You are welcome to join in the REAL FOOD Challenge any time!
Sadly the 2013 Challenge has come to an end, but this information will remain as it is new for some and motivating for others. :)January - Healthy Fats Month
Our first challenge for the month of January is using real fats. Healthy fats such a coconut oil, butter, palm oil, MCT oil, lard, tallow, extra virgin olive oil, ghee. For this month, READ labels, and do not consume (or try very hard not to) any vegetable oils, soybean oils, margarine, Crisco, any hydrogenated oils, etc. We will share some of our recipes for homemade dressings and mayonnaises, etc. We will even share how-tos when available. Even if your "real" fat of choice is not organic, don't fret. As long as you begin making these changes, the rest will come in time. I would much rather use conventional butter than margarine any day.
Things to remember about these healthy fats:
Ghee, (clarified butter- the milk proteins are removed leaving just the butter oil that can stand higher heat than regular butter) has probably the highest smoke points of all the listed fats above, so is the most suitable for high heat cooking. (Palm oil can also tolerate high heat well, but is not as common.)
Next, is coconut oil, lard, and tallow which can tolerate a medium-high heat. (Lard is our choice if we actually fry something, but not on high heat!)
Regular butter should not be used at too high of a heat, more like low to a low-medium heat.
Lastly, would fall your olive oil and MCT oil. Unless you know for sure you have an extremely high quality olive oil, I would not heat it. MCT oil should not be heated as well. These oils are best for cold use.
Why are smoke points important?
If you break down an oil beyond it's smoke point, even if it is a "good" fat, it causes more damage in your body than some bad fats (creates free radicals)...so watch those temperatures!
Remember these healthy fats are your friends! Seriously, your body needs them. If you eat veggies, eat them with a fat. Most of the vitamins that your body needs will need a fat to be absorbed, so please use them. Low fat and fat free diets are NOT HEALTHY!!
Since this is a REAL FOOD Challenge group, I feel compelled to at least
say that you won't always have to give up things you like (not completely or permanently-but do try for at least that particular month) to participate. I know some may be nervous about what lies ahead, but just do the best you can with what you have.
Some months may be harder than others to complete the challenge posted, but there are always substitutions that can be made and no doubt many times we will be faced with situations that we have to just make the best choice for the moment, it's okay! We will be in this together and all are here for the encouragement that it takes to really make positive changes in our diets.
These challenges will not only affect your health, but that of your families as well. Proper nutrition is really necessary for proper growth and development of children, so let's take back our health!
If this is new to you, here's some more information on real fats and their purposes: http://www.westonaprice.org/know-your-fats Know Your Fats - Weston A Price Foundation www.westonaprice.org
The Weston A. Price Foundation for Wise Traditions in Food, Farming, and the Healing Arts.
February - Bone Broth Month
Our challenge this month is to make stock weekly and use this instead of canned broths, bullion cubes or stock bases.
Bone broth is an ingredient (or food) that’s been made for thousands of years. Every grandmother knew how to make broth up until modern times, when bouillon cubes and canned chicken broth became the norm. But it’s easy to make your own broth, and the nutritional benefits can’t be beat. Broth includes gelatin, which aids your digestion and strengthens your joints, and it has many trace minerals to build your own bones.
Most stocks call for onions, celery, carrots, and herbs, (best to avoid adding starchy vegetables to stock at this point), but it’s really up to you. Most of us in the challenge group prefer the super-simple, bare-bones (ha!) approach:
Super-simple Stock: You really only need four ingredients to make bone broth: bones, water vinegar, and real (sea/Celtic) salt.
Here’s how: Place bones in the bottom of a large stock pot. (If you want, add coarsely chopped onion, celery tops, and carrots.) Splash with vinegar (about 1/2 cup ACV), sprinkle generously with salt, and then cover with water. Transfer pot to stovetop, and if you have time, let sit for 30 minutes to an hour. If you don’t, then bring the stock to a boil. Use a slotted spoon to skim off the scum that rises to the top (This is important, because scum=impurities.) Turn down the heat to your stovetop’s lowest setting. You want your stock to slowly, barely bubble. Simmer based on the times listed below. (Spices specific to the type of stock, recommended by the WAPF, are listed in parentheses.)
