Get up and Go! A No Rules Approach to the Most Important Meal of the Day.

mornings in my house can be complicated.  we have a very small apartment, two young children (one who is almost 3 years old and has never slept through the night), a downstairs neighbor who thinks we make too much noise, our shower is in the kitchen and a weekday schedule that dictates our departure at 8:15am.  we officially rise anywhere from 6:30am to 7am.  considering no one is getting much sleep through the night you'd think that we might cop out on the morning meal. it's exactly the opposite, actually. my husband and I have created a pretty awesome routine so that I am free to get breakfast and lunches ready (I pack 3 everyday) while he organizes the kids and gets them ready for school.  

breaking fast, or breakfast has been called the most important meal of the day and I agree as it can make or break your mood and spirit for what lies ahead.  it baffles me how many people either do not eat breakfast at all or routinely scarf down sugary cereals, bagels, store bought muffins and pastries, frozen store-bought pancakes and waffles, tropicana orange juice, flavored milk (which has the same amount of sugar as soda pop by the way) and cup after cup of coffee. these, unfortunately, are the typical american breakfast foods. sadly, these are not foods that will nourish, keep blood sugar stable until the next meal or do you any favors at all.  these are all foods that will ultimately hurt your body and your mind, leaving you exhausted, depressed, feeling flat and hungry all by 10am.  it's no wonder that many of our nation's children can't concentrate well enough to learn or are exhibiting negative behaviors in school and throughout the day. these are also foods that damage the gut, promote unhealthy bacteria to thrive and create chemical addictions. (click HERE to read a great article on why breakfast cereals are harmful).

in my crazy little house we have a different take on breakfast. there are no rules.

breakfast can be anything. breakfast can be simple or it can be grand.  it can be traditional or it can be "unusual." It all depends on what is in the house (leftovers from dinner make a great breakfast) and also where my head is at that morning. the most important factor is that it must contain a lot of good fat to keep us going throughout the day and taste great.  For example: chicken liver mousse on sourdough toast, a steak, bubble and squeak (leftover mashed potatoes sauteed in animal fat with leftover meats and veg), a chicken leg, sprouted tortilla quesadillas, cheese on buttered bread, you get the drift.

STARTING SIMPLE

the night before, my husband or I will soak the oats for oatmeal or porridge in the morning.  that merely involves soaking 1 1/2 cups of oats in 1 1/2 cups of filtered water with 1TBS of liquid whey and a pinch of sea salt.  In the morning we add another 1 1/2 cups of filtered water and cook.  soaking the oats overnight disables the phytic acid and makes the oats digestible and their nutrients easier to assimilate.  over the porridge we serve raw orange blossom honey, cinnamon, butter, raw cream or milk.  I prefer mine without milk and lots of butter.  you can do a double batch of porridge and hold it in the fridge for a few days and reheat when needed. this way if you forget to soak, no worries. leftover porridge also makes great pancakes! 

another simple breakfast is yogurt.  you can buy it or make it.  making it is super easy.  this is how you do it:  1 quart of the best milk you can get. 1/2 cup excellent whole milk plain yogurt (this is the starter culture. you can then use your own for the future) if you are using pasteurized milk, gently heat the milk to 180 degrees and allow to cool to 110 degrees.  transfer to glass (large bowl or mason jar) and add the yogurt, stirring gently to combine.  cover the jar. if you have a warm oven (no more than 100 degrees) with a pilot light place the jar in the oven overnight (8 - 12 hours) then transfer to your fridge to firm up. for raw milk use a double boiler and only heat to 110 degrees.  you can use a yogurt maker and follow their instructions or use a dehydrator and place the jar in at 100 degrees for 8 - 12 hours and then transfer to the fridge.  yogurt is amazing with fruit, dried coconut flakes, crispy nuts and homemade germinated cereals.  It is also amazing for smoothies. here is our favorite smoothie recipe (on those rare days when no one feels like cooking - did i just say that?!)

