6:57 AM

Work in Progress

Posted by Nicole |


Now I know why Nourishing enthusiast say don't jump in to this new diet too quickly.
Not only did I experience a couple days of sugar withdrawl - luckily that seems to be behind me - but once I tried menu planning (using Nourishing Traditions as a guide) I realized I could not simply wake up and plan dinner for that evening or even the next evening's dinner. Some foods just take a while!

For example my husband requested chicken enchiladas, tacos and burritos! Normally this would mean picking up chicken, sauce (or components to make my own), tortillas, canned beans and cheese. Oh and you can't forget the sour cream! These menu items are a little more labor intensive from a Nourishing standpoint.

So I scoured the book for ideas and while Sally Fallon says sprouted tortillas are available (maybe where she shops, but I haven't found them) I am determined to try making tortillas again. In the past I have made them (without soaking the flour beforehand) and while they are tasty, they are time consuming - rolling them out, cooking each one... and really I haven't done it since having kids. Anyway, I've found a recipe and Heather and I are planning a tortilla-making-in-mass day and will freeze some to have on hand for later. So there is one element.

Next, the enchilada sauce - previously I have purchased stock to make this, not so anymore. Must make chicken stock before I can make enchilada sauce (and most other recipes in NT cookbook as well...). That takes about a day.

Beans, must soak overnight, cook 4-6 hours the next day.

I found a nice looking recipe to try a fermented vegetable - a Latin American style sauerkraut. Well that takes 3 days (plus 36hrs before hand to make your own pineapple vinegar. Not necessary but I think it sounds delish!). This had better be a mind-blowing meal!!

Oh, and don't forget the sour cream! I don't know if any of you have looked on the ingredient list of your sour cream recently, but I was surprised how many ingredients there were - and weird ones! So how do you make your own? You make creme fraiche. This is a European style sour cream and it is delicious. I remember making it a couple years ago and have had it in mind to make it again, but you know, it is too easy to pick up sour cream at the grocery store. So I mixed 1 pint heavy cream with 1 Tbls of buttermilk in a large jar, covered and left it out on the counter for nearly 24 hours. Then I refrigerated it until cold and tasted... Unbelievable!! So creamy, thick and wonderful. This is what transforms a so-so meal to gourmet! I urge you to try this if nothing else.

And while these are all preparations for meals to be enjoyed on later days, we still need to eat until then! It can be overwhelming. But, I am here to tell you that you don't have to jump in all at once. Sure planning a nice meal from scratch is the ultimate goal, but start with the basics.

  • Make some stock keep some in the fridge and freeze the rest so you have it on hand.

  • Evaluate what dairy products you would like to have on hand and how they are prepared. Either make them or buy them. This ensures you have things like buttermilk for soaking pancake/waffle batter, among other things.

  • Evaluate what meat you have in stock and what you will be buying next. Plan your meals around what your family enjoys and what you can prepare without undue stress/fuss. We had hamburgers last night and it was tasty and easy! There will come a time when it doesn't feel like so much work to make a meal in a more traditional method, but work yourself up to that point.

  • Shop for local, fresh, organic if possible produce and prepare it well. This makes a huge difference, often I plan my meals around what yummy produce I have picked up (Kale and buttery Yukon potatoes are the current top of the list finds).

  • Plan your meals a few days in advance. This way you don't get stuck like I did and realize I have nothing I can make that day without giving up the principles I decided to follow! Eggs are a great thing to have on hand for times like these...

Planning is key! Say it with me, "Planning is Key"! This needs to be my mantra. Setting aside a day to get things started and the basics done will ease meal preparation later. And don't forget to laugh a little, food is fun. It is what feeds our bodies and nourishes ourselves and those around us.

2 comments:

Hanna said...

Hmmm, that reminds me, I need to learn how to make refried beans. Can't be that hard.

I have never made flour tortillas because I was raised on the homemade cornmeal variety. Can you have cornmeal? They are quick and easy like crepes and taste soooo good. They do turn out a bit smaller and flimsier though, so it's a bit of an eating adventure.

Nicole said...

Refied beans don't sound hard - Heather is going to do a recipe post featuring these soon.
Yes cornmeal is okay, in bread it would be soaked but Nourishing Traditions says when choosing corn tortillas to look for ones made with lime water and no extra additives.
Are the ones you make a batter then? Sounds yummy!

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