Vian

I used to take lessons, I did English and some jumping. I rode a few horses over the years, never owned one. There was the gelding that decided he didn't like me and refused to stop the entire lesson, I had to keep turning him in tiny circles or running him into corners just to get him to slow down. Then there was the mare who would snap and bite at the air infront of her, she even had a muzzle that clipped onto her halter, but as soon as you put a bit in her mouth she turned into the perfect horse, would do whatever you wanted, perfectly responsive to every signal...unless you tried to jump her. That's how I got a crown on my front tooth...I went over the fence without her and smacked my face on it.

After that, there was the half percheron, half arabian gelding. From a distance, he looked white, but up close, he had patches of black skin with white hair and tiny brown spots ("fleabitten") and patches of pink skin with white hair, so he was paint/fleabitten? And he had blue eyes. He had the big feet and chunky proprotions of a draft horse, but was smaller with a dished forehead like an arabian. And he had a bitchy apaloosa girlfriend that liked to bite. When riding him around the arena, when he got to the side that was closest to the stall he shared with the appaloosa, he would slow way down, and on the opposite side, he'd speed way up.

I'd love to start riding again, but I don't have the money or time right now. Ultimately, i'd love to have a piece of land and 3 or 4 horses.

Happy Birthday!

Almond flour does not work like wheat flour. It doesn't have the gluten to bind it together. I used this one once for a quiche. I liked the crust, and I liked the quiche, but I did not like them together. The crust was too sweet, but it would be perfect for a fruit or berry pie. http://www.elanaspantry.com/paleo-pie-crust/

I really don't think a top crust would work. Generally almond flour crusts require that you just press the dough into the pie pan, it's far too brittle to try and roll it out to form a top crust. I think a crumble topping is the way to go.

I lost 40 pounds last year obsessing over calories (tracked them online) and exercising daily. My clothes fit better, but when I looked in the mirror, I didn't see a change. I felt like I still looked just as fat as I had 40 pounds heavier. At the beginning of this year, I discovered paleo/primal and jumped in head first. I finally found a resource that explained  the whys of the paleo/primal diet in a way that really struck me hard and made a lot of sense. I cut out grains, legumes, processed foods, added sugar, and limited my fruit intake. I kept dairy because I love it and tolerate it well. The fruit limiting was not because I was worried about sugar/calories, but just because I filled up my plate with veggies and meat, and just didn't want to eat a ton of fruit (I mostly just had berries with coconut milk on them when I wanted something sweet). It was easy for those two months to cook everything at home and resist junk food. I tracked calories a couple times during that time for curiosities sake and was eating 2300 or so calories a day and LOSING WEIGHT (to compare, I'd had to cut my calories down to 1650 per day, not adjusting for exercising daily to lose weight before). I lost 15 pounds in those two months eating primal and when I looked in the mirror, I was amazed. Suddenly the weight I'd lost was apparent. I looked thinner, my stomach was flatter, I had a waist! The best part was that I wasn't obsessing over calories, I was full and satisfied and I could go 4-5 hours without eating or snacking. When I did get hungry, it was a slow, gradual hunger that gave me plenty of warning before I was ravenous. No energy crashes, no blood sugar crashes.

I will never go back to eating SAD.

I've never had a raspberry pie, but I assume any paleo pie crust would work for the bottom crust, then just do a crumble topping on it? (I usually throw together almond flower, sliced almonds, pecans, honey, coconut oil, butter, and a dash of salt and mash it all together, then crumble it on top) As for the filling, I assume it's just fruit, seasoning, sugar (honey), maybe juice, and a thickener. Arrowroot powder works as a perfect substitute for corn starch, which is what I usually use as a thickener in pies.

crushed berries and other fruits are awesome in water. You can keep a pitcher in the fridge with various fruits and herbs and keep it full of water, just replace the fruit every couple days. I adore cucumber water myself.

