What oil do I use?

A friend recently asked me what does it mean when a recipe says an oiled pan, or calls for cooking oil?  What is Cooking oil anyway?  Of course I started in with my ‘know-it-all’ self.  As usual I went to the internet to verify my information.  We talked for a few minutes about all the oils and how you use a different oil for different heats.

She found the information very interesting and thought that not many people knew this much about oils.  I often assume that other people somehow have acquired all this knowledge that for some reason I only recently learned.  Don’t ask me why…  It got me thinking that maybe most people don’t know about cooking with different oils. 

Story time J

When I was younger, during my formative years, my mother worked a full time job, then came home to run her three children everywhere.  This didn’t leave her the time for scratch baking and experimenting that she was able to do in her first years of marriage.  She made quick easy dinners; anything that came from a box, a drive thru, or cooked in minutes was the best for dinner.  We never complained – In fact one time I wanted McDonalds so bad I offered to pay for the entire family.

Needless to say I didn’t grow up learning all those baking techniques of the old world, home-style sort.  When I first moved out I followed my mother’s lead, as most young women do, everything was prepackaged and easy to make.  It has only been the last few years that I have been trying to re-invent the wheel if you will.  For about seven or so years I have been slowly returning to those homemade, scratch, time consuming recipes.

I called my Grandmother a lot!  I love to talk to her, knew she made things from scratch, and remember some of them as favorites.  It started out of a need to make sure that I could make something when she was gone, then grew to all kinds of substitutions advice, or anything I could think of.  Of Course I called my mom and mother-in-law as well.  But more and more I needed newer advice so I was turning to the internet for help.

I would say I was like most people using the standard vegetable oil and the solid Crisco, with a little olive oil here and there.  A few years ago I was using some olive oil and noticed a lot of smoke.  Later on I looked up cooking oils and my eyes were opened.  Since then I have been experimenting with many different, healthy oils.  Here is a little of my prior knowledge and what I found the other day. 

Enjoy!

Oil Basics

1. All oils are not the same.  Oil can be extracted from most nuts and some vegetables; the process is not the same for all oils of the same variety and may involve chemical extraction.
2. Every oil has a smoke point (cooking temp); some are more suitable for low heat others for high heat.  Look for a range of values; some are touting high numbers that really aren't true.
   - The smoke point is the temperature that the oil is when it actually begins to smoke.
3. The more refined oils (and also more expensive) have a higher smoke point.
4. If your oil is smoking it is very near its flash point – i.e.  FIRE!
5. Use the right oil for the right job.  Can I stress how important this is?    

Here is information from my Spectrum Organics Kitchen guide and other notes I've made the past few years.  I highly recommend downloading one for free.

Up to 350   F
–Cooking Methods
Low-heat baking, light sauté, pressure cooking, sauces
–Oils You Should Use
unrefined coconut oil (smoke point 280 F)
unrefined corn oil (smoke point 320 F)
unrefined olive oil (smoke point 325 F)
unrefined toasted sesame oil (smoke point 350F)
unrefined peanut oil (smoke point 350 F)
semirefined safflower oil (smoke point 320 F)
unrefined soy oil (smoke point 320 F)
unrefined high-Oleic sunflower oil (smoke point 320 F)
unrefined walnut oil (smoke point 320 F)

Up to 425   F
–Cooking Methods
 Baking sauté, stir-fry, wok cooking
–Oils You Should Use
refined soy oil (smoke point 360 F)
coconut oil (smoke point 365 F)
refined high-oleic sunflower oil (smoke point 390-450 F)
refined walnut oil (smoke point 400 F)
refined grape seed oil (smoke point 425 F)
refined canola oil (smoke point 425 F)
refined canola oil (smoke point 400 F)
refined corn oil (smoke point 450 F)
unrefined olive oil (smoke point 320)
refined peanut oil (smoke point 450 F)
refined safflower oil (smoke point 450 F)
unrefined sesame oil (smoke point 350 F)
semirefined sesame oil (smoke point 450 F)
refined soy oil (smoke point is below 450 F)
semirefined sunflower oil (smoke point 450 F)

Up to 500   F
–Cooking Methods
Sear, brown, deep-fry, or all purpose cooking.
–Oils You Should Use
refined almond oil (smoke point 495 F)
refined safflower – supper high heat oil (smoke point 460 F)
refined sunflower oil (smoke point 460  F)
refined Palm fruit oil (smoke point 450 F)
refined high-oleic sunflower oil (smoke point 445 F)
refined sesame oil (smoke point 445 F)
refined avocado oil (smoke point 510 F), the highest temperature of all the plant oils.