Shrimp or Fish: 4-24 hours (thyme, parsley, bay, & white wine)
Chicken: 6-8 hours, or longer for a darker stock (parsley)
Beef, Lamb, or Goat: 12-72 hours (thyme, peppercorns, parsley)
(Many also recommend roasting the bones (especially if they are meaty-and some say it increases flavor too) before cooking beef stock—350 degrees for one hour.)
Storage: Strain bones and veggies (if used) out of the liquid. Let cool in the fridge. Skim off fat. Stock can be transferred for freezing, though mine rarely makes it to this point. Zip lock bags work well for the freezer.
More information on this process:
http://www.westonaprice.org/food-features/broth-is-beautiful
http://www.jadeinstitute.com/jade/bone-broth-health-building.php
http://nourishedkitchen.com/perpetual-soup-the-easiest-bone-broth-youll-make/
So what do I do with my broth from here? Cook with it! Drink it, straight up, to fight off colds. Braise with it. Make gravies with it. Prepare rice with it. Make soup with it. Broth is the one-size-fits all ingredient that I wouldn’t want to be without.
March - Real Dairy Month
This month our challenge is to consume nothing but real milk in all our dairy needs, plus a raw milk fast...be sure to read more about it below!.March Challenge: find Real Milk! Go to http://realmilk.com/ or http://www.eatwild.com/ , and figure out the best way to buy pastured, raw milk near you! Or if you are local contact: wapfpickenscounty@gmail.com.
Here's an info-graphic that shows the difference between milk at the store and pastured, raw milk from healthy animals-- and how it compares to human milk.
Some tips on starting raw milk for your family:
1) Talk to the farmer and have a look at the farm. If there's a bad smell, you're in the wrong place. Pastured milk operations don't have a stench, maybe a mildly farm-y smell. If the place stinks, don't buy the milk. Make sure the animals are on grass or hay 24-7. A little grain during milking is okay (ask if it's GMO-free). Grain-fed cows' stomachs change and make way for bad bacteria. Pastured cows' stomachs have ~good~ bacteria, which they will impart to their milk!
2) Bring a cooler with ice, especially in the warmer months. Raw milk will sour more quickly if it isn't kept ice-cold. Expect a freshly milked, instantly chilled gallon to last just over a week if kept around 37 degrees. It will start to sour earlier than this if it isn't kept very cold. I've had milk last over two weeks when it's kept very cold.
3) Once you purchase, start slowly. It tastes fabulous, so it would be easy to gulp down glass after glass. But resist the urge. There are lot of life-giving bacteria in raw milk that your (or your family's) stomach may not be used to. It takes some time to adjust, especially if your family is used to processed foods.
4) If you have family members who are a little hesitant to try Real milk, it makes fabulous milkshakes! You can also add vanilla flavoring and a little maple syrup for vanilla milk.
Click here, to read more about this from the Healthy Home Economist.
To read more about the reasoning behind the Milk Cure, click here.
(Also, posted below are some Do's and Don'ts on the Raw Milk Fast from the Healthy Home Economist.)
Click here, to read more about this from the Healthy Home Economist.
To read more about the reasoning behind the Milk Cure, click here.
(Also, posted below are some Do's and Don'ts on the Raw Milk Fast from the Healthy Home Economist.)
- DON’T attempt this fast with pasteurized or even low temp pasteurized milk. Milk becomes a completely different food once it’s pasteurized and many vital nutrients and enzymes are either totally lost or significantly reduced. Pasteurized milk is not a complete food like raw milk is.
- DON’T do this while pregnant or nursing.
- DON’T do the fast just to lose weight. The purpose of the fast is to gently cleanse and rejuvenate the body without overly stressing it. Getting healthy and staying healthy is the goal, not dropping a dress size or two. If you drop some weight, that’s just a bonus but not the goal.
