Hmmm, so I wanted to write a bit about some often ... overlooked? ... foods that are really quite yummy, good for you, and relatively cheap! I'm talking about the little tins of fishies! Sardines, anchovies, herring, etc. These things range anywhere from less that $1 to $3 per tin, depending on the size, brand, flavor, etc. They pack huge amounts of protein (atkins anyone?), omega-3 oils, etc. No carbs, lots of protein, lots of flavor. What's not to love?
Ok, if you are scared of fish (like somebody I could name!), you would want to make sure that you get the headless ones, but other than that! Looking at the Brunswick cannery website (www.Brunswick.ca) shows that these little babies can be stored for years with no problems. They recommend that they should be eaten within 2 years as the taste starts to go after that. (That is why you should always rotate your stores in your house.) If you didn't eat it in two years, do you really think you will?
These little babies also come in lots of different flavors from plain, to hot sauce, to mustard, to oil, etc. That isn't counting the fact that you can mix these in to different dishes and spreads to get all their goodness without eating from the tin (like me). Now my grandfather used to much on sardines with mustard, and I know when I was younger that I thought he was nuts. But then what do we really know when we are kids!
So wether you are saving canned foods to be safe for the future, on a diet to lose some weight, looking to build muscle, or just want a new and interesting snack. I highly recommend checking out a few different types of these little babies. Doesn't cost much, can be stored for a rainy day, and I think they are just plain yummy.
*Fish-heads, fish-heads, rolly-polly fish-heads, eat them up, YUM!*
Showing posts with label Health. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Health. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Hmmm, HoneyComb!
Ok, slightly new ground for me. Health and medicine. I almost never get sick, and if I do get snuffly or sneezy, I just bull my way through it. However, this past weekend, I got laid out by a nasty little bug. Tonsils swollen so bad that I could barely swallow, fever, chills, etc. The whole magilla. Now, I did my normal deal when being sick and whatnot, but the wife mentioned something that we had picked up a while back... Honey w/ the comb! Hmmm, ok, I normally do tea with honey and lemon juice when I am not feeling well, but I had not done the Honey Comb.
This stuff is amazing. It is a unique texture and is a little strange the first time you do it, but... it works. It worked better than most anything else for soothing and reducing the size and swelling in my tonsils. I believe it helped me with my fever and everything else that was wrong with me.
So what do I do when I come across something like this? I look it up, and sure enough all over the place there are reviews and supporters for raw (non-pasteurized) honey and for chewing on the comb. The recommendations are everything from put it on wounds to chew for reduction in sinuse problems, allergy problems, swelling, etc. I will attest that it worked for me this time, the first time I used it!
As this is a quicker post, I don't have a list of sources for you, but there are plenty out there. I am just going to urge everyone to read up on it, and if you think that it's as good for you as I think, you find a local source and get some of the comb if you can! If you have the land, think about raising bees of your own. Find and talk to a local beekeeping club, they should be able to point you in the right direction if you want to start raising your own, or if you just want to buy some for the family. This is just my opinion, but I say... It's worth it!
This stuff is amazing. It is a unique texture and is a little strange the first time you do it, but... it works. It worked better than most anything else for soothing and reducing the size and swelling in my tonsils. I believe it helped me with my fever and everything else that was wrong with me.
So what do I do when I come across something like this? I look it up, and sure enough all over the place there are reviews and supporters for raw (non-pasteurized) honey and for chewing on the comb. The recommendations are everything from put it on wounds to chew for reduction in sinuse problems, allergy problems, swelling, etc. I will attest that it worked for me this time, the first time I used it!
As this is a quicker post, I don't have a list of sources for you, but there are plenty out there. I am just going to urge everyone to read up on it, and if you think that it's as good for you as I think, you find a local source and get some of the comb if you can! If you have the land, think about raising bees of your own. Find and talk to a local beekeeping club, they should be able to point you in the right direction if you want to start raising your own, or if you just want to buy some for the family. This is just my opinion, but I say... It's worth it!
Monday, February 2, 2009
Homemade Wine
Last week I discussed homebrewing beer and cider. Today is another topic on the same vine of thought. Homemade Wine. Now, I grew up in western PA and everyone (at least everyone I knew) knew someone who either made wine themselves, or they had a friend or relative who made their own wine. I have seen handwritten recipes passed down from grandparents and parents. I have seen equipment that ranges from fancy high-end pricey stuff to a gallon jug used with a pin-pierced balloon. However it is for you, homemade wine is a great hobby and skill to have.