Coconut Ghee & Green Pasture

I was very excited last week to see a giveaway at Real Food Whole Health.  You, anyone who would like, may have a chance to win a gallon size container of Coconut Ghee!  I thought to myself as I read their descriptions “what a fabulous product”.  I think I should enter.  My perfectionist / ever researcher brain said “You should try to find it on the web, it might be easy to get, find out more information”.

So I did --- I was Amazed at what I found!

This product is manufactured by a small family owned business / farmer right in my own state!!!  Just around 3 and a half hours away, near where my father was born!

I was totally inspired by what I read on their website.  Green Pasture, was formed by a husband and wife near O’Neill, Nebraska.  They “provide high-quality sacred-food oils just as they were made prior to the industrialized food and farming revolution”.  Just what we are looking for!

It really started to make my mind wonder… old habit I know.

It hit me that they are making things the old way in an area that my family comes from.  My father is from rural Nebraska only a short drive from this farm.  Certainly some of the same resources were available to his grandparents. 

This is food made the old way…  Food that my Dad’s grandmother, Grandma Rose, made (the woman the whole family talks of so lovingly).  No one can make the recipes like she did.  Sometimes I wonder about her recipes and why they don’t taste to the grandkids like they remember.  Is it that the ingredients really are not the same as what she used?  I’m sure processing has changed them in ways that affect the texture and taste.

I continued to think some more.  This farm is making things that my mother’s grandmother and mother would have used.  Things like cod liver oil, high vitamin butter oil and some newer things as well.

I am really excited to share my newest discovery and I enter to win my gallon.  Will you?

Social Eating - Gluten Free, Casien Free, Artificial Free

As usual we had a jam packed weekend. This weekend more so than our previous ones made me take a step back and think. Maybe because I am trying to pull together a plan of attack for our “Full Force Ahead” approach, I noticed some big changes that we are going to face. Also, I noticed some reason that might have contributed to why it was so hard for us the first time. Why we have only been able to dabble in this for the past year and a half.


My Lovely Daughter and Mother

Friday and most of Saturday we spent at the Metro Omaha Swim Team completion. Our oldest daughter was competing for her senior year. Her last year swimming has been a big deal for her and us. I planned a head a small bit and took some snacks, drink, and some fruit for our youngest son, who came with on Saturday. After each meet we have gone out to eat with the team (or a small group). Thought one… We won’t be able to do this – or won’t be able to order much.

Thought two… We go out to eat way too much; a few times a week. This weekend we ate out Friday night, Saturday lunch and night, Sunday morning at my parents, and Sunday night at a friend’s house. We will be stopping this, both hubby and I feel that to be a good thing. Not only will we be eating healthier, controlling what is in the food, but it will also save us some money. That saved money will intern give us more to spend on that better food – that is more expensive. Why?!? Why does the food that is better for you have to cost more! Separate blog…

Thought three… Food is a big deal! Food is a really BIG Deal!! Really, Really!!!

When we (our culture and family) gather together we always have food around. Having a food allergy makes this difficult for many people. We have always been sensitive to our friends that have allergies to nuts, milk, and soy. A true allergy / diagnosis is different from a sensitivity or desire to eat better. You actually have a doctor telling you to avoid this, a possibility of hospitalization if you come in contact with the offending food.
We don’t have this – for any number of reasons… This makes it harder to tell family and friends that we have to restrict what we are eating. It makes it harder for us to dictate to family and friends at all these gathering that we cannot share in their foods. This makes it harder for us to go out, or to a friend’s house, for dinner with people we want to spend time with.

Thought Four... We will have to have to either host the dinners, making them something that we can eat, or bring food. Bringing the whole main dish and a few sides, a mobile picnic of sorts, seems like so much work. I am terribly nervous about this one.

Thought Five… Date night… Should we the parents be restrictive on what we eat when we are out? Well of course we want to eat food that is better for us to, but a great dinner out is so nice and so relaxing… but, geez, where do the children get their sensitivities form? I wonder… So, how do we have a nice romantic dinner out with this new diet? I see some research ahead.

