Kefir Cornbread (Cultures for Health)

I have a fresh bottle of kefir and will try out this lovely homemade cornbread recipe to go with our beans. For most of the family, this will make the Beans & Cornbread meal a XO (crossover= mixture of fats and carbs, not as conducive to weight loss). This is the one thing I love about the Trim, Healthy Mama plan. She does not eliminate any food category. You will still eat some whole grains. You will still eat healthy fats. You can still eat fruits! I love that you can even have dessert! I read that the sisters who wrote it just learned that by eating whole grains without fats they were able to continue their weight loss. I love this balanced approach. I especially love that it means I can make ONE meal for everyone. Want to lose weight? Just skip the cornbread today or have a tiny piece to keep your fat below 5 grams. Want to feed hungry kids? Just serve them both with some honey and butter. YUM!

Back a long time ago, I had a herd of dairy goats and for a time a Jersey Cow that I milked every day. I used to make the kefir from scratch with the kefir grains that our local goat dairy gave me. It is probably the easiest fermented food you can make. However, since I don't have any cows or goats "in milk" I have been buying some unsweetened kefir at the local store. If you have used buttermilk for baking, this is very similar. Buttermilk is also SUPER easy to make. This reminds me that I still need to schedule an easy cheesy cheese making workshop. Who would like to learn to make some easy cheeses? I have a pregnant Jersey cow ambling around the pasture now, so I may be back in the dairy business this fall!

Kefir Cornbread from scratch

A Patriotic Breakfast

Need a quick breakfast with unprocessed food?  Want it to be colorful and patriotic too?  How about healthy?  Here is an answer to those breakfast needs...  I'm sure it isn't unique to me, but it is what I had on hand for a quick and easy breakfast.

The Red, White, and Blue Parfait

In a half pint mason jar, layer....

a dollop of plain greek yogurt
cut up red strawberries
a smidge of maple syrup or honey
another dollop of plain greek yogurt
a bit of chopped, fresh banana
another smidge of honey or maple syrup
last dollop of plain greek yogurt
topped with blueberries or blackberries 
and drizzle on a little more maple syrup or honey

You can vary the layers with other treats like chopped crispy nuts or crunchy granola.  My little A kept digging out her strawberries and Little C was quizzing me on how many seeds a blackberry has.... so it is an entertaining breakfast as well.  I served it with a slice of whole grain toast and a glass of milk.

Milk: The Nutrient Power House

Image from Midwest Dairy Association

Miss A had to present a 30 minute workshop on Making Butter at our local 4-H Chef Day Camp.  Making a bit of butter for a group of kids takes about 10 minutes.  So she took the extra time to enrich her Making Butter class with nutrition facts and a tasty recipe for ice cream.  The above graphic really puts the nutrition in milk in perspective.  Sadly, milk has had a bad rap for years and butter has fared even worse.  Let's just say that when I began to research I couldn't find any mainstream research that cast butter in a favorable light.  So here is her schedule of events.  This is a great workshop for a beginning 4-H member to present for leadership experience.

9:00-  Mix up ice cream recipe, while pointing out that the milk is a liquid state of matter.   To cut down on mess, she chose to use my electric ice cream maker.  Alternatively you can have the kids make the ice cream in ziplocks with ice, rock salt, etc.  See directions here
9:10-  Add whipping cream to mason jars and pass around for the students to shake.  Again, point out the liquid state of matter.  While the students shake the jar, teach the students the above 6 nutrients that are in milk.  Quiz frequently to see if they remember the nutrients.
9:20- Serve up butter (not a solid matter) on saltines and ice cream (also now a solid) in dixie cups.  Continue to quiz the facts or let them color taught while they snack.
9:30 Clean up and dismiss.

Dairy Coloring Sheets
Dairy Facts and Information
Ag in the Classroom Phase Change: Butter
Ag in the Classroom Phase Change:  Ice Cream