Wine comes in so many varieties, red vs white, sweet vs dry, and then all the styles, etc. that I am not going to be able to cover all of these topics. What I am going to go over with you today is the basic process and steps for making your own wine. There are plenty of books and websites that will cover the more specific details, and maybe this post will interest you enough to go read up.
When it comes down to it, what is wine? Wine is the fermented juice of some fruit. Most people think of grape wines when they think of wine, but you can have strawberry wine, blackberry wine, etc. Just about any juice can be made in to wine. The more sugar in the juice, the more the yeast can eat and the higher the alcoholic content. You want more alcohol? Add some sugar or honey and let the yeast eat that too!
The process is very similar to that of cider:
1) Press the fruit and get all the juice of it that you can. (store bought juices can be used if they are 100% juice (and preferably preservative free, but good luck finding that anymore!))
2) I would boil it for a few to get any "bad things" out, but this step is rather optional if you know exactly where your fruit is from and what's been used on it.
3) Pour the juice into a clean and sterilized container. The container should be somewhat larger than the amount of juice put in, but with proper airlock usage, this is not exactly necessary. Your container could be just about anything, but Iwould recommend either food grade plastic or glass as they are the easiest to sterilize.
4) Dry yeast: mix with lukewarm water (~100°) until completely dissolved. Liquid yeast: follow the directions on the yeast package. The type of yeast that you use will affect the flavor of your wine. I recommend using a wine yeast that can be bought at just about any homebrew store or online. I know my grandfather used regular bread yeast, but that was many years ago. I would try it first with the wine yeast, then try it with bread yeast and compare.
5) Add an airlock to the container. This could be done through a hole-ed cork or rubber bung, etc. An airlock is a device that you put some water in that will allow excess gases to leave the container but no bacteria or anything can get down through the water. This helps keep things clean and you don't have to worry about contamination. If you don't have an airlock, a rubber balloon with a small pin hole in it will do basically the same thing.
6) Put this in a warm (depends on your yeast but normally 55°-75°) dark location and let it sit for a few weeks. Once there are no more bubbles, the yeast will have eaten some/most/all of the sugar in the juice and you will have a wine. Taste it and remember that as it ages, the flavors will change.
7) Siphon the wine into clean and sterilized bottles and cap/cork quickly. Make sure to siphon from as near the top as you can as the dead yeast will have settled to the bottom.
8) Store in a cool, dark location. Age and Drink and Enjoy!
Wine comes in so many varieties, red vs white, sweet vs dry, and then all the styles, etc. that I am not going to be able to cover all of these topics. What I am going to go over with you today is the basic process and steps for making your own wine. There are plenty of books and websites that will cover the more specific details, and maybe this post will interest you enough to go read up.
When it comes down to it, what is wine? Wine is the fermented juice of some fruit. Most people think of grape wines when they think of wine, but you can have strawberry wine, blackberry wine, etc. Just about any juice can be made in to wine. The more sugar in the juice, the more the yeast can eat and the higher the alcoholic content. You want more alcohol? Add some sugar or honey and let the yeast eat that too!
The process is very similar to that of cider:
1) Press the fruit and get all the juice of it that you can. (store bought juices can be used if they are 100% juice (and preferably preservative free, but good luck finding that anymore!))
2) I would boil it for a few to get any "bad things" out, but this step is rather optional if you know exactly where your fruit is from and what's been used on it.
3) Pour the juice into a clean and sterilized container. The container should be somewhat larger than the amount of juice put in, but with proper airlock usage, this is not exactly necessary. Your container could be just about anything, but Iwould recommend either food grade plastic or glass as they are the easiest to sterilize.
4) Dry yeast: mix with lukewarm water (~100°) until completely dissolved. Liquid yeast: follow the directions on the yeast package. The type of yeast that you use will affect the flavor of your wine. I recommend using a wine yeast that can be bought at just about any homebrew store or online. I know my grandfather used regular bread yeast, but that was many years ago. I would try it first with the wine yeast, then try it with bread yeast and compare.
