At this website, http://www.longevity-and-antiaging-secrets.com/benefits-of-honey.html, I found a lot of interesting information on the benefits of raw honey. Here are a few:
Honey, historically in the form of raw honey (and by circumstance also organic) has been used both as a food and a medicine. It has natural antibacterial and antiseptic properties and even forms hydrogen peroxide when in contact with the body, killing bacteria.
Some of the historical medicinal uses of raw honey are:
Wound dressings for healing infections and burns
Treatment for coughs and sore throats
Can be used as a sweetener for diabetics
Treatment of stomach ulcers
Taken for its antioxidant properties
Used as a oral antibacterial
Tonic for the immune system
Used to promote sound sleep
The above list does not come close to covering all the potential benefits of honey, and we are still discovering, or perhaps “rediscovering” new ones.
I suggest you go to this site and read more information. There is also a copy of an article about how raw honey is better for coughs, especially in children, than cough medicine. Very interesting information.
FYI-The processed honey you buy in the store isn't always just honey. Many times they add stuff to it to "stretch the dollar". Though you really shouldn't get processed honey from the store, at least read the label to be sure you're getting 100% honey.
Do some homework and see how much better raw honey is for you. Honey is one of the few things I'm snobby about. I figure if you're going to spend that kind of money on something, it should at least be the best you can get.
I wondered if anyone would like to contribute any recipes they may have using potatoes, wheat or oats. I'll be posting some soon, but wanted to get your input, too. To get a recipe to me, you can either make a comment here, or email me at sunrisemeadows1@live.com. I know there are some great recipes out there you all use on a regular basis that your families love. If you to be anonymous that's fine, just send in those recipes. Michelle
Free gardening classes for Relief Society Sisters in the Saratoga Springs Stake!
The instructor, Gordon Wells, is the author of Successful Home Gardening, a 120 page textbook, which is free to all students. He has a Masters Degree in Agriculture from the University of California and has taught home gardening for many years. He is considered an expert in Utah climate gardening.
When: Wednesday, Sept 23- Oct. 28, 2009 6 Week course, DIFFERENT INFORMATION AT EVERY CLASS
Time: 7 – 9 pm
Locations: September 23rd and 30th classes will be at the Saratoga Springs South Stake Ctr. 2947 Swainson Avenue, Saratoga Springs
October 7th and 14th classes will be held at the Lake Mountain Building 88 West Harbor Parkway, Saratoga Springs
October 21st and 28th classes will be at the Jacobs Ranch Building 267 West Weatherby Drive, Saratoga Springs
In this six week (2 hrs a week) course you will learn all of the basic principles and practical gardening methods which make home gardening easy, enjoyable and productive. Since we are meeting in the chapel, please wear Sunday casual dress. Unfortunately we are unable to provide a nursery so please plan accordingly. Children would be a large distraction and are discouraged from attending.
Here are some great wheat recipes you don't have to use a grinder for. I hope you enjoy them.
This first one comes from www.everydayfoodstorage.net. It's a great blender wheat recipe. I've also included a recipe for caramel syrup that is fabulous. You can also use the recipe for waffles.
Blender Wheat Pancakes
1 Cup Milk (translation for powdered milk is 3 T. Milk and 1 C. Water) 1 Cup Wheat Kernels, whole & uncooked 2 Eggs (2 T. powdered eggs 1/4 C. Water) 2 tsp Baking Powder 1-1/2 tsp Salt 2 Tbs. Oil 2 Tbs. Honey or Sugar
Put milk and wheat kernels in blender.Blend on highest speed for 4 or 5 minutes or until batter is smooth. Add eggs, oil, baking powder, salt and honey or sugar to above batter. Blend on low. Pour out batter into pancakes from the actual blender jar (only one thing to wash!) onto a hot greased or Pam prepared griddle or large frying pan.Cook; flipping pancakes when bubbles pop and create holes.
Caramel Syrup
3/4 C. Butter
1-1/2 C. Sugar
2 T. Light Corn Syrup
3/4 C. Buttermilk
1 t. Baking Soda
2 t. Vanilla
Combine ingredients in sauce pan (it gets frothy so make sure and use a large enough pan so it doesn’t spill over). Stirring constantly, heat sauce until boiling and then boil for 5 minutes.
Cracked Wheat recipes from everydayfoodstorage.net
Did you know that you can use cracked wheat to extend your ground beef, to substitute for nuts or RICE? The nice thing about using it as rice is that it is MUCH FASTER to cook than brown rice. (15-20 minutes MAX!) You can crack wheat in your blender. Coffee grinders are the best for cracking wheat so if you find yourself needing to crack a lot of it I would pay the $10 bucks to buy a coffee grinder. Make sure when you’re cracking wheat in the blender that your blender is completely (and when I say completely I mean COMPLETELY) dry or it won’t crack the wheat. Also, make sure to use small amounts like no more than a little over 1/4 cup at a time.
