Granola

You can't have homemade yogurt without some homemade granola. I have tried several recipes and I have landed on this one as a favorite. I found the recipe on 100daysofrealfood.com. I changed few things in it for myself. I don't usually put any dried fruit in it but you could certainly do that after you bake it. I have also had this as a cereal with milk. It's really good that, too.

Granola

4 cups rolled oats
1 cup raw sliced almonds 
1 cup raw chopped walnuts 
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut (I found this in the organic section)
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup raw hulled sesame seeds
2 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp grated or ground nutmeg
6 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/3 cup honey
3 Tbsp black strap molasses
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 250 F degrees. Line a jellyroll baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with oil and set aside. Place the oats, almonds, walnuts, coconut, seeds and spices in a large mixing bowl and toss to combine. Heat the butter, molasses, and honey together in a small saucepan over low heat until the butter melts. Stir in sea salt and vanilla. Remove from the heat. Pour the hot liquids over the dry ingredients and stir until well mixed. Place the granola onto the prepared pan and press firmly with a spatula to create an even layer. Bake until the granola is firm to the touch and a deep golden brown, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. (The granola will become crisper as it cools.) Cool completely in the pan, then lift an edge of parchment or use a fork to break into pieces. It will keep for a couple weeks in an air tight container at room temperature.

 

Homemade Yogurt

I have been making my own yogurt for a while now after my sister starting doing it. I got interested in it after I wasn't able to find a yogurt that my family liked and wasn't full of sugar or artificial stuff. And some of those yummy ones come in only small sizes and are expensive to buy for the whole family. I estimate that my yogurt is about 40-60 cents a jar, depending on the ingredients I use. I always use organic milk and yogurt starter. So it would be even less if you didn't use organic.

I have seen different methods of making yogurt with a slow cooker or heating pads. I haven't tried any of those. I decided that I would get a yogurt maker that has individual jars. I also bought an extra set of jars so I can make another batch before the first batch was gone. My yogurt maker wasn't very expensive and you don't have to watch the temperature carefully for hours. You just set it and when the time is up, take it out and put it in the frig. It's actually pretty easy! I'm just not convinced that it is easy to keep the temperature in the correct range with the other methods for 7-9 hours but then again, I haven't tried it.

This is the yogurt maker that I bought and I really like it. My sister has a similar one. The only difference is that her's turns off automatically and on mine, I have to turn it off manually. But I have to put the yogurt in the frig anyway, so i'm not bothered by turning it off myself. We both like having an extra set of the jars, too. If you are going to look into buying any of these, you might want to do a search to find the best price. I didn't do that here. I just wanted to show what I have used and liked.

So now that you have the equipment, we will go on to the recipe. I got The Yogurt Bible by Pat Crocker from the library to learn how to make it and then tried several recipes. Between me and my sister, we haven't had any luck with any of the flavored ones. We liked only the plain, vanilla and fruit on the bottom. I only make vanilla now and add fruit or granola when we eat it.

One very important thing is that every utensil/jar/pot that you use to make yogurt has to be very clean. If you get any bad bacteria in it, that will grow just like the good bacteria. We don't want to get anyone sick!

Milk - I usually use 2% but I have started using whole milk the last couple times. You can use whole milk and not have to add any extra powdered milk and still get a thicker yogurt. With any of the lower fat milks, you may want to add the powdered milk to make it thicker if that is what you are used to. It will also add extra protein. If you like thinner yogurt, simply don't add the powdered milk. (When we were in china, the yogurt that we had there was a drinkable yogurt and it was really good. They just stick a straw in the top and drink it!) The recipe below has the powdered milk in it but just note that you can leave it out.

Sweeteners - My favorite to use is maple syrup but I usually use agave. You can also use honey, corn syrup or other liquid sweetener. You can leave this out if you wish.

Vanilla -  I have come to the conclusion that the yogurt will be as good as the vanilla that is used. I love to use vanilla paste. It has the best flavor but is also expensive. You can't buy it just anywhere either. I usually use the fake flavoring (gasp! Don't tell my sister! She just made me some vanilla extract for christmas so maybe i'll try that). If you use a good extract, it will taste good. Leave this out if you want plain flavor.

 

Homemade Vanilla Yogurt

4 cups milk

1/3 cup powdered milk (leave out if using whole milk)

scant 1/4 cup sweetener of choice (plus or minus depending on your tastes)

1 T vanilla extract or vanilla paste

3 T organic live culture yogurt

In a saucepan, heat milk to scalding over medium-low heat, stirring frequently. It will start to form bubbles along the outside and steam a little. The temperature should reach 170 F.