5) Add an airlock to the container. This could be done through a hole-ed cork or rubber bung, etc. An airlock is a device that you put some water in that will allow excess gases to leave the container but no bacteria or anything can get down through the water. This helps keep things clean and you don't have to worry about contamination. If you don't have an airlock, a rubber balloon with a small pin hole in it will do basically the same thing.
6) Put this in a warm (depends on your yeast but normally 55°-75°) dark location and let it sit for a few weeks. Once there are no more bubbles, the yeast will have eaten some/most/all of the sugar in the juice and you will have a wine. Taste it and remember that as it ages, the flavors will change.
7) Siphon the wine into clean and sterilized bottles and cap/cork quickly. Make sure to siphon from as near the top as you can as the dead yeast will have settled to the bottom.
8) Store in a cool, dark location. Age and Drink and Enjoy!
Friday, January 30, 2009
Homebrew:CIDER
Yesterday I wrote about homebrewing your own beer, but that is not all that can be home "brewed". Cider has been around for ages, and was actually a much more popular drink in ages past than beer. "Hard" Cider is cider that has had fermentation occur to make it alcoholic. Beer became more popular with the discovery of hops and other methods for preserving it so that it could be transported. But apples grow all over the place.
Who remembers the stories of Johnny Appleseed from when they were younger? What most people think of are the great apples that are available year round at grocery stores nowadays. Well, if you put those thoughts towards Johnny Appleseed, you would be wrong. He planted mostly small hard apples, that stored well, but were much better for cider than for eating. Just think of it, spreading alcohol instead of fruit? They wouldn't teach that in schools!
Cider is very easy to make, but for the die-hard cider enthusiast, it could have some major expenses. In order to make cider, all you need to do is crush apples, and drink the juice. Voilá! Cider. To make this cider "Hard", it just needs to ferment in a barrel for a few weeks where the free yeast in the air will ferment the sugar in the cider making it alcoholic. In order to speed it up and get reproducable results, we have the option to use packaged beer or wine yeast.
When I say there could be expenses, I mean equipment. Everywhere I have lived, I have been able to find orchards where you could get bushels of overripe or blemished skin apples relatively inexpensively. In order to increase your yield and the speed which you can make cider, you would want a fruit press. If you can get the crusher with the press, even better. Crushing the fruit will increase your yield by a goodly amount. The cider presses available run from $150 (maybe) and up, but they do quickly reduce the amount of time it takes to make cider from fresh fruit.
Who remembers the stories of Johnny Appleseed from when they were younger? What most people think of are the great apples that are available year round at grocery stores nowadays. Well, if you put those thoughts towards Johnny Appleseed, you would be wrong. He planted mostly small hard apples, that stored well, but were much better for cider than for eating. Just think of it, spreading alcohol instead of fruit? They wouldn't teach that in schools!
Cider is very easy to make, but for the die-hard cider enthusiast, it could have some major expenses. In order to make cider, all you need to do is crush apples, and drink the juice. Voilá! Cider. To make this cider "Hard", it just needs to ferment in a barrel for a few weeks where the free yeast in the air will ferment the sugar in the cider making it alcoholic. In order to speed it up and get reproducable results, we have the option to use packaged beer or wine yeast.
When I say there could be expenses, I mean equipment. Everywhere I have lived, I have been able to find orchards where you could get bushels of overripe or blemished skin apples relatively inexpensively. In order to increase your yield and the speed which you can make cider, you would want a fruit press. If you can get the crusher with the press, even better. Crushing the fruit will increase your yield by a goodly amount. The cider presses available run from $150 (maybe) and up, but they do quickly reduce the amount of time it takes to make cider from fresh fruit.
Always remember, that cider is not always made from apples. Pear Cider, aka "Perry", is very common and enthused about in Europe and small areas around the country here. Same process, different fruit.
If you have extra cider, or you let it go too long, hey, apple cider vinegar has lots of health benefits and works well for a lot of cooking purposes as well. Before it gets to that point, you could distill it to "Apple Jack" or apple brandy. (LEGAL NOTE: same as beer, I make no claims about the legality of this. Verify that for yourself.)
If you have a chance, I highly recommend Hard Cider. Its got a good taste, with a relatively low alcohol content, and you get your fruit every time you drink some! Gotta love it!
