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About this blog

Since I can't make posts from my external blog show up, I'll repost some of them here!

Entries in this blog

No Longer Updating This Version Of The Blog

Hi, I started copying all our blog posts here so that when one was particularly relevant to a thread, I'd be able to link to it rather than basically rewrite the whole thing out in the thread. This was a hassle, since I had to make sure to strip out product links and links back to my blog for each post, plus change it all to bbcode from HTML, but it seemed worth it for the convenience of being able to link.   However, the board rules interpretation has changed and we can no longer link to our

domesticactivist

domesticactivist

The 40 Hour Work Week Challenge - Monday

My partner, Kelsy, wrote this, not me!   As Joy and I settled into bed last night at midnight(!), I suddenly jolted awake. We forgot to do the chores! Our poor bunnies were hungry and thirsty and, after losing a chicken to a raccoon last week, we were definitely not leaving the coop open all night. Up we got, me in my bathrobe and Joy in some clothes she picked up off the floor, and trudged our weary bums outside to take care of our animals. Thank goodness the weather has turned mild.   Afte

domesticactivist

domesticactivist

The 40 Hour Work Week - Sunday

Whew! It's only Day 1 and I'm exhausted. First thing this morning, I ran out to Open Original Shared Link to pick up the soy free/corn free chicken food I ordered. Arriving home around noon and seeing Joy and the kids hard at work cleaning up the kids' rooms, I knew it was up to me to make lunch! I had thrown a chicken in the crockpot (recipe forthcoming) last night after dinner to have some cooked chicken on hand and pulled some chicken stock out of the freezer, so I threw together some soup fo

domesticactivist

domesticactivist

The 40 Hour Work Week Challenge

I spend a lot of time in the kitchen. A lot of time. I think fully half of my personal Facebook posts are food related. One of my friends recently commented, "Do you ever get out of the kitchen?" To which I replied, "Sometimes I go to the bathroom!" I was joking. Kind of.   Being a homemaker is my full time job. An apron is my uniform. My job responsibilities include cooking food from scratch, keeping up the house, doing laundry, and taking care of my kids and my animals. In addition to my ful

domesticactivist

domesticactivist

Zesty Spring Egg Salad

With all those chickens, we have lots and lots of eggs this time of year. One of my favorite ways to enjoy them is in a quick egg salad. This version celebrates Spring with an added kick from garden-fresh radishes.   The deal with fresh eggs, is that if you want them boiled, you have to think ahead. If you boil a very fresh egg, you won't be able to peel it without losing half the white along with the shell. Our trick is to let them sit on the counter a few days before boiling them. In order t

domesticactivist

domesticactivist

Going 100% Gluten-Free

Going gluten-free is harder than it looks. The pesky stuff is everywhere! Many people who are intolerant or have a wheat allergy can get away with not really worrying about trace amounts of contamination. But if you are going gluten-free because of an autoimmune problem like Open Original Shared Link, it's imperative that you get away from even the slightest cross-contamination. Some households do have mixed kitchens, but they maintain strict protocols to keep gluten-free space safe. This post i

domesticactivist

domesticactivist

Starting Gaps

The GAPS diet is a major change for most people. We get asked how to get started all the time, so we've finally worked out the basics of what you need to do to be ready for success. We were already gluten-free, into cooking from scratch, and all about whole, organic, locally sourced foods when we started. Even so, it was a huge challenge for us!   You can do it on your own, but if you'd like help, we're here! LINKS TO OUR SERVICES STRIPPED OUT.   Figure Out Your Real Food Sources You'll nee

domesticactivist

domesticactivist

Coconut Macaroons

When you want a little sweet, a little chewy, these macaroons are just the ticket. We got this recipe from our friends at Open Original Shared Link. We like things a little less sweet than others, so we cut the honey down to 1/4 c.   Coconut Macaroons 6 egg whites 1/4 c honey 1.5 T vanilla extract OR 1 T vanilla extract plus 1 t almond extract 3 c shredded desiccated coconut   Pre-heat oven to 275 degrees. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Add the honey and extract(s

domesticactivist

domesticactivist

Almond Meal Pie Crust

Here is an easy crumb crust, both for baked and unbaked pies. If using it for a sweet dessert, I add a half tablespoon of honey. If for savory, like a quiche, I leave the honey out. Enjoy!   Almond Crust makes a single 9" pie crust 3 c crispy almonds 1/4 t fine sea salt 1/2 T honey (optional) 4 T unsalted butter, cut into 8 or 10 chunks 1 large egg, lightly beaten   Grind almonds in food processor until about the consistency of corn meal. Add salt, honey (if using), and butter. Pu