FAMILY2TABLE GET UP AND GO SMOOTHIE

3 cups plain yogurt (or kefir)

1/4 cup milk

1 ripe banana

1 ripe avocado

1 raw pastured egg yolk

2 TBS raw smooth almond butter

2 TBS xtra virgin coconut oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

blend all ingredients with a hand blender and enjoy!

my favorite breakfast has always been and will always be pastured eggs.  i am absolutely insane for eggs.  i try to eat 2 a day.  sometimes raw. Luckily my children like (not love) eggs too.  after all, it was their first food (runny egg yolk and raw buffalo liver).  we do eggs all different ways here but i think the kids like soft boiled in a cup best.  they like to sprinkle the sea salt themselves and dig the egg out.  they used to prefer the whites but now they are coming around to the beauty of the yolk (which is so much better for you and easier to digest).  the perfect soft boiled egg takes 5.5 - 6 minutes.

GETTING GRAND

eggs with lentils, eggs with bacon, eggs with avocado, eggs with cheese, steak and eggs, eggs with cured ham steak, fried egg and cheese with salsa. eggs with everything! hurray for eggs! make sure they are pastured and not from birds eating grain or soy feed.  If you have trouble with chicken eggs, try duck eggs. some people have an easier time digesting them and they are creamy and dreamy.  cooks eggs in lots of butter, lard or bacon fat. these are very nutritious stable fats and will help you convert your food into vitamins your body can use.  i recently increased my lard intake and watched my vitamin d level climb back into the normal range - in the winter in NYC i'd say that's pretty good.

the other day we made a breakfast that will probably be one of my favorite for a long time.  I bought bavarian style grass fed beef sausage from chip at grazin' angus acres located in ghent, ny (union square market on friday and saturday from 8am - 6pm and carroll gardens greenmarket on smith street in brooklyn on sundays 8am - 4pm). they are a perfect balance of beef, mustard and herbs (and delicious times 10!).  After I cooked the sausage (in rendered lard of course), I poured off the excess oil, added bacon fat (please strain and save your bacon fat to cook with) to the pan and sauteed ripe pineapple chunks in the bacon fat. jumpin' jellyfish that was incredible.  i cut some swiss villa raw goat cheddar to accompany the sausage and I was good till 2pm.  that meal contained a gift from every four legged friend on the farm and those flavors made everyone smile.

another off-beat breakfast at our place is thick cut bacon, ripe avocado and homemade mayo on sourdough spelt or rye bread. I like it toasted but sylvia likes the bread plain and simple.  avocado on toast with a squeeze of lemon juice, sea salt and pepper is another favorite. chicken liver mousse on toast works for us too. a new breakfast item for us are the salmon sausage from vital choice seafood.  These country spiced sausage are savory and beautiful. they go with eggs, as a salad (another great breakfast item) on bread or just all by themselves.  they are pre-made and live nicely in your freezer until you need them.  

i have a hard time trash talking bagels.  i am a new yorker after all and was practically raised on them.  but honestly, nowadays they are just too big and doughy, made with crap ingredients, cooked at a ridiculously high temperature and too difficult to digest. Not to mention the fact that they provide no nutrition whatsoever and parents mostly feed them to their kids plain. blech!  at least put some butter and cream cheese on it. better yet,  get some real, whole grain, properly prepared sourdough bread and put A LOT of real butter and real cream cheese, smoked salmon, sardines, cucumber, red onion and salmon roe on it!  we also do cream cheese, cucumber, sprouts and salsa with lots of cilantro. YUM!  wanna know something wicked cool?  you can make your own delicious cream cheese without any effort in one day and it will impart amazing nutrients (vitamins, enzymes, probiotics) to you and your family.  allow me to enlighten....

remember that great quality yogurt you make or buy?  (i like hawthorne farms for this).  put a strainer over a bowl and line it with a clean tea towel. pour the quart of plain yogurt in and let it drain all day. when it is finished you will have 2 cups of whey (you can use this to soak your oats or ferment veggies and will keep in the fridge for 3 months - label and date it!).  the product, after it is completely strained, is yogurt cheese.  put in a glass jar and spread it on your toast.  add sea salt or herbs to it for extra minerals and yumminess! pile it on and enjoy.  hungry yet?

