Amazing August Abundant Alternatives Chat - Page 4

[chlobo]

Originally Posted by WuWei

Are the beans expensive? I want to make organic vanilla extract. It is $23 for 8 ounces. Can I buy some beans from ya'?

Pat

The beans are roughly a buck a bean. I'm not sure what kind of "medium" you use but I was told 3 beans per 750ml, which I think is 25 oz? So if you buy your average bottle of vodka (not gold plated potato vodka, like I did) you probably can make 25oz for about 20? Sound about right?

You can absolutely have some of my beans. What on earth would I do with 20 vanilla beans?

[Theloose]

Originally Posted by Wugmama

I just went to pick up my Azure coop order. For some reason there was no coconut milk ice cream or yogurt, the big reasons I put in an order. I was counting on them. Now it looks like I didn't order them! I think I'm losing my mind.

The gal that hosts the co-op is an old friend I haven't seen since Oct '06. My first two pick ups she wasn't home. Today she didn't recognize me at first. When I got back I looked in the mirror. I look old. My hair is graying. It is so thin, I got it cut short several months ago. It really has barely grown, and just looks thinner. The baby, age 22 months, barely has peach fuzz on her head for that matter. I feel pretty healthy on this diet. What is wrong with us? I've aged so much in the past 22 months. I'm only 36.

~Tracy

They randomly drop things from my orders, too - I think it's when it's not in stock.

How are your nails? I'd start by checking magnesium, B6 and biotin.

[chlobo]

Originally Posted by whoMe

They randomly drop things from my orders, too - I think it's when it's not in stock.

How are your nails? I'd start by checking magnesium, B6 and biotin.

My nails are fantastic.

Question about magnesium. When I was taking natural calm I could definitely get to bowel tolerance with a little over a tablespoon. Now that I'm taking pills it seems to have no effect on my bowels. Why is that? Last night I took 1200mg.

[mtn.mama]

Ho hum, things are cranking along around here. I took care of animals and watered the garden while the fam was still sleeping. Fresh zucchini and eggs and tomatoes for breakfast... Then I cleaned out and organized one chest freezer, brought in some chickens to thaw and can, found some whole salmon that need to be dealt with, and sorted out all the cow milk sundries to be put in the less accessible freezer. Next came the pantry. All the grains went high and into the far corner and reorganized everything else so now there's space! I guess I'll pick things up a bit, and we're headed into the great backyard for berry picking... raspberries, currants, watermelon berries and blueberries today!

[Theloose]

Originally Posted by chlobo

The beans are roughly a buck a bean. I'm not sure what kind of "medium" you use but I was told 3 beans per 750ml, which I think is 25 oz? So if you buy your average bottle of vodka (not gold plated potato vodka, like I did) you probably can make 25oz for about 20? Sound about right?

You can absolutely have some of my beans. What on earth would I do with 20 vanilla beans?

I think you're off by 10 - 75mL is more like 2.5oz. Are the beans organic? That's an AMAZING price!

[Theloose]

Originally Posted by chlobo

My nails are fantastic.

Question about magnesium. When I was taking natural calm I could definitely get to bowel tolerance with a little over a tablespoon. Now that I'm taking pills it seems to have no effect on my bowels. Why is that? Last night I took 1200mg.

Then I don't know how to help with your hair except it definitely sounds like *something's* up and it's probably a clue.

Weird about the difference with magnesium - I saw the opposite. Maybe they're not dissolving in your gut? What form of mag are they?

watermelon berries?

[chlobo]

Originally Posted by whoMe

I think you're off by 10 - 75mL is more like 2.5oz. Are the beans organic? That's an AMAZING price!

I'm not following you. 750ml = 25oz. that is what size the vodka you buy to make the vanilla is. I was told to use 3 beans for 750ml. Is that not correct? Seems to taste fine in the batch I already did.

The beans are organic. The vodka I bought isn't. I didn't see any organic vodka although I imagine it must exist.

[Theloose]

Originally Posted by chlobo

I'm not following you. 750ml = 25oz. that is what size the vodka you buy to make the vanilla is. I was told to use 3 beans for 750ml. Is that not correct? Seems to taste fine in the batch I already did.