Thanks for the links! I occasionally come across free ebooks as well, I'll start posting them here when i find them

Paleo is really a broad brush. Some people say they are paleo but make all kinds of paleo deserts and load up on sugar in the form of honey and maple syrup. 

However, the whole9/whole30 version of paleo is excellent for diabetics. The goal is to regulate and balance hormones, reduce inflammation, and increase insulin and leptin sensitivity. While not strictly "low carb" most people find paleo to be inherantly lower in carbs than a regular diet due to eliminating grains and junk food. By sticking to a low-carb diet, where you carbs are coming from veggies and small amounts of fruit, it really helps to sensitize the cells to the effects of insulin and leptin, as well as preventing blood sugar spikes and drops. Many people report much better control of type 1 diabetes, and near or total elimination of symptoms of type 2 diabetes. Read "It Starts With Food". It explains things very well and has a few "sciency" chapters that get into the details of how everything works and why.

Made this tonight, there's a ton of ways it can be changed up to suit just about anybody's diet. Paleo? Leave out the rice or noodles, Vegetarian? Use tofu instead of meat and leave out the fish sauce.

1 lb. protein (I used ground beef because it's what I had, steak, chicken, shrimp, or even extra firm tofu would all be great with this.)

1-2 tbs. coconut oil

1 bunch scallions, chopped into 1" pieces

1.5 -2 tbs. red curry paste (I found some at the asian grocery that's 1000 times better than the "thai kitchen" stuff they sell everywhere. It came in a can, and doesn't have any crap in it, sooooo flavorful!)

veggies! You can use whatever kind of veggies you want. I used carrots and baby bok choy because it's what I had, but bell peppers, green beans, water chestnuts, and/or broccoli would all be great as well.

1 large can coconut milk (mine was 19 ounces)

2 tbs. red boat fish sauce

3-4 sprigs fresh thai basil (italian basil works too if you can't find the thai variety)

Cut steak, chicken, or tofu into bite sized pieces or peel and devein shrimp, whatever you are using for your protein. Chop veggies into uniform bite-sized pieces. Cut hard veggies like carrots into thin slices and keep seperate from softer, leafy veggies like bok choy. Melt coconut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season protein with salt and brown in the hot pan. Add onions and harder veggies like carrots. Add curry paste and sautee until the paste becomes aromatic and the veggies start to soften. Add coconut milk, fish sauce, and basil and medium-hard veggies like broccoli, green beans, and water chestnuts. Simmer a few minutes, then add leafy veggies like bok choy. Simmer another few minutes until the bok choy and other veggies are tender, but still firm. Serve over rice or noodles if desired.

Black Jungle Ranger Style

The Black Jungle is a dark and mysterious place full of dangers and breathtaking beauty. The flora and fauna that call it home must be strong, adaptable, and cunning. Rangers who learn this style seek to find harmony and balance between mind, body, and soul. The mind must be serene and cunningly creative, the body must be strong and full of stamina, and the soul must find balance with the ways of the jungle.

Falling Blossom Meditation

As the seasons change, the cycle of life continues. The blossoms of spring fade to give way to the fruit of summer. They fall in silence, hanging and twisting in the air, fluid and beautiful. In the space between heartbeats, the mind finds serenity.

The Ranger is able to still her mind and achieve the tranquility of falling blossoms. She may use this center of peace to harmonize other actions and bring balance to her purpose.

CON: 3

WIS: 2

Jaguar Hunts To Eat Understanding

The mighty jungle cat stalks its prey with precision and cunning. It strikes with strength and agility to take down creatures larger than itself. However, despite the Jaguar’s ruthless hunting prowess, it hunts to nourish itself, and when full, leaves it’s kill to the jungle’s many scavengers.

Likewise, the Ranger is skilled at determining the correct nourishment to fuel his body in his quest to become stronger and faster. He abstains from consuming foods that affect his balance negatively.

