Breakfast Menu

I spent a little time this afternoon perusing blogs and cookbooks and came up with this weekly breakfast menu.  I'm quite positive that my kiddos are going to have a few issues, but I'm hoping that the "there are starving kids in Afria and I don't want to hear you complaining" speech will prevail.  LOL  Seriously though, since I've been back home from Sierra Leone, I'm a completely different parent....but that's another post.

I'm positive the kids, Jackson primarily, will have issues with a few things, but I'm going to plan on holding fast at least for a few weeks to see if I can persuade them.  Nothing is horrible or anything they will completely hate, it just isn't what they are used to having.

The menu is grain free, except for Monday and Saturday, which will be a treat.  Pancakes are the boys' all-time favorite breakfast, so I included it and I'm going to use it for bribery, if needed.  I'll make them from scratch with organic flour - 1/2 all-purpose and 1/2 whole wheat.  According to WAP, grains need to be soaked, so I'm going to try to figure that out at some point.

Monday
Eggs - Pastured and purchased from a local farm
Toast - Ezekiel for now, homemade sourdough or soaked later
Butter - Purchased at grocery for now, hopefully local, grassfed or homemade later
Honey - Local, raw
Fruit - Whatever is in season or organic frozen
Milk - Raw, purchased locally

Tuesday
Grain-free blueberry muffins with butter
Eggs
Milk

Wednesday
Yogurt - Homemade from raw milk purchased locally
Vanilla & Honey to flavor yogurt
Fruit
Grain-free granola

Thursday
No-crust veggie fritatta
Fruit
Milk

Friday
Nutty fruit cereal
Milk

Saturday
Pancakes - made from scratch w/organic flour & aluminum-free baking powder, local honey, coconut oil
Pure Maple Syrup
Butter
Eggs
Milk

Sunday
Yogurt
Fruit
Grain-free granola

I found these recipes on Organic & Thrifty via The Healthy Home Economist and also from Those Who Hunger.  There are a few more breakfast recipes I want to try, but I think we'll try to adjust to these first before I bring on another batch.

Jodi & Sally

Sally Fallon, that is, the author of Nurishing Traditions, The cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats.

My own history in regard to my diet is such that I have done almost every diet known to modern America.  Weight Watchers, South Beach, Blood Type, Cabbage Soup, Atkins, to name a few just off the top of my head.  Then there was one (I can't even remember the name) where I went in several times each week, had to pee on a stick, ate almost nothing and had to buy powdered packets of supplements to use in preparing the small amount of stuff I was allowed to eat.  That doesn't even count all the goofy things I did with friends in high school and college.  And then there are the "tried and true" habits of calorie counting, carb counting, sugar counting, point counting and all other types of mathematical analysis of food consumption.  Years.... beginning when I was in elementary school.  And...with no lasting success.  Oh, I've lost weight - don't get me wrong.  Hundred of pounds over the years....but THEY'RE BAA-AACK!

I weigh more now than I have ever weighed in my life and I am SICK TO DEATH of dieting, doing all the hard work, only for it to return.  Ugh.  I'm not dieting.  It doesn't work for me.

A couple years ago, my sister's doctor gave her a lot of information regarding an anti-inflammatory diet.  Part of that information was a website to the Weston A Price Foundation.  I read some of it, thought it was a little weird for me, and went on about my business.

Fast forward to a few months ago.

Now that we are homeschooling and have made connections in various HS circles, I've had quite a few diet related conversations with different HSing moms.  Not that HS moms are any different than the rest...except they tend to be a little more willing to think and live "outside the box" than the average bear.  There, in conversation at some point, came up Weston A Price (WAP).  It sounded familiar to me, but took me a while to make the connection to what my sister's OB has told her about long before.

I'm not going to go into great detail about the WAP lifestyle (and it truly is a lifestyle - not a short term "diet"), but suffice it to say that it really makes a lot of sense to me now.  If you want to learn more about it, here's the link.

Weston A. Price Foundation



Doug and I have dabbled with it here and there and have realized that we feel so much better when we are following it (even though we've never followed ALL their practices).  It's really coming together at a time when we are evaluating other areas of our lives as well.

In general, in all areas of our lives, we have sacrificed so much quality of life for convenience and modern technology.  We've bought into the idea that having a lifestyle of more/bigger/faster is better.  The truth, I believe, is that "more and faster" is killing us - emotionally, spiritually and physically.  We've developed technologies and products just because someone had an idea, and haven't really stopped to think, "Why are we doing this?"  It's just an assumption that because we CAN, we SHOULD.   I disagree.  Just because we can...doesn't mean it the right thing to do.

So, we are evaluating a lot of our habits, and trying to compare them to what the Bible has to say about how we live our lives.  Everything from the way we eat to how we worship, how we raise our kids, spend our money and our time.  Up until now, we've just done what every American does...even Christian Americans...without thinking much about it.  Striving for that 'American Dream'..being a good citizen, successful in careers and in our family, blah blah.  The 'American Dream' isn't good enough for me anymore.