The beans are organic. The vodka I bought isn't. I didn't see any organic vodka although I imagine it must exist.

Okay, *I'm* off by 10. I was reading 75mL instead of 750mL

So what's your bean source?

[chlobo]

Originally Posted by whoMe

Okay, *I'm* off by 10. I was reading 75mL instead of 750mL

So what's your bean source?

Fronteir Wholesale. I order with friends every couple of months. If we order more than $250 shipping is free. They have lots of spices & health & beauty stuff. No other foods, though.

[mtn.mama]

When I was having trouble with Taslyn's hair, Panserbjorne recommended iodine. We started it and nutrient tea at the same time and its really seems to have made a difference.

[waluso]

Originally Posted by mtn.mama

When I was having trouble with Taslyn's hair, Panserbjorne recommended iodine. We started it and nutrient tea at the same time and its really seems to have made a difference.

This is interesting. I've been thinking of adding iodine, and my hair is very fine and thin (but my nails are strong), and DD has very little hair and it is very fine as well. I can't wait till she has enough hair for pigtails! How are you supplementing iodine? And how do you make your nutrient tea?

[kjbrown92]

Originally Posted by chlobo

Stop with the technical jargon. Let's get back to simple talk. lol.

So I can either order 2 vanilla beans or 20. I'm tempted to do the 20 b/c they are "bourbon" vanilla beans and I"ve heard good things and they should make good vanilla.

But what else does one do with vanilla beans? I know Kathy mentioned using in creme brule. Would I shave the bean or carve out the inside? Or what?

I got my vanilla beans from www.saffron.com. I use them in ice cream, baking, creme brulee, anywhere I'd use vanilla but want a little more vanilla-y flavor. When I use one, I split it, scrape out the inside and put the inside-goo in whatever I'm making. If it's something that's cooking, like yogurt or ice cream, I stick the whole bean in there, then take it out when it's done cooking. If not, I stick the extra bean (minus the gooey inside) in with the rest of my "extract" jar. Maybe I just bake a lot, but I don't seem to have a problem using them up... I'm a vanilla junkie!! Along with my pine nut habit....

[lil_miss_understood]

Hmm.
I wonder how the pine nut ricotta would work as a cream cheese sub, if allowed to drain a little. I still haven't got more pine nuts to try it even but...
Then maybe you could double up your addictions, Kathy, and attempt pine nut "cheese" cake.

[dollyanna]

Originally Posted by WuWei

Btw, the article notes: Ulcerative colitis has been reported following administration of vitamin B6, which is metabolized with generation of hydrogen peroxide as a by-product.

And, Ulcerative colitis has been reported following administration of iron as a dietary supplement. Iron catalyzes the conversion of hydrogen peroxide to the more active hydroxyl radical.


Pat

Interesting. My first several months of pregnancy were extremely painful & I ended up being diagnosed with a mild form of colitis. I couldn't really take any medication for it (only safe one for pregnancy didn't work plus I was allergic to it). I started eating yogurt/probiotics every day & mostly felt better. This makes me wonder if it was the prenatal vitamins that made things go crazy. Hmmm.

My DD's rash is back I'm kind of at a loss. Now I'm thinking it could be watermelon - as random as that seems. The 1st time she had it she got a rash & diarrhea, but she was also on amoxicillin at the time & the Dr. thought it was probably that. She has had watermelon multiple times since then and not had any reaction, but she had watermelon & cantaloupe on Sunday & got a rash. Then she had some Monday & got worse rash & diarrhea. I can't think of anything else she had that was semi-unusual for her to eat. Diarrhea means it it is probably something she ate, not a contact thing I'm guessing. How long should I wait before trying it again?

[chlobo]

Originally Posted by dollyanna

Interesting. My first several months of pregnancy were extremely painful & I ended up being diagnosed with a mild form of colitis. I couldn't really take any medication for it (only safe one for pregnancy didn't work plus I was allergic to it). I started eating yogurt/probiotics every day & mostly felt better. This makes me wonder if it was the prenatal vitamins that made things go crazy. Hmmm.