weekends can get completely wild as there is definitely more bacon frying and the occasional pancakes made with yogurt, lemon zest and sprouted flour.  Henry asks for syrup toast every other day so it usually happens on the occasional sunday. i use spelt bread, lots of egg yolks, heavy cream, real vanilla bean and my favorite maple syrup from vermont.  okay, i will stop soon, i promise. my last recommendation is to skip the coffee and juices in the morning.  4 ounces of kombucha, good milk, kefir or cream, pure water, herbal teas and nutritious bone broths (beef, chicken and fish) or warm water with apple cider vinegar and raw honey are the beverages to start your day with style and grace.  give it a try, i think you will like it.  your adrenal glands will thank you. those of you who might want to try getting off the coffee, give dandy blend a try. it tastes just like coffee but is made of dandelion and chickory and has no caffeine. i love it! 

mornings can be energizing, nutritious and creative. when food is real, the breakfast table then becomes a place where discussion is lively and the promise of each day renews our gratitude and optimism to go forward.  with a little bit of flexibility and planning ahead you will be able to make the first meal of the day a beautiful family2table treat. 

Sweets for my Sweets, No Refined Sugar for My Honeys.

when i picked sylvia up from school the other day she asked me what i brought for her.  i asked her "what do you mean? i brought you my love." she answered, "no, mom. i mean a treat."  i must admit that i was a bit saddened that she did not consider me a treat but i decided not to make this about my lack of confidence that day, so,  i pretended to not understand but i knew exactly what she meant. i asked her "what's a treat?" she got frustrated very quickly and replied, "you know...something good to eat."  i kept the frustration going. "oh! you want a cucumber? i have lots at home!" she begged, "MOM! STOP!"  i teased, "then what? what's a treat?" finally she cut to the chase, "something sweet. a treat is something sweet."  to most kids, i suppose it is.

the food we feed our family should be as pure, nourishing and full of love as the hugs and kisses we unconditionally give them.  i don't know about you, but i don't give my family processed hugs and kisses.  pure, authentic love and pure, authentic food to grow big and strong physically as well as emotionally, that's what i strive to bring to "the table."  when i know that something is not good for my family i stay far away from it.  according to nancy appleton, PhD (Suicide by Sugar), sugar is our #1 national addiction and is ruining our health. appleton states that sugar can be attributed to at least 140 problems and life threatening illnesses including suppressing the immune system, upsetting mineral relationships in the body, hyperactivity, anxiety, food allergies, cardiovascular disease, impairing the structure of DNA, gallstones, cancer, addiction, inflammation, alcoholism and much, much more.  

i am a fiercely protective mother bear and i work hard to make my family happy.  one of the best ways i can do this is by keeping them healthy.  as a rule we stay away from all packaged, processed & pasteurized foods, keep gluten to a minimum, traditionally prepare our grains, legumes & nuts, avoid refined sugars, flours and immune suppressant foods in general. we drink lots of pure, filtered water and steer clear of "drugs."  i get teased quite often at birthday parties and family functions when we are offered sugary "treats" when i politely, and sometimes not-so-politely (when pushed to the edge with "come on, a cookie won't kill them,") decline.  believe it or not, sugar has been proven to be more addictive than cocaine, so actually, a cookie or a cupcake could lead to a lifetime of trouble, addiction and illness.  (check this video out).

my daughter's amazing kindergarten teacher (who totally gets it and respects my parenting choices) emails me the night before there is a birthday celebration in class so i can pack an appropriate treat and syl won't feel "left out" when the cupcakes are passed around.  henry's nursery school teacher does the same. thank you, brooke.  as far as i can tell, my kids don't feel left out at all. they know that we do things a bit differently and that's okay with them. it took a little getting used to at first but now they have adapted to our sweet treat routine.  they like having some-thing special that mum makes just for them and look forward to our treats that we make all together as a family at home.   

