Don’t Fall for These Myths About Common Wintertime Illnesses
By Christine ClimerMany parents dread wintertime because of the illnesses that tend to be more common during the cold season. We are barraged at every turn by misinformation in the media, fueling our anxieties.
An objective look at some of this season’s claims shows much less to worry about than many health reports in the news might lead you to believe. Don’t fall prey to these common myths about common wintertime illnesses.
High fevers cause brain damage and seizures.
False! A fever cannot cause brain damage unless it climbs over about 107º Fahrenheit. Fever can create febrile seizures. These are caused by how fast your child’s body temperature rises, not by how high the temperature goes.Fever helps our immune systems get rid of infection, so in most cases, it is best not to interfere. Your child’s behavior is the best indicator of how severe his illness is -- not the number on the thermometer.
Fever increases the amount of fluid your child needs, so keep him well hydrated. (See Karen Prior’s suggestions for increasing fluid intake in our Ask the Experts section) Your child’s appetite may be limited during fever, but resist the urge to offer sugary treats to tempt him to eat. Focus on fluids, and offer small portions of nutritious foods frequently.
Kids generally feel bad when they run fever, so listen to those little bodies. Keep them in bed or another quiet, restful place until the fever is gone. Low stress is key to a healthy immune system. Avoid alcohol rubs, unnecessary baths or other activities that might cause the shivers.
Nutrients such as vitamin A, vitamin C, selenium and zinc are known to support the body’s immune function. You might choose an appropriate multivitamin and mineral supplement, or simple add these nutrients to your diet. Include plenty of orange and green produce, whole grains and nuts, dairy products or meats.
Herbalists often recommend herbs that have historically been used for fever, including catnip, yarrow and feverfew. Just remember that herbs are medicine too. Take care to follow the instructions printed on the label or given by your health care provider.
Ear infections always require antibiotics.
False! Viruses can cause ear infections as often as bacteria – and antibiotics do not work against viruses. In fact, many of the bacteria that commonly cause ear infections have learned how to survive antibiotics, so many medications do not work against bacteria anymore either.Because the body can fight most ear infections all by itself, many doctors choose a “watchful waiting” approach. This approach prevents antibiotic resistance from worsening. The doctor simply waits it out a few days, then checks to see if the situation is improving or if it has resolved without any treatment.
A couple of drops of olive oil warmed to body temperature and dropped into the ear canal helps equalize pressure in the ear and eases pain. Herbalists may recommend adding mullein or garlic to the oil, straining before use. Applying warm or cold packs (depending on your child’s preference) or massaging gently around the ear can also be helpful. Lying down increases pain and pressure within the middle ear, so try to keep your child as upright as possible.
A few more strategies: Some parents find that a visit to a pediatric chiropractor can help ear infections. Babies who are still nursing or bottle-feeding may prefer to eat smaller amounts at more frequent intervals. And finally, research has recently shown that people who consume probiotic bacteria (lactobacilli and bifidobacteria) in their diets are less likely to get ear infections.
Cold medicines, antibiotics and humidification relieve congestion and coughs. There are times when this statement may be either true or false.
A cough isn’t just a nuisance; it is an important reflex that keeps irritants and germs from getting into the lungs. While a cough may seem bothersome, it can keep mucus drainage from getting down into the tiny places in the lungs where it can contribute to worsening infection and interfere with your child’s ability to get enough oxygen.
Most respiratory infections in children are viral, so unless your laboratory results indicate otherwise, do not pressure your doctor for antibiotics. It’s also important to recognize that discharge from runny noses may change color. Yellow-green mucus is actually part of the normal course of an illness and does not necessarily mean that your child has a sinus infection, unless it persists longer than two weeks.
If irritation and inflammation create a dry cough that interferes with sleep, sometimes a cough suppressant can be helpful at bedtime. If your child has a wet cough because of mucus, however, cough suppressants are undesirable. Antihistamines are commonly given to dry up mucus. If your child has a lot of mucus production caused by allergies, antihistamines can sometimes offer some relief -- but they just aren’t effective with colds. They thicken the mucus, making it harder for your child to clear it out of the airway.