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Homebrew:BEER
"Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy" -- Benjamin Franklin
Over the past few years, micro-breweries and speciality breweries have boomed across the country. Gone are the days of there being just a few national beer companies selling watered down horse-urine. (My apologies to those of you who do like this stuff...) I admit like different types/brands/etc of beer. Stouts/Ales/Lagers/Pilsners, I love most of them! Spicy/Fruity/Nutty, yuppers! It always seemed that I frustrated the servers when I would go out drinking because I never got the same thing twice. This of course lead me to the idea of making my own beer. Why not? If I make something that is disgusting, well, its my own fault (and it works GREAT in composters), but at the same time, if I make something amazing, then I can feel extremely proud of it.
How to homebrew... there are many books and online references available that will teach you the mechanics of brewing your own beer (I list a few at the end). But I know a lot of people that will ask, "Why should I make my own when there are so many types available for me?" Well, let me attempt to answer that for you. Making beer at home gives you a number of benefits that you can not get through buying beer at the store.
1) You can control the ingredients. You know everything that is going into that and you can make sure that there are no chemicals or preservatives in your brew. There are an extraordinary number of health benefits from beer, just look it up!
2) You can get recipes for "common" beers online and then tweek them to make them suit yourself, or you can make up your own recipes. This gives the brewer the control to make exactly what they want and what they like.
3) You can grow all of the ingredients yourself. If things ever get too bad, you could still have your own homemade beer grown from ingredients that you have grown yourself. Also, those grains you would use? You could eat them if things got too tight!
4) If you stop halfway through the process, you could take what you made and make liquor out of it. (LEGAL NOTE: I make no claims about the legality of this. Verify the legality at your location before attempting. This is not legal in the USA.) The coooked wort (pronounced wert) is the end result of cooking the grains, sugars, etc. This is what would be distilled to make whiskey and whisky (yes, they are different). I can, and probably will, discuss this process in further detail in another post.
Now that you know Why, you need to know the basics of How. Beginning to homebrew does not have to be expensive. Homebrew supply stores, sell kits with everything you nee (except bottles). Bottles can be gotten from beer distributers (ask them if they have any returns that people returned for the deposit (this practice is unfortuntely diminishing, but it doesn't hurt to ask)), ask friends to keep non-twist bottles for you, etc. The equipment itself can be expensive, but if you go with the kit, it doesn't have to be that much (you can get by for less than 100 from many homebrew stores for a beginners kit). You can go all the way up to super-expensive for an all grain, complicated setup. It all depends on where you are comfortable starting.
I highly recommend "The Complete Joy of Home Brewing" by Charlie Papazian, and his followup "The Homebrewer's Companion". These books contain pretty much any and all information you would need to learn to home brew as well as a really large and diverse list of recipes.
Also check out:
http://www.homebrew.org
http://www.homebrewing.org
http://www.beertown.org --- the American Homebrewers Association
These are just a few sites to check out, but there are many many more out there. Also, look around, many cities have homebrewing groups and organizations where you can get to know people that are currently doing it and their setups, feelings, likes/dislikes, etc.
I hope you find this informative. Tomorrow? Homebrew: CIDER!
Over the past few years, micro-breweries and speciality breweries have boomed across the country. Gone are the days of there being just a few national beer companies selling watered down horse-urine. (My apologies to those of you who do like this stuff...) I admit like different types/brands/etc of beer. Stouts/Ales/Lagers/Pilsners, I love most of them! Spicy/Fruity/Nutty, yuppers! It always seemed that I frustrated the servers when I would go out drinking because I never got the same thing twice. This of course lead me to the idea of making my own beer. Why not? If I make something that is disgusting, well, its my own fault (and it works GREAT in composters), but at the same time, if I make something amazing, then I can feel extremely proud of it.
How to homebrew... there are many books and online references available that will teach you the mechanics of brewing your own beer (I list a few at the end). But I know a lot of people that will ask, "Why should I make my own when there are so many types available for me?" Well, let me attempt to answer that for you. Making beer at home gives you a number of benefits that you can not get through buying beer at the store.
1) You can control the ingredients. You know everything that is going into that and you can make sure that there are no chemicals or preservatives in your brew. There are an extraordinary number of health benefits from beer, just look it up!
2) You can get recipes for "common" beers online and then tweek them to make them suit yourself, or you can make up your own recipes. This gives the brewer the control to make exactly what they want and what they like.