- DO the fast with raw milk yogurt, raw kefir, or clabbered raw milk instead of plain raw milk if you prefer. These are acceptable substitutions.
- DO the fast with any type of quality raw milk you can find. Last year, there was a participant in Europe who fasted with raw sheep milk!
- DO continue the fast longer than Friday, March 8, 2013 if you like. Continue to post comments on the update posts to let us all know how you are doing.
- DO be sure to drink enough raw milk to keep yourself hydrated and full. A cup or so of milk every hour works well. You should not experience much if any hunger during the fast based on Paula and my experiences last year (and Paula’s the year before that). You probably will find that you don’t want any water as the milk will provide all the liquid you need.
- DO continue to take your supplements if you would like. I plan to continue taking my fermented cod liver oil and butter oil on a daily basis during the fast.
- DO drink other fermented beverages like kombucha or beet kvass if you desire. Raw milk should be primary, however.
- DO drink herbal tea if you find this is helpful to you during the cleanse for either detoxification or restful sleep.
- DON’T overdo during the fast. Try to rest as much as possible and keep activities to a minimum.
- DON’T do this fast in place of the GAPS Diet if healing/sealing of the gut wall is what you need to reverse an autoimmune disorder. While this fast may help you temporarily, the GAPS Diet is likely needed for full healing. Contact Biodynamicwellness.com for a consultation if you need help with implementation of the GAPS Diet.
- DON’T workout during the fast unless it is some gentle yoga or walking. Stressing the body at this time is not recommended. Use your best judgment on whether sweating would help or hinder the cleanse process for you.
- DO take cleansing baths such as espom salts or baking soda to assist the detoxification process. Dry skin brushing might be helpful to you as well. The skin is the largest organ of elimination so use it!
- DO consult with your doctor if you have any questions about whether this cleansing protocol is right for you. I would suggest consulting with a holistic practitioner, however, a person who is informed and doesn’t freak out at the words “raw milk”!
April - Sprouted or Soaked Grain and Legume Month
In this challenge, we are to TRY diligently consuming only sprouted or soaked grains and/or legumes. This is important. If you don't properly PREPARE your grains before consuming them, the anti-nutrients and phytates located in the grain will block absorption of the nutrients in your gut. You will not only be blocking the nutrients from the grain, but other consumed nutrients there (in your gut) at the same time.
Grains and legumes are not easily digested. All contain phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors that must be neutralized. Plus, they contain complex proteins and sugars which must be broken down before cooking. The traditional technique of soaking with a neutralizer predigests grains and legumes. This may prevent a strain on the digestive system and will also unlock their nutrients. By doing this, it makes the nutrients available to the body and for absorption. Soaking may also prevent mineral deficiencies and bone loss.
Neutralizers to use:
Dairy: whey, whole-milk yogurt, cultured buttermilk, kefir. (This option provides the added benefit of lactobacilli- which helps break down the complex proteins and sugars.)
Non-dairy: lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, or other mild vinegars.
Grains and Legumes Soaking Times and Information:
Amaranth or Teff: 1 cup dry, add 1 cup warm filtered water, plus 2 TBSP neutralizer, soak 12-24 hours, when you are ready to cook add 1 cup boiling water and ½ tsp sea salt, stir and cover. Reduce heat to low, cook 15-20 minutes.
Oats, Kamut, Spelt (rolled or coarsely ground): 1 cup dry, add 1 cup warm filtered water, plus 2 TBSP neutralizer, soak 7-24 hours, when you are ready to cook add 1 cup boiling water, ½ teaspoon sea salt. Stir and cover, reduce heat to low, cook 5 minutes.
(Organic-non-GMO) Grits: 1 cup dry, add 1 cup water plus 2 TBSP neutralizer, soak for 12-24 hours, when you are ready to cook add 1 cup boiling water and ½ tsp sea salt, stir and cover. Reduce heat to low, cook 15-20 minutes.