what differentiates these treats from others?  for starters, all ingredients are fresh, organic and whole. there are no additives, preservatives,  ingredients with numbers or names you can't pronounce.  we use real butter, real pastured eggs, sprouted flour that is easier to digest, healthy fat like extra virgin coconut oil that contains natural anti-bacterials, anti-fungals and lauric acid (found in human breast milk), sea salt, properly soaked nuts and nut butters, enzyme rich raw honey, nutrient dense raw dairy and gut healing bovine gelatin.  each treat is naturally sweetened with local, raw honey or local grade b maple syrup.  i choose to not use agave syrup because it is not a natural sweetener. i wish it were the healthy, miracle sweetener it is hyped to be but, in fact, it is a highly processed product that has more fructose than high fructose corn syrup.

the following are our favorite "sweet treat" recipes. at any given time you can find one (or sometimes all) in our home just waiting to be enjoyed.  i invite you to make them and see just how delicious they are.  i am confident that you will feel satisfied by the flavor, texture, healthy fat content and yumminess that will quickly make you feel like a kid again, and your kids feel very special. as a matter of fact i think that these recipes might just become a regular part of the way you bring your naturally sweet family2table. 


NOTE: some recipes have been adapted from previously existing recipes handed down to me from incredibly talented cooks and generous friends and family. thank you all for your creativity, wisdom, love and inspiration!

BANANA MUFFINS
1 cup organic coconut flour
6 pastured eggs
2 ripe bananas
2 TBS melted butter
2 TBS xtra virgin coconut oil (Nutiva)
2 TBS milk
2 TBS raw honey
1 tsp aluminum free baking powder
1/2 tsp. organic vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. sea salt


Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Mix coconut flour and baking powder in a bowl and set aside. mash bananas and set aside. combine eggs, milk, honey, coconut oil, butter, vanilla and salt. add mashed bananas and incorporate well. add dry ingredients and blend. fill muffin cups in a muffin tin and bake for 20 minutes. FOR CUPCAKES - frost with real cold butter whipped with vanilla and maple syrup to taste. add whipped cream, chocolate powder or cream cheese to frosting for delicious variations.

ALMOND BUTTER COOKIES
1/2 cup natural almond butter
1/2 cup grade b maple syrup
3 tablespoons xtra virgin coconut oil
1 teaspoon organic vanilla extract
1 cup shiloh farms sprouted whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon aluminum free baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup chopped crispy almonds (these are almonds that have been soaked in sea salt & water overnight and then dehydrated for 12 hours at 100 degrees & then crisped on a metal tray in a warm oven)
Preheat the oven to 350*F. In a large bowl, combine natural almond butter, maple syrup, oil and vanilla extract until well blended.  In a separate bowl, mix together whole wheat pastry flour, baking soda and salt. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, along with chopped almonds, and stir until just combined.  Let sit for five minutes.  Roll heaping tablespoons of dough into balls, flatten to about 1/3 of an inch and place onto cookie sheet. Bake for 10 -15 minutes.  Makes 15 cookies.

YUMMY CHOCOLATES

1/2 cup xtra virgin coconut oil (gently heat and measure as liquid)
3/4 cup organic chocolate powder (pick a high quality organic brand for the best taste)
2-3 Tablespoon raw orange blossom honey 2-3 TBS. dessicated organic coconut

melt the chocolate and coconut oil in a double boiler.


add the honey to taste (if there's too much honey it's overbearing and won't harden properly). don't cook! just heat till it's melted or you'll destroy the live enzymes in the honey.

add dessicated coconut and incorporate. stir well to keep honey dispersing throughout.

pour into molds (you can use ice cube trays) and put in freezer. should be hard and ready to eat in about 15 minutes.  store in refrigerator.

