I thought I should let you know a bit more about our cooking/eating philosophies and the journey we took to get here.  The families we were raised in blessed us in many ways, and instilled in us a love of food and an understanding of the importance of nourishing our bodies.  John and I both grew up eating in a very healthy way. 

John's parents were both born in Lebanon and that, of course, heavily influenced the foods he ate.  Balanced, large meals stuffed with a variety of grains (especially rice), veggies (more ways than you can count!), and meat, meat, meat filled each day.  No meal was complete without a few radishes and an ENORMOUS bowl of fruit.  Highly processed "junk" foods rarely made an appearance in his house, and soda was unheard of. 

My parents never pigeon-holed me into eating standard "kid-food," and to that I credit my love of food.  It is common knowledge in my extended family that I was the one that "was teething on squid!"  Fruits and veggies filled most of my plates, with delicious meats to round them out.  Nearly all food was home-made, partly due to the health factor, partly due to my father's love of cooking, but mostly due to frugality.  He could squeeze a chicken forever!

That ability to stretch a chicken (and the dollars that bought it!) is what initially sparked our cooking/eating/lifestyle turnaround.  John and I had been dating and were living on our own.  We had both gained a bit of weight and were spending a bit too much.  I began to research more frugal living, and loved how often it overlapped with a healthier, more green lifestyle.  As someone that has suffered from allergies, asthma, and digestive... issues, the less unhealthy, unnatural elements in my life, the better! 

Anyway, back to the chicken. 

I decided that I wanted to make my own chicken broth. I began researching how to make a good, healthy broth and read a number of blogs I had never seen before.  (At the time, I had already begun blogging at "Munching Madness."  If you are looking for other recipes, click on over there)  They introduced me to the ideas and research of Weston Price and something just... clicked.  It all made perfect sense.  I was hooked. 

I knew changing over to this type of eating would change our grocery budget, so I began to cut back in other areas.  I made our cleaners from things I had around the house.  I was never one to have too many "things," but I started to buy even less.  I read "Nourishing Traditions" by Sally Fallon and "Real Food, What to Eat and Why" by Nina Planck.  I knew "Real Food" would be the one to sway John with her simple, straightforward explanations, and he needed to be on board for this to work.  On our honeymoon, on the beach in Maui, he started to read it.

By the plane ride home, he was already brainstorming how to make it work in our budget and the exciting things we were going to buy, cook, and eat.  The rest?  HISTORY!

The best part (so far)?

THE FOOD TASTES AMAZING!

Other good things?

We both lost the extra weight we had put on.  John's skin cleared up (he had suffered from acne).  The incredible long, painful, menstrual periods I had been experiencing since I was a teen are now light and short.  My digestive issues are non-existant.  While I still have asthma, it is MUCH less bothersome than usual, as are my allergies.  

In short, it WORKS!