Both cough suppressants and antihistamines make kids drowsy, which can be more of a nuisance during the day than the cough or congestion themselves. Decongestants can offer comfort if your child is so congested that he cannot eat or sleep, but these medications are notorious for hyper-activating children -- so bedtime may be a challenge.
Breathing humidified air can soothe airways and help expel mucus, but be cautious about running a vaporizer or humidifier in your child’s bedroom and never run them constantly. Not only can the equipment harbor germs, but the high humidity they create contributes to the growth of molds and dust mites. If your child is sensitive to these, her symptoms may actually worsen. A safer approach is to run humidifiers and vaporizers intermittently, or steam up the bathroom by running a hot shower and take your child into the bathroom to breathe the air for 10 to 15 minutes.
If your child has a barking cough, try taking him outside to breathe cool air for about 10 to 15 minutes. Saline nasal irrigation also relieves congestion. You can make your own nose spray at home.
Saline
1 teaspoon canning and pickling salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
2 cups purified waterBring water to a boil; add dry ingredients and dissolve.Cool to room temperature. Store covered for up to 48 hours.
Instill a few drops into each nostril and then suction with a bulb syringe, which can often be found on the ear care or baby care aisles of your pharmacy.
Drinking plenty of fluids is the most important thing to help clear mucus and keep mucous membranes moist. Warm teas and broths make soothing choices. As mentioned above, plenty of immune-supporting nutrients are vital to healing. Vitamin C is also an antihistamine, so make sure your children get plenty, especially if they have allergies.
People who consume probiotics are less likely to experience either respiratory infections or allergies. A gentle upper body massage after a warm bath helps children relax, soothes soreness and increases circulation. Sleeping with the head elevated is helpful.
Your herbalist may recommend herbs that have been historically used to soothe irritated mucus membranes, expel mucus, clear infection and open airways. These may include things like mint, eucalyptus, horehound, thyme, mullein, evening primrose and echinacea.
Children with allergies are more susceptible to respiratory infections. Keep environmental allergens low by vacuuming and dusting frequently, changing air filters monthly, using allergen barriers on beds and pillows, washing bedding weekly in hot water and maintaining humidity below 50 percent.
When should you be concerned?
Seek medical care immediately if your child:• has a seizure lasting longer than five minutes or a seizure for the first time
• runs any fever at all and is under 2 months old
• has a temperature of at least 101º and is 2 to 4 months old
• has a temperature over 105º
• does not stop crying, seems confused or is unable to wake up
• seems to have a stiff neck when the head is bent towards the tummy
• has a blood-red or purple rash
• is having difficulty breathing (gasping for air, flesh between ribs sucks in when the child inhales, flaring nostrils) or takes more than 60 breaths per minute
• has unusual drooling (i.e., not related to teething)
• is coughing up blood or has bloody stools
• has blue- or gray-colored lips
• has signs of dehydration (dry mouth, no tears, no urine in the past eight hours)
• is under 12 months old, has diarrhea and has vomited three or more times in 24 hours
• has diarrhea more than eight times in the past eight hoursCall your health care provider during office hours if your child:
• is under 2 year old and has a temperature over 104º
• complains of burning with urination
• has been running fever for more than 72 hours
• seemed to be getting better but then started getting worse
• had a fever that went away for at least 24 hours, then returned
• is under 3 months old and has had a cough for more than three days
• has had diarrhea or a cough for more than two weeks
• has been vomiting for more than 24 hours
• has had a green/yellow runny nose for more than two weeks© Christine Climer
Christine Climer is a registered nurse with experience in pulmonary disease, pediatrics, home health and hospice services. Also trained in early childhood education, she is currently executive director and child care nurse for an early childhood health promotion organization. She lives with her husband and three children (including a set of twins) in Texas and enjoys researching health issues and gardening.
Thyme is an excellent expectorant as well as an anti-microbial herb, and honey not only soothes but acts as a preservative as well. I keep this wonderful-tasting syrup in my refrigerator all winter long. It can be used for colds, coughs, laryngitis and sore throats.