MAPLE VANILLA ICE CREAM

4 pastured eggs yolks (save whites for pavlovas - we'll get to that another day)
1/2 cup grade b maple syrup
1 TBS organic vanilla extract
1 fresh vanilla bean
1 TBS arrowroot powder
3 cups heavy cream (preferably raw but definitely not ultra-pasteurized - i like Ronnybrook)

Beat egg yolks. blend in maple syrup, vanilla extract, vanilla pods from the bean - split bean down the middle and use a knife to scrape out pods), arrowroot and finally, the cream. blend well and pour into an ice cream maker. **Make sure the freezing bowl from the maker has been in the freezer for at least 48 hours before churning).  Churn for 20 minutes. transfer to a glass bowl, cover and store in freezer.

RAW MILK PANNA COTTA

3/4 cup raw cream
3/4 cup raw milk
1 TBS Bernard Jensen's bovine gelatin
1 TBS + 1 tsp. raw orange blossom honey
1 cap full organic vanilla extract
1/4 vanilla bean


gently warm 1/4 cup cream to not above 100 degrees in order to dissolve the gelatin

turn off heat, add honey and continue to stir to dissolve.



add vanilla extract and cut vanilla bean and let steep
add remaining cold cream and milk and let flavors bloom
strain through mesh sieve into measuring cup
pour into individual ramekins
place in refrigerator
should be a solid pudding in about an hour.

VARIATIONS - instead of vanilla, steep with lavender flowers, cinnamon stick, cloves, lemon zest etc 

Chickens do not have fingers.

i recently posted a link on my facebook page that caused a bit of really good conversation. the link was to a site for a product called "kid cuisine" a frozen "meal" designed especially for children (and daft parents) that boasts "real ingredients like white-meat chicken, real cheese, vegetables and premium beef."  The ad copy goes on to extol the virtues of kid cuisine's whole grains, important vitamins, and minerals and nutrients like calcium and protein (none of which exists in usable form in this product - not to mention the microwave preparation which destroys nutrient value in food).  for $4.99 you get to choose from bug safari chicken breast nuggets, grilled cheese, campfire hot dogs, cheese blaster mac and cheese, rockin' ravioli, deep sea adventure fish sticks, magical cheese crust pizza and many more, all with inappropriate sugar laden crap side dishes, blah, blah you get my drift.  for some this might seem like a bargain but its not. it's effects are costly and dear. nowhere on the site does it say organic. nowhere on the site does it say no hormones or antibiotics. nowhere on the site does it mention the use of GMOs. nowhere on the site does it say a word about the plastic trays being BPA free. it's a pity this poison doesn't kill instantly, then we could easily illustrate how deadly it really is and have it ripped from the grocery store shelves. instead it slowly makes our children sick, fat and stupid. it distorts our children's perception of healthy nutrition and kills slowly and painfully. it hurts our kids and is definitely not what we should prepare to bring our family2table. okay, so, that's enough time wasted talking about this putrid, poisonous, empty, SAD (standard american diet) excuse for food that ConAgra Foods, Inc. is currently pushing on our innocent children via their uneducated and economically depressed parents.    

the bigger issue here calls for an examination of what is "kid food" and why we as a culture have decided that children should be gastronomically segregated and eat differently (read:poorly).  in my opinion there is really only one time in a human's life when they should eat food that is completely apart from all others and that is from the time we are born until we are between 6 and 8 months old.  that food is breastmilk.  nature's most perfect food (as is all raw milk). it nourishes for proper body growth and brain development, imparts an immune system, a digestive system and so much more.  when a baby is able to sit up on its own and self feed, then it is time to introduce solids.  that's when new mothers panic.  i get a lot of calls from new moms asking me to teach them how to make baby food. my first reaction is sure, i'll get paid to show you how to mash up what you're eating (provided you are eating well).  then i remember that new mothers want to do everything perfectly.  rule #1 is stay away from jarred baby foods.  they have additives, preservatives and are bland tasting which sets baby up for wanting more bland food. blech! this leads me to another great reason to breastfeed.  the diverse flavors that make their way from the mother's diet into the milk change it's flavor at every feeding.  a formula fed baby receives the same overly sugared flavor at every feeding and therefore becomes conditioned to expect and then want the same thing at every meal. the perfect petri dish for the birth of a picky eater.