3) You can grow all of the ingredients yourself. If things ever get too bad, you could still have your own homemade beer grown from ingredients that you have grown yourself. Also, those grains you would use? You could eat them if things got too tight!
4) If you stop halfway through the process, you could take what you made and make liquor out of it. (LEGAL NOTE: I make no claims about the legality of this. Verify the legality at your location before attempting. This is not legal in the USA.) The coooked wort (pronounced wert) is the end result of cooking the grains, sugars, etc. This is what would be distilled to make whiskey and whisky (yes, they are different). I can, and probably will, discuss this process in further detail in another post.
Now that you know Why, you need to know the basics of How. Beginning to homebrew does not have to be expensive. Homebrew supply stores, sell kits with everything you nee (except bottles). Bottles can be gotten from beer distributers (ask them if they have any returns that people returned for the deposit (this practice is unfortuntely diminishing, but it doesn't hurt to ask)), ask friends to keep non-twist bottles for you, etc. The equipment itself can be expensive, but if you go with the kit, it doesn't have to be that much (you can get by for less than 100 from many homebrew stores for a beginners kit). You can go all the way up to super-expensive for an all grain, complicated setup. It all depends on where you are comfortable starting.
I highly recommend "The Complete Joy of Home Brewing" by Charlie Papazian, and his followup "The Homebrewer's Companion". These books contain pretty much any and all information you would need to learn to home brew as well as a really large and diverse list of recipes.
Also check out:
http://www.homebrew.org
http://www.homebrewing.org
http://www.beertown.org --- the American Homebrewers Association
These are just a few sites to check out, but there are many many more out there. Also, look around, many cities have homebrewing groups and organizations where you can get to know people that are currently doing it and their setups, feelings, likes/dislikes, etc.
I hope you find this informative. Tomorrow? Homebrew: CIDER!
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Lard - the better fat
Lard has all but disappeared from the modern American household, and now when mention of the word comes up, people shudder. They fear the dreaded problems with lard. BUT, do said problems truly exist? Or are they just misconceptions perpetuated by companies and scientists? Let's take a look...
Fats come in three types: saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated. In this order they are: not great, good, and best. Now I know people are going to get on me about saying saturated fat is "not good" instead of labelling it "bad", but I really don't see it as bad. Is too much bad? Yeah, probably. But it occurs in nature in foods that our forefathers ate, and you know what? I don't think its bad. At least, it wasn't until we started mucking about with its chemical structure.
Now the big scare is trans-fats. Guess what! Lard doesn't have any. None, zero, zip, zilch, nada. Studies have shown that trans-fat is much worse for your health than saturated fat. Lard has about 40% saturated fat (compared to coconut oil's 85% and palm kernel oil's 80% **source**). Lard also has about 45% monounsaturated fats. That's a very respectable number from a health standpoint.
So from a health standpoint, Lard is good. There are proponents out there that are doing studies showing lard to be high in Omega-6 fatty acids, and showing the many other health benefits of lard. But there is a caveat.
Come on, you knew it was coming, right? Well, the boxes of lard that you get at the store are hydrogenated. This means that Hydrogen is added to increase the stability of the fat thus eliminating the need for any special storage conditions. By adding Hydrogen to the fat, the producers are eliminating a lot of the fat benefits listed above. Never fear, you can buy pig fat from local farms in order to render your own lard, or if this is too much work or too scary for a beginner, there are farm markets that sell "real" lard that is not hydrogenated.
As with anything, I urge you to do your own research and to look into the facts. If you agree that this wonderful ingredient is not the health terror we've always been told, let me tell you, it works WONDERS to pastries, baking, etc.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/pacificnw09102006/2003248134_pacificptaste10.html
http://thehealthierlife.co.uk/article/33781/trans-fatty-acids.html
http://westonprice.org/motherlinda/fats_crisco.html
http://geniuscook.com/lard-is-healthy
Fats come in three types: saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated. In this order they are: not great, good, and best. Now I know people are going to get on me about saying saturated fat is "not good" instead of labelling it "bad", but I really don't see it as bad. Is too much bad? Yeah, probably. But it occurs in nature in foods that our forefathers ate, and you know what? I don't think its bad. At least, it wasn't until we started mucking about with its chemical structure.
