Honeyville Almond Flour

Whether you eat gluten-free, avoid carbohydrates on a high protein diet, or are simply an adventurous cook, I bet that you have cooked with almond flour.  The recipes in my cookbook, Texas Homesteader Wheat-Free Cookbook, depend on almond flour.  But as I found out while experimenting for my cookbook, not all almond flours are created equal.

On the gluten-free aisle in your grocery store, you are inundated with different flours.  From garbanzo beans to potato starch, the choices can make your head spin, especially if you were only familiar with refined white flour and whole wheat flour before.

Almond flour is high in protein, low in carbohydrates, and high in fiber.  Almonds are also high in copper, iron, and vitamins.  To read more about the health benefits of almonds, click here.

Some companies use the term almond flour and almond meal interchangeably, but there is a difference.  Almond flour is made from grinding blanched almonds without their skins while almond meal is made from grinding the whole sweet almond.  The consistency is the difference.  Almond flour is more like flour while almond meal is more like corn meal.  If you bake much, you know that consistency and texture matters.

In my baking and in my gluten-free recipes, I use almond flour.  I do a lot of baking; therefore, I order it in bulk.  In fact I order as much as I can afford.  The more you order, the cheaper it costs you per pound.  Almond flour keeps well in the freezer so you can order more than you can use at the moment.

Honeyville Grain is the best almond flour available in my opinion.  It is a consistent product and yields absolutely delicious baked goods.  On the Resources and Links page in my cookbook, I write, “(Honeyville Grain) is a great source of high-quality blanched almond flour in bulk for a fraction of the cost in the grocery stores.”

If you sign up for the emails, they will send you a 10% discount code for your next order.  Regardless of how much blanched almond flour you purchase, the shipping is only $4.49.  If you want to try incorporating almond flour into your diet, order from Honeyville Grain.  You won’t be disappointed by the quality of their product.

The South American herb that is changing the face of sweetness. Photo from Wikipedia.

I am a fairly new fan of Stevia, which is  an all-natural sweetener made from the leaves of a South American herb.  Stevia does not cause any change in your blood glucose levels; its  glycemic index is zero.  Therefore, stevia is suitable for diabetics.  It also has no caloric value, and it does not have any carbohydrates.  Does it sound too good to be true?

It comes in both a liquid and powdered form.  It is not cheap either.  Compared to sugar, it costs $2.57 an ounce more.  Compared to artificial sweeteners, stevia costs anywhere between $1.10 – $1. 46 more per ounce.  But I believe that the adage, “you get what you pay for,” holds true in this case.

Most people would agree that our diet is saturated too much with sugar.  Just eating as a typical citizen of the United States, we consume large quantities of sugar daily.  In 1999, the average American consumed 158 pounds of sugar a year according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest.  Since I could not find any current data, I can only assume that in 2010 the number is higher or the same.  Many of the teaspoons of sugar are consumed through beverages; therefore, they are empty calories.  It makes sense why obesity is such a problem in this country.

Artificial sweeteners are very bad for you.  Most are made with excitotoxins and/or are carcinogenic.  Please do your own research on the health effects of artificial sweeteners.  I have personally seen the ill-effects of these chemicals on my son, Jake.

There are other natural sweeteners besides stevia like raw honey, agave nectar, yacon syrup, maple syrup, etc.  However, only stevia does not raise your blood sugar levels.  And yet, most people have never even heard of it.

Some people who have tried stevia have complained of a bitter aftertaste.  Dr. Mercola in his free e-book called Stevia: The Best Natural Sweetener, explains that not all stevia is created equal.  Some are made more cheaply with stevioside, which has the bitter taste.  While other high quality stevia is made mostly of rebaudioside A, which come from the sweetest part of the leaf.

The liquid stevia drops that I use do not have an aftertaste.  I wrote an article recently called, “Addicted to Coke” about using stevia drops to fight my addiction to soft drinks.  The brand is SweetLeaf and they come in many different flavors.  Purchasing the bottle might seem too expensive, but it lasts you a very long time.

