WFP

Posted On January 29, 2014

It's cold outside! My kombucha is so slow to brew due to the cooler temps that I forget about it now. I actually remembered it and made a new batch, but it got moldy for the first time in a few years of making it. Sad! I think it was due to the much longer brewing time- it just means that there's more time to get contaminated before the culture really gets going. After a week of waiting on this last batch, I decided to put the jars on top of a seedling heat mat. Here we are a week later and there is the thinnest film of SCOBY growing on top.

Last week my friend had to cancel for our Wednesday food date, but I still went for it. I decided to make some "home sauce", which is really just homemade mayonnaise. But it's not really like the mayo you get at the store, so I don't like to call it that. It's just so much more versatile when you make it at home! I like to melt down coconut oil to make it, since it seems like the healthiest option (aside from olive oil, which I think makes it a little strong and bitter). I just scoop the coconut oil into a measuring cup and melt it down on the stove.

I never get over the magical transformation! Emulsification is cool.

I really like this pimento cheese stuff that a local creamery makes, but it's so expensive! Worth every penny, surely, but I just can't swing it very often. So I like to make a version at home. I take a little home sauce, some cheddar cheese, and whir it around in the food processor. In the past I've added pickled jalapenos or pimentos, but this time we had some chipotle in adobo sauce. I added some of that, a bit of cream cheese, and viola! A delicious zesty dip.

So good. It just scratches this itch I have.

I also like to add some probiotics to the dips and sauces I make, so to this one I added a little of the liquid from my kefir grains. I actually don't really care for milk kefir much- too much like sour carbonated milk for my liking! I'll work on developing a taste for it… but in the meantime I keep the culture in my fridge. In this dip I didn't think it would be too strong and it would act as a natural preservative. I put a few tablespoons into the mix and let it sit on the counter for the rest of the day to culture.

I was interested in making this remineralizing toothpaste, and so I whipped this together with what I had at home based on a couple of recipes I found. This includes bentonite clay, coconut oil, peppermint oil, tea tree oil, celtic sea salt, stevia, and water. So far I like it, although I had to get used to the clay texture. I definitely like this one more than some we've tried in the past with baking soda. (I'll update this post with the recipe tomorrow, I just don't have my notebook handy) Anyway, I was interested in making this because I've read good things about taking your dental health into your own hands, and I noticed that one small area of my gums has started receding. I figure now is the time to be active about that stuff! I'll keep everyone posted about how it affects things. I figure if there's anything relevant to a food post, it's taking care of your teeth!

Here's a fried egg with the cheese sauce I made and microgreens. Super yum.

What are you guys cooking these days? Are there any food post requests? I know that some of you did have ideas in the past… remind me!