I start this week contemplating these things, finding new alternatives for our eating out fun, and thanking God for these realizations.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

"Restrictive Diet May Reduce ADHD Symptoms"

While researching and talking to doctor, therapists, and everyone I can think of about eliminating these foods from our diet many people talk about the lack of research.  I have heard about the lack of research, about the lack of good research, that it is not scientific, this is not a panacea, and countless other comments.  A few people have asked me to send them something if I find it useful or interesting.  While the doctors and therapists seem willing to tolerate your trial, they don't seem to support or encourage it either.

Well there is new hope at our house...

While at work I ran accross this article.
http://www.womenshealth.gov/news/english/649603.htm

The irony of it all - or divine intervention I prefer.  Saturday we watched the movie "Food Matter"; another of those food documentaries that talk all about how bad we are eating and what it is doing to us.  My husband acknowledge again, yes we do need to eat better, I'm trying he stated.  We talked about the plan of what we could do - you know that plan to plan stage.  Well, I came into work on Monday and there was this article so I shared it with my sweet husband.  He and I met and over lunch we agreed that this is something that we could do.  Finally!  We are here again, he is really, really willing to go with this full all the way.  He is going to be supportive!  I am totally psyched!!!!

He went on to tell me all about how he has been giving the children some fruit and other good things for breakfast and not doughnuts.  He has been getting them up and taking them to school for awhile since I head out to work before everyone is up.

We talked about making this a realistic goal, and maybe modeling our elimination on what was done in the study.  The new study showed that a large portion (78%) of the children that participated in the study had improvement in their behavior "reduced symptoms"- isn't that what we are looking for?  When these problematic foods were reintroduced to these children their symptoms came back - Wallah!  Really?  What a great study, lets bring on more!

Next things to do...
1. Decide what to do about the food we have now?  Processed - garbage?  Cream soups - save?  My list will go on and on.  I have decided this time not to let this get in the way of planning for the next step.  I can always just move the items to a separate shelf and know that we can deal with them later.
2. Create our meal plan - real simple, like really, really simple.  Meat or protein, vegetable, vegetable, rice, pears, water - for our first week.
3.  Find things for lunches.  What will our children eat for lunch, ideas about things that are easy and nutritious and appealing to children.
4.  Resign myself to move slowly - and not be mean to my sweet hubby :)

Go, Dog. Go!

I recently started an email with these words...


"Well Hello Again!  

I love that saying from my favorite book as a child "Go, Dog. Go!"  As a teenager I read that to my little sister and loved it still.  As an adult I read it to my children and appreciated it more.  It appears strange to others but to me - it is a great example of american literature at it's best for children; simple concepts, repetition, and an engaging story for adults."

This book spun an afternoon obsession

So I start to ponder this...

Why did I type those words?  Why did I start my email that way?  Why did I feel the need to then explain the thoughts that were running in my head?  Why did this little sentence send me back to my childhood and make me think about a children's book?  Who really knows?

Deeply I begin to wonder, what does it make me think about?  Is it the book or something more?

Well Hello Again - what do you think of?  Anything?  What does that make other people think about?  

We might say these words when we meet someone we have not seen in a long time, or meeting a person that we just saw moments ago.  It might be an idea of going back to an object - "Well hello again, you brownies you".  So by now I'm onto food...  This email was to a person that I had talked to earlier in the day and oddly enough I talked to her about food, and GFCF, and sensitivities / allergies that we have in our body.  See a trend here?

I really think that everything happens for a reason and the accidental email and meeting that I had with this woman today may lead to a real nice friendship and working relationship.  I digress... Like always :)

So - Well Hello Again - has brought me to think about our diet trend and trying even harder to work at eliminating more items from our diet.  I want to make a real effort to organize this weekend.  To sit down with Dad and work out a schedule that we both can share.  Plan the meals and do some prep work for those nights that will be ever so hard to get a dinner made and served in 45 minutes.  I want to work harder be think more 


Well Hello Again - Conscious eating!  Here we are ready to see you, hear you, and be with you!

Could she be?

