Taking Stock

Don't worry, this is not another post about poultry stock successes and failures.  I wanted to take some time to review some of the healthier habits I have incorporated into our lives at this point and what is on the horizon.  Sometimes I feel as if I haven't made much progress at all, and I think (hope?) putting it down on paper will help me see how far we have come. 

• Eliminating "scientific ingredients" was the first step on this journey.  Seeing how my health suffered after eating processed foods led to one change after another. 
• One of the first big changes we made was to begin drinking raw, unhomogonized, whole milk from grass-fed cows. 
• In conjunction with the milk, we also started to use cheese from the same source, and to buy butter from grassfed cows.
• Once our dairy was from healthy animals, our meat was next.  We now eat grassfed beef, pastured chickens.
• Our eggs also come from pastured chickens.  The yolks are SO BRIGHT and firm!
• Once the ingredients were upgraded, the meals themselves were on the chopping block.  Our cooking oils of choice are now BUTTER!! and Virgin Coconut Oil
• I make Chicken Bone Broth a few times a month and use it in most of our cooking.
• I just started fermenting!  We've only had pickles and beet kvass so far, and they were both underwhelming, but it's a start!
• More and more of our convenience items are now from scratch.  My yogurt, peanut butter, bread, and pancakes are usually in the house.  I have also tried my hand at macaroni and ravioli, but I dont make them regularly. 
• About a year ago I switched to home made deororant, and a few months after that we both went "No-Poo"
• When we moved into our new house we put the microwave into storage.  We heat things in the convection oven, the regular oven, or on the stove.
• All of our pantry food is stored in glass jars.  About 1/2 of our leftovers are stored in glass. 
• We started taking our own bags when shopping
• I started recycling our junk mail and shredding instead of throwing it out
• We have mostly stopped using paper towels and napkins, relying on cloth instead
• I clean with baking soda and white vinegar instead of noxious chemicals

 WHEW!  What a list!  When I see it in writing, I know we have done more than a bit to improve our health and our world. 

Where are some of the things I would like to start working on or need to improve on:

• I want to start soaking my grains and beans
• I need to get back into the habit of making bread and peanut butter regularly. We have been buying it pre-made more than I would like
• I would like to try lactofermenting more things.  Sauerkraut is on the menu for this week!
• We have yet to find a good, affordable source for pastured pork
• I would like to render and save animal fats for cooking, so I need to find some healthy sources for that
• There are so many different types of meat (organs, especially) that we haven't explored.  I would like to change that
• I use very few cosmetics now (just lipstick, eyeliner, and mascara), but when I start to run out I would like to find healthier alternatives
• John has very sensitive skin and doesn't like to change products once he finds one that works.  I would like to help him find more natural (or even home made!) products.
• Right now we use plastic containers for our leftovers because we are heating them up at work.  The glass containers get VERY hot in the microwaves.  I'm not sure how to solve this yet... Suggestions Welcome!
• I have been dying to try a DivaCup, but I haven't made the leap.  I guess it's because I don't want to get the one size, and then have to get the next one soon because of my age/if I get pregnant.  I know it's a silly reason, but it's what is holding me back.  I guess I just need to suck it up!
• We have been really bad at remembering to bring our reusable bags into the stores.  I have them in my car, but we still forget to take them OUT of the car and into the store. 
• I would love to cut back further on our use of plastics

I know this was a boring post with no pictures or funny fails, but I really needed to see this all in writing.  I would LOVE to about your journey, or hear any suggestions you may have for me!

This post was featured on Real Food Wednesday at Kelly the Kitchen Kop and Fight Back Friday at Food Renegade!