CON: 3

WIS: 2

Black Jaguar Form

Sleek and powerful, the Black Jaguar is the jungle’s most fearsome predator. She moves like a shadow through the pre-dawn mists, sinuous and lithe. Her strength is deceptive, hidden beneath her glossy coat, yet she is able to drag prey into the tree branches to protect it from other predators. The Black Jaguar embodies strength and speed, grace and endurance.

The Ranger strives to balance strength with speed by taking on the form of the Black Jaguar. She covers long distances, climbs trees, and carries heavy branches to build her fire. Her daily life and functional movements allow her to achieve the strength, agility, and speed she requires.

STR: 3

DEX: 2

It will be another month or so before we get a frost.

I'm getting excited for next year now....Last year we got raised beds installed and grew some things, but didn't pay enough attention to the veggies, so they didn't do so well and got over-run with weeds. This year we totally ignored them. I think before fall, I'm going to cover each bed with plastic tarps and weigh them down with bricks or something to kill all the weeds over winter, then till them with manure in the spring and try again.

This spring I got 5 organic heirloom san marzano tomato plants from a friend of mine. This past weekend I finally felt I had enough ripe tomatoes to make something with them. I picked 5.5 pounds of tomatoes, blanched and peeled them, then found a proven canning recipe for marinara sauce, made it, then canned it! My first experience with canning! The sauce turned out really tasty. I'll probably make another batch in a few more weeks when more tomatoes are ripe, or just can plain tomatoes for use in chili and stew over the winter.

As much tomato products as I go through in a year, however, I'm going to need a lot more tomato plants next year! I wanted to make ketchup too! But I don't think my plants have enough time left in the season, or enough oomph to give me any new fruit, just to ripen what they already have. There's probably another 4-5 pounds of unripe fruit left on the plants still.

Made this the other night and it's soooo good! I didn't measure anything when I made it, so I'm approximating measurements

5 medium apples (I used honeycrisp and gala. Use an apple with a bit of tartness)

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 tsp. fresh ginger

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. mace

1/8 tsp. cloves

1/8 tsp. cardamom

1 heaping teaspoons arrowroot powder

1 tsp. lemon juice

Topping:

1 1/4-1 1/2 cups almond flour

1/2 cup sliced almonds

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/4 tsp. salt

2 tbs. honey

2 tbs. butter or ghee

2 tbs. coconut oil

pre-heat the oven. I baked at 375 for about 30 minutes, if you cut your apples larger, you might have to cook your crisp longer at a lower temp, like 325 for 45-55 minutes

cut the apples however you like. I dice them so they cook faster. Toss them with the spices, lemon juice and arrowroot starch until evenly covered and place in a pie pan or small casserole dish. Mix all the ingredients for the topping until it's well mixed and forms kind of a paste or dough, then sprinkle over the apples and spread it out to cover them. Bake, then let cool for a little bit and serve warm with whipped cream or vanilla or butter pecan ice cream if you eat dairy.

Coconut water is awesome to drink instead of sports drinks. It's isotonic and has all the major electrolytes in the perfect balance. 

Also, after I took an 8 day course of prednisone, I started having anxiety attacks and heart palpitations and muscle twitches. I started taking 600mg per day of Magnesium glycinate tablets and the symptoms have gone away about 90%. I still get a few muscle twitches maybe once or twice a day, and I get heart palpitations maybe once a week and anxiety maybe every 2-3 weeks, vs all of them almost every day and muscle twitches for hours without end. 

Natural calm is not that great. I started off taking it and hate the taste and could only take about 300mg before I got diarrhea. The mag glycinate is much more absorbable and I can take 600mg with no side effects.

I don't know kombucha brewing though I have a lot of experience with Ales, wines, ciders and meads. There we would expect primary fermentation (even if racked) to have finished before moving to secondary in order to prevent bottle bombs. Can you do that with this?

 

(Primary being not the first container it's in but the first round of sugar used in the process. Secondary fermentation has a controlled amount of sugar for yeast so you are aware of the pressures building in your bottles or containers. Is this possible with Kombucha?)