Remove from heat and stir in powdered milk. Let cool to about 130 F. You can let it cool on the stove top, which will take a while, or you can fill your sink with some cool water and put your saucepan right in the sink. Watch the temperature carefully since it will cool fast. Stir occasionally while it is sitting in the sink and pull out the pan when it gets to about 130 F. Stir in the vanilla and sweetener. By this time, your cooled milk should be between 110 and 120. If it's too hot let it cool to below 120 before moving on. Place the 3 T of yogurt starter in a separate bowl and add a half cup of the warm milk. Stir gently until combined. Add starter into the saucepan of cooled milk and stir again. Pour mixture into yogurt jars and place in yogurt maker. Follow the manufactures guidlines to set the timer. It should be between 8 and 12 hours. I let mine go for 9 hours. Place lids on jars and store in refrigerator. They will be ready to eat in the morning and will keep for a week before the benefits of the bacteria start to reduce.

This shows that on my maker, you put the notch that is on the lid on the time you want to take the yogurt out. This helps to remind you of the time to turn it off but there is no beeper so you'll have to remember to look at it. This one says I should take the yogurt out at 8:00.

Tips:

~ This recipe is for animals milk. I use cow's milk but goat or any other animal milk can be used. Other milks, such as rice, soy, almond, coconut, etc, will not transform into yogurt. The live cultures will die using my recipe. If you use goat's milk (I haven't tried this) you might have to add powdered milk to make it thicker if like thick yogurt.

~ You can add cooked or canned fruit or jam/preserves in the bottom of each jar for a fruit-on-the-bottom yogurt. I've had success with jam or preserves. Let the jam come to room temperature before adding them to the bottom of the jars.

~ Don't use fresh fruit. The enzymes and acid may cause curdling. Feel free to add fresh fruit right before you eat them and it's just as good!

~ Make a berry sauce by cooking fresh or frozen strawberries, blackberries, blueberries and raspberries in a small saucepan on medium heat for 10 minutes or so. Smash them with a potato masher. Store in refrigerator until ready to use. This is delicious in the yogurt or on pancakes.

~ If your yogurt turns out too runny, it could be that you killed the good bacteria if you added it when the milk was too hot. Or it could be that the bacteria didn't grow properly if you let the milk get too cool. When you add the starter and while it's fermenting, the mixture has to be and stay within the 110-120 degree window. If the milk mixture gets below 110 before you add the yogurt starter, just heat the milk up a little and then continue in adding the starter and put into the jars.

I thought that I would just write up a quick thing on making your own yogurt but this is turning into a long post! I hope it's not too confusing because I really like making yogurt and it's really not as hard as it appears. When I first started making this, I was a bit overwhelmed by it and the need to keep the temperature just right. But after I made it a few times, I had it memorized and just did it. You'll get the hang of it. After making it a while and having it turn out great, I did have a couple times when it was just runny. I think I let it cool down too much and the culture didn't grow. My problem was getting distracted while I was making it. You'll need to devote your attention to it until it's in the yogurt maker. It's not hard, just keep your eye on it until it's done! And it's always a good idea to test your thermometer every once in a while to see if it's working properly. It can be different every day depending on the weather.

Enjoy making it and let me know how it goes for you!

I'm back!

It's been over a year since I wrote a post. I thought that I would be able to keep up and continue but I just didn't have the time and energy this past year. By the time the kids were in bed, I was exhausted and couldn't think straight anymore. A little over a year ago (christmas eve actually), we brought our daughter home from China. She was 1 1/2 years old at the time. It was a huge transition for her and us and especially our son. So with that and just having a 2 and 4 year old, I've been quite busy.
Looking back into previous posts, I wrote about training for a half marathon. I'll give an update on that.

Just to add to the crazy last year, I also started training for a half marathon in january (so over a year ago now). Like I didn't have enough to do. The only reason I did it at that time is that I won a free entry into the Indy Mini-Marathon. I know, it's a crazy thing to win and I never win anything. So I took it as a sign that I needed to do it and I started training in january of last year. It was actually good for me. If I didn't have it scheduled and had a deadline of the race, I doubt I would have taken the time out for myself for exercise. (My daughter was glued to my hip for most of the year, which is a good thing!) The training was hard. Although it's a faint memory now! I was doing the training on my own. I would do the shorter runs on a treadmill and then I tried to get outside on a trail for anything over 5 miles. It was actually nice to get out by myself. I followed my running schedule pretty well. I knew that I needed to keep all my runs if I wanted to make my goal in the race. I couldn't believe I was running this race again after the previous year when I said that I wasn't ever running a race again... ever. I even told my husband to not let me be talked into it again. I don't enjoy running like he does. My husband runs anywhere from 30 to 50 miles a week. And he likes it! For me, it's ok sometimes, but on the long runs (7+ miles) my knees start to really hurt me and it's just not that fun.

