Creative Homemaker

  Whole Wheat Bread-THM Style 2 loaves I have been in the kitchen since I was able to stand on a chair next to my mother. She was my 4-H leader from age 9, and I learned all of my kitchen skills from her.   She was an excellent baker, canning aficionado and superb chef.   Both of my parents felt, as I do, that homemade is best—homegrown even better. We raised chickens, turkeys, beef cattle, rabbits and a large garden of produce to feed my brothers and sisters.   We all had certain tasks during one of our “putting up” sessions.   Mother was always telling me to be refined, and stop acting like the boys. LOL I had four brothers and two sisters, I think the masculine influence always outnumbered the feminine. We were a large family and we would buy large quantities of whole grains to turn into flour with the grain mill in the basement.   It stood on three legs with a heavy bag underneath to catch the warm flour as it came through

  Five Tips for Better Gut Health We have talked and talked about why gut health is important.   The good bacteria help to fight off the bad bacteria which can be the reason behind leaky-gut syndrome, IBS, food allergies and even Crohn’s disease. The composition of bacteria in your gut influences not only your digestive health but your weight, your skin, your mental health, immune function, inflammation levels and more.   What can you do to better your gut health? I think, as a whole, Trim Healthy followers desire to do things in a more natural way; through whole foods, supplements and fewer over-the-counter medicines.   So, what are some tangible ways to do this through our diet? 1.       Eat more fiber-rich plant-based foods. You don’t have to be a vegan to enhance the diversity and composition of your gut microbiome, but you do want to up your intake of veggies, fruits, nuts, beans, whole grains and other minimally processed plant-based foods.   Plants are naturally rich in f

 Superfoods!  Superfoods! What makes them Super, and how can we implement them into our diets. From Coffee to Turmeric, these foods can have great benefit to our health and of course, our Trim Healthy journey.   Check out this Good Housekeeping article to read the benefits of superfoods.   There’s also a section on fermented foods. https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/health/diet-nutrition/a42159185/superfoods-list-2023/?fbclid=IwAR0hDXTHj3vVZEo5_GaNUYtIsnjvAVe8n62c89D2dDsiN3TGOjtT58FWv9I

  Sprouted Flour and Expensive Groceries We’ve talked about sprouted flour before, how the sprouting process lowers the glycemic index of the whole grain and helps to level your blood sugar. Now you can buy your sprouted flour on-line at Thrive Market (subscription), Vita-Cost, Azure Standard or Amazon.   But did you know that you can make your own sprouted flour? Recently I can across a post by Amber Smith on the main Trim Healthy Mama page describing the process and just how those savings can add up.   She compares the cost of purchasing sprouted flour vs. creating your own.   Wheat berries (kernels) are cheaper than the sprouted flour so if you are able to do your own, you can save money on your grocery budget.   Some specialized household tools are needed, but most you’ll already have: bowls, strainers, an oven or food dehydrator and something to mill the wheat, a grain mill or strong blender will do the trick. Check it out the FB post here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/t