"kid cuisine" should not exist. end of story. a proper diet for growing children should. however, if there has to be a category called "kid food," or as some people call it "kid friendly food," then i recommend changing the paradigm.  a complete do-over. i would challenge that no one has ever had a hard time learning to love pizza, fried chicken, plain pasta with butter, hot dogs, burgers, grilled cheese, french fries, ice cream etc. these foods are easy to love and don't require much practice or education. i propose that we turn "kid food" on it's head. imagine going to a restaurant and seeing a children's menu (another vile invention) that offered the freshest wild sushi, chicken liver mousse, seared wild alaskan salmon, braised greens, lamb stew, caviar, fermented veggies, grass-fed burgers, pastured egg and cheese omelette, stewed chicken on the bone with fresh herbs, grass-fed butter and oxtail jam on sourdough toast and raw milk ice cream sweetened with maple syrup. what a revelation! nutrient dense foods designed to promote growth, brain development, healthy digestion and an educated palate.  as for restaurants who want to offer a "children's option," i recommend a small plate option at a reduced price, or an appetizer size of an entree that already exists on the menu. on the rare occasion that my family does venture out to a restaurant these days we always share, as portions in most restaurants are already way too big.

as a mother, a chef and a cooking instructor, here is my big secret to getting children to be good eaters....come closer.....are you ready? children will eat what we feed them. we make the rules and we control the food supply.  of course it helps if you, the parents (aunts, uncles, grandparents, etc), demonstrate good eating habits and include the children in the meal planning and preparation.  but, from the time they are able to eat solids, we MUST consistently provide the foods that will shape their eating habits.  once they are out of the home and in school -- and children are being sent to school and daycare earlier and earlier these days -  we lose a certain amount of influence and the battle becomes more difficult. as a matter of fact i have a real problem with the way schools and restaurants undermine parents when it comes to feeding our children. school lunch menus follow the lead of restaurant "children's menus" and dumb down the choices to the usual toddler fodder and load them up with empty carbs that will not make for stable blood sugar during the course of a day. this results in the child needing to snack often (usually on more carbs - rice cakes, crackers, gold fish, etc that burn as sugar and keep the vicious cycle going) and leads to lack of focus and irritable behavior. in my humble opinion, no one should be responsible for feeding (nourishing) my kids except me. that is the sacred right of every parent to know exactly what is fueling their child's perfect body.  that is why i recommend preparing and packing your child's lunch everyday.  i also recommend having a conversation with the other parents in the class regarding snacks and those ridiculous birthday cupcakes that keep popping up every other day. sugar does not make for a very good time when it comes to children's developing bodies and brains.  cupcakes are not kid cuisine. remember? there is no such thing as kid cuisine! 

okay. i am going to stop now but i will not leave you all feeling depressed and without hope. you and your children are all going to be just fine.  you will figure it out, eat well, grow to be big and strong and see your efforts pay dividends for generations to come. i love the saying "be the person you want your children to be." i am asking you to please eat the foods and practice the nutrition, health and wellness you would like your children to eat and practice.  that is the best start.  bring only real food into the house and they will only eat real food (fresh, local, organic and whole).  family meal time is family real time. real food, real love and real relationships. that's what brings our family2table.  