My DD's rash is back I'm kind of at a loss. Now I'm thinking it could be watermelon - as random as that seems. The 1st time she had it she got a rash & diarrhea, but she was also on amoxicillin at the time & the Dr. thought it was probably that. She has had watermelon multiple times since then and not had any reaction, but she had watermelon & cantaloupe on Sunday & got a rash. Then she had some Monday & got worse rash & diarrhea. I can't think of anything else she had that was semi-unusual for her to eat. Diarrhea means it it is probably something she ate, not a contact thing I'm guessing. How long should I wait before trying it again?

Sorry to hear about the rash. Something to think about since you mentioned cantaloupe. I've heard cantaloupe is moldy. We are trying to get the kids on a "yeast" diet and were told not to eat peanuts or cantalope b/c of the mold. Maybe its a mold thing?

[kjbrown92]

Originally Posted by JacquelineR

Hmm.
I wonder how the pine nut ricotta would work as a cream cheese sub, if allowed to drain a little. I still haven't got more pine nuts to try it even but...
Then maybe you could double up your addictions, Kathy, and attempt pine nut "cheese" cake.

I was going to make the cashew "cheesecake" for my birthday next week. But DH wants me to make another batch of creme brulee when he gets up here on Friday. So maybe we'll just be all dessert all the time. That's a whole food group, right?

[lil_miss_understood]

Originally Posted by kjbrown92

I was going to make the cashew "cheesecake" for my birthday next week. But DH wants me to make another batch of creme brulee when he gets up here on Friday. So maybe we'll just be all dessert all the time. That's a whole food group, right?

Which day is your birthday? My mom's is on the 15th.

[Theloose]

Originally Posted by Lady Lilya

As for my gluten trial, it has been 3 days and I can't say I have had any negative effects from it.

In fact, I haven't had any hypoglycemic stuff since then. I also had no bloating for a long time on Sunday, which is rare. For the past few months, I have only occasionally had no bloating for an hour or so, and then it comes back as soon as I eat. But Sunday I was eating without getting bloated.

So, what gives? Any ideas?

And yet, it looks like you *have* had effects. Since you weren't at baseline before, my inclination is to say you're putting another layer on top, rather than peeling down to the root of things. My digestion was great until I cut out gluten. Then it was a wild ride of craziness. Now it's finally settling down again, in a much happier place than before. I say it's like the gluten was a heavy blanket, damping any GI symptoms. Remove the gluten, and suddenly what I eat makes a difference.

Not what you want to hear. Sorry But I'm one of those 'gluten is evil' people, who think it should be avoided if there are *any* unknown variables. I have no problem with eating it again once healed and healthy, but it can just cause too many issues, and be so sneaky about it, too.

[mamafish9]

So, how did my cheese missing, pine nut loving self NOT MAKE THAT RICOTTA before this??????????

Had it on pizza tonight. Holy wow.

In other news, I think we are making some kind of nutrient progress. Corn is passing (basic tortillas, nothing crazy). DS is handling a bit of fruit (moderate sals stuff, not apples and berries, but still!). He at homemade pumpkin pie filling (with all the regular spices), with no problems (previously, both the spices and the squash starch would have been questionable).

And get this. DS is pooping. By himself. Every day for three days now. Some days more than once. With the exception of swine flu induced crazy diarrhea, he has not pooped without enema assistance since March. And besides trialing a bit of corn, we have not done anything new (and I refuse to credit corn with anything good!). I am so freaking happy! I think we are finally getting his zinc levels up, which is helping his stomach acid, which helps everything else in the known universe. Better starch and sugar digestion, and more sals tolerance. No idea why he's suddenly pooping, but I'll take it!

[Theloose]

who has lysine issues? Canker sores, right?

"At a more acidic pH, the enzyme biotinidase cleaves biocytin to produce biotin and lysine, or..."

"At a more alkaline pH, the enzyme has been shown to become biotinylated while also generating free lysine."

Biotinidase is used for absorbing biotin in the gut. (among other things)