Food: what are we eating? Learning the true about orange juice

I've fallen away from blogger for awhile now. Mostly trying to stay off my computer and see more of the world and the out doors. But sometimes I feel the need to post something. Like today; for over the last 6 months I have been trying to learn more and more about what we are eating, what is in our food, how are things really made and what really are those weird things list under ingredients.

Well turns out it's kind disturbing. See I really believe a lot of food that we are eating is really killing us. This may sound extreme but look at all the cases of cancer and food allergies. I've know people who have died from cancer but the death of my 24 year old cousin hit me hard and now my 19 year old cousin battling terminal cancer. Both these cases were out of the blue, young and healthy. What happen? For years I turned away from thinking about cancer. I thought hey it happen to older people or people I don't know. But it has hit me and now I think what is it as humans that we are doing?

There is what we put in our bodies and then there is our environment around us. Things have changed so much and so fast. It's a lot to think about and it's to much to write in one post. But I've been reading, researching and food seem to be a big part.

In fact just today I found out 100% real orange juice does in fact not mean 100% real orange juice. What???? But it says 100% real orange juice. Guess what, labels don't have to say everything. You can read more about it here. Alissa Hamilton wrote a book called "Squeezed: what you don't know about orange juice". I haven't read the book, but I read through her blog and watch interviews and now it's one more thing I don't want to consume. My boyfriend and I were upset, we've been trying to make healthy food choices, we thought drinking orange juice was one of them. Now maybe there is no study that this it damaging to your health but anything unnatural added or done to food is something I just don't think is good in the long run. I can't wait for study to come out and say "oh hey we were wrong, maybe we shouldn't be drink or eating this or that"

So I walked up the street and got some oranges. I'm going to try a few things to make our own orange juice at home. Maybe fresh squeezing them but then you don't get the pulp. So I though what about peeling them and freezing them and then taken the frozen oranges and blending them with water? I guess I'll try, cause the thing is we really like orange juice.

Sourdough Bread Step 1: The Starter

So I love bread, I love the whole process of making bread and the baking science behind it. Reading about making bread is like reading a romanic book. I got this book Tartine Bread from my friend for my last birthday. I curled up in bed and read though it, giddy with joy. But it's been a long time coming I needed to make some bread from these beautiful recipes.

Here's what was stopping me, finding good quality bread flour for a fair price. Which with some hook ups I did. One 25kg of organic 70% whole wheat bread flour for $37.00 what a deal! (mind you it was suppose to be unbleached white but that is another story) and I got another 10 kg of unbleached organic white bread flour. So now with all this flour I had to get making bread.

This evening I started my starter. Lets call it "the mother". To make the mother I made a 50/50 blend of whole wheat and white flour. Then in a small plastic container I put some warm water and added my 50/50 flour mix until I had the thick paste. After that I clean up and set the container on the counter with a dish towel over top. Now time to wait.

Tartine Bread Book and the starter

A close up of the mother doesn't look like much yet

NOTE: my starter died after I didn't feed it for to long. I'm going to try again but I'm kind bad at feeding something that doesn't meow like my cats!

New Dress: sewn by me

Okay I got inspired to make a dress before finishing my third skirt. I had this wonderful vintage dress, but the fabric was decomposing. That's what happens to old, old cotton sometimes. I just loved the style and cut of it so much to let it go. So I seam ripped it all apart and copied the patterns on to a new fabric. The pleating at the waist took a bit, it's every 1cm for the whole waist! A lot of pins where needed. The fabric is from my grandmother and the buttons have chest pieces on them. I'll have to take a close up picture. It's very Alice in Wonderland. I've so happy with it!

see all the pins

Horses and Ponies

So I've moved into a new apartment March 1st and wanted to do affordable decorating. I saw this posy on design•sponge a while ago of horse done by Ann Wood and really loved the idea of having a stampede of horse and ponies across my living room wall. Here are some of them so far. I will post more pictures when I get more painted.

The first one done!

Pizza!

I never get sick of pizza and it's so easy to make. This is a crust receipe my mom used when I was little and I still use it. It's quick and easy.

Pizza Dough

1 cup of warm water water

1 tablespoon yeast

1 teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 cups of flour

in large bowl add 1/2 cup of warm water, sugar and yeast. Wait 10-15 mins for the yeast to become foamy. Add olive oil, salt and the rest of the water (1/2 cup). If you want more flavor you can add 1 teaspoon of rosemary. Add flour 1/2 cup at a time and mix with a fork. When the dough become more solid put sprinkle flour on a clean counter top or table. Place dough and kneed in the rest of the flour. Kneed the dough until when you poke the dough it rises back quick. Place in lightly oil bowl and cover with a dish towel. Let rise till it doubles. 1 hour or so.

This makes two 12" round pizzas.

New Skirt: designed and made by me

I've been on a sewing kick the last month. It's quite lovely because with Spring being here having new clothes to wear is so much fun. I made a pattern for a skirt and have been sewing skirts and change a few details. This one is the second one and it has pockets and a wider waistband. I love the cotton printed fabric the colors are so great together. My third skirt is almost done. It has ponies on it!

Spring!

Spring is here and with the weather warming up I wanted new clothes that were fun colors. So I started making a bunch of new skirts. The first one done is this wool one a wonderful bright reddish-orange. I love the color!

Below are a pair of tights I bought at H&M this week because it has the same color in it as my skirt. I love the flower print and the bright colors sing SPRING! Too bad it's still kinda cold outside. But at least the grass is starting to turn green.

Banana Muffins Forever: Yummy!

So today I made some banana muffins for my lover. The recipe is my grandmothers, a nice cinnamon and spicy favor. I change it at times and do cinnamon with chocolate. It has a nice kick to it. It fast and easy and takes no eggs. Also a good way to use those banana's up that are going bad. I just chuck them in the freezer and when you got 3 times to make muffins!

Scraping the batter

Baking in the oven

Reupholstering Jacob's Napping Spot

So I've been reupholstering with fabrics I've been saving for something important or special. I realized that was kinda silly because those days next come. I have piles and piles of unused fabric so I decided to put them to good use. Here is one of Jacob's favorite sitting/ napping spots. I don't have the before pictures because for some reason they went missing on my camera.

Sunny Yellow

Close look at the fabric!

Baking Wonderful Things

I got a wonderful new cookbook from my sister for my birthday. It's call Whitewater Cooks by Shelley Adams. It has so many wonderful recipes. So far I have made samosas. Which turn out delicious, they did take awhile to make but it was well worth it. Finding good samosas is hard then you think and these ones you bake so they aren't oily. I made a double batch and put them in the freezer, so I just take them out and bake some in the oven whenever I want some. I also made some mango chutney to go with them, the recipe was so-so but I'm not a huge fan of mangos so that's most likely why.

Another day I made the recipe for cinnamonbuns for the same cookbook, that had raisins and pecans. Yummy! I also have been baking a lot of scones one of my favorite recipes I found a few years ago, so quick and easy. I put cinnamon and apples in them. They are great for breakfast or a quick snack.

Cinnamon Buns: hot out of the oven!