Making Vital Choices

salmon sausage over sunflower sprouts with mustard & flax.

at 8:30 this morning i was in a cab on my way to brooklyn to pick up real food from my csa (community supported agriculture). we pay a yearly membership fee, we pay for the product we order online and then an extra delivery fee since the goods are being delivered from farms who are dedicated to preserving time-honored, traditional food preparation and culture from days gone by.  i usually order once a week and pick up is done by my husband, after work.  this week, however, we fell short on some staples and the next pick up would not be till thursday of next week.  that is why i was in a cab, on my way to brooklyn at 8:30am.  we need real food!

alaskan halibut slow cooked in a raw lemon butter bath. 

today my order consisted of milk (for the entire family), kefir for me (even though i make my own at home i like to purchase some now and again for quality control on my own product), mozzarella (for the kids), lacto-fermented pickles (for hubby and kids), cured ham steak (for family brekkie), dried mint leaves (for tea for me and syl), and a loaf of traditionally prepared whole speltz bread for all.  The food bill was $50, the cab $17 (i was tired this morning, give me a break, okay?).  the train back to manhattan was $2.25 which took me to union square where i then picked up my usual saturday stuff. back on the bus and off to abingdon square where i sniffed out my moo fix, cukes, a few turnips and finally home at 11am. a full two and a half hours of traveling, schlepping and spending for what? 


100 years ago the average family spent approximately 50% of their annual salary on food and at least 3 hours preparing food/meals in the home.  today according to various studies and surveys i am seeing on the ole' interweb, the average american spends just under 15% of their annual income on food and just 30 minutes a day preparing food/meals - which could mean popping it in the microwave, heating, thawing, opening a can, unwrapping the take away paper -- you get my drift.  this is my point. we are spending less money and time on our food and our feeding choices and as a nation we have never been more sick, fat and confused.  our children have no real food education or feeding survival skills. most children think food comes out of packages or grows in supermarkets.  we have a choice. a vital choice.


vital choices are what we make everyday.  my vital choices usually concern the health and wellness of my family which will invariably lead back to food, nutrition and a commitment to education in both of these areas.  some people say that buying organic or sustainable is too expensive.  it's not. i want you to really compare. do the cost analysis. a pound of good grass fed beef is cheaper than a mcdonald's happy meal and you will save a bundle on medical bills down the road.  what we put into our bodies pays dividends over time and who doesn't like a good investment. not only for us but for our children. feeding our children this way is a way of insuring that they will grow up healthy and happy and raise healthier and happier children than we could have ever been.  feeding ourselves and our families this way is a vital choice of respect.

alaskan sockeye salmon jerky just out of the dehydrator.

another vital choice i make is the use of my time. some say time is money and fast is better. they order from services like fresh direct and think this gives them more quality time with the kids or more time to get really "important" things done.  to me this is just missing another important opportunity to put your hands on your life and take stock. feel the richness of what you are building.  i enjoy shopping and hand selecting what my family will enjoy.  i also love to take my children with me to help pick things out.  it helps me learn, in-depth about who my kids are and what they are thinking. i get to witness their becoming. in our adventures they develop relationships with farmers, checkout people, bus drivers, other commuters on the train, etc and this is super important for learning (theirs and mine).  one of the things i detest about "schooling" is that children are segregated into groups of people their own age. not much real learning going on there. getting children involved so that they are interacting with people from all ages and different places is paramount to real learning. i especially like when my almost 6 year old daughter wants to take the bus because she loves talking to old people.  we often take home the phone number of some 70 year old (usually woman) who my kids wind up calling grandma by the time we exit the bus. children are social and curious. they need to explore everything. nyc is a grand opportunity.


time is another factor when preparing food. a low heat, all day braise means you can save money by using cheaper cuts of flavorful meats. you can make your own yogurt for the fraction of what it costs to buy yogurt and you can ferment fruits and vegetables that will aid in the digestion of your food. making sauerkraut is just on example, making your own kombucha is another.  in the store kombucha costs $4 for 16 oz. our homemade 16oz. costs less than $1. we make all these things at home to save money, enjoy the taste and nutritional benefits, control the quality and teach our children that production of food is something that can happen in the home and that you have that ability to make that vital choice to do it on your own, be self reliant and not be at the mercy of the government.  our food supply is tainted. toxic fertilizers, soil depletion and GMOs are just a few of the reasons why we need to make vital choices.