Since writing that article, I have found an orange flavored sparkling water called La Croix.  It has no calories, no sweeteners, no sodium, and a natural orange flavor.  I add 18 drops of plain stevia into the container.  I enjoy this beverage immensely as a treat.

In my baking, I have been using stevia in the powdered form.  It takes some getting used to as it does not add bulk to your baked goods.  Stevia does not activate yeast or carmelize.  Stevia is not sugar, plain and simple.  Therefore, you must make the necessary adjustments when baking with stevia.

Beware of the stevia on the baking aisle in your grocery store.  I stopped by the other day to see what they were selling.  I guess I should not be too surprised when all the so-called stevia was mixed with dextrose or sucralose or some other sweetener.  In the health food section, you are able to find pure stevia extract, but be sure to read the label.

If you want to learn more about stevia or more about the dangers of artificial sweeteners, I highly recommend downloading Dr. Mercola’s free e-book, Stevia: The Best Natural Sweetener.  If you are not sure where to begin using stevia, start with sweetening your tea, coffee, or other beverage with the liquid drops.  Remember a little stevia goes a long way!

A beautiful photograph by David Ringer of the Blue Waterleaf, which Jake found on the bank of a pond.

I have been reading J.D. Wyss’ novel, Swiss Family Robinson, to my children for the last 3 weeks.  We are almost halfway through the novel, but are enjoying it immensely.  Well, we enjoy the story, but both Jake and Kyla begin each narration with the words, “Animal Murderers!!”

This daily outburst always surprises me since they have been raised in a household that raises and butchers a good portion of its meat.  They have had no problem cleaning fish, helping to butcher wild hogs, slaughtering chickens, or anything else.  Cross Creek Cattle Company keeps our family in grass fed beef, and my children are around the cattle on a daily basis.  Both my husband and Clayton go deer hunting and supply us with venison.

Therefore, it boggles my mind that they would be bothered by the fact that the stranded family kills animals and eats them.  The only animal thus far in our reading that they have not completely eaten has been a buffalo.  Its size prevented them from using the entire animal for meat.

As I am reading this classic, the same theme of self-sufficiency keeps leaping out at me.  This family was thrust into a “sink or swim” lifestyle by a shipwreck.  The crew deserted them.  Since they were headed to a new land to start a new life, the father had prepared himself through reading books.  He knew techniques employed by Native Americans.  He was able to identify species of strange animals.  But most importantly, he was able to identify plants all over the island.

From the caoutchouc tree to the candleberry plant, the family is able to survive with luxuries like rubber boots and candles.  They of course also survive on edible plants in addition to the meat they hunt.  The father’s knowledge of plants impressed and inspired me.  I began thinking about my knowledge of plants in general in my neck of the woods.  And honestly, I saw a deficit that needed to be filled through study and reading.

Of course, my children are learning alongside me.  I found a great site for the Houston area.  It is ran by a man who teaches courses at the Houston Arboretum on edible plants.  Merriwether’s Guide to Edible Wild Plants is full of information on commonly found plants in our area.  I have really enjoyed learning from Merriwether.

Chinese Tallow Tree in the fall. Photo taken by Kyla DeHaven.

For example, yaupon grows like crazy here.  It is everywhere.  I could easily identify yaupon.  I knew that its beautiful red berries were poisonous.  However, I learned that you can make tea from its dried leaves.  Merriwether not only tells you this, but gives you three different methods to dry the leaves.  Each method gives a different taste to the tea.  Completely fascinating!

At Half Price Books, I purchased a copy of The Illustrated Guide to Edible Wild Plants by the Department of the Army.  I need pictures of the plant in addition to a written description.  Eating something poisonous is a concern and I personally want a picture with each plant.  The downside of the book is that it is for the world.  Therefore, there are plants listed that more than likely I will never see in my lifetime.