• Steep 1 ounce of dried thyme leaf (Thymus vulgaris) in 1 cup boiled water, covered, until cool.
• Strain; mix the liquid with 1 cup of honey.
• Store refrigerated in a glass jar. It keeps well for several months.
• Give undiluted doses of 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon several times a day as needed.
Hand Method: (yields 2 loaves)
1/3 C honeyCombine the warm water, yeast, and 2 Cups of fresh whole wheat flour in a large mixing bowl. Allow to sponge for 15 minutes. Add the honey, oil, dough enhancer, salt and 4-5 C additional flour until the dough begins to clean the sides of the mixing bowl. Do not allow the dough to get too stiff (too dry). Dough should be smooth and elastic. It is a common mistake for the beginning bakers to add too much flour.
Knead the bread by hand 7-10 minutes or until it is very smooth, elastic, and small bubbles or blisters appear beneath the surface of the dough. Six to ten minutes of kneading by electric mixer should be sufficient to develop the gluten if you are using fresh flour. If you are kneading by hand, be sure to add the minimum amount of flour to keep the dough soft and pliable by using a tsp of oil on your hands and kneading surface.
Form the dough into 2 loaves if using the hand method. Place the dough into greased loaf pans. Allow to rise in a slightly warmed oven or other warm place until doubled in size (about 30-60 minutes).
Bake loaves for 25-30 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Bread is cooked through when it sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom, and when the top and sides are a golden brown color.
If you are considering not bothering to read this post because you don't even know WHY I would want to bake my own bread...read THIS...it explains why homemade wheat bread is so good tastin' and good for you.
This post is EXTREMELY long. It contains the recipe and instructions for the bread that I make at home from scratch. The original recipe is at www.yourhealthsource.org. My recipe for Whole Wheat Bread is tweaked a bit from the original.
Before you even read further, know that I have a posted a simple recipe for baking bread by hand too (yield = 2 loaves). Please don't be discouraged from trying. I'm just an information junkie and want to share as much as I can...
Bread making doesn't have to be difficult. Any 'ol recipe book will give you a good start. When I decided to try making bread I picked up the red-and-white checkered Better Homes and Garden Cookbook and made homemade white bread. It was very good. Then I made wheat bread from the recipe on the back of the whole wheat flour package bought from WalMart. It was tasty too.
I started making bread three years ago and I'm still learning. Life is a journey; so is making bread :)
The first recipe assumes you are milling your own wheat into flour and using a Bosch Universal Mixer. If you don't have the equipment to mill your flour, start with the flour from the store or find someone near you who DOES mill their flour. Further down you will find the recipe for making bread by hand. This bread is GOOD and yield 6 loaves. It's the same bread I use to make cinnamon rolls!
WHOLE WHEAT BREAD
You will be delighted with how simple bread making can become. Bread can be ready to eat in as little as 1 ½ hours!
12 cups wheat berries
2/3 cup olive oil
2/3 cup honey (Sometimes mine ends up being a cup :)
6 cups warm water (120 to 130 degrees)
(I use 5 cups of water and 1 cup of STARTER)
3 tablespoons yeast
2 tablespoon salt
Makes 6 loaves
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Rising and cooking time: 40 minutes
1. Using the mill, grind 12 cups of hard Prairie Gold Montana Wheat (important to have high quality, triple washed, certified chemical free wheat-this is the safest for your mill and is grown for human consumption, with plenty of protein) (12 cups of wheat berries= approximately 18-20 cups of flour)
2. In Bosch™ bowl, use the Dough Hooks to mix the honey, oil, water, and yeast. Be sure the plastic splash guard is on the mixing bowl.
3. While running the mixture at low speed, add 10 cups of flour and then the salt.
4. Stop the machine and set a timer. (10-15 minutes in the winter-10 minutes in the summer) Put the lid on the bowl to capture the moisture and warmth of the mixture. Let sit until timer goes off or until dough rises almost to the top of the bowl. This is called letting the dough "sponge."