SO...Today, the Widhalm family is jumping on the Weston A Price bandwagon.  We'll be praying as we go and looking into what God has to say about what we eat, as well.  I think, though, it is a good choice in that we will be eating what God has provided versus the chemical-laiden junk we've been eating.

We will be adding habits and foods that are traditional.  No more processed junk in the pantry.  Our plates will look pretty simple (which is the way Jackson likes it, anyway).  We'll be raising our own when we can, buying locally, and organically if we can't get local.  I'll be making a lot more things from scratch.  Yogurt, cheese and bread-making are all on the horizon.  It's not going to be easy and it's going to take time to organize and get it all straight.  The biggest hurdle for me will be ignoring the drive-thru and giving up meals at the restaurant.  I'm sure we'll make mistakes and even occasionally dangle our feet off the wagon and get them muddy...we may even fall off if we hit a bump.  But, we'll get back on and learn from our mistakes.

So, move over Julie & Julia....here come Jodi & Sally!  I'm going to be posting about what's going on in our kitchen and how everyone reacts.  We are going to be trying new recipes and techniques from the WAP "Bible/Cookbook" (referenced in the first paragraph) and it could be quite a ride!

Sourdough Success!

Several weeks ago, I started experimenting with sourdough starter and recipes.  It's been an interesting challenge that I have actually enjoyed.  I love to learn new things and this was definately new for me!

I did have success making my own starter.  It wasn't hard, it just took a while (a week) so you have to be patient.  The Prairie Mom blog has turned out to be invaluable for this process.  I used it for the starter and had more success with her recipes than anyone else's I found.

Initially, after my first batch of starter, I made a recipe from a YouTube video I discovered.  I actually posted it here several weeks ago.  I ended up with two loaves of what I thought resembled bricks more than the bread I was expecting.  And, they were SERIOUSLY sour tasting.  Thinking I had done something wrong, I tried to keep the starter going so I could give it another try.  However, instead of putting the starter in the fridge, I covered it and put it on top of the fridge so it would be out of the way.  (I swear that's what I thought I was supposed to do since I wasn't going to wait that long to make more bread...) That was Mistake #1.  It molded and had to be thrown out.

Starter making had to begin again....another week of waiting.   During that week, I found Prairie Mom - thank God!  I used her method of taking care of the starter as well as her recipe for Yeasted Sourdough Bread.  Since the first bread I made was REALLY sour (the boys wouldn't even it covered with honey), I thought it would be a good one to try.  I made it twice, first the bread pictured below then the rolls, which are pictured above, and they were a huge hit!  Jackson was thrilled and has even told lots of his friends how his mommy makes the best bread ever!  He's been waiting patiently for me to make more...Yea!

After the bread, I also made homemade tortillas from the starter, which have also been well received by the critics of the house.  They love flour tortillas, but I didn't know what to use instead of buying them at the store until I found this recipe.  I feel great that they are getting to eat the things they want and are used to having - but they are healthy and actually good for them instead of being filled with empty calories and a bunch of chemicals/preservatives/additives that are actually harmful.  We've been eating them for lunch rolled up with PB&J....organic, of course. ;)

I will, no doubt, keep making tortillas and the Yeasted Sourdough recipe - they work really great for us.  However, since this process has begun, I have also realized that the first bread I made (which I thought was way too sour and way to heavy) was actually not a mistake.  About a week ago, I attended a Weston A Price meeting where everyone brought food to share.  There were a couple loaves of bread there - and they were almost exactly like the first I made that got thrown out.  Theirs was every bit as heavy as mine.  So....if you are venturing into this realm of breadmaking, just know that the starter is NOT going to give you bread that you are expecting if you are using whole wheat, rye, or spelt flour.  Don't freak out when your bricks come out of the oven!

If you aren't familiar with traditional food prep, the reason that sourdough is said to be more healthy than yeasted breads, is because of the fermentation process.  There are enzymes and good bacteria in the starter  that are actually beneficial to the "flora" in your gut.  Also, the process of fermenting and giving bread a long rising time, gives the phytic acid in the grain time to break down.  Phytic acid is part of  grains that inhibit the nutrients being processed by your body.  Grains (seeds) were created to propagate new plants, not to be digested as nutrients.  Soaking/fermenting breaks the acid down and makes the grain easier to digest.

Eventually, I want to get to a place that I am baking bread and other sourdough/soaked baked goods only once a month.  I think I can do it, although I'm sure it will be a process just like everything else.  I will also start to switch over to spelt flour from organic whole wheat.  And, eventually....I'd like to have a grain mill so that I can make my own sprouted flour.....but for now, I think I've made good progress.  No more buying the white/brown "fluff" at the grocery store.

In a pinch, I have found a sprouted sourdough bread at the health food store to use when I don't have time to bake.  I'll be leaving a loaf of it for Doug & the kids while I'm gone.

If you try your own starter or have recipes to share - leave a comment!

Bread Making Success!!

Well, the second time around was very successful!  If you are interested in a hearty, healthy loaf of bread I would suggest following the instructions of the video I posted yesterday.  The bread rose sufficiently, was hearty but not too heavy and had a great sourdough flavor.  I'll be using this one again, probably weekly, and trying not to buy bread at the grocery store any more.  Yea!

