Welcome back to nourishment, where I recount my culinary adventures.
After two months of visitors, sickness and travelling, I am slowly getting back into a routine of cooking and eating from scratch. Today, I’ll share a few highlights from my kitchen, as well as a few of my favourite online resources related to cooking.
what we ate on a random Monday:
Breakfast: the classic eggs and toast with peanut butter and jam. The toddler had an egg in a basket, which he *mostly* finished, as well as a cup of raw milk. I had homemade sourdough bread, the first attempt after a two-month hiatus. It was a bit flat but still very edible, even enjoyable! I also had my normal coffee, with whipping cream and collagen powder.
Snack: The toddler had half an apple, two pickles and some cheese. I ate a few sourdough discard crackers, some cheese and two figs.
Lunch: Leftover pulled pork, homemade hamburger buns and potato salad. I followed this recipe for the barbecue sauce on the pulled pork.
Snack: Sprouted granola from One Degree, raw milk and banana.
Supper: Hidden vegetable hamburger helper, Caesar salad. A family staple, and you can easily substitute different vegetables in the pasta sauce.
Although I love trying new recipes and being creative in the kitchen, lately I have been pulling meals from a list of family-approved recipes. I find that sticking with classics helps mitigate food waste and frustration with my toddler not wanting to eat things. Currently, there are about twenty recipes on that list. Here’s a few of them:
Peanut chicken/ pork rice/quinoa bowls
Hamburgers and homemade fries
Fish cakes from Nourishing Traditions (a new addition!)
Baked tacos (inspired by this recipe)
Usually, these are paired with a generic salad, green beans or homemade sauerkraut.
I have been putting my creative cooking energy into baking instead. A baked good is rarely unappreciated in our home.
costco haul
We live close to an hour from Costco, so I only go once every couple of months or so. Last week, I went after returning from a trip and picked up some of our staples. It was the usual zoo, but I was proud of myself for resisting impulse buys and strictly sticking to my list.
Here’s what we got:
Apples
Organic plain Greek yogurt
Organic mixed frozen vegetables
Classic sprouted granola from One Degree
Saskatoon jam (I have officially run out of my homemade jam from last fall)
Chosen avocado mayo (don’t usually buy this, but it was on sale)
Cucumbers
Tomatoes
Marble cheese
Natural peanut butter
Shrimp
A giant pork loin (also on sale)
Silver hills sprouted grain bread
Broccoli
The total was $178— surprisingly low compared to our usual Costco bill.
Now a word about Silver Hills bread: my parents would pretty much exclusively buy this bread when I was growing up and I deeply resented it. It’s very dense (because it is nutritious) and I always just wanted the generic white fluff that everyone else ate. Also, we called it Squirrely bread…. I have no idea why? Now that I am a mother, I also buy the sprouted grain bread because of its clean ingredients and the fact that there is actual protein in it. I like to keep a loaf in the freezer for when I fall behind in my usual homemade bread making. Sorry Mom and Dad, you were right —Squirrely bread is the best!
resources
If you want to start, or dive deeper into cooking from scratch, here are some of my favourite newsletters, podcasts and videos relating to food. I genuinely feel like I have been mentored by these women, and have gained so much confidence in the kitchen by following their kind-hearted wisdom!
Substack:
- is a wonderful newsletter. Johanna shares a balanced approach to healthy eating and has lots of great tips for busy Moms.
- is another great newsletter, with recipes and lots of information about cooking real food for a crowd.
Podcasts:
Ancestral Kitchen Podcast - I highly advise starting at the beginning of this podcast and listening through. It is pure gold.
Simple Farmhouse Life - Although not all the episodes are about food, there are so many good interviews and q & a type episodes on cooking, kitchen management and more.
YouTube:
Our Sweet Sunny Days - young Mom, fun meal ideas
Sarah Therese Co. - experienced from scratch and sourdough gal
HealthNut Nutrition - baby and toddler food and meal prep
More Than Farmers - homesteader and gardening experts
All of these channels have lots of inspirational food videos, as well as instructional content for different recipes and techniques in the kitchen.
I hope you feel inspired in your cooking! Praying that you and your home experience God’s peace this week.
Hannah Chartier