5. Turn the machine on 1 and continue adding flour until the dough clears the sides of the bowl.
6. Knead on a low speed for 4 to 5 minutes. Let the dough sit for 1 to 2 minutes, then check for gluten development. (see Tips & Techniques) The dough should stick to itself, not to you.
1. Press the dough and it will spring back.
2. Dough clings to itself and not you.
3. Dough is translucent when stretched, you can see light through it.
7. This is the fun part! Take the dough out of the bowl by dumping it onto an oiled countertop or large cutting board. (no need to add flour from this point forward) Pick the dough up and slam it down a few times. Slamming the dough helps remove any air bubbles that may have formed. Simply dump the dough and then shape it into a large circle. Using regular kitchen scissors, cut the dough (like a pie) into 6 equal pieces. Each of these pieces of dough can now be used to make a variety of bread forms. (use a kitchen scale to weigh the dough if you want 6 perfectly equal parts) Some of the possibilities are: loaf of bread, cinnamon rolls, foccaccia bread, bread sticks, dinner rolls, pretzels, tea rings, hoagie buns, filled breads/buns, sandwich bread, 3 ball dinner rolls, crescents, pizza crust, sticky balls/monkey bread, cinnamon twists, herb/garlic bread, braided breads, etc. See instructions below for shaping the dough.
8. Shape into the desired form and let rise in a warm oven for about 20 minutes or on the counter for 1 hour, OR until the bread doubles in size.
9. Bake at 350 degrees. If your bread is rising in the oven, simply turn on your oven and let it preheat with the bread already inside. You may want to experiment with taking the dough out of the oven and letting the oven get to the full 350 degrees and then put the dough back in. I like to just turn on the oven without removing the dough because it saves me a few steps.
10. Get to know your oven. . .rolls and pizza crust take less time, loaf bread takes up to 30 minutes in some ovens. I usually bake rolls for 15 minutes (or less) and bread for 20 to 25 minutes.
SHAPING THE DOUGH
After forming the dough into the shape of a large circle. Cut the dough into 6 equal pieces. Now you have the beginnings of a variety of bread forms. 1/6 can become any of the following forms, or any you can dream up! Set aside 5 portions of dough and cover with moist cloth.
LOAF OF BREAD, simply take 1/6 of the dough and shape it into a long, narrow loaf and place into a prepared (oiled) bread pan. Pat down any remaining air bubbles.
CINNAMON ROLLS, simply roll dough out into a rectangle shape, (at least 10 by 14 inches) then add your favorite ingredients. If you want extra fluffy cinnamon rolls, experiment with more yeast in your basic recipe. I've used up to 5 tablespoons.
Here's what I do: spritz the entire face of the bread with olive oil, sprinkle with chopped pecans, cinnamon, finely ground coconut and organic raisins. You can try applesauce, chopped bananas, maple syrup, etc. This bread is so good for you, I don't mind a simple sugar frosting. In our household, we drizzle fresh cinnamon rolls with maple syrup and by pass the traditional sugar coating. Roll up the dough and then use scissors or dental floss to cut the dough into traditional cinnamon rolls. Place them ¼ to ½ inches apart in a prepared pan and bake for 15 to 20 minutes.
FOCACCIA BREAD, simply roll dough out into a rectangle shape.(10 by 14 inches) I use a jelly roll stone and spread the dough out with a roller. I let the dough rise and then spritz it with olive oil and follow with Italian herbs or a Rosemary herb blend. We serve Focaccia bread with marinara sauce (spaghetti sauce) and a salad. Very easy and very yummy! This bread is also great dipped in an olive oil/balsamic vinegar/Italian seasoning mixture. Try kneading dried tomato bits, chopped onions & garlic into this dough before you roll it out.
BREAD STICKS/PRETZELS/CINNAMON TWISTS, take 1/6th of the dough and make it into a circle. Cut the circle into 8th and each piece can become a bread stick. Simply use your hands to roll the dough into long pieces. Place the dough on a prepared pan or cookie sheet, spritz with olive oil and your favorite seasonings(for pretzels, dip the pretzel in a large bowl of water and then add coarse salt) and bake for 10 to 15 minutes. You may want to lightly knead spices into the bread and then shape them for bread sticks. Cinnamon Twists are just bread sticks that have been rolled in olive oil or maple syrup and then in a mixture of cinnamon and sugar, then twisted and placed on a prepared baking sheet. Keep in mind, these products will need less cooking time. Probably 12 to 15 minutes.