Sort of. If you played around with it, you might be able to figure out a ratio of sugar to length of time fermenting to figure something out, but it's so variable, that it would be tough. The temperature, the age of the scoby, and the strength of the bacterial colony all affect the length of time it takes to ferment. You can get some close guestimations though. Most people let it go for a baseline amount of time, then start tasting it daily until it tastes good. For the second ferment, I add the fruit juice plus about 1/4 cup sugar because I do like the kombucha on the sweeter side, then I let it ferment for 3 days to get some fizz. It is absolutely possible to have your bottles explode though. Someone on the whole9 forums had their bottles explode a few weeks ago. I let mine second ferment inside an ice chest so that if they DO explode, the mess is contained. But so far, if I burp the bottles, it doesn't seem like there's much pressure built up at all, but my booch is always nicely effervescent. 

You could try adding some things to spice up your coffee like adding cinnamon. Just make sure it's real cinnamon, not made from cassia trees. Unfortunately, that's what most cinnamon is made from in the US. The spice is actually called Chinese cinnamon or just cassia spice (they're all labeled as "cinnamon" in the US) and can damage your liver if consumed in high quantity, that's all it does. Real cinnamon, or ceylon cinnamon, has actual health benefits such as lowering blood sugar level, cholesterol level, improved memory, and 3 other benefits. (Okay! I'm ranting on things not related to this topic, sorry!)

 

This is true. A local health food store sells Ceylon cinnamon bulk here, so that's what I've been getting. It's amazing.

Also, what's wrong with cream? Heavy cream from pastured cows is good for you, it's healthy fat! Make your coffee at home, ditch the sugar and keep the yummy heavy cream!

I quit drinking coffee for my whole30 because I couldn't stand it without at least cream, and coconut milk just didn't cut it. By the end of the first day, I had the worst migraine I have ever had in my life, complete with nausea. It woke me up at 3am because my head was throbbbing so bad. I finally took some ibuprofen and got back to sleep about an hour later once it kicked in. It took another day to go away complete.

The first flavor I tried - cherry vanilla - was not great. I tossed it. The second flavor, however, was peach ginger, and it's amazing! I pureed some fresh local yellow peaches with some grated fresh ginger and mixed it with my kombucha, then let it sit for 24 hours to infuse, then strained the kombucha through a coffee filter because I can't stand to drink the pulp, then let it ferment for 2 more days and then put it in the fridge to chill. It's sooo good!

Next flavor is going to be strawberry mint!

I haven't seen a lot of bands live, but the ones that I have seen were pretty memorable.

First band I ever saw live was Social Distortion. My (then) husband was a huge fan and they were playing downtown just a few days after we got married. He used to be a roadie for Alice in Chains, so he knew how things worked and said we should get there way early for the show. So we showed up at noon. The band was unloading their gear from the bus and we got to meet all of them and got the CD autographed by everyone in the band. 

Then a couple years later we went to Warped Tour and had a great time, despite all the emo bands. NOFX was the headline band and it's true...they really do suck live...

But another band, Patent Pending, put on an amazing show, there were only like 20 people gathered around a tiny stage, but there was tons of energy and the singer really got the crowd going and even crowd surfed! Then later we went to their booth and chatted with them and got some autographs from them.

I have been without a job for over 2 years now, going to school and living off financial aid and the kindness of my family. A couple weeks ago I got a job making more than I ever have before, so of course I am planning for all the things I want to buy that I haven't been able to afford. I wont be buying anything immediately, this is more for within the next 6-12 months as I am able to save money to buy some of the things (some are a bit expensive!).

So I am looking for nerd recommendations for the following:

Cell phone. I have had cricket for the past almost 3 years because it's no contract, but I hate the service. Also, my phone is lame and old (some kind of samsung with a touch screen and a slide out keyboard...no data, does nothing but make calls and send texts). I want a smart phone! I want unlimited calls and texts and enough data that I won't have to be super careful about using it (I'll probably just use it to look stuff up and surf forums while I'm at work or the grocery store.) I want a service and phone with good customer service, good call quality, and good coverage in my area (eastern washington state). Also, I'm not married to apple. I've never actually used an apple product. I love my PC, so an iPhone is not mandatory. If it has a decent camera for taking pics when I don't have my more expensive camera with me, that would be awesome too.