speaking of vital choices.  this year when my family received a xmas gift of cash we decided to put that bonus into our bodies by ordering wild sockeye salmon, halibut and salmon breakfast sausage (not just for breakfast)  from vital choice seafood.  their product is pure, wild and delicious.  we stocked the freezer and enjoy these omega 3 rich foods whenever we want. it's expensive but worth every penny.  i recommend it highly as a gift to yourself or to your loved ones.  nothing says i love you like good food and nourishment.  it satisfies the belly and the soul. 

henry with his side of sockeye salmon.

is it convenient to trek out to brooklyn at 8:30 in the morning to pick up real food?  is it fun to schlep on buses and trains in the freezing cold and snow with two little kids? do i like spending close to 40% of my annual income on food? you bet i do. i love the inconvenience, the schlep, the cold, the snow (sometimes) and the kids running amok at the market touching and tasting everything in sight.  because at the end of the day it's my choice and i know exactly why i am doing it. it's empowering and i hope you might someday learn to love it too.  

Thank you, Farmers. Thank you, Friends.

Saturday morning, a new year, freezing cold and what's at the market today? when i wake up on saturday morning i can't wait to get up hudson street and see what's happening at our little market in the west village at abingdon square. i survey what's on offer (grabbing something special if i feel it might not be there when i get back) say good morning to dave, nevia and laura and then jump on the 14A to take me to union square where i will see Ron, Vinny, Denise and many other friends. These people are my friends. real friends. i have known some of them for over 20 years and have shared a sacred bond of trust and kinship with them based on our love and mutual respect for life, death and the cycle of growth that deliciously & nutritiously feeds us. people often ask which farmers i like best so i thought i would include a few words about these people i consider local heroes who cultivate and haul good product to nyc a few times a week to make sure the stress of city living will not drag our spirit under.

for all things bison and angus i adore ron at elk trails ranch. he is at union square market only on saturdays. he not only has the best buffalo kielbasa but can tell a story like nobody else. vinny and denise sell organic sprouts, greens, the sweetest carrots of all time (no kidding) from late june till xmas and tender, beautiful greens from their greenhouse all yearlong. hawthorne valley farms in ghent ny has an unbelievable range of products available year round. their lacto-fermented products should be in everybody's fridge (if you are not making your own ferments - and i can and will teach you how to do that!) to insure optimal digestive health and overall immunity and well-being. i LOVE their yogurts, cheeses, breads, biodynamic seasonal veggies of all kinds and praise their meats. I can't say enough about their liverwurst and have made some of my most gelatinous, nutrient dense broth from their beef and marrow bones. YUM! then there is keith farm, grysinski, patches of star goat farm and dairy, windfall farm, bread alone and don't forget apples from locust grove fruit farm. their pink lady variety is crisp and just the right balance of tart and sweet.

when i arrive back at abingdon square market i head straight for nevia's stand from bohditree farm where i get my moo radish fix. i am addicted to these in a big way. i peel, steam and sprinkle with celtic sea salt. holy moo are they fabulous. nevia's greens are all outstanding as are her many varieties of sweet potatoes. her "burpless" cukes are pricey but well worth the coin. crisp, refreshing and full of flavor in the dead of winter - just the remedy for the winter blues. dave at muddyfarm has perfect sunflower sprouts and pea shoots. his red skinned potatoes and butternut squash are sublime. in the summer look for herbs that scream with flavor. he is a pretty cool guy and also has a blog on blogspot where you can see what he has to offer that market day. nevia and dave both offer pastured eggs that are full of omega 3s and enzymes. stay away from supermarket eggs. i don't care if they say organic. buy your eggs from trusted, small farms that are not using soy or grain as a "vegetarian diet."

it is my biggest wish that those who read this will visit their local greenmarkets and make a real effort to buy most of their ingredients (and some ready made products too) from these farmers and help them make their living. without our support they are not able to continue to farm with integrity and soul. these are the people who make bringing your Family2Table a hearth and soul experience. grace at my table goes something like this...."Thank you, farmers and thank you, friends for blessing my family with this food. may we always eat well and always eat together." enjoy!