Millet: 1 cup dry, add 2 cups warm, filtered water, plus 2 TBSP neutralizer. Soak 7-24 hours. Pour into pot, bring to boil. Skim and discard scum, add 1-2 TBSP butter and ½ teaspoon of salt. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Wild rice: 1 cup dry, add 2 cups warm- filtered watt plus 2 TBSP neutralizer. Soak 7-24 hours. Pour into pot, bring to boil. Skim and discard scum, add 1-2 TBSP butter and ½ teaspoon of salt. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Quinoa: 1 cup dry, Use a fine sieve and first rinse quinoa well, then add 3 cups warm filtered water plus 1 TBSP of neutralizer. Soak 12-24 hours. Pour into pot with 2 cups water or stock and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cook 15-20 minutes.
Aduki, Lima, Navy, Pinto, or Kidney beans: 2 cups dry, add simmered water to cover with an extra 2 inches over, plus a pinch of baking soda. Soak 18-24 hours, change water at least one time during soaking period. Darin and rinse well. Cover completely with 2 inches to spare over beans and bring to boil. Skim and discard scum that comes to top. Reduce heat to low and cover and cook for 1-11/2 hours, until beans are tender.
Dried or Split Peas: same as above, but soak for 10-24 hours.
Lentils: 2 cups dry, add simmered water to cover, with at least 2 inches of water to spare, plus 2 TBSP whey, lemon juice, or vinegar. Soak 10-12 hours. Drain and rinse well. Pour into pot with 3 cups water or stock. Bring to boil. Skim and discard scum. Reduce heat to low, cook uncovered 40 minutes-1 hour. Stir occasionally to prevent burning.
Notes:
- No need to drain water after soaking for grains.
- Soak at room temperature and you may cover while soaking.
- The longer the soaking time, the shorter the cooking time.
- Always use a good quality sea salt when directions call for salt.
Videos you may like to watch from the Health Home Economist Blog:
How to Quickly Adjust the Taste of Soaked Grains
Proper Preparation of Grains and Legumes
Sprouting Flour Video
How to Soak Flour Video
May - No/Low Grain Month
Sometimes it’s just good to give your body a break. Your challenge is to do just that by going low- or no-grain.Grains are hard on your body. Just as we discussed in our last month’s challenge, grains have high levels of phytates, and unless you are willing to soak them, grains can seriously bother your digestion and contribute to many stomach and gut issues.
Not all grains are bad for all people, but finding a balance is important. Sometimes, going off grains can help you find your “toleration point.” That is, exactly how much grain you should be putting in your diet.
Grains are a staple in the standard American Diet, so replacing them can sometimes be difficult.
Some of the following vegetable options can help:
Replace rice or grits with cauliflower: cut off the florets, process them quickly in the food processor until they are the size of rice grains, and steam or quick stir-fry.
Replace noodles with cabbage “noodles.” Take shredded cabbage, sauté it quickly with butter, salt and pepper, and you have a delicious, low-carb noodle replacement. (Also, zucchini noodles, cucumber noodles, or even spaghetti squashes work great too!)
Bread doesn’t always have a perfect replacement—though paleo bread can help. My most favorite and fastest option—especially at this time of year—is to use lettuce leaves as wraps. It doesn’t give you that heavy-carb feeling, either.
When you’ve got the urge to bake, there are several options.
Most will use almond, oat, buckwheat or coconut flour as replacements for your normal wheat flours and adjust recipes accordingly.
Replacing flours can be tricky; here are some general guidelines to help you experiment in the kitchen:
For almond flour, it’s easier to replace wheat flour using the same weight of almond flour (one cup of wheat flour weighs 4.5 oz.) and increase the leavening a smidge. This works pretty well, but you may have to experiment to get the results you want.
Buckwheat and oat flours are also good replacements for wheat, though buckwheat can be strong-tasting. They both can be replaced, 1:1, for wheat flour.
