Local Ontario Superfoods – Organic Red Wine Grape Skin Powder
My quest for organic red wine led me to Southbrook Vineyards in Niagara. But, upon arrival, I also found another local Ontario superfood—organic red wine grape skin powder!
Read MoreToast Your Health – Local Organic Wine
Southbrook Vineyards–a Niagara Winery farming biodynamically to produce internationally award-winning wines.
I love red wine. I admit, my palate lacks sophistication—I love most red wines regardless of vintage. And our family lives on a budget; I must keep my wine spending in check so I’m frugal. However, I’m a stickler for quality—I choose organic whenever possible—and, of course, I want to drink local. Luckily for me, we live relatively close to Niagara’s wine region and my parents live right in it, providing us with an excellent reason to head into wine country several times per year!
Read MoreNatural Probiotics – their value and how to make them…easily!
This post was written by Jackie McMillan and originally published on September 10, 2014.
Many of us today are living with gut dysbiosis (the wrong creatures in the gut, manufacturing toxins that impair emotional balance, mental functioning, and physical strength, ability, and immune capacity). Probiotics can help.
Read MorePurchasing Grass-Fed Beef
J Mar Custom Meats – what to expect when you purchase side of beef directly from the farmer
This year, we ordered 2 pastured, exclusively grass-fed, drug-free cows (a ½ for us and the rest for family members) from Nature’s Choice Farm. We purchase our beef yearly, in the Fall, in order to last us the year. Buying beef “by the side” is very different from purchasing packages in the grocery store. I find myself explaining the process often. So, here’s what its all about.
Read MoreLocal Grass-fed Beef
Nature’s Choice Farm – grass-fed beef from Highland cows just outside Elmira, Ontario
Every year, I am surprised and overjoyed by new, local sources for free-range meats and organic foods that we see popping up around us. When we first started sourcing our food directly from farmers, we often had to travel 40 – 200 kilometres to get it. Today, we have many more options, just around the corner from us! One of these new options is Nature’s Choice Farm, owned by Mark & Mary Martin.
Read MoreChoosing the Healthiest Dairy Products
Local Raw Dairy – how to find safe, healthy dairy foods for your family
The inclusion of several servings of dairy products per day in the government “food guide” intimates that dairy products are necessary for health. I don’t believe that they are. Today’s overly processed, pasteurized, homogenized, separated, augmented, dairy products certainly don’t offer the benefits of whole, organic, unprocessed dairy from healthy cows. Regardless of the quality of the product, some people thrive on dairy products while others become sick. We all have to get to know our bodies well enough to determine what works for us. That said, if you and your family choose to consume dairy, this article will help you to understand how to source the healthiest dairy possible.
Read MoreSweet Potato and Kale Dauphinoise
Our version of this Dauphinoise may be a little less sophisticated but it makes for a satisfying one-dish meal! We bake several pans of it in advance and throw them from the freezer into the oven when we need a quick meal. Add a side salad, and you’re done!
Read MorePaleo Crock Pot Chili
Chili typically uses ground beef. But, we like this chunkier version made with stewing beef and braising ribs for added flavour. Of course, you can do it with ground beef if you like. We strayed from the Paleo way ever so slightly by adding some organic frozen corn–it adds a nice texture. (If you choose to include the corn, ensure it is organic–that way you also ensure it is non-GMO.)
Read MoreMaking Sauerkraut
Sauerkraut, directly translated as “sour cabbage”, is finely cut cabbage that has been fermented through the action of various types lactic acid bacteria. This traditional method of food preservation creates a “live” food, filled with beneficial “probiotic” bacteria that populate our gut and keep us healthy. Lactic acid fermented foods are health-promoting, delicious and sooooo easy to make!
Read MoreZucchini Noodles
In our quest to eat grain-free, we’ve experimented with a number of noodle substitutes. We enjoy kelp noodles but they are processed and hardly local. Spaghetti squash noodles may be local but their watery texture leaves a lot to be desired. But, zucchini noodles…now we’re onto something! They’re soooo easy–and you eat them raw!
Read MorePastured Berkshire Pork
Alverstoke Farm – biodynamic farming in Paisley, Ontario
Our search for “happy” pork led us to Alverstoke Farm in Paisley, Ontario. We found the farm on the Internet. Since it was on our way to a beach holiday in Kincardine, Ontario, we arranged to stop in for a visit.
Read MoreLocal Whole BBQed Trout
When our friend, who is an avid fisherman, offered us this beautiful local trout from Lake Huron, we jumped for joy! Then, we stuffed it with lemon, dill, and onion and BBQed it.
Read MoreGrain-free Cauliflower Crust Pizza
The full pizza experience without the grain.
Our family avoids most grains. But, we craved a real pizza experience—pizza you could actually pick up in your hands! This recipe is absolutely delicious. I’m not going to lie to you, it’s a LOT of work and pretty messy too. But, it’s worth every minute of it!
Read MoreLocal Ontario Superfoods – Tart Cherry Juice Concentrate
Today, we hear lots of talk of concentrated “superfoods” that are supposed to reap miraculous health benefits. But, most often, these foods come from remote parts of the world far away from here. So, we set out to find some local superfoods. Here’s one, from a farm in the Niagara Region: Tart Cherry Juice Concentrate.
Read MoreMaking Cream Cheese
We get raw dairy from biodynamically raised heritage breed cows from a local cow share. Real, unprocessed, raw milk naturally sours in about a week in the fridge. Sometimes, for whatever reason, we don’t drink it before it sours. Unlike pasteurized milk that just goes rancid and must be tossed, raw soured milk is still good and very healthful. So, what to do with it? Here’s an easy process for making delicious cream cheese.
Read MoreRendering Lard
Every year, we source a healthy, happy, organically raised free-range pig. We don’t eat pork that often but it does make for a nice change when we do. So, if we’re going to eat it, we source the best quality pork we can find. With our pork, we always request all of the left-over fat. And we render the fat into lard for use in cooking.
Read MoreRanch-Raised Grass-Fed Beef
Echo Valley Ranch – grass-fed beef from a true ranch in Moorefield, Ontario
This year, our quest for the healthiest beef possible led us to Echo Valley Ranch in Moorfield, Ontario, where rancher, Brad Martin, gave us a tour of his family’s ranch on a hot summer day.
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