DINNER ROLLS, again, taking 1/6th of the dough, form the dough into a circle and then cut it into 8ths. Each 8th makes a large dinner roll. Place dinner rolls about ¼ to ½ inch apart in your prepared pan.
THREE BALL DINNER ROLLS, 1/6 divided into 8 equal portions. Each portion is then divided into three equal parts. Roll the parts to form small balls and then place three balls into each muffin space.
PIZZA CRUST, using 1/6th of your dough, spread the dough onto a pizza stone as thin as you like, prick and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. If you like soft crust, let the dough rise and then bake. If you want crispy crust, do not let the dough rise, prick it and then bake immediately.
STICKY BALLS/MONKEY BREAD, Use a round cake pan with 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil in the bottom of the pan. Add honey or maple syrup and pecans or walnuts. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Gently knead raisins into the dough and roll dough into 1" balls and fill the pan with the balls touching. Let it rise and then bake. Turn pan upside down on a platter to serve. Variation: roll each dough ball in a maple syrup mixture and then roll the wet dough in a mixture of cinnamon, finely ground coconut, raisins, and nuts and then place in the pan, prepared with olive oil and syrup as previously instructed. Cooking time may be longer depending on the amount of moist ingredients.
BRAIDED BREADS, these are so fun and beautiful. Divide 1/6 of the dough into three equal pieces. Roll the pieces into long strands and braid your bread. Or, divide the 1/6 of dough into two equal parts, roll the pieces out, into a 4 by 12 inch rectangles. Place spices, veggies and marinara sauce down the middle of each strip. Fold each strip in half and seal the edge. Now you have two long, sealed, stuffed breads. Twist the strands together and you now have a beautiful stuffed bread. Try sweet ingredients, too. Cinnamon, pumpkin, raisins, nuts, dried cranberries, etc.
BURGER BUNS, Divide 1/6 of your dough into 4 equal parts. Shape into the form of traditional burgers. Rise, bake, cool and cut in half. Press sesame seeds on top if you like.
Use your imagination! Go to your local library for illustrated bread books!
RISING THE DOUGH
Cover and let rise until double in a warm draft-free place. This should take anywhere from 20-40 minutes. Or, preheat your oven, turn it off and place loaves in the warm oven.
If desired, brush olive oil on your loaves for a brown crust. Sprinkle with oat, rye, or whole grain flakes. Sesame or poppy seeds work well too. This makes a beautiful presentation and the flakes or seeds add a delicious 'toasted' flavor to the bread.
RISEN DOUGH READY TO BAKE
Bake at 350 degrees. Rolls, 20-25 minutes. Loaf bread, 25-35 minutes. Many ovens vary on temperature, if you are not sure, buy an oven thermometer to check your oven's exact temperature. Another surefire way to tell if your bread is done is to stick it with an instant-read thermometer. It should read 200 degrees.
Fresh from the oven, your bread is ready to eat. The whole process takes approximately 1 ½ hours!
Almost every time I make my bread, I freeze dinner rolls prior to rising. I simply shape the rolls and place them on an ovensafe dinner plate and put them in the freezer. When I am ready for fresh from the oven bread, I take the plate out of the freezer, let the rolls thaw and rise and then bake them. Delicious and very convenient. If you need the dough to thaw quickly, preheat your oven, turn it off and then put the dough in the oven to warm and rise.
When we are hungry for pizza, we will thaw the same dinner rolls, roll them into individual round pizza crusts, bake them and then add our favorite toppings! You can freeze this dough in its many forms and you will always have a variety of choices on hand. This bread also freezes well after it has baked and cooled completely.