Coconut flour is a bit trickier, since it absorbs lots of liquid. To replace one cup of wheat flour, follow the following ratios: - 1/4-1/3 c. coconut flour - 6 eggs (you can add the extra eggs to the recipe)
One caveat: it is much, much easier to let others do the experimenting for you and find recipes already adapted to coconut flour.
That’s where websites and blogs come in handy:
There are many websites that cater to no-grain lifestyles.
Here are some to start:
Elena’s Pantry has great recipes that use real ingredients and involve normal preparations. Her “most popular recipes” is a great place to start, check out her Paleo Diet Recipes.
Another place is the Healthy Indulgences blog
Wheat Belly Blog
Your Lighter Side
Dr. Eades (probably more recipes on MD’s side)
Maria Emmercich’s Blog
FastPaleo.comhttp://fastpaleo.com/
(Any “paleo” type recipes will work for this month as they exclude grains.)
June - Smoothie Month
This month's challenge is not so much a "challenge" really! Smoothies are an enjoyable way to increase your raw dairy needs and any other additional nutrient you may want to add to benefit from. Try to have one a day or at least one a week this month!
To make a smoothie:
You'll need a blender of some sort
Start with a cup of plain, full-fat yogurt, kefir, etc. (Coconut milk is good if you're non-dairy/GAPS.)
Add a half cup of frozen fruit and blend.
You can also use extra sweetener, like maple syrup, stevia, or honey (blender running while you add it).
Now, the fun part! Add pastured egg yolks, coconut oil (blender running), spirulina powder, probiotic powder, diatomaceous earth, bentonite clay... basically anything you *know* is good for you (or your kids ;), but you just can't get down the hatch otherwise. All covered up in that delicious fruit!
Smoothies are a quick breakfast, lunch, or a snack after a heavier meal.
July - Ferments Month
This month’s challenge is to consume as many ferments as you can. To be conscious of actively making and eating several each day or a few each week.
Ferments include anything that is fermented with good bacteria or a symbiotic relationship with good bacteria and yeast.
Why Ferments?
Fermented foods are considered probiotics for gut health yielding many healthful benefits. Human gut flora consists of around 500 known microbes all of which are not beneficial flora, some are opportunistic. This means if they get out of “check” they will take over causing great harm and leading to many different diseases. By eating fermented foods with good, beneficial bacteria, one can help their body keep these opportunistic bacteria at bay.
Not only is fermenting (mainly lacto-fermentation discussed below) an ancient way of preserving food, but by doing so increases the nutritional value of that food considerably.
Briefly, some of the benefits include: normalizing stomach acidity- bringing up or down the pH as needed, helps in the break down of protein and therefore their assimilation, aids in the assimilation of iron, activates the secretions of the pancreas, aids in the peristaltic movement, contains anti-carcinogenic properties, and increases enzyme, vitamin, and mineral contents!
Several drinkable ferments are kombucha, milk kefir, soda kefir, beet or fruit kvass, and probiotic tomato juice. The first three are made with a starter culture or “grains”, the beet or fruit kvass and tomato juice are made by lacto-fermentation, meaning with whey to culture the beets or fruit(s) and ferment.
Even yogurt is really a “ferment.” (Homemade more so because store bought is weak.) Probably the most known ferment is sauerkraut and pickles, which can be bought if you can not make them. Look for the Bubbies brand found at some health food stores and places like Whole Foods, they are truly lacto-fermented and not made with vinegar.
Since there are now plentiful organic vegetables this month, why not try to make your own lacto-fermentation experiments?
Here is a simple recipe to get you started:
(Produces 2 pints or 1 quart)
2 TBSP whey “lactobacilli inoculator”
1 TBSP sea salt
filtered water to cover your fresh vegetables such as green beans, zucchini, carrots, summer squash, cucumbers, cabbage, peppers, tomatoes, onions, etc.
Leave about one inch space between vegetables/liquid and the top of jar. Close lid tightly and set on counter for about 3-4 days, then refrigerate. Keep closed during this inoculation period.
