Easy Steps to Real Food in 2012. Please come — it is free!

This post is shared in Simple Lives Thursday.

I make tons of mistakes. Now that’s out of the way. Let’s get to the story of my weekend baking (near) disaster.

On Saturday evening, I made a quadruple batch of sourdough chocolate cake — for my sister’s visit and for a potluck on Sunday. I quadrupled all the ingredients, but somehow I multiplied the baking soda by 8. This means the baking soda was double what it should be.

Would the cakes turn out? I put them in the oven, hopeful but filled with dread and frustration with myself… “all that expensive coconut oil” was the phrase I kept repeating to myself, heightening my already sick feeling.

While waiting for the cakes to bake, I ground more flour and fed the starter again, just in case…

Somehow the cakes turned out fine. (Did you notice how I posted “chic” instead of “choc” on Facebook? Really, I can blame that on my phone’s auto-correct.)

This story does not end there. No, my mistakes continued to pour forth…

On Sunday morning — just half an hour before we had to leave for church — I started the chocolate buttercream frosting. It was so last minute because I had thawed the butter that morning instead of the night before. And it was still too cold and would not cream. This is me, frustrated with trying to get the butter soft. My sister documented the whole story.

This is what butter does to beaters when it is too cold. It fills them up and then won’t go anywhere. In other words, it won’t cream.

I emptied those beaters a million times before the butter was finally soft. I also switched back and forth between beaters and food processor another million times. What finally worked was adding the cream, which was supposed to go in at end of the recipe.

My sister suggested I warm the cream a bit before adding it. I didn’t take her advice, though I should have. My excuse — my frustration level was high, I was tired of trying different things, and I didn’t want to add one more thing to the list.

This is not my best quality, but there it is. When things are difficult, I tend to want to scrap it all, or at least keep my attempts to fix very, very simple.

Anyway, the butter finally creamed. So it was time to add the powdered rapadura and everything else. But I didn’t powder the rapadura fine enough, so the frosting was really crystal-y. It tasted good, though.

I frosted the cake anyway. There was no going back at that point.

We arranged the cake for the potluck and off we went to church. Not the prettiest, but you know at that point, I just wanted to be done with it. I thanked God for helping me finish the project and I asked Him to bless that cake.

Everyone said this was the best cake ever. It really was good.

For future reference, I don’t recommend doubling the baking soda. I think it made the cake crumbly, but not fatally so. The additional saltiness was perfect (note to self: just add more salt next time).

The frosting was absolutely delicious (a real food recipe coming soon) — the coarser sugar crystals having dissolved into smooth perfection.

What should you take away from this? At the very least, be encouraged that I make mistakes, too — lots of them.

But more importantly — isn’t God gracious? We can trust our results to His care.

Sometimes things don’t turn out very good, yet we can always praise Him and learn from each experience.

Thankfully, many times — like this weekend — He works in spite of our mistakes and weaknesses to make things very good! Thank you, Lord!

Please share anything on your heart about this idea of being real, being human, and trusting God to bless the work of your hands. I look forward to what you’ll share.

This post was shared in Simple Lives Thursday.

I’m not an animal person. Never have been. But here I am, the chief milk maid in my family. I started out by milking goats and now I’m milking a cow. I figure, who better to tell you all about it (both the wonderful and the icky) than someone who was won over to it in spite of herself?

Here is one of the most often-asked questions I get: what are the differences between milking goats and milking cows? And probably the second-most-asked question is: which do you prefer? I don’t claim to know it all, but I’ll do my best to answer.

Read the rest of Should We Get a Goat or a Cow? One Homesteader’s Experience With Both at Nourishing Days, where I’m a guest today. Thanks for having me over, Shannon.

Be sure to let us know what you think about milking goats v. milking cows!

The holidays are upon us — can you feel it? I feel a little bit of excitement, but on the other hand some trepidation. I don’t enjoy added stress and bustle. I’m a homebody through and through. I’ve been thinking about what things I’m purposing to do for myself and my family to help us stay healthy and happy into January 2012 — and I want to share these tips with you. Be sure to add any tips of your own in the comments.

1. Lighten up your social calendar. Think through upcoming holiday activities. Can you cut any? Combine any? Being on the go-go-go all the time isn’t good for anyone. Choose quality over quantity.

2. Get enough sleep. Getting enough rest is one of the cornerstones of good health. Do whatever you can to ensure at least eight hours of uninterrupted sleep each night. I know, it can’t always be done. Babies and workload interfere. Try your best and turn to tip #3 to make up for any deficits.

