FOOD!?!?!?! Something I love ;o)

[SpiderMonkey]

Yes. I love food.

And I wanna talk about it! I'm really interested in whole foods, and eating for whole nutrients.

I'm enjoying a homemade meat barley soup that I just 'threw' together with ingredients laying around, and the help of my cravings.  Among the ingredients are homemade free range beef stock, ground moose, onions, carrots, cabbage, organic barley, garlic, celery, bell peppers and LOTS of kale! Mmm and the broth is so thick with nutrients, it's nearly like gravy..

Maybe you have a favorite vegetable that you know how to cook and eat a bunch of different ways?? Please share!

If anyone wants to know about Kale, I'm your gal for sure! We go through at least 4 bunches of kale a week.

I'm also interested in incorporating liver more into our diet, I just havent found a good source to buy from yet.

[jess in hawaii]

I wish I could be so enthusiastic! I love cooking, but since I've been preg this time, I am not into it. Everything is an effort and I know i am not eating enough veggies for sure. I did make some good turkey soup today though. I simmered the stock for HOURS, threw in some carrots, onions, celery, the rest of the gravy and some turkey meat (of course!). But I didn't eat any of it (see heartburn thread, lol). I also didn't eat the rest of the fabulous pumpkin soup from the other day (but I was glad the kids loved it). I want to see what everyone else has to say about food, I need to get inspired again!

[RosieL]

I'm always interested in new kale recipes. Got some favorites? I have a couple meal's worth growing outside that I'd like to clip and eat before snow starts to cover it. 

[SpiderMonkey]

Jess, that turkey stock sounds delicious! Too bad you didn't feel up to eating any. By the way, I just posted on the heartburn thread. I've been having pretty consistant heartburn too, but it hasent been a issue because I've got a trick that works instantly. Baking soda... Thats right. We all have it somewhere in the house. (For me, I use it to make all pupose cleaners, toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo, laundry detergent just to name a few) It neutralizes acidity instantly, without ANY side effects.. Its perfectly safe.

I mix just a pinch of it in a shot of water, then drink a whole glass of water. This way you don't even get any taste in your mouth. It may not be for everyone (although it works consistantly) but it's worth trying at least once, right?

As far as veggies... Oh MAN that is one thing I've gotten better at over the years. People are kind of surprised to learn how many veggies I eat since I'm still pretty full sized gal (5'10' 200# pre-preg!)

Yet I fit them in everywhere. This morning for example I made sauteed red cabbage, onion and kale in a touch of bacon lard, Braggs aminos ( A MUST HAVE for any kitchen) and a little red wine vinegar. Then I topped my veggie mixture with a couple fried local eggs.. It was SOOOO delicious and will keep me full for quite a while if eaten first thing in the morning. Also, yesterday was homemade toast (from my own country bread) sauteed kale in a tad bit of white wine/real maple syrup, and scrambled eggs with green onions, basil and local cheddar cheese.

As far as kale goes:

 -baked kale chips (You can season them a bunch of different ways)

 -stirfried with eggs

 - kale quiche/fritata

 - kale added on pizza

 - kale on sandwhiches

 - kale potato salad

 - add kale to pasta salad

 - added to anykind of soups

In the last 3 days I can think of 5 meals that included kale for us..

[jess in hawaii]

SpiderMonkey- all that sounds soo good. I do like to eat like that, I just wish I had someone else to do the cooking right now, lol.

I will try the baking soda... i had heard of that, my husband used it alot, but I thought it wasn't good during pregnancy. But if it is indeed safe, I know it's cheap, so much the better than all the money I have just spent on OTC remedies.

[kaismum]

Spider Monkey - I have been using papaya enzymes for heartburn with good results and also apple cider vinegar diluted with water. My midwife was saying that most often it is because of slowed digestion that we may have heartburn so increasing the acid rather than decreasing is more effective in the long term. I am hoping she is right because I had crazy heartburn all the time with DS and ate Tums what felt like constantly at the advice of my OB and it seemed like I just had to keep eating more and more and more. So, what she said makes sense. I am hoping it serves true. I am eating about 4-6 papaya tabs after meals, she said that any digestive enzyme will be helpful including Beano. Hope that is helpful!

I have been wanting to eat liver and got a few grass fed beef livers and handed them over to my mom so that she could make pate with them. I was thinking that would be a good way to eat a bit over a few days. I also just read a few recipes that had ground meat with grated liver mixed in and was thinking that I would like to try that.  

I usually super like kale and have been having a hard time with greens in general. I have been putting both kale and spinach into smoothies to get it in which has worked really well for me.