Typically best in a few days when flavor gets going and best used within 2-3 months.
There are lots of fermented recipes in Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon, a book we have referred to many times here. It is a book worth investing in if you plan to continue in eating real food.
Read more about lacto-fermentation from WAPF here.
Also there are lots of sites with step by step instructions and visuals for those that learn best that way. Here are some of them:
http://nourishedkitchen.com/category/course/fermented-cultured-foods/
http://www.nourishingdays.com/2009/07/the-benefits-of-fermented-food-lacto-fermented-vegetables/
http://deliciouslyorganic.net/how-to-ferment-vegetables-sauerkraut/
http://gnowfglins.com/2009/06/03/lacto-fermented-naturally-pickled-turnips-and-beets/#
http://thenourishingcook.com/category/recipes/mastering-the-basics/fermented-vegetables-fruits/
This is a synopsis of ferments, but it is well worth your time to delve into ferments a bit more. Good luck and enjoy the rest of July, our ferments month, all 23 days left of it!! :)
August - Locally Sourced Produced Month
This month, our goal is to eat as many locally sourced fruits and vegetables as possible. Our goal is to have most or all of our produce from local sources! August is a perfect time for this challenge, as the local farmers’ markets should be filled with awesome produce at this time!
What is local?
By definition, local produce is produced within a day’s driving distance from your home. That gives quite a bit of leeway, but the closer to home, the better!
Why local produce? There are many reasons.
When you eat locally:
- You eat better, and local food just plain-out tastes better! The shorter the distance it has to travel, the more time it has on the plant to ripen naturally.
- You add more variety to your diet and try new foods, which can inspire you in the kitchen! You’ll discover new recipes and reinvent old favorites as well. Which means…
- You know your ingredients! Three-fourths the battle in clean eating is to truly know what you’re eating.
- You support your local farmers. Many of these farmers may not be “certified” organic, since the certification process is expensive, but many will use organic and sustainable practices to produce their food.
- You stop supporting corporate food giants, who often give token respect to clean eating with organic food labels. While these foods are, for sure, mostly organic, they’re still produced with non-sustainable practices, and they still support large corporations who are more concerned with the almighty dollar than the folks they’re feeding.
- You connect with the seasons. So many foods ripen in August, but farmers never stop producing food, no matter the season. It’s truly amazing: even in the dead of winter, potatoes, leafy greens, and winter squash are still in season.
Where do you find local fruits and veggies? They’re all around us!
- www.localharvest.org is a great starting place; it’s a network of farms and farmer’s markets around the country.
- Keep an eye out for farm stands, especially when they’re connected with a working farm. Not every farm will have sustainable practices, but all will be open to questions.
- Local newspapers will often have advertisements for local farmers’ markets; in this area, almost every small town has one. You can also search online for your surrounding towns’ markets.
- If you’re in the local area, CAFE, or the Clemson Area Food Exchange, is a great way to source local foods
Good luck finding delicious local produce, and happy eating!
September - No Package/ Boxed Foods Month
Ouch, right?!
When I think about this, I'm surprised at how much our society depends on foods that come in plastic and boxes.
Here are a few thoughts on going "out of the box" and making things from scratch.
PASTA- Instead of spaghetti noodles, perhaps a spaghetti squash?
Or, you could sprout wheat berries [dehydrate and grind] to make pasta.
CEREALS- Soak rolled oats to make oatmeal. Grind grains and soak to make porridges.
PIE CRUSTS- Mix almond flour with melted butter, dash salt and stevia for a no-bake, instant pie crust. (Approx. 1 cup flour with 1/2 stick butter, pat into pie pan.)
Be creative! Get in the kitchen this month and cook from scratch! Homemade is best. :)
October - No Sugar/ or Only Real Sugars Month
Everyone may appreciate that I am 7 days late announcing this challenge this month!
This may be a hard one for most since it involves not just limiting sugar, but totally avoiding it! Our challenge this month is to go as sugar free as possible. That means things like yogurts, smoothies, ice creams, cakes, cookies, candy, etc...should be sweetened with a sugar substitute.