Want hot cinnamon rolls on Saturday morning? If you are baking Friday night and want fresh rolls the next morning, simply make the cinnamon rolls and then put them, covered, in the refrigerator to slowly rise overnight. Take them out in the morning, let them warm up and complete the rising process and then bake!
Whole Wheat and Seeds Bread
(My Absolute Favorite High Fiber Bread Recipe-I Make All Of The Various Bread Forms With This Super Healthy Recipe)
10 cups of wheat berries
1 cup of barley
1 cup of brown rice
1 cup flaxseeds (ground in blender or coffee grinder)
1 cup sesame seeds (ground in blender or coffee grinder)
6 cups of hot tap water (if you like sour dough, use 5 cups of hot water and 1 cup of sourdough starter liquid)
1 cup olive oil
1 cup honey
3 Tlb. Saf yeast
2 Tlb. Salt (more if you want)
Grind wheat berries, barley and rice in Mill. Grind flaxseeds and sesame seeds in the blender attachment. Dump the seeds into the mixer and then fill the blender attachment with 6 cups of hot tap water. Add 10 cups of freshly ground wheat flour. Add olive oil and honey and yeast. Turn mixer to speed 1 for about 1 minute or less until mixed. Then put the plastic lids on the mixer and set a timer for 10 minutes. Let the mixture sit and "sponge." After sponging, run the mixture on speed 1 and add the salt and remaining flour until the dough just begins to clear the sides of the bowl. Set your timer for 5 minutes and let the mixer knead the dough. After 5 minutes, let the dough sit for about 2 or 3 minutes. . .if the dough is not sticky and looks smooth, you are ready to dump the dough onto an oiled counter top. Oil your hands, shape the dough into a big ball and then cut it into 6 equal pieces. For nutty bread, throw in 1 cup of raw sesame seeds.
Replace wheat with Spelt if you wish, or do a half wheat, half spelt mixture.
HAND KNEADING (IN CASE YOU DON'T HAVE A KITCHEN CENTER. . .YET!)
Denise's Honey Whole Wheat Bread:
Have on hand: 2 1/2# (9-10 cups of flour) of freshly milled hard Montana Spring whole wheat flour (order through the Co-op)
In large mixing bowl place:
3 cups hot water (115-125 degrees)
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup olive, sunflower, safflower or oil of choice
5 cups of the flour
1 1/2 Tablespoons SAF instant yeast1 Tablespoon dough enhancer (optional, gives a lighter and fluffier texture)
Mix above with a large wooden spoon and then cover and let set until double in size and bubbly. This is called a sponge and will take approximately 15-30 minutes. Then add:
1 T. salt(I use Realsalt™)
And add enough of the remaining flour until it cleans the sides of the bowl. Touch the dough to see if it needs more flour. If it is real wet and sticky, add a bit more flour until it is no longer wet. You want to achieve a smooth and satiny feel to the dough. Don't add too much flour or you will create a heavy loaf.
To begin the process of hand kneading, you should have a large mass of dough in front of you on the countertop that feels moist to the touch but not 'sticky'. Start by pushing away and pulling forward the dough and then give it a ¼ turn and push and pull again. Continue this process until the dough is smooth and satiny feeling. It should feel rather 'light and springy' to the touch. This could take anywhere from 10-30 minutes depending on the recipe and how vigorous a kneader you are! When you are pushing and pulling, be sure to pull the dough up and over from front to back and back to front. See directions for heavy-duty mixer kneading above for shaping and baking.
TIPS & TECHNIQUES
The Ultra Mill is the most economical mill on the market. If you are interested in "mega" baking (more than 20 cups of flour at a time) you may want to order another mill. Please email Monica@YourHealthSource.Org for information on other types of mills.
First and foremost be sure that your ingredients are fresh and at room temperature. Cold flour that may have been stored in the freezer should be brought to room temperature. Ultimately, your flour should be ground fresh for the maximum amount of nutrition and flavor! (I keep frozen flour or bread for no longer than 1 month)
Ingredients for Great Bread:
" Extra Virgin, first cold pressed Olive Oil (not heat treated, not "extra light tasting" olive oil)
" Raw, unfiltered, local honey or 100% maple syrup (you can substitute other forms of sweetener)
" SAF professional yeast, needs no "proofing" In other words, you don't have to check it. . .it is consistently good. Store your yeast in a sealed container in the refrigerator or freezer.