For the race my first goal was to finish. My second was to finish without walking. My third goal was to keep an 11 minute pace. In the end, since I kept my training schedule, I was able to meet all my goals. I finished in 2:24. I think this is about 5 minutes faster than the previous year. Although, there was a small part that I walked in the last half mile or so. I know, it killed me to have to walk at that point. But the reason I had to is that I couldn't get a breath in. I really thought I was going to pass out. I walked and tried to control my breathing and I started to breathe easier. I am fairly certain that I have a vocal cord dysfunction and that is the reason. When I push myself beyond what I normally do, it's harder for me to control it. But I made it ok and finished it!

I don't think I’ll be running a half marathon again but I said that the year before. I guess never say never! I do know that I probably won't run another one by myself. It's always a little easier to run with someone (at least for me).

Energizing Soy Protein and Instant Protein Soy Mix

I love the Shaklee protein drinks. It comes in 3 flavors. The chocolate and vanilla give you 14 grams of protein per serving. The natural flavor gives you 16 grams of protein per serving. The natural flavor is good to put in your cooking and baking. I used to put it in my morning oatmeal all the time. I now like to use the vanilla and mix it with orange juice. I haven't tried the chocolate flavor yet. I can tell you from experience that I can tell a difference in my energy level if I miss my protein drink that day. And this really gives me the boast I need to keep chasing after my 3 year old boy! I like to drink it right after I run, too, to help my muscles recover from the workout.

This protein comes from soy. Here is a word about soy from a newsletter from my director.

Soy Protein - Good or Bad?

This is a question discussed and debated in many places by many people, especially when connected to the subject of breast cancer. Dr. Steven Chaney, PhD, a cancer researcher, recently sent me this report. It so clearly and simply gives the latest SCIENTIFIC findings that I’m reprinting it here in full…

“For years we have known that women in the United States have breast cancer rates that are 4 to 7 times higher than women in China or Japan. We've also known that when Chinese or Japanese migrate to this country their risk of breast cancer is no different from that of any other US citizen by the second or third generation. So clearly the increased risk of cancer in US women is not a matter of genetics. It is caused by the US lifestyle.

“Because soy reduces the sensitivity of breast tissue to carcinogens in animal studies, many experts have suspected that it was the soy content of the Asian diet that was protective - but it has been difficult to prove and it was unclear how early in life soy was important.

“Dr. Larrisa Korde and her colleagues at the National Cancer Institute set out to answer both questions. They studied 1563 women of Chinese, Japanese or Filipino descent aged 20 to 55 years (597 with breast cancer and 966 without) and determined their intake of soy-containing foods during childhood, adolescence and as adults. They then divided the women into three groups – those with high frequency of soy intake (more than 1.5 times/week), those with medium frequency of soy intake (1 to 1.5 times/week), and those with low frequency of soy intake (0 to 1 times/week - not unlike the average American).

“When they compared the high intake group with the low intake group the results were striking. A high level of soy intake in childhood was associated with a 58% reduction in breast cancer. A high soy intake during adolescence and the adult years was associated with a 20-25% reduction in breast cancer (Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention, 18:1050-1059, 2009). When you couple that with the December 2009 report in the Journal of the American Medical Association showing that soy consumption decreases the risk of breast cancer recurrence in those women who do develop breast cancer it sends a powerful message. Soy is a woman's friend - all the way from childhood on.”

Will ANY Soy Do?

That answer is a resounding "NO"!

How the soy is grown matters - does it have pesticides, fungicides, or anything else on it? Have chemicals been put deep inside it where they can't be washed off - is it genetically modified? That matters.

How the soy is processed matters - have the isoflavones been preserved? Was it put through an alcohol/chemical bath?

Soy products are definitely not all "created equal"!

Shaklee Soy products are SAFE, it's the Shaklee difference.