Could my cousin be the most beautiful bride ever?  I'm thinking so - her personality and vibrancy just shine threw everything that she does!  I was so delighted to head to Detroit for her wedding on Dec 30th.  (Sad thoughts about not making it to the last cousins wedding :( Love you Becky!)  I wish that I had some of the totally awesome pics to post, but don't think I have that right to here is a link to the photographers blog - amazingly sweet woman I might add!
http://www.kristiannephotography.blogspot.com/

So, Sorry to all the other beautiful brides that have blessed  me by inviting me to help celebrate their joyous union.  Also, sorry that this started off with no food comments - but hey, it's the middle of January and I am still thinking about the wedding and the new relationship journey that my cousin has begun with an amazing person.  She is really so deserving of a wonderful husband and amazing marriage, she waited so long for everything to fall into place.  Love you Amy!  Thanks again for letting our little brood come and celebrate with you!

Onto the food...
We ate everything, had awful behavior, and probably irritated half the people we were around.

We had all been sick around Christmas, and if it wasn't for a great family we would have missed Christmas dinner as well.  My parents said, take a little extra ibuprofen and come over.  So we had a great holiday and then spent Sunday packing, and cleaning, and packing, and cleaning.  We left Omaha around 6AM!  We made it through winter roads to Detroit around 5:30ish local time.  I think we did pretty good.  Thankfully my cousin (brides sister) was delighted to have us that night.

All the travel and quickness of the trip mixed with our pennies meant that we ate fast food several times.  It was not the highlight of my mommy-ness but what can I say.  We really didn't watch what we ate, we had a great time, and were totally out of control most of the time.

Thinking about it -- we really should get back to reality, we have been home for two weeks now.

Sixteen Days - Away from home

Why did this never make it out In August???  Who knows but I thought better late than never eh?  I'm not even going to read it through for errors - just put it out there... have fun reading!

We recently returned from our annual two week end of summer vacation.  I thought I would catch-up by writing about our vacation.  We went to the Northwestern United States, I literally mean about all of them.  We left Nebraska for South Dakota - all the way through South Dakota to Montana, and Glacier National Park - then to Idaho for a family reunion - out to Washington and the Oregon Coast (Amazing!) - then we headed back through Oregon and Utah (Salt Lake City) and Wyoming - then all the way through Nebraska to Omaha.  Over 4,000 miles!!!

The map of our approximate trip route

This is the third year that we have taken a family trip with all of our children and my parents.  After going this distance I could write about many things, planning, food prep, travel with children or parents, etc...  But this is about our journey of eating better.

The husband and darling children looking out
into a valley in Glacier National Park

One of the first things my husband said was "No foofoo food on this trip!"  and he meant it.  He made sure that we had no special gluten / casein free food with us.  Except for the box of Will's favorite cereal Gorilla Munch that we managed to sneak in.

To prepare for the trip we made a menu of the things that we thought were pretty easy meals; breakfast, lunch, dinner, and some snack items.  We did this for the first few days thinking that we could get to a grocery store while we were on the road.  We planned each meal individually, thought of all the things we would need for each (including spices, food prep and cooking items, or anything special), and decided if anything could be prepared ahead of time.  For example - we patted out and seasoned hamburger patties, browned some hamburger for some other dishes, etc.

We really are loving Costco, with many organic and natural items it is quickly becoming our favorite place to buy food.  So we started our shopping at Costco, and after two other trips to two different grocery stores our little camper fridge and freezer were both full.

I was grateful that we bought food that didn't contain preservatives, and added colorings.  We have gotten pretty good at knowing which foods are ladened with additives and which ones are better.  Sometimes you just look quickly at the label and you see a large list of words, mostly that you can not pronounce, you know it is not something you want to eat.  If the ingredient list is short, or things that we recognize, it is something that we consider.  While planning to be away for this long we had to have some processed foods; cereal, breads, chips for quick lunches, real maple syrup, and simple items.  Of course we also stocked up on things like apples, carrots, celery, and plenty of salad fixings.

In an effort to be as convenient as possible we bought several jars of real fruit in fruit juice by Dole (I think).  These are supper handy and easy.  The only problem is the limited choice.  Why can't the food companies make things that are good for us?

The week of preparation and the hours of thought that went into preparing for this trip made it better than our first.  The food meal plan worked really well. We had everything we needed and the meals were all delicious.  In fact we didn't eat out for almost a week into our trip, pretty amazing!  Our only issue was that I forgot to bring the baggies of the gluten free pancake mix.  We had to eat regular pancakes... Oh well.