" Hot water 115 to 120 degrees
" Freshly milled, high quality grain(need high protein content)
" Real Salt™ or Sea Salt
(Remember to use a variety of grains rather than the same grains over and over.)
Wheat conversions:
1 cup uncooked wheat = 2 cups cooked wheat
2 cups whole wheat = 3 cups ground flour
1 lb whole wheat = 24/4 cups wheat berries
Fresh milled flour starts to oxidize immediately and studies have shown that within a few days it can be completely rancid. I use high-gluten hard spring wheat from Montana to get the highest rising bread possible. Extra virgin olive oil or cold-pressed safflower or sunflower are the best oils to use for maximum freshness. Raw honey contains the most nutrients and helps to keep the bread fresher longer. Salt should be unprocessed sea salt or I prefer to use RealSalt™ because it is naturally mined from the earth and contains minerals. Most salts(including many sea salts) are heat treated and contain free flowing agents such as aluminum or sugar to keep them flowing smoothly. Realsalt is not heat treated.
I do most of my baking with SAF instant yeast. It's a professional baker's yeast that needs no proofing. Proofing is when you add the yeast directly to the water with a pinch of sugar to see if it's still alive. You can add the SAF yeast directly to the flour instead of proofing it in the liquid. Because it is a highly potent yeast, you use about 1/4 less of it than regular yeast.
As for baking pans, I use stoneware or glass baking pans. Stainless Steel pans are a wonderful choice, as well. Brushing the pan with olive oil works to keep the loaves falling right out of the pans. I do not use pan sprays because they have propellants and are not the best for the environment or for baking stones. Instead, make your own by adding 2 tsp to 2 cups olive oil. This will make your breads fall out of the pan everytime!
THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND WHEN USING AN ELECTRIC MIXER:
1. Be careful not to add too much flour! In the beginning this is very tempting and easy to do but in the end, you will wind up with a very heavy loaf.
2. Do not be tempted to over-knead. Because these machines are extremely powerful, it's very easy to over-knead the dough. If the dough goes from soft to stretchy to big globs that break apart in your hand, then you have most likely over-kneaded the dough. Usually anything over 10 minutes will do this. Be sure to perform the gluten test after about 5-7 minutes of kneading to prevent this from happening. (See below for proper gluten development information) Speed 1 on the Bosch™ Universal is sufficient for bread kneading.
If the dough feels heavy and just breaks apart and is not stretchy, then you must continue to knead a little longer. However, this can also happen if you have overkneaded the dough...it will go from soft and stretchy to heavy and sticky.
You will know this immediately if the dough goes from cleaning the sides of the electric mixer bowl to being very sticky on the sides of the bowl no matter how much more flour you add. Do not worry about over-kneading by hand, it would be very hard to do.
3. Usually Kneading on the lowest speed is sufficient for kneading bread. The higher speeds are most often reserved for using the blender or attachments.
CHECKING FOR PROPER GLUTEN DEVELOPMENT
Proper gluten development is important for a high-rising loaf of bread. It's formed when the protein part of the wheat is kneaded and it becomes stretchy and elongated. The carbon dioxide gas that is formed by the yeast is trapped in the gluten web thus causing the dough to rise. After kneading the dough into a soft and smooth consistency, it should feel rather "stretchy" but not "sticky." This will take anywhere from 3-10 minutes in an electric mixer to 10-20 minutes by hand.
Chlorophyll power
We drink smoothies for breakfast in our house every Tuesday morning and sometimes on the weekend. I taught Gracie to make them and now she prefers me not to be involved at all.