Practice using cracked wheat as nuts I tried this Strawberry “Nut” Jell-O salad. This is my ULTIMATE FAVORITE Jell-O salad in the WHOLE WORLD. (Have I convinced it tastes awesome yet?) It is different from anything else you’ve seen at a potluck and the cracked wheat in the salad gives a really great texture. It almost tastes like little bits of strawberries in the salad. You’ve got to try this, you’re family will LOVE it and no one NOT NO ONE will guess there is wheat in it!!! Strawberry Nut (Wheat) Molded Salad
1 small pkg. strawberry Jello (I cheated and used raspberry and it was still DELICIOUS) 1 C boiling water
Combine Jell-O and Water & refrigerate until syrupy, then add to the rest (word to the wise-you have to watch this like a hawk. It goes from syrupy to jelled very quickly. I would check it between 15-20 minutes after you put it in the fridge)
1 C cooked cracked wheat for mock nuts 1 C whipped cream or Cool Whip Whipped Topping 1/2 C sugar 2 C mashed fresh strawberries Refrigerate until firm or over night. Serve on a bed of lettuce with a dollop of whipped cream/topping sprinkled with cooked cracked wheat as your mock nuts.These whole kernels need soaking or steam cooking to become tender. When cooked, they have a sweet, nut-like flavor and a slightly chewy texture. There are many ways to prepare dishes with wheat berries, - so experiment!
In using as meat extender, cook cracked wheat, drain, add to ground beef while cooking. It will take on the flavor of the beef and spices as it cooks.
Wheat Berries from positivelyprepared.blogspot.com
The versatility of wheat berries is demonstrated in recipes from cereals to breads, to casserole and to stuffing for chicken or turkey. These recipes call for cooked wheat berries. Wheat berries can be prepared ahead of time and the ready-to-use cooked wheat may be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 1 week. They can also be frozen.
Wheat berries are probably the easiest whole wheat food to prepare, and certainly ranks as one of the most versatile foods in use. None of the measurements are critical, and there’s no worry about with stirring, continual watching, etc.
Wheat berries can be made from whole wheat kernels or cracked wheat and can be used to replace rice in most dishes; they can also be substituted for mashed potatoes.
To make wheat berries: In a pot with a fairly tight lid, combine 3 cups of water, and 1 cup of wheat. Bring to a boil. Allow to simmer ½ hour. Turn off the heat and allow the wheat to stand 8-12 hours. Drain any remaining liquid. Use or store in refrigerator, tightly covered, for no more than one week.
Thermos cooked: Put wheat and 2½ cups boiling water in a quart-sized thermos. Screw the top lightly and leave until morning.
Slow cooker method: Simmer ingredients on high for approximately 2-3 hours. Turn off the slow cooker and let it sit overnight untouched.
This brings back memories of growing up. Quite often my mom would have cooked wheat in the crockpot ready for breakfast. Sprinkle a little bit of brown sugar, and top with milk. It makes a delicious hot breakfast.
I know I said that in my next post I would share some wheat recipes, and they are coming soon, but I found out some information today I wanted to share with you. On the site blog.totallyready.com, today, she talked about how there is going to probably be a spike in the price of sugar. I would suggest you read her article and also, so that you are well informed, read the sites she lists to show where she got her information. It's very interesting. Also, pass this information along to your family and friends. I think we all need to be informed about what is going on in the world, at least to some degree, so that we can be sure to be prepared for things that may adversely affect us. I'd love to hear what your thoughts are about the article and information presented. Personally, though I think I probably have plenty of sugar, I'll probably be getting a little bit more. Michelle P.S. Recipes coming asap
Many have said that they don't get any wheat because they don't have a grinder or that they don't make bread. Let me give you some information that may help you realize that wheat is a good thing to have and that you don't need to have a grinder to use it and benefit from it's goodness.
I'm sure you've heard that wheat is the staff of life. This is because wheat has many nutrients to sustain life. The leaders of the Church have been telling us for years to store wheat. Wheat is the basis for many food items such as breads, pasta, cookies (mmm), pie crust, cake just to name a few. Yes, you could store white flour, but white flour only has a short storage life, where wheat will last, if properly stored, for almost ever. Wheat flour has better nutritional value than white flour as well. There is more protein and less carbohydrates in wheat flour than in white flour. Not to mention the vitamin and minerals that is lost when wheat flour is processed and made shelf stable. I'm not saying not to store any white flour, I'm just saying that wheat is a great way to not only sustain life, but to live a healthier life.
Okay, so now that we have the nutritional and storage life out of the way let's talk about how to use the wheat. Of course you can make bread. Now let me say about bread making that I think every one should at least try to make bread. I mean really try, not just try it once, have it not quite work like you think it should and give up. Give it a few tries. Be sure you have a good recipe and good ingredients to begin with. Don't think you are going to make great bread with old, out dated ingredients. Don't be afraid to ask for help. Okay, with that said, I also believe we all have talents. Some of us are good at some things and some of us are good at other things. If you've really put your heart into trying to make bread and it just doesn't turn out as an edible product, I firmly believe in the barter system. Store your own wheat and other bread making necessities, find a friend who does make good bread and make a deal with her (or him, not to discriminate) that you will do something in exchange for their bread making abilities. Does this idea make anyone feel any better? Good.