It also has a poisonous plant section in the back, which I find very helpful.  This book also tells you what part of the plant you can eat and how to prepare it because not all edible plants can be consumed raw.

I am looking for an additional field guide with pictures for my area.  I am open to suggestions so please don’t be shy.  Let me know if you like a certain book.

We have been going on evening nature walks once a week as a family to find a plant that we can identify and learn more about.  Identifying plants is harder than it sounds even with the internet and books.  We are learning terms like compound leaf arrangements or rhizomes in the process.  Once the plant/flower is identified, we add a picture or drawing into our Creation Notebooks.  We include the scientific name and some information about the plant.

It is not a complex process.  It is truly an enjoyable process.  The photographs are examples of plants that we have added to our Creation Notebooks.  After years of study, I will feel like a plant expert for my area.  There are thousands of plants, flowers, and grasses if not more to learn about.

I hope that one day my family will not need the knowledge of edible wild plants to survive.  However I am not ruling out the possibility that one day in future, my family might need this vital information.  The Robinson family prepared for the future, and they have inspired me to learn all I can about the plants in my area.  I hope that you too are inspired to become a plant expert.

If you already are an expert, please share the names of valuable resources to aide our learning process.  I personally can use all the help I can get.

A friend of mine sent me a link to a cooking class called Real Food for Rookies.  Kelly the Kitchen Kop is putting on this cooking class for people who want to learn to utilize the principles in Nourishing Traditions.  You will learn to recognize ingredients on labels, shop at farmer’s markets, make homemade bread, make raw dairy products, and much more.  Kelly will also interview Sally Fallon, Jane Feingold, and many other experts in the field of health and food.

For twelve weeks you can learn at your own leisure and on your own time as Kelly the Kitchen Kop takes you through her cooking course.  The topics are:

1. Reading Labels to Avoid the Junk
2. Choosing Which Fats and Oils to Use in Your Kitchen
3. Choosing Which Sweetners to Use and Batch Baking
4. Choosing the Right Meats
5. Choosing the Right Produce
6. Choosing the Right Dairy
7. Healthy Breakfast Ideas
8. Healthy Lunches, Snacks, and On-the-Go Foods
9. Healthy Dinners and Fast Food Alternatives
10. Superfoods Part One
11. Superfoods Part Two
12. Beyond Real Food

Registration is on-going and ends on September 15th.  The class begins on September 16th.  Watch the video to learn more about the cooking class.

I have decided to enroll in the cooking course even though I already practice many of the principles in Nourishing Traditions. I am certain that I will learn something new, but most importantly I want to integrate the cooking course into our home school.

Nutrition, health, cooking, and science will all combine to teach my children by my side.  When childhood obesity, diabetes, behavioral problems, and other diseases are on the rise, I consider learning about real food and its affect on your life invaluable.  The foods you choose to eat play a big role in your life.  At their age, it is a time to prevent future health problems or improve some they currently experience.

If you are interested in learning more about this 12-week cooking course or want to enroll in it now, please check out Real Food for Rookies. If you decide to enroll, please go through the above link Texas Homesteader to sign up.  I am now an affiliate of the course; therefore, doing so will allow me to earn a little money by bringing this course to your attention.  Believe me, I need all the help I can get.

I want to thank my friend for introducing me to the Real Food for Rookies class.  I cannot wait to learn alongside my children about the importance of real food.  Our health depends on it.

Over a year ago, Lane and I committed to having a date night once a month.  To some that does not sound often enough, but when we make a commitment we want to make sure that we do not break it.  Once a month was doable for us.  It is also harder to find a baby-sitter when you have five children.

Anyway, once a month we went out on a date.  It does not matter what we do; it is all about spending one-on-one time together without interruptions or having to take someone to the bathroom during dinner.  I always tell Lane, “I don’t care what we do.  We can stand in the dollar store aisle for all I care.  I just want to be with you.”

Well, we have never done that, but it truly would not matter to me.  Sometimes we go to a Movie Tavern or Star Cinema Grill.  It is nice to get dinner and a movie at the same time.  Sometimes we go to a nice restaurant and spend a long time just talking to one another.  Other times we do something else, but we set aside one night a month for us.