Now the big scare is trans-fats. Guess what! Lard doesn't have any. None, zero, zip, zilch, nada. Studies have shown that trans-fat is much worse for your health than saturated fat. Lard has about 40% saturated fat (compared to coconut oil's 85% and palm kernel oil's 80% **source**). Lard also has about 45% monounsaturated fats. That's a very respectable number from a health standpoint.
So from a health standpoint, Lard is good. There are proponents out there that are doing studies showing lard to be high in Omega-6 fatty acids, and showing the many other health benefits of lard. But there is a caveat.
Come on, you knew it was coming, right? Well, the boxes of lard that you get at the store are hydrogenated. This means that Hydrogen is added to increase the stability of the fat thus eliminating the need for any special storage conditions. By adding Hydrogen to the fat, the producers are eliminating a lot of the fat benefits listed above. Never fear, you can buy pig fat from local farms in order to render your own lard, or if this is too much work or too scary for a beginner, there are farm markets that sell "real" lard that is not hydrogenated.
As with anything, I urge you to do your own research and to look into the facts. If you agree that this wonderful ingredient is not the health terror we've always been told, let me tell you, it works WONDERS to pastries, baking, etc.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/pacificnw09102006/2003248134_pacificptaste10.html
http://thehealthierlife.co.uk/article/33781/trans-fatty-acids.html
http://westonprice.org/motherlinda/fats_crisco.html
http://geniuscook.com/lard-is-healthy
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Overlooked is the Physical
I read a lot, and I read quickly. This means that I get through a lot of material quickly. With my focus being on homesteading, prepping, self-sufficiency, and self-responsibility, I have found a lot of great information about gardening, chickens, goats, composting, firearms, ammo, etc. One thing that I haven't seen anyone talk about (not saying no one has, but that I haven't seen) is Physical preparedness.
Now, I want to be fair, so let me explain where I am coming from up front. I'm 6'2", almost 300#, I smoke, I drink occasionally, and I love greasy and rich foods. However, I am rather strong, can trudge and can work the day away at physical labor. I completely tore my Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL) completely out of my one knee over 10 years ago and never had surgery or anything to fix this. So I am not coming from a place where I can run 4 minute miles, eat no fat or carbs, have 0% body fat, etc etc etc. Along with my stats up there, I should also mention that I hold a "black belt" level in Shaolin Chang Chuan (Chinese Kung Fu) and wrestled, collegate-style, through middle and high school.
Ok, so all of that being said, what is the primary tool that each and all of us have in our quest for preparedness and self-sufficiency? Our bodies. If we don't keep our bodies in good working order, how can we expect to plant those seeds or carry the feed for the animals? If you don't have the stamina to go out and weed and plant and harvest your crops, they aren't going to do much good, now are they? Are you going to be able to walk out into the woods and stay awake in a freezing cold morning to take game for the family to eat?
Now, I am not going to say that there aren't people who are prepping and trying to become self-sufficient who don't have physical ailments and disabilities. These are some big obstacles to overcome, and there are ways to work around some of these things. It takes some new innovations and an iron will to overcome many of these things.
If you don't have these for reasons, are you physically able to protect and provide for yourself and your family?
Now, I want to be fair, so let me explain where I am coming from up front. I'm 6'2", almost 300#, I smoke, I drink occasionally, and I love greasy and rich foods. However, I am rather strong, can trudge and can work the day away at physical labor. I completely tore my Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL) completely out of my one knee over 10 years ago and never had surgery or anything to fix this. So I am not coming from a place where I can run 4 minute miles, eat no fat or carbs, have 0% body fat, etc etc etc. Along with my stats up there, I should also mention that I hold a "black belt" level in Shaolin Chang Chuan (Chinese Kung Fu) and wrestled, collegate-style, through middle and high school.
Ok, so all of that being said, what is the primary tool that each and all of us have in our quest for preparedness and self-sufficiency? Our bodies. If we don't keep our bodies in good working order, how can we expect to plant those seeds or carry the feed for the animals? If you don't have the stamina to go out and weed and plant and harvest your crops, they aren't going to do much good, now are they? Are you going to be able to walk out into the woods and stay awake in a freezing cold morning to take game for the family to eat?