3. Take naps. When the little ones nap, take a nap yourself. A Song for a Fifth Child by Ruth Hamilton (1958) says: “The cleaning and scrubbing will wait till tomorrow, for children grow up, as I’ve learned to my sorrow. So quiet down, cobwebs. Dust go to sleep. I’m rocking my baby and babies don’t keep.” I apply that to Mamas and Daddys and kiddoes as well — the cobwebs will keep until tomorrow while we get much-needed rest!

4. Drink plenty of water (or tea). Stay hydrated!

5. Plan simple, nourishing meals.  Less is more. If you’re adding extra activities into your life for the next month+, cut yourself some slack in the kitchen. A stressed mama is not a happy mama. A stressed mama is more likely to get sick and run-down. And then everyone really suffers!

6. Fill up on nourishing meals with plenty of satiating healthy fats like butter and coconut oil, so you’re less likely to crave or indulge in holiday treats.

7. Let yourself indulge in a few holiday treats. It is a special time of year. If you’re so inclined, don’t deny yourself the pleasure.

8. Get plenty of Vitamin D to prevent disease and recover from stress. Not synthetic vitamin D (which fortifies store-bought milk). Use real food sources like: fermented (natural) cod liver oil; pastured animal fats (such as grass-fed butter, ghee, lard and tallow); wild herring, wild mackerel, and wild salmon; pastured egg yolks; and liver from pastured animals. (source)

9. Practice happy thoughts of thanksgiving. Don’t underestimate the healing power and spiritual growth that comes from positive, Godly thankful thinking. “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” –Philippians 4:8 “…for of the abundance of the heart, his mouth speaks.” –Luke 6:45

10. Pray for God’s blessings on your life and health — and thank Him for every good gift. He is the true author of health, giving each of us breath and life. “For you have formed my inward parts: you have covered me in my mother’s womb.” –Psalm 139:13

I hope your holidays are blessed and joyful! What tips would you add? Please share in the comments.

Photo credit: eclaire

This post is part of Simple Lives Thursday.

Today I want to give you some options for lacto-fermentation containers. In my opinion, the best options provide an air-tight environment. (However, I don’t use air-tight containers for sourdough or cultured dairy.)

What is lacto-fermentation? Friendly bacteria and/or yeasts consume the starches and sugars in foods, giving off carbon dioxide and beneficial lactic acid. They proliferate throughout the food (making it probiotic), and they boost vitamin and enzyme levels. Lacto-fermentation can be done with fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, meats, dairy, beverages, condiments and more (all of which we cover in the affordable Lacto-Fermentation eCourse).

A Little Background

Lacto-fermentation is an anaerobic process; it requires an oxygen-free environment. If oxygen is present, the wrong organisms flourish instead of the friendly bacteria and/or yeasts we want to cultivate. You might notice whitish or other colored growths on the top of your ferments at times (especially during warm weather). This is an over-growth of oxygen-loving yeast (not harmful) or spoiling organisms, right at the surface. None of these are the right organisms for lacto-fermentation — they can lend off-flavors to your ferments or cause them to spoil.

We don’t want that, do we? This is why I prefer air-tight containers for fermentation. Some are completely air-tight. Others have a water barrier which keeps outside air out, yet allows gases produced by the fermenting organisms to escape.

You can, and people do, use other containers which are not air-tight. In my opinion, use of these containers creates a tougher job because you’ve got to keep the food away from oxygen through other means. In past or recent history, people employed various solutions, such as wood planks, plates with plastic bags full of water on top, and other things. Today we can use DIY or commercial solutions for successful air-tight fermentation. Often, weights are still necessary; some foods are buoyant and want to float at the surface of the liquid.

My Top Picks

Now I’m going to share my favorite solutions. They’re all air-tight, as that is my preference. They have various applications, but I use them mostly for fermenting fruits, vegetables, beans and beverages. Be sure to let me know in the comments if you have anything to add.

1. Mason Jar With Metal Band And Lid

Very simple. We’ve all got them and they come in many sizes — mason jars. Leave 1″ of space at the top for the production of acids and gases, and be sure to cap tightly with the metal band and lid. Burp the jar daily to release pent-up gases, or you may have an explosion on your hands (especially in warm weather).

Pros: Inexpensive, versatile and many sizes.

Cons: Burping the jar releases somewhat stinky (but not harmful) odors. Built-up pressure can cause explosions or very bubbly mixtures. Use of metal band and lid may be reactive with acids in fermentation and/or may contain BPA. You need to come up with your own weights for buoyant foods.