Homemade Sourdough Bread: Take 2

As I posted earlier, I tried my hand at making homemade sourdough bread.  I intended to post pictures for you, but I'm having technical difficulty doing that and, honestly, it turned out terrible.  I ended up with two bricks rather than loaves of bread.  I followed the video instructions as closely as I could, but they weren't very clear about measurements.  I'm not really sure what the problem was, but there most definately was a problem.

However, yesterday I spent some time researching and reading about sprouted flours and how much more healthy they are for you.  I found Breadtopia, which gave much more clear instructions about making sourdough from scratch, so I'm giving it another go round.

I was successful last week at making a viable sourdough starter from rye flour and water, so I am using that as my leavening agent and then using spelt flour for the bread.  I'm posting the videos, which are much more detailed and I have actually already stirred up my bread and it is rising now.  Hopefully, by evening, we'll have hot bread and butter to eat.  

www.breadtopia.com has many more videos and lots more information about all types of breads and breadmaking.


For a near-future project, I'm working on procuring a grain mill so that I can sprout spelt or whole wheat berries and grind my own flour.  The goal is to be making bread from sprouted flour, which is even healthier and easily digested than the normal whole grain bread.  

Home-Made Mayo & Ranch Dressing

Well, it's gonna be a full day here at our house.  I've already stirred up two loaves of bread that are rising and I've got my seeds and potting mix out to plant this afternoon.  I just found this video that is a recipe for homemade mayo, which I've been thinking about since we just started our traditional diet/lifestyle.  

As we all know, all these processed foods are killing us.  We are eating, usually overeating, getting more calories than necessary but not enough nutrition.  All the processing of food takes away the nutritional value and the very essence of why we need to eat it in the first place.  We are effectively starving our bodies, all the while they are becoming more and more obese.  

So, here at our house we've decided to get rid of the processed stuff and start eating like our ancestors did.  We've found that the Weston A Price diet is serving us well in that manner.  However, we are modern Americans, and so letting go of the processed things we've grown up on is a little overwhelming at times.  Ranch dressing was one of the things I wasn't sure how to make on my own and I knew it would be hard for us to give up.  Thankfully, now we aren't going to have to.  

This recipe if for mayo, but she adds on the key to ranch dressing at the end of the video.  I will definately give this one a try and wanted to post it here so I could access it quick and easy.

It's Alive!

Just this evening, after being set beside my crockpot which is boiling chicken broth, it has come alive and seriously looks like a bowl of boiling oatmeal (or something?) on the counter.  It's homemade sourdough bread starter.  I started last Friday with 1 cup of rye flour and 1 cup of water.  I put it in a sterilized bowl the next day and added those same ingredients again.  Every day after that, the same.

I left the house about 8:00 pm this evening to go to a friend's house.  When I returned at 10:00, it had bubbled over the side of the bowl.  I put it in a bigger bowl and have been blogging and surfing for a couple of hours watching it rise to the top.  I'm going to have to get an even bigger bowl before I go to sleep.  I've never seen anything like it.

I've got two more days to go, per the instructions, before I stop feeding it and use it to bake sourdough bread.  I can't imagine what it will look like by then.  I hope this works.  I love homemade bread!

I took pictures, but Harrison put my memory card reader in the toilet the other day, so the pics will have to wait for a day or so.   I assume it was an action in protest to the effort I was making at potty training.   I'm not for sure, but he is definately on track for covert operations job in the military....don't let the 2-year old jibber jabber fool ya!

WAPF: acronym for Weston A Price Foundation

For several months, maybe even longer, I've heard from different people about the Weston A. Price diet.  I say diet, but it is not a short-term weight loss program.  This is truly a lifestyle choice, which is why I didn't just jump right on the bandwagon.  A true lifestyle shift is a hard one to make - a lot different than just losing weight with the going fad diet.  

One of the people I heard from was, in fact, my mom and sister's OB/Gyn.  They love and trust him with their lives and so he gave it some real credibility along with some very good friends of mine.  The people I know who are following this plan (to varying degrees, of course) are doing wonderfully and wouldn't go back to the modern diet at all.  After lots of reading and research, as well as talking to several people, Doug and I have decided to give it a go.


I expect weight loss will probably happen, but we are truly more interested in the long term health benefits of just living a healthier lifestyle.  I expect the boys to rebel for a while.  However, they do love their food plain-Jane and served without being mixed or touching other things.  The part they aren't going to like, of course, is the processed food being off the menu.  Hopefully, they'll adjust in a fair amount of time.

Basically, the WAP diet consists of eating the way our ancestors ate or eating the food God created and provided for us.  Whole foods, raw dairy products, pasture-fed animal products, soaked grains, nuts.  No processed stuff.

I'm posting a couple of videos I found on making sourdough bread from scratch.  I'm putting them here so that I'll remember where to find them. :-)  I'll be sure to post pictures of my efforts, since it will probably be quite amusing!