Kombucha

Yesterday I made my first batch of Kombucha with a scoby from Lee Moore, thanks, Lee! It was easy to do, now I need to wait 8 days to see if it works! I boiled 3 quarts of water (2 filtered, 1 Italian Mineral spring water) and dissolved a cup of organic cane sugar. Once dissolved, I floated 4 black organic tea bags and let sit overnight until cool. I then took out the tea bags and poured the sweet tea into a one gallon glass jar already containing 1/2 cup of Lee's Kombucha for the starter. I then floated the scoby on top of the tea and covered with a tea towel.

The tea is supposed to brew in a warm environment and it's not particularly hot in our home. So, I put it next to my crock pot cooking beans and hope that the steam will warm the tea enough to get the process going.

I also made some pate for a dinner party tonight with fresh chicken livers, some mushrooms, white wine and dried herbs from my garden. After cooking till all the liquid is gone, you let it cool. Then, on to the food processor with half a stick of butter. Yum!

Chicken soup really does work

After a weekend away camping, my daughter presented with cold/flu symptoms on the car ride home. She stayed home from school yesterday and I used the time to make the Nourishing Traditions inspired Chicken Soup. I make the Chicken Stock recipe adding vinegar as it calls for to leach calcium from the bones. There is something in chicken soup that stimulates the immune system- I think it's in the collagen in the chicken feet, yes chicken feet.

Anyway, I started doses of Oscillococcinum (which really works!)and by dinner time the chicken soup was ready. I cooked up a batch of simple rice a la Rick Bayless and voila!

Satisfying dinner! I also prepared a lettuce of local fresh greens and a simple dressing (also Nourishing Traditions). The dressing is one that my mother in law taught me. Nourishing Traditions adds flax oil for omega 3's. Just a little dijon mustard in a small glass bowl, add (approx. 2 TBS) raw apple cider vinegar and swirl around until the mustard is dissolved. Then add olive oil to taste (I use a little more than the vinegar, so about 3 TBS) and 1 TBS flax oil. Salt and pepper to taste. Just stir with fork until blended and toss with your salad. I had blue cheese so that went in too!

My daughter is back at school today, feeling nourished.

Thanks to healthy food, and a little help from oscillo! Oh, and I got to play my tennis match and we won!