2. DIY Airlock

In this guest post, Jen shared how she modified mason jars to add the airlock piece. An airlock is typically used on top of a carboy for alcoholic fermentation — it uses a water barrier to keep outside air from entering the container, but the tubes allow the fermenting gases to escape. Very handy! Again, leave 1″ of head space.

Pros: Inexpensive (around $2.50 per modified quart), versatile and many sizes. Allows fermenting gases to escape, eliminating need to burp jar, protecting against explosions and reducing stinky smells.

Cons: Use of metal band and lid may be reactive with acids in fermentation and/or may contain BPA. You need to come up with your own weights for buoyant foods.

3. Commercial Airlock Jars

Some companies produce and sell modified airlock solutions. My favorites are the Pickl-Pro from Homesteader Supply (currently on sale!) and the Fermented Vegetable Master from Cultures for Health. These are the same idea as the DIY option above, except someone else has done it for you. Also, the lids are not metal but rather food-grade plastic. 1″ of head space is necessary here, too. Whenever I push the limit, I end up with very happy kraut juice all over my counter.

Pros: Food-grade plastic lid rather than reactive metal, versatile and many sizes. Airlock allows fermenting gases to escape while keeping outside air out — eliminates need to burp container, protects against explosions and reduces stinky smells.

Cons: More expensive, thought not terribly so. Do not include weights for food, though there are exceptions.

4. Fermenting Crocks

These fermenting crocks, made by various companies, are cream of the crop but spendy. The crocks have weight stones to submerge the food below the brine. A water gutter allows fermenting gases to escape but prevents outside air from getting in. You need to leave room at the top here as well, enough for the weight and for brine and acids. Find them at: Cultures for Health and Homesteader Supply.

Pros: Versatile and many sizes. Includes weights. Water gutter allows fermenting gases to escape while keeping outside air out — eliminates need to burp container, protects against explosions and reduces stinky smells.

Cons: Very expensive. Water gutter must be refilled on a regular basis, depending on speed of evaporation.

Do you have anything to add about any of these options? What’s your experience with fermenting containers? Do you have any options to share?

I shared this post with Simple Lives Thursday.

Millie is back with part 2 of the Real Food on the Road series. She shares her strategies for planning and preparing nourishing, road-friendly main dish salads and slaws. Check out part 1, part 3 or the complete trip notes on her blog. Thanks, Millie! –Wardeh

When we started the planning process for a ten-day camping/road trip we were taking, our meals were a high priority. We have to eat at least 3 times a day and while on the road it can be challenging to enjoy real/whole/traditional foods. I’ve been on many trips where we existed on dine-out food alone, resulting in one tummy ache after another. Knowing that our bodies do much better on real foods, and knowing we wanted to remain as healthy as possible over the course of our trip, food planning was important.

We planned on taking along a few days of already prepared food, but after that we’d be cooking and preparing in camp. While we would have a few days in one location, several days we would be on the road during lunch time (and it turned out also during breakfast) so preparing food while in camp to eat picnic style the next day would also be necessary. Sandwiches are often the first choice for picnic items but we were looking for other options.

In the first post of this series, I mentioned that this article from GNOWFGLINS was an inspiration for my planning. Wardeh talks about basic simple foods that can be prepared ahead and assembled on the spot. One thing she mentions is grain salads. Having used a few grain and legume salad ideas from GNOWFGLINS for our every day meals, I suspected these might be a wonderful option while on our camping/road trip. Knowing we would be gone for an extended length of time, I couldn’t hope to take along all of my prepared ingredients. So I used a combination of methods.

The Main Dish Salads & Slaws Of Our Trip

I made our first salad — Sprouted Lentil Slaw — in advance. It was a side dish for lunch and dinner but is hearty to be a main dish. It is a super easy to prepare salad (a little preplanning is needed to sprout the lentils), travels wonderfully and tastes even better after the flavors have time to meld.

A few days into the trip we enjoyed a salad that was partly made in advance but assembled on site. Using Erin’s recipe for Smoked Salmon and Rice Salad as a guide, we ended up with a wonderful main dish lunch. I premade brown rice and froze it before we left; the frozen rice doubled as an ice pack early in the trip. I mixed up all of the dry seasonings and put them in a small baggie. Instead of smoked salmon we used canned ‘salad salmon’. With this little bit of advance preparation the remaining ingredients were easy to combine in camp for a quick and tasty lunch.