Now, I am not going to say that there aren't people who are prepping and trying to become self-sufficient who don't have physical ailments and disabilities. These are some big obstacles to overcome, and there are ways to work around some of these things. It takes some new innovations and an iron will to overcome many of these things.
If you don't have these for reasons, are you physically able to protect and provide for yourself and your family?
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Black Coffee
Whatever happened to coffee being the staple drink of people? On top of that, whatever happened to black coffee? All you hear about is Mocha this and whipped that with caramel and sprinkles on top. Stinkin' fancy pants coffee houses.
Within the last month or two, I have switched myself over from putting cream and sugar into my coffe, to drinking it black. Every once in a great while, I want to put some cream and sugar in to my cup (especially if its REALLY bad coffee), but for the most part, I drink it straight from the pot. It is really interesting to see what new flavors you find when you drink it this way instead of covering it up with all the other misc. crud that people dump in to their mugs.
Thinking about it, people on the prairie and in pioneer days drank their coffee black because sugar was scarce. You might have some milk or cream if you had a cow or some goats, but sugar? Good luck with that. Maybe for Christmas or some other really special occaision, but every day, multiple times a day? I don't think so, scooter!
Now to show how odd my mind works, you take all these people ingesting sugar in coffee and pop every day, all day, and what do you get? That's right, an overly obese population! Caffiene is one of the best metabolism boosters, LEGAL boosters, on the market today. It increases metabolism, increases mental focus, and it increases the body's functioning capabilities by increasing blood flow. Why do you think all of the diet pills feature it so prominently? But when you pile sugar and fat on top of it, you lose any benefit that you might have gained. Even that high fat, low carb diet (you know which one) offers you the choice to drink coffee in the morning because they knew it would increase your metabolism and promote weight loss. And I'm not even going to touch on the fake chemicals that some people put in their coffee (and pop and tea and and and...!). At least sugar occurs naturally in nature.
Since I have started drinking my coffee black, I can't count the number of strange looks that I have gotten at restaurants, gas stations, etc when I just take it black. "Cream and sugar with that?" they ask. "No thank you" I reply. Warning, nutso, cuckoo, etc. You can see it through their eyes. To be fair, not everyone looks at me funny, but many have.
So as I sit here, back from my mornin' chorin' and drinking my first cup of hot black coffee, these are the thoughts that run through my brain. Have a good morning and I'm sure I'll touch base a little later after we run out and do some of the errands we have on our list for today.
Until Later....
Within the last month or two, I have switched myself over from putting cream and sugar into my coffe, to drinking it black. Every once in a great while, I want to put some cream and sugar in to my cup (especially if its REALLY bad coffee), but for the most part, I drink it straight from the pot. It is really interesting to see what new flavors you find when you drink it this way instead of covering it up with all the other misc. crud that people dump in to their mugs.
Thinking about it, people on the prairie and in pioneer days drank their coffee black because sugar was scarce. You might have some milk or cream if you had a cow or some goats, but sugar? Good luck with that. Maybe for Christmas or some other really special occaision, but every day, multiple times a day? I don't think so, scooter!
Now to show how odd my mind works, you take all these people ingesting sugar in coffee and pop every day, all day, and what do you get? That's right, an overly obese population! Caffiene is one of the best metabolism boosters, LEGAL boosters, on the market today. It increases metabolism, increases mental focus, and it increases the body's functioning capabilities by increasing blood flow. Why do you think all of the diet pills feature it so prominently? But when you pile sugar and fat on top of it, you lose any benefit that you might have gained. Even that high fat, low carb diet (you know which one) offers you the choice to drink coffee in the morning because they knew it would increase your metabolism and promote weight loss. And I'm not even going to touch on the fake chemicals that some people put in their coffee (and pop and tea and and and...!). At least sugar occurs naturally in nature.
Since I have started drinking my coffee black, I can't count the number of strange looks that I have gotten at restaurants, gas stations, etc when I just take it black. "Cream and sugar with that?" they ask. "No thank you" I reply. Warning, nutso, cuckoo, etc. You can see it through their eyes. To be fair, not everyone looks at me funny, but many have.
So as I sit here, back from my mornin' chorin' and drinking my first cup of hot black coffee, these are the thoughts that run through my brain. Have a good morning and I'm sure I'll touch base a little later after we run out and do some of the errands we have on our list for today.
Until Later....
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