domesticactivist

domesticactivist

Nettle Quiche With Almond Crust

Being on a restricted diet presents an interesting challenge when invited to a pot luck. Do we bring all of our own food and don't share? Seems rude. Do we eat the stuff that looks safe? Seems risky. Do we bring a dish that combines both protein and vegetable and then eat only that? Bingo.   What better way to combine protein and vegetable for a spring potluck than a quiche! Flush with eggs and nettles, I decided to make a caramelized onion and nettle quiche. Delish! I used the 9-1/2" pie plat

domesticactivist

domesticactivist

Transforming Leftovers - Rabbit Pesto Saut

This post is a part of Open Original Shared Link. The other night we had a truly delightful sit-down dinner of roasted rabbit with nettle-walnut pesto, spring fennel & strawberry salad, and broccolini. So the next day when I got home after dark, exhausted from hours of driving people here and there, who could blame me for wanting to use up what was left of it?   Lucky for me, when Kelsy made the pesto, she froze a few jars for later and, contrary to popular opinion, one rabbit really does

domesticactivist

domesticactivist

Spring Fennel & Strawberry Salad

Nothing could have made me happier than finding the first fresh strawberries of the season at a local farmers' market, and that's just what happened last Saturday at Market Q! We had a couple of them right away but didn't want to eat too many at once. We're still adjusting to being on the full GAPS diet, and we take new foods slowly and carefully. Strawberries seemed a little risky, because they have a high histamine content and the pollen has been out. We didn't really want to be terribly conge

domesticactivist

domesticactivist

Q&a: All About Dairy

Sometimes people send me questions, and I'd like to share the answers. I'm going to start posting these Q&A's as blogs, with personal details obscured. If you send me a question and *don't* want me to share it, or want specific things changed, please let me know. Here's the first: I can not link to books on this site. If you want the links with pictures, view the original post.   I wanted to say I liked your posts about the GAPS diet but I know nothing about it. I'm interested in learning

domesticactivist

domesticactivist

Nettle-Walnut Pesto

Early spring in Portland, Oregon means fresh basil is still months away - but pesto doesn't have to be! Yesterday we Open Original Shared Link. We dried some for tea, scrambled some up with eggs, and used the rest for this Nettle-Walnut Pesto. The flavor is fresher and milder than basil pesto, and you don't have to worry about Open Original Shared Link. Here's the recipe:   Nettle Walnut Pesto makes 1 1/2 cups   1 clove garlic, roughly chopped 1/3 c crispy walnuts 1/2 c parmigiano reggiano

domesticactivist

domesticactivist

Sustainable Lawn Maintenance

Back in "Open Original Shared Link" we discussed the reasons lawn has had such a negative impact on the environment. In "Open Original Shared Link" and "Open Original Shared Link" we decided on a MicroClover blend and installed the lawn. But now it needs taking care of!   Right now the lawn is still coming up. Here are the tricks we'll use to maintain a more sustainable lawn, once it has grown in:     Water deeply, only as needed. Lawns should only be watered until the water stops infiltrat

domesticactivist

domesticactivist

Harvesting Stinging Nettles

Yesterday we were pleasantly surprised to find that the property hosting our friend's birthday camp-out was full of nettles! Yes, the stinging kind. The owners were happy to let us collect them to our heart's content, though they were a bit curious about our plans for them. Nettles have a Open Original Shared Link, but we like them best as a delicious treat! Ours are destined for tea and Open Original Shared Link.   If you're going to be spending any time out in the woods, along a stream bank,

domesticactivist

domesticactivist

Installing The Lawn

Back in "Open Original Shared Link" and "Open Original Shared Link" we decided to make a lawn in an area that I'd sheet mulched, grown potatoes in, and then let go to weed.   When working on the design for our whole lot, we realized that the arbor next to the carport in this area hadn't been successful because the area was so high traffic, so I took it out and saved the lumber for another project.   Rather than spraying out the weeds, I hand dug them. Since the soil had great tilth, the we

domesticactivist

domesticactivist

Choosing Lawn

In "Open Original Shared Link", we decided that we needed a place to share meals, relax, and enjoy the sun, and where it should be. Now we had to decide what to use for a ground cover!   I set out to researching our options for creating an area with the functionality of a lawn. We were especially interested in Open Original Shared Link, and some flowering