We enjoyed several other salads that were prepared completely while on the road. We love lentils and they are such an easy item to prepare. Sprouted lentils seemed a smart addition to our road trip plans; sprouting lentils on the road was an idea I got from Erin’s Sourdough Camping thank-you video. A quick soak of lentils over night and then rinsing twice a day for a few days is very little effort for a real food item. To keep it very easy, I sprouted the lentils in a colander suspended over a cook pot with a lid on it. Because we prefer the lentils slightly steamed (as opposed to raw) my sprouting set up doubled as my steamer.

The sprouted lentils became part of a wonderful main dish salad including green onions, tomato, bell pepper and cucumber topped with thinly sliced beef steak cooked over the fire. We used a creamy salad dressing made out of kefir and spices. (I had premixed the spices and took them along in a baggie.) Lentils grow when sprouting, so the original 2 cups of dry lentils made plenty for Sprouted Lentil Tacos the next night.

Quinoa Salad was probably our most popular lunch. It was super easy to soak the quinoa. I started it in the morning and used raw apple cider vinegar as my acid. Then I cooked it in the evening over the camp stove while doing dinner, and let it cool overnight in the cooler. I mixed it up the next morning using this recipe as a guide, but leaving out the meat option. We took the salad with us on a picnic. At serving time we opened a tin of local tuna (bought at a road side fish stand and packed in Florence, Oregon) and portioned it over each individual’s salad. Delicious!

Benefits of Main Dish Salads

One of the wonderful things about main dish salads is the incredible versatility. Almost any combination of vegetables will work in these salads. You could  add raisins or other dried fruit if you desired. Nuts are also a great addition. Sometimes we have a main dish salad without any meat, but add nuts, hard boiled eggs and/or avocado. Frozen vegetables (thaw before using) could also be used in a pinch. The versatility comes in handy when in a small town with limited shopping selections. Roadside stands also make nice salad addition shopping options. Another thing I really like about these salads is the fact that they store well in the cooler and improve with time. The flavors tend to get better after being allowed to combine for several hours. Making the salad either the night before or in the morning worked great for a spectacular picnic lunch.

I really love the ease of preparing these salads, that combined with the flexibility and portability made these a definite winner that we’ll be sure to enjoy on our next camping/road trip adventure.

Do you have a favorite main dish salad that you wish to share?

You are going to love this series! Millie (who blogs at Real Food for Less Money) is a busy mom juggling alot. Yet, she pulled off a 10-day road trip eating pretty nearly 80% real food, and even more inspiring is that she wants to do it again next year!

This post is part 1 of what we’re calling her “Real Food On The Road” series. She shares how she planned and prepped for the road trip, including a very candid assessment of weak spots. Also out part 2, Part 2 or the complete trip notes on her blog. Thanks, Millie! –Wardeh

Recently, my family and I went on a 10 day camping/road trip. When we first began planning, one goal was to keep our traveling diet as real food friendly as possible. We know that our bodies do much better with whole foods prepared traditionally as opposed to standard processed food or dining out.

At home we are comfortable with buying and preparing ingredients that make this possible. We are fortunate not to have any serious food allergies and do have the ability to ‘stray’ a bit from our real food diet. I think we are about 80% real food and 20% not so real food (usually, through dining out or the occasional splurge of ice cream). Thinking about how to prepare the food we wanted in order to maintain our 80/20 goal while on the road and cooking of outdoors was a bit challenging for me.

The Planning

I was comfortable with planning out the first few days. By cooking ahead and stuffing a cooler (or two) we would be fine for two, three or maybe even four days. Planning for beyond those first days is what I wasn’t sure about. I knew I’d need to work off of a menu plan if I had any hope of meeting our goal of real food vs. not real. Because I know myself, without a plan in place the results could be dismal. We had a few months in which to plan for our trip so I used that time to put the menu together and even test new recipes. While putting menu ideas together I found many great ideas on the internet (of course).

Right here at GNOWFGLINS was a post from a couple of summers ago on eating real food while traveling. This post helped me think about how we wanted to eat and what might work. Last year’s eCourse thank you video from Erin — “Sourdough Camping” — was a good review, too. So the backbone of my plan was formulated from these two resources. But also, Katie Kimball’s Family Camping Handbook and the book Roughing it Easy by Dian Thomas gave me some great ideas and suggestions.