Current Weight Loss - 25.5 LBS
LBS to go - 3.5 LBS
Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. - Isaiah 55.2 (KJV)
Why do you spend your money on junk food,your hard-earned cash on cotton candy? Listen to me, listen well: Eat only the best, fill yourself with only the finest.The fact is that in this day and time, the world is full of wasters - wasters of money, wasters of food, and wasters of time. We spend our resources and our years chasing after thrills, must-haves, and oh-I-want-its. Unfortunately, many folks end up near the end of their lives, only to realize that they have a giant case of buyer's remorse and the time limit for redeeming the years of bad choices has run out.
Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near. Isaiah 55.6 (KJV)
Seek God while he's here to be found,
pray to him while he's close at hand.
Let the wicked abandon their way of life
and the evil their way of thinking.
Let them come back to God, who is merciful,
come back to our God, who is lavish with forgiveness."I don't think the way you think.
The way you work isn't the way I work."
God's Decree.
"For as the sky soars high above earth,
so the way I work surpasses the way you work,
and the way I think is beyond the way you think.
Just as rain and snow descend from the skies
and don't go back until they've watered the earth,
Doing their work of making things grow and blossom,
producing seed for farmers and food for the hungry,
So will the words that come out of my mouth
not come back empty-handed.
They'll do the work I sent them to do,
they'll complete the assignment I gave them.
I'm slowly making changes to this site to personalize it a bit more since all my blogging will be done here. Sooner or later I'll get my weight loss ticker up. In the meantime, here are the stats.
Weight Loss This Week - 1 LB
Current Weight Loss - 25 LBS
LBS to go - 4 LBS (to meet short term goal...then we have to reset the goal...but one thing at a time :)
Workout Diary
Monday - didn't work out :(
Tuesday - 30 minutes on the elliptical machine
Wednesday - 30 minutes on the "elliptical machine and 15 minutes on the "sit-down bike". Situps and pushups (don't remember how many) and squats.
Thursday - Walked/Ran through the neighborhood for about 30 minutes. There's something about running on the street that makes you feel like you can't stop and walk with people looking you know :) Didn't overdo it b/c I was sore from Wednesday!
Friday - 30 minutes on the elliptical machine, two sets of pushups (20 each), and two sets of situps (25 each). Then I jumped on the bikeTraining session with Cophie. 30 minutes of cardio - 10 minutes elliptical and 20 minutes walking on an incline.
Saturday - Stayed home with a sick baby.
Eating Diary
So this was my second week without sugar. I'm really getting the hang of not eating any. It is so funny how putting action before feelings really does the trick. I'm gonna have to apply that philosophy to the rest of my life. I did have some sweets on Easter Sunday but they just didn't have the same effect on me. This was the goal - getting to the point where the cravings of my flesh don't control me...getting to the point where what my spirit wants for my body outweighs the wants of my flesh.
I do have to say that I didn't put a whole lot of energy into meal planning this week and I just got plain bored. I snacked alot but I chose healthy snacks because the Oreos in the pantry that have been staring at me for the last two weeks weren't an option.
I have learned that eating to live is a completely different mentality than living to eat. Every meal is not entertainment, nor does every meal have to be tantalizing to the tongue. Sometimes you just eat because it's time to eat and because you recognize that your body is a machine and has to have good fuel to run. That means that I was able to eat oatmeal w/o butter and sugar (I took mine out and then doctored up the kids version) because I was eating for a purpose and not for a taste. The same thing applies to popping raw veggies. I'm cutting up broccoli to steam for the kids for lunch and putting a few to the side for myself. I admit it tastes very "green" but again...the idea was purpose now taste...imagine that...developing a completely different mindset....hmmmm...
I've found my husband making a trip to Whataburger and calling me to see if I want him to bring me anything. I never in a million years pass up a hand-delivered fast food dinner/lunch/late night snack. But now,....it is unsettling to think of eating that junk on a regular. If I do eat it (which I have once during the past month). I'm irritated at myself for putting the junk in my mouth. On Thursday night, we drove through Whataburger. I ate a few of hubby's fries (because if you didn't know...Whataburger has the BEST fries in the world) and then ate a salad with HALF of the dressing they provided.
I'm falling in love with how I feel about me AFTER making a good decision. That feeling is a whole lot better than the feeling of being full of stuff that doesn't do my body good.