Be weary of the substitutes you use though! Donʼt fall into that aspartame or saccharin trap! Read your labels and watch what you use this month. I like to use sugar alcohols such as xylitol, erythritol. Powdered stevia leaf or stevia extract are easy choices too. These are my favorites to use in baking and cooking. Although, many people donʼt like the cooling effect of xylitol or the bitterness of stevia...thatʼs why it is best to use a combination of stevia and/or erythritol or xylitol.
Now, for those that are anti-sugar substitutes (which is fine if you limit your sugar consumption to a minimum) and only use sugars such as honey, molasses or sucanat (evaporated sugar cane)...no refined white sugar! A bit tricky, huh? Or better yet, try limiting your sweet tooth to just good old fruit! Then you have a very real sugar (fructose), but contained in a natural fibrous package!
Either way, I hope you enjoy this monthʼs challenge and this helps continue your awareness of eating REAL FOOD!!
Click here to see some posts from www.HealthyRadiantLiving.com about some of the dangers of sugar.
Again, there are many many websites (just google what you are looking for) that help in providing recipes and tips to bake and cook without sugar...here are just a few:
• www.healthyindulgences.net
• www.marianutrition.com
• www.elanaspantry.com
November Challenge - Grass-Fed Meats and Organ Meats
This month is kind of easy and kind of hard!
(Especially if you are vegetarian! Hope not!)
Grass fed meat is getting somewhat easier for most people to find with more awareness from media, but organ meat....say what?!!
That may be the hard part for most. Organ meat can be very beneficial if from a clean, pastured animal, free from disease. It is highly concentrated in many vitamins.
Read this short segment below from “Cooking With Mystery Meat.” In fact, read the whole article if you can because it will HELP you (cook and utilize these nutrient-dense foods) this month if this sounds a bit crazy to you!
“Why Organ Meats?
Compared with muscle meats, organ meats are richer in just about every nutrient, including minerals like phosphorus, iron, copper, magnesium and iodine, and in B vitamins including B1, B2, B6, folic acid and especially vitamin B12. Organ meats provide high levels of the all-important fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K, especially if the animals live outside in the sunlight and eat green grass. Organ meats are also rich in beneficial fatty acids such as arachidonic acid, EPA and DHA. Organ meats even contain vitamin C—liver is richer in vitamin C than apples or carrots! Even if you add only small amounts of organ meats to your ground meat dishes, you are providing your family with super nutrition. . . in ways that everyone likes and are easy to consume.”
The Weston A. Price Foundation has many, many articles on their amazing website regarding real foods, nutrition, facts, myths, and so forth. If you want to know more, there is much more to learn...they are a great foundation for sound nutritional advice, backed by years of research. Check them out!
Here is one below to get you started!
Meat, Organs, Bone and Skin
Also, if grass-fed meat is new to you too...click here!
Grass fed poultry, pork, and beef are all included this month.
(A tip that I use to include organ meats in our diet is to have it ground up and spread in throughout our ground beef when ordering through a local meat processor...no one but you knows it is in there! Heart, brain, and spleen are easy to add and never detect...kidneys, sweetbreads, and liver are stronger flavors in my opinion and a bit harder to hide from picky eaters.)
December Challenge - Pick Your Trigger Month
Sadly, this is the LAST month for our challenge...we will miss announcing the new challenges, but also hope you have enjoyed giving them a try too!
For the month of December, we decided to have a "Choose your trigger" kind of month. Meaning this can possibly be the easiest challenge yet OR the hardest. Only you know what "trigger" foods are your hardest to avoid, that's why you choose!
For me, as crazy as it sounds...I love saltines. Plain jane saltines, BUT I don't like the ingredients, so this month, they are the start of my TRIGGER month awareness.
What will be yours?
Good luck to your future real food challenges, we hope we have helped in some way and wish you the best, now and in the upcoming new year!
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