What else can you use wheat for, especially if you don't have a grinder? You can make the most delicious blender pancakes and waffles. All you need is a blender. You can also make popped wheat, which is kind of like making popcorn. You can turn it into bulgar wheat, which is really a pretty easy process, and use it as a meat extender.
If you don't have a grinder and really want to start using wheat as part of your diet, I'm sure you know someone who does have a grinder who would be happy to let you go to their house, and grind up a bunch of wheat for you to store for use. Keeping fresh ground wheat flour in the fridge or freezer will help maintain its nutritional value as well as keep it from going rancid since the wheat germ has a lot of fat, the flour will go rancid if not kept cool.
Once you get some wheat ground, you can begin to introduce it into your families diet a little at a time. Whole grains and beans are items you want to begin feeding your family a little at a time. The reason is because in a colon that isn't used to a lot of bulky fiber, those foods can cause gas. If there is a lot of gas, there is a lot of pain. You don't want to do this to your family. Even small amounts once or twice a week is a good start.
Be sure to store spices and leavening ingredients, too. You can't do much without leavening, unless you don't mind flat breads, cakes, cookies, etc.
In the next post I'll post some great recipes you can use with and without ground wheat. Be brave. Try some new things. If you have a good attitude about your basic storage items, the more likely your children and hopefully spouse, will too. Keep up the great work, Michelle
I found out recently that there are lower prices at the cannery as of late. If you want to know what the prices are at the cannery just go to providentliving.org, click on "Home storage order form download" on the right of the screen. Call me if you have issues. Michelle
I don't think I've mentioned before about how to not have a barf bowl. If I spelled barf wrong, sorry, I don't like that word anyway. Okay, so what do if you have a child who is sick if you don't give them a bowl to be sick in? Here is a trick I learned years ago when my oldest daughter would get car sick if we went more than 10 miles in a car. You get a paper bag and you fold down the top about an inch to give it some stability. Then you put it in a plastic grocery bag. When the child gets sick they throw up in the paper bag. When they are done throwing up, you simply roll up the paper bag, tie up the plastic bag, and throw it all away. No muss, no fuss. The germs, as well as othe mess, is all contained in the bags. For a small child, suggest keeping on hand the large grocery bags so it's easier for them to get it all into the bag. Older children can use a smaller lunch bag, if you're concerned they might not quite get to the toilet in time. Better safe than sorry. If you're like me, you'll love this idea, because I would rather clean up almost anything but throw up. But, unfortunately if you have children, it's going to happen. Happy no cleaning! Michelle
Do you know how the flu is spread? According to the CDC "the main way that flu viruses are thought to spread is from person to person in respiratory droplets of coughs and sneezes. This can happen when droplets from a cough or sneeze of an infected person are propelled through the air and deposited on the mouth or nose of people nearby" (eeewww). "Influenza viruses may also be spread when a person touches respiratory droplets on another person or an object and then touches their own mouth or nose (or someone else's mouth or nose) before washing their hands"(again eeewww).
May I make a suggestion to possibly help us all fair better in the fall and winter with the flu virus, whether it's the swine flu or seasonal flu. Start now encouraging your little children to cover their mouth when they cough or sneeze with their upper arm. Also, for those of us who were taught as children to cover our mouths with our hand, change to covering with a tissue, which you would not ever reuse, or your upper arm. Then as quickly after the sneeze or cough as possible, clean hands with either hand sanitizer or soap and water. Obsession is not always a bad thing. Also, don't forget to wash hands after being at the store. You don't know what kind of people have been touching anything at the store.
Let me tell you a story to prove my point. I was at Target one day, in the book area. I was looking down an aisle when I saw a woman holding a book, which she proceded to cough several times on, using the book to "cover the cough"and then put it back on the shelf. If someone were to come along within even 24 hours later and tough that book, what ever germs this woman had that caused her to cough, would then get on the other person's hands and then on any thing they touched.
Okay, I think you get the point. Now really is the time to start planning for the fall and winter season. The easiest way to prepare is to make a list and then get a couple of things a week until the list is finished. Have fun getting prepared! Michelle
Hey everyone, I've been getting some comments from people about how they are having a hard time making a menu plan for their storage because they don't know what meals to plan. So, I thought it would be a good idea to do some brain storming together to not only share ideas on meals, but to also see how really not hard it is to do. And just in time for the fall case lot sales. Anyone, including those not in our ward are invited, and men too, are invited to come to the church on Tuesday, July 28th at 7:00. I hope you will plan to come, invite friends and family and a notebook to write everything down. I think it will be a very helpful activity.
