What a super fun weekend! For an extremely picky eater, I am amazed at myself for all of the new (and bizarre) things I tried over the past few days. Here's what went down:
1. homemade vanilla: Fun, easy, highly satisfactory. We're looking forward to giving some as Christmas gifts in small bottles, and otherwise not having to buy vanilla from a store for at least a decade. Most of the fun, of course, was in pouring large quantities of vodka and laughing at the incongruity between us and big bottles of liquor.
1. homemade vanilla: Fun, easy, highly satisfactory. We're looking forward to giving some as Christmas gifts in small bottles, and otherwise not having to buy vanilla from a store for at least a decade. Most of the fun, of course, was in pouring large quantities of vodka and laughing at the incongruity between us and big bottles of liquor.
2. water kefir: Overall, not bad. Fairly easy to make, and fun to watch the bubbles form (though it wasn't excessively bubbly). Tastes like very-watered-down juice [we used cranberry juice to flavor it], smells a whole lot like beer (which is not surprising, given the yeast content). That's the downside, actually. Right now I'm drinking it mixed with even more juice and trying not to breathe through my nose. :) I do think it'll grow on me, though, and I'm excited enough about getting some good bacteria (since I hate yogurt) that I'm going to stick with it.
3. yogurt (I haven't had good luck with my regular recipe lately, so I'm not sure whose I'll try this time): This batch turned out wonderfully! I made twice as much as I usually do and let the milk cool down for an extra half-hour before adding the starter cultures, so maybe one of those things made the difference. I finally did my own math, too, and with what I pay for milk, it's $1.60 for a little over 3 cups of yogurt.
4. eating liver (The deal: everybody takes one bite, and then we order a pizza if we must.) Wow. This was a dinner we shall not soon forget. There was much excitement as we cooked, with oldies blaring on the iPod and the little boys running around without pants after their water play outside and us whipping up homemade French dressing as well. We counted to three, took our bites . . . and unanimously agreed never to eat liver again. Jenny's two-year-old, however, ate three bites! Jenny's husband and I agreed that it was a texture issue, while Jenny and Isaac were so put off by the flavor that texture didn't even matter. (Even the bacon, cooked with the liver, was unsalvageable due to flavor contamination.) See Isaac's facebook page (or you should be able to see it through mine) for more details.
5. green smoothies: Not our favorite with that recipe, but not because of the kale. The pineapple added a stringy component that we found disagreeable. I personally detest yogurt, so the suggested amount was too high for me. With less yogurt, more berries, no pineapple, and maybe apple juice instead of orange, though, I would definitely be willing to give the green smoothie another chance. And even though I drank less than half of a serving, I was still quite full at lunch time!
6. eating quinoa (a grain neither of us have ever tried): Everyone loved it except me (including the little boys). I just found it a bit lacking in flavor, so with a more interesting recipe, I think it'd be fine.
7. black bean brownies: Not bad. Texture very much like that of a flourless chocolate cake (not surprising, given the lack of flour). We all agreed that if we didn't know we were eating black beans, we probably wouldn't be able to tell. An acceptable way to sneak in more beans, though a scoop of ice cream would help them along considerably.
8. homemade chocolate chips: LOVE LOVE LOVE. I made them with half butter, half coconut oil, and the butter is positively divine. It's a richness you just don't get with regular chocolate chips, even the expensive ones! We didn't let the mixture melt quite long enough, so occasionally I'll find a chocolate chunk that didn't get any sucanat mixed in, which is a bummer. But overall, 5 stars!
We've already started compiling a list for our Goin' Crunchy 2012 weekend, possibly including a sourdough starter, trying out several kinds of fish (which neither Jenny or I care for), and making cheese. Stay tuned!
Unrelated PS: I bought a few used Fuzzibunz medium-sized diapers for Owen and am having the worst trouble with wicking. Do I need another insert (tried two today, and still leaked)? Tighter elastic (I'm already on the smallest snaps)? Just maybe not a good fit for my chubby-thighed boy? Anybody??
We've already started compiling a list for our Goin' Crunchy 2012 weekend, possibly including a sourdough starter, trying out several kinds of fish (which neither Jenny or I care for), and making cheese. Stay tuned!
Unrelated PS: I bought a few used Fuzzibunz medium-sized diapers for Owen and am having the worst trouble with wicking. Do I need another insert (tried two today, and still leaked)? Tighter elastic (I'm already on the smallest snaps)? Just maybe not a good fit for my chubby-thighed boy? Anybody??
I've been waiting patiently for your Goin' Crunchy wrap up post. So many of the things you tried have been recently tried or are on my wish list here at our house.
ReplyDeleteOur water kefir is stinky, too, and it's the one thing that keeps me from loving it. I know it's SO healthy (I hate yogurt, too, so gotta get those good bacteria somehow!), but I just can't stomach that smell. I'm wondering if I let it ferment for fewer days if the smell wouldn't be as strong. Our starter went south, so I'll have to bum off a local friend if I want to try again.
On your FuzziBunz issues... I'm a HUGE fan of the FB One-Size diapers. They make up most of our stash. I also have six mediums, but I HATE the thin insert that came with them. They leak for us, too (and Susannah is definitely a chubby-thighed heavy wetter). If I stuff them with one of the thicker inserts that come with the OS diapers, they work much better. So I'd try that for Owen. You could use a tri-folded prefold or flat, or swap out an insert from another diaper that works for you. It might also be that you haven't prepped them enough (new diapers usually need at least three washings to maximize absorbency). I doubt it's an elastic issue (although diapers that are too tight can leak, too, so try loosening them and see if the wicking stops). Let me know if you find a solution that works! If all else fails, sell them on diaperswappers.com and pick up a few of the one-size kind. :)
My unrelated PS: are you coming to Family Camp this year? Sure hope so!
I bought these mediums off of diaperswapers (thanks for that tip!), so I'm sure they've been washed at least three times (probably three times in my own house, now). Today I wrapped a basic Gerber prefold around the FB insert, and that seemed to work (at least through his morning nap). I have been instinctively tightening the snaps, so maybe I'll relax that, too, and see if that helps. I did want one-size, but these were a good price and I just needed a few more to get me through a second day without doing laundry!
ReplyDeleteWe are not going to Family Camp. I know that people do it, but I personally just can't fathom vacationing with my little guys (both under 2 years old) right now. The forever car trip, 2 pack'n'plays in one little room (and I'm a light sleeper), fighting for naps . . . too much for me at this point. Isaac's going to take a week off and stay home so that we can do fun local things in the mornings and still be home for naps and bedtimes! We'll go again when kids are older and will remember it more. :)
yay! Thank you for posting these updates. I've always wanted to try cheese- making myself. I look forward to reading about those adventures someday.
ReplyDeleteAlso, a quick question: Have you tried baking with the chocolate chips yet? If so, how did it turn out?
ReplyDeleteYeah, about that . . . I DID, in fact, use the chocolate chips to make the chocolate chip brownies on the Heavenly Homemakers website. Unfortunately, I forgot about them in the oven, and they baked for twice as long as intended. Oops. Surprisingly enough, they were still quite edible -- not at all "fudgy," but definitely not impossible bricks, either. But the chocolate chips were indistinguishable.
ReplyDeleteI've got the remaining chips in the freezer, on the assumption that they'll hold their shape better if baked from frozen. I'll let you know! (I mean, I'll let you know IF I manage to stop eating them one by one out of the freezer before I next bake something.)