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As a thank you, you have exclusive access to our Foods Tool Kit.
Below you will find resources on healthy living and specific foods. Watch your inbox for updates to this area. We hope to provide you with new tools every six weeks.
Via email, you will receive our new recipes and food tips. We also occasionally post food science information from our sites on depression, iron, and calcium.
Perhaps you’ve heard of raw milk, unpasteurized milk that is actually illegal to sell at retail in many states because of its potential to harbor pathogenic bacteria. I have consumed it since I was three and am a low risk group for illness at this point but many people are just beginning to discover the food and they wonder if it is safe. Raw milk advocacy group the Weston A. Price Foundation has claimed that raw milk is uniquely safe — that the milk itself will kill pathogens. Back in 2009, this digital paper got me into a lot of trouble with the Weston A. Price Foundation because I present scientific research that shows raw milk can be contaminated just like any other food. At this point, views really have changed and many people recognize that raw milk can harbor pathogens and cause illness. Consider this paper part of “Raw Milk Americana.”
Right click here to save this PDF file to your computer. (The link itself will change so bookmarking is a bad idea.)
Download a raw milk buyer’s guide here that provides some information on choosing a farm.
The original draft of the book Rebuild from Depression included a “Part 3” about healthy living. The first two parts of the book focus on nutrients that build your brain, but exposure to pollution for instance can actually rob your body of nutrients. To win the long game, it is important to reduce your exposure to toxins. This downloadable file written in 2007 explores changes you can make in your daily life to reduce your exposure.
Right click here to save this PDF file to your computer. (The link itself will change so bookmarking is a bad idea.)
Wild starter is wonderful and if you have used it before, that’s definitely what you should use. However, if you are new to sourdough, start with this method. It is a no-fail method that will help build your comfort level in working with a wild starter and with mastering the rest of the stages of baking. Rather than wild yeast, I use a store-bought baker’s yeast, warm water, and flour. Check it out.
As you master this method, move on to a wild starter. I would get a starter from a friend or buy one online (this is a good source). Making your own wild starter is a whole other stage in the experience that I would leave for later.
(The video below is a Flash file. If you have Flash disabled, turn it on to view the video.)
[flashvideo file=video/Making_a_Cheaters_Sourdough_Starter.flv /]
Cheater Starter Recipe
The Cheater’s Starter is a great way to begin baking sourdough bread. If you get into sourdough baking, you can experiment with a wild starter, your best bet in reducing the phytic acid in your grains.
Place your starter in a ceramic or glass bowl in a warm spot for 12-24 hours, depending on the temperature. In hot months your starter will get “yeasty” very quickly and will be ready to use. Cover the bowl with something to keep the flies out. I use waxed paper for easy disposal. You may use a hand towel to cover your starter, but you will find that it is quite difficult to wash starter off of a towel.