In order to really make a menu plan that worked I had to know our itinerary. We would not just be traveling to one spot, setting up a tent, and staying put for 10 days. We were first driving what we thought would be 18 hours straight through (turned out we were in the truck for about 25 hours instead), staying with family one night, going to my daughter’s college graduation (the reason for the trip), staying with different family the next night, camping (in a yurt) at the beach for three nights, driving a partial day and camping (yurt, again) one night, driving a full day and camping (teepee), then driving another day and camping (tent) before finishing with a final eight hour drive home.

With our travel plans in place it was somewhat easy to figure out what kinds of meals would work for each spot we were staying. We were even taking meals to share while we were with our families, since feeding an extra 5 mouths when used to feeding one or two can be a challenge. Plus I did have an ulterior motive of sharing how wonderful our real food items taste.

The Prep

Food prep began a few weeks before the trip by making a quart batch each of sauerkraut and cortido. I also made sure that I had my menu finalized and my to-do list written out. If it was going to work, I’d need to do a bit of advance cooking but also keep a list of what would need to be done each morning or evening for meals. Just like at home, things may need to be soaked or sprouted. I also planned on when/where I would restock for groceries and made grocery lists to go along with those stops. It sounds like a lot of work but it wasn’t very time consuming.

The week before we were to leave, I bought any non-perishables, and I also bought veggies that I planned on freezing for pizza toppings. I started putting together spice packets. By premixing taco seasoning and salad dressing seasonings for a few different types of salads I was able to leave my spice containers at home. I also premixed any dry ingredients for things that I could such as for Dutch Babies and Oatmeal pancakes.

I took advantage of pre-making things that would be okay if frozen. This would not only help with my meals but also act as the ice for the early part of the trip. I remembered reading a tip once from a full time RVing family that suggested to only buy frozen foods and never ice since the ice melts and makes a mess (boy, does it!) so thought I would utilize that tip with my made-at-home items.

The days before the trip were used to make up many foods like sourdough crackers, clabber cheese, kefir cheese, soft cheese, crispy almonds, sourdough tortillas, cooking 2 chickens in the crock pot (for sandwiches), baked oatmeal, Spice Cake, Impossible Brownies, and several other miscellaneous items. I figure I spent about six hours of hands-on time — and that gave us the bulk of our food for the first few days of our trip!

Campground Meals

Our meals at the campgrounds were somewhat ‘typical’ campground foods but with a bit of a twist. We did our best to still use quality ingredients and keep processed items down to a minimum. I will admit that we did eat more S’mores than we probably should have! But to counteract our splurges we tried to have something probiotic with our meals. Sauerkraut was a very welcome addition to our beef dogs and our campfire pizzas. Cortido was wonderful on tacos and eggs, as was kefir or soft cheese. A big jug of kombucha left home with us but was gone way too soon. Store-bought plain yogurt with fruit was also something we had several times and was quite tasty. I had considered taking my dairy kefir grains along but just couldn’t figure if I could make that work so we made do with taking along a quart to use in salad dressings. (Now I think I could have made it work.) We took 2-1/2 gallons of real (raw) milk which stayed good the entire trip by paying close attention to the temperature in our five day cooler.

Weak Spots

Our plan had a few weak spots. I packed up very well before we left, but each time we unpacked things seem to not fit nearly as well. And I took many things we ended up not really needing. We stopped once at an Oregon Trail marker that had reprinted letters from the travelers. One lady’s letter commented on how they had to set up camp each evening and break camp each morning. I guess that we had it easy in comparison!

Another weak area: I didn’t plan our breakfast times very well for the mornings that we were packing up to leave. Next time I’ll plan for an extra quick and easy breakfast that we can essentially eat on the road. We would be so excited to get going that sitting down to breakfast was a bit of a chore.

And I hate to admit that even with my plan in place, toward the end of the trip things became more challenging. We had planned on no more than three meals out (including our daughter’s graduation meal) but ended up with a fourth meal out. This occurred because we ran out of propane for the cook stove and I wasn’t able to precook our lunch for the next day. An hour away from the nearest store is not a good place to run out of propane! Next time I’ll remember to check the quantity of propane in the container.

All in all, we had a wonderful trip and are looking forward to a similar road/camping trip next summer that will be even a few days longer. While I think we did fall a bit short of our 80/20 goal we didn’t do too badly for the time we were on the road. I’m happy to say that cooking real food outdoors in a campground is really not much more difficult than cooking at home. I still think I’ll need a good plan in place and this time I have an entire year to work on it!

What real foods work for you while on a camping and/or road trip? Have you ever tried an extended trip lasting a week or more?