Another commitment we have made is talking to each other privately once a day.  I did not realize how much I enjoy chit-chatting with my husband.  The act of just sharing how our days went is meaningful when done privately.  Again, it is spending one-on-one time with one another even for five minutes.

I am a big believer in taking baby steps that move you in the right direction.  So, we are now expanding our one-on-one time to our children, too.  Once a month, either Lane or I will do something with just one of our children.  They will get mom or dad’s undivided attention.

Sometimes we will do something to share our interests or passions.  Sometimes we will do something that only they want to do.  Sometimes the outing will be small and inexpensive while others will be big and cost more.  The important thing will be spending time together purposefully.

We already spend almost all day of every day together.  After all we are a home-schooling family with both parents working from home.  But like my marriage relationship improved after spending one-on-one time, our time with the individual children will also strengthen our relationships.

Michael Pearl from No Greater Joy Ministries calls this tying heart strings.  In order to have strong familial relationships, you must work at it.  You must consciously strengthen your bonds with one another.  You must tie heart strings in order to build our relationships.

Stephen Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families, uses this one-on-one time as his 3rd habit.  He recognizes the importance of building close bonds with the members of your family.  It sounds great, but can you really have one-on-one time with everyone in your family during a 30-day period?

Well, Mr. Covey is the father of nine children.  He and his wife not only had their own time, but also made time for their nine children.  Therefore, it is possible.  Lane and I should have it easy then with about half the number of children.

It is not easy because it has to be intentional.  It has to be planned to a certain extent.  You have to make the time for one another.  You cannot just live life and it happen on its own.  Okay, maybe once or twice it will happen, but not consistently.

I don’t know anyone who laid on his/her deathbed who lamented the fact that they did not work enough.  Usually people lament the fact that they did not spend enough time with their family.  I want to lay on my deathbed confident that I gave my family my all.  Instituting one-on-one time with your spouse and children is a great way to ensure that you a building relationships and tying heart strings.

Start small with baby steps.  Start with your most important familial relationship: your spouse.  Make time for each other, and then later expand to the rest of your family.  Since you reap what you sow, purposefully sow the seeds of fellowship with the members of your family.  You might be surprised at what you harvest.

During the allergy testing process, Jake had no food allergies.  However, he was very allergic to formaldehyde and aspartame.  I brought up the ranch dressing.  The doctor looked at me like I was crazy.  He said, “That is not food.  It is nothing but chemicals.”

Well I don’t know about that.  I mean there are chemicals in the dressing, but all chemicals?  Anyway, I have not purchased any ranch dressing in a couple of years now.  After making my own Italian-style dressing for years, I was really beginning to crave ranch dressing.  So after reading several different recipes, I branched out and experimented on my own.

Ranch Dressing

1 Tbsp parsley flakes
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp lemon juice
1/2 cup mayonnaise
goat milk to desired consistency (I use about 1/4 cup.)

In a small bowl, combine all the seasonings.  Add the lemon juice and mayonnaise.  Stir it together well.  Slowly add the milk and whisk until well combined.  Add more milk until you get the consistency you desire.  My family prefers ours to be thicker than runny.

Pour into a small jelly jar.  Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator for a day or two.

This recipe makes what we need for one dinner for our family of seven.  It is an easy recipe to whip up right before dinner.

We had always like dipping our vegetables or potato chips in ranch dip, too.  I had also stopped purchasing the ranch dip packets at the store after the whole “chemical” comment from the doctor.  This recipe is wonderful for dip, too.

Ranch Dip

2 Tbsp parsley flakes
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp onion powder
8 oz sour cream

Stir it all together in a bowl and chill well before serving.

These recipes have enabled my family to enjoy ranch dressing and ranch dip again.  They are delicious and chemical-free.  I hope that your family likes these recipes as much as we do.  Try them this weekend.