Camera. I love photography, but I've never used a really nice digital camera. I want something that is not crazy expensive (like in the several thousand dollar range) but that takes really good macro pictures. Macros are my favorite. If it has removable lenses with a macro lense that can be purchased separately, that would be amazing.

Thanks!

My parents and I are buying 1/2 a grass fed cow (1/4 for me, 1/4 for them!) I already sent our down payment and they should be ready by the end of the month, but I have to get in contact with the butcher to tell them how I want the meat cut. I know I want roasts, ribs, ribeyes, and ground beef, and my parents want T-bones, ground beef, and some roasts as well. I don't know a ton about cow anatomy, so I was hoping for some help to be able to get a good balance between nice roasts and steaks, but plenty of ground meat as well. I'll also be getting extra tallow, knuckle and marrow bones, and I'll try and get a liver (never been a fan of liver, but it's so good for you, I figured I should try and incorporate it into my diet somehow) Mostly I'm looking for help because I don't know what cuts use the same meat. Like is it possible to get bone-in ribeye steaks AND back ribs from the same 1/2 an animal? Is it possible to get two chuck 7-bone pot roasts from the same 1/2 an animal? Basically, I don't know what cuts overlap each other and use the same parts, but are cut differently, or the size of various cuts before they are divvied up for sale at the supermarket. Does that make sense?

Thanks!

The perfect roast chicken has always eluded me. I never know how long to cook them, and I think they're done and cut into the leg to see if the juices run clear, or stab a thermometer into them to check if they're done, and I'm never sure if they are or not. This time, I got it right!

1 whole chicken, giblets removed

1 1/2 tsp. Himalayan salt

1 tsp. cracked black pepper

1 tsp. garlic powder

3-4 garlic cloves

1 small onion

1 lemon

4 tbs. butter at room temperature (or ghee if you are paleo, but the skin probably won't get as much color on it.)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Wash the chicken and pat the skin dry with paper towels. Place in a baking dish. Take the butter with your fingers and rub it all over the skin. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, then squeeze half the lemon over it. Stuff the cavity with the other half of the lemon and the onion cut into wedges and the garlic (some fresh herbs would also be lovely stuffed inside the cavity and chopped and sprinkled on top). 

Roast in the oven uncovered for about an hour and 40 minutes to 2 hours. I literally just left it and did other things. I peeked at it a couple times, but never took it out of the oven or opened the door all the way. I put it in at 3:20pm and pulled it out at 5, so 1 hour and 40 minutes. My chicken was about 4-4.5 pounds. It was juicy and delicious. I carved it up and then took the pan drippings and simmered them in a pan to reduce them and spooned it over the meat on the plate. Delish!

It's probably about 75 in my house most of the time. I have the AC running, but it's been in the high 80's -low 90's outside here.

So it's been 12 days and I waited that long because I just haven't really had time to pour off my booch to do the second ferment. I tasted it today and it's nice and tart, but not vinegary, so I think it's perfect for the second ferment. The scoby has grown to cover the whole top of the CB container and is about 1/4" thick. It's not winning any beauty contests, but it's working really well. The booch that I poured off this morning is as carbonated as the stuff from the store already! And I haven't even done the second ferment yet! The CO2 is getting trapped under the scoby.

I poured off 2 quarts and I'm going to flavor it with a cherry puree and vanilla and almond extract.

Vitamin water is not superior to gatorade. It's just another sugar drink with artificial flavors. It might have a bit less sugar than soda, but it's still just a lot of empty liquid calories that don't signal to your brain that you consumed them. Don't drink your calories if you are trying to lose weight/fat.