5 Foods to Make at Home to Save Money + Provide Better Ingredients for your Family

At the Weston A Price conference in October, I saw Dr. Bill Schindler speak and he said something that really resonated with me. He shared that one year he made an entire thanksgiving meal from scratch (he made the cheese, butchered the meat, fermented different foods, etc) and while it was exciting to make an entire meal from scratch, it didn’t change anything for his family on the day to day. He encouraged us to make small changes that eliminate unnecessary ingredients and reduce costs around grocery spending. I’ve taken this as my mantra for this year to get back to the basics in the kitchen and start making several of our daily staples.

I always encourage clients to focus on making as many things at home as you can. Making one simple change like sourcing or making sourdough bread at home can vastly decrease the amount of processed ingredients and additives you and your family are exposed to! It doesn't need to be complicated. Keep your food simple and try to stick with real, whole foods and homemade options when possible!

It’s important to read labels and know what’s in your food. Food shouldn’t be complicated and real, whole foods offer more nourishment and support for your body!

Sourdough Bread

Conventional bread often has seed oils and added ingredients that aren’t beneficial to our health.

Ingredients:

  • Water

  • Flour

  • Salt

  • Starter

Recipe to Make the Dough:

  • 520 grams organic bread flour

  • 12 grams sea salt

  • 385 grams water

  • 90 grams starter

Mix starter and water in a small bowl until well-mixed. Pour the starter-water into flour. Mix for about l-2 minutes using the wood spoon- it will be hard to mix. Get all of the flour mixed in well and cover with a wet kitchen towel and let rest 15 minutes. Follow with your favorite fermenting / baking style.

Raw Ice Cream

Homemnade Ice Cream cuts out gums, emulsifiers and additives

Ingredients:

  • unpasteurized + unprocessed milk

  • honey

  • maple syrup

  • vanilla

  • salt

  • egg yolks

  • raw cream

Recipe:

  • 1.5 cups whole raw milk

  • 2 cups raw cream

  • 7 egg yolks

  • 2 teaspoons vanilla

  • 1/2 cup maple syrup

  • tsp honey

Mix all ingredients in a mixer and then add to ice cream maker on ice cream setting. After it's done, freeze for up to 4 weeks!

Raw Butter

Raw butter provides more enzymes and probiotics than conventional butter.

Ingredients:

  • Cream

  • Salt

Recipe:

Let the separated cream set out at room temperature for 2 hours. Pour the cream into your blender and blend for about five minutes. Remove the butter and any small pieces that are floating in the buttermilk with a slotted spoon or clean hands. Rinse the butter under cold running water while squeezing and kneading the butter with your hands. For salted butter, add salt to taste. Work the salt in with your hands. To maintain freshness, keep the raw butter refrigerated and freeze any leftovers!

Bone Broth

Store-bought bone broth is expensive and usually high in sodium.

Ingredients:

  • chicken feet

  • chicken carcass

  • onion

  • garlic

  • salt

  • celery

  • carrots

  • apple cider vinegar

  • seaweed

  • herbs

Recipe:

  • 1 lb chicken feet

  • 1 whole chicken carcass

  • 1 onion

  • 1 whole garlic

  • 2 celery stalks cut in half

  • 1 tbsp salt

  • 1 tsp black pepper

  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

  • 2 carrots

  • 1 piece of seaweed

  • Handful of fresh herbs (I used parsley!)

Add all ingredients to pot and cover with filtered water (we use the water from our aquatru). Bring pot to a boil and after boiling lower to a light simmer for 48 hours.

Raw Yogurt

Store-bought yogurt is high in sugar and it's difficult to find a grass-fed option.

Ingredients:

  • raw milk

  • honey

Recipe:

  • 1 quart raw milk

  • 1/4 cup yogurt starter

  • 1 tbsp raw honey

Heat milk in a saucepan over a medium-low flame until it reaches about 110 F.

Remove from heat and whisk in the yogurt starter. Pour the mixture of fresh milk and starter into the yogurt maker and culture it according to the manufacturer’s instructions, about 8 hours or until it sets and smells pleasantly sour. Stir in honey and serve with fruit.

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Seasonal Eating Guide: Fall Edition

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Superfoods for Fertility