My Half Marathon Schedule

Here is the training schedule I do for a half marathon. You can find several other schedules if you look online. But I like this because it's simple and I'm not really working on speed. As I said before, I'm a slow runner. I training at a 12:30 - 12:45 minute pace. But I ran the half last year at about an 11 minute pace. My husband says it's good to train slower than your race pace. It builds endurance. Also, after I run (especially the longer harder runs) I eat or drink a good source of protein to help my muscles recover. They say that chocolate milk is a perfect recovery drink because of the carbs and protein ratio. I like to drink a Shaklee protein drink (look for more on that tomorrow!).

This schedule is running 4 times a week on any days. I like to do my long runs on saturdays because of the time it takes.

I just realized that I'll have to start this on Jan 10th to train for the Indianapolis Mini-Marathon that I'm signed up for. Yikes, that's coming up!

Week 1          Week 6          Week 11          Week 16
2 miles            4 miles             4 miles              5 miles
2 miles            3 miles             3 miles              5 miles
3 miles            6 miles             9 miles              8 miles
2 miles            3 miles             4 miles              4 miles
9 miles           16 miles            20 miles           22 miles - weekly totals


Week 2         Week 7           Week 12           Week 17
2 miles            3 miles             5 miles               3 miles
2 miles            2 miles             4 miles               2 miles
4 miles            7 miles             9 miles               13.1 miles  - Race Day
2 miles            3 miles             5 miles
10 miles         15 miles           23 miles - weekly totals


Week 3         Week 8            Week 13
2 miles           4 miles               5 miles 
2 miles           3 miles               4 miles
5 miles           7 miles              10 miles
2 miles           3 miles               4 miles
11 miles         17 miles             23 miles - weekly totals


Week 4          Week 9             Week 14
3 miles             4 miles                5 miles 
2 miles             3 miles                5 miles
5 miles             8 miles                10 miles
3 miles             3 miles                4 miles
13 miles           18 miles              24 miles - weekly totals


Week 5           Week 10           Week 15
3 miles               4 miles              5 miles
2 miles               3 miles              4 miles
6 miles               8 miles              10 miles
2 miles               4 miles              3 miles
13 miles            19 miles             23 miles - weekly totals

Salmon Croquettes with Charred Veggie Rice

I have made these Salmon Croquettes several times and we really like them. They would be great with a side salad or Charred Veggie Rice. I think I got both these recipes from Cooking Light.

The croquettes have capers in the sauce. I haven't tried leaving them out but you could probably do that if you don't like them. They really give the sauce a kick. I'd chop them up really well so I don't get a big bite of one.

Salmon Croquettes

1/4 cup organic canola mayonnaise (such as Spectrum), divided
4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, divided
2 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, divided
1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
2 tablespoons minced red bell pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
2 (6-ounce) packages skinless, boneless pink salmon
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon finely chopped capers
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/8 teaspoon salt

Combine 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon juice, 1 1/2 teaspoons mustard, and next 7 ingredients (through egg), stirring well. Add panko; toss. Shape mixture into 8 (3-inch) patties.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add patties; cook 5 minutes on each side or until browned.

Combine remaining mayonnaise, juice, and mustard with parsley, capers, garlic, and salt, stirring well.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 croquettes and 1 tablespoon sauce)
Calories:305; Fat:19.3g (sat 2.6g,mono 6g,poly 9.7g); Protein:18.8g


 
Charred Veggie Rice
 
1 cup long-grain brown rice
1 1/2 T canola oil
1/2 cup frozen whole-kernel corn, thawed
1/2 cup zucchini, chopped
1/2 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/3 cup green onions, chopped
salt, to taste

Cook rice according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Heat oil in a large cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Add corn and zucchini to pan; saute 3 minutes or until vegetables are charred. Stir in tomatoes and green onions; saute 1 minute or until tomatoes almost wilt. Combine veggies, rice and salt.

Beginning to Run

Here is a walk to run schedule I found in my husband's Runner's World magazine. I used it a couple years ago. You do each one 3-4 times a week. I stretched out even more and did each line 4 times a week for two weeks. Then I moved on to the next line.

If you are like me, a schedule helps. That way, I can have something to check off (me and my type a personality! got to have a plan, right?).

Run 2 mins, walk 4 mins. Repeat five times.
Run 3 mins, walk 3 mins. Repeat five times.
Run 5 mins, walk 2.5 mins. Repeat four times.
Run 7 mins, walk 3 mins. Repeat three times.
Run 8 mins, walk 2 mins. Repeat three times
Run 9 mins, walk 2 mins. Repeat twice, then run 8 mins.
Run 9 mins, walk 1 min. Repeat twice.
Run 13 mins, walk 2 mins. Repeat twice.
Run 14 mins, walk 1 min. Repeat twice.
Run 30 mins.