Don’t forget! The FREE webinar “5 Myths of Fermenting Foods” is this coming Monday, the 25th of July. Register now if you haven’t already. –Wardeh

You see whey frequently in lacto-fermentation recipes on this blog or in the class, so it is important to cover exactly what whey is, which forms will work for fermentation, and how to get it. This week’s free video is an excerpt from my fermenting class — enjoy!

Below are some of the notes eCourse members received — check out Lesson 3 inside the class for a more in-depth video as well as more in-depth notes.

What Is Whey?

Whey is what spills out of dairy when it is fermented (soured or cultured). Beneficial organisms proliferate throughout dairy, consuming the milk sugar (lactose) and producing acids which curdle the milk. This souring can progress so that the milk separates into distinct curds and whey, or you can press or hang the curds so that the whey spills out. You can get whey from buttermilk, sour cream, yogurt, kefir, chevre, and other cultured dairy, including all kinds of cheeses.

Why Use Whey In Fermentation?

Quite often, we inoculate a fermentation in the beginning with a starter culture (a colony of beneficial organisms). This kick-starts the fermentation and prevents spoiling organisms from getting a foothold. Whey is quite often chosen as a starter culture (but there are others; see below), so it is important that it contains beneficial organisms. Some whey does, and some does not.

Which Whey To Use?

The highly processed whey protein powder that is sold as a nutritional supplement is not the kind of whey we would use in fermentation (nor is a real, whole food). Additionally, sometimes people make cheese at high temperatures or heat dairy after it is fermented. Whey from this dairy is no good, because the beneficial organisms have perished.

Anytime you’re wondering if a certain whey will work, ask yourself this question: from the time the milk was cultured, was it heated much beyond 100 degrees (or so) Fahrenheit? If yes, you can’t use it for fermentation starter culture. If no, you can use it as a starter culture because it retains beneficial organisms.

Most of my cultured dairy and cheese recipes don’t go over 102 degrees Fahrenheit — and most of these stay around room temperature — making their whey suitable for fermentation.

How To Get Whey

When making low temperature cheeses, whey will spill out from pressing or hanging curds. However, it is probably easiest for most people use the whey from making kefir or yogurt cheese, or the soft cheese of the Fundamentals eCourse. You can also use store-bought plain kefir or yogurt, as long as they contain active cultures. Here’s how:

1. Line a colander with two pieces of 90-count cheesecloth or a pillow-case weight piece of cotton cloth.
2. Put the colander inside a pot or bowl that holds it.
3. Pour the cultured dairy into the cheesecloth-lined colander. Tie up the ends and tuck them inside the colander. Let the whey drip out for about a day, or hang up the bag so gravity can speed up the process.
4. Scrape the cheese out of the cheesecloth and use as you would cream cheese.
5. Pour the whey into a clean jar and store in the refrigerator for many weeks. Or freeze for many months.

The whey will last a long time. It is normal for a few milk solids to slip through the cheesecloth with the whey. Over time, they can get moldy floating at the top of the whey. Strain them off as necessary, and usually the whey is fine. It should smell fresh; let your nose be your guide.

Non-Dairy Substitutes For Whey

You can kick-start your lacto-fermentations with non-dairy starter cultures, too. Here are your options and how much to use.

Leftover Fermenting Juice. The juice of previously fermented pickles, sauerkraut or other ferments is rich with beneficial organisms. Use at the same rate as whey. However, keep in mind flavor matching; a pickle juice is probably not going to taste very good inside a fruit ferment.

Finished Water Kefir. Use at the same rate as whey: about 1/4 cup per quart of ferment.

Water Kefir Grains. This is an idea shared by Christine, eCourse member. She uses 1 tablespoon extra water kefir grains per quart of ferment, and scales up from there. Similarly (although not dairy-free), you can use 1-1/2 teaspoons of extra dairy kefir grains per quart of ferment.

Body Ecology Veggie Starter. This is an option in the class supply kit from Cultures for Health. Mix one packet into 1/4 cup of water; use in place of whey for one quart of ferment.

Abiasa Aromatic B Starter. This is included in the class supply kit from Homesteader Supply. Though a cheese starter, the organisms in it are the same as the Body Ecology starter, and it seems to be an economical option. Mix 1/16th teaspoon of the culture with 1/4 cup of water; use in place of whey for one quart of ferment.

What if a recipe doesn’t specify a starter culture and you want to use one? Generally, 1/4 cup of liquid starter works for one quart of ferment. Scale up accordingly. If a recipe calls for another amount, by all means follow the wisdom of the recipe author. However, like many aspects of traditional cooking, starter culture usage is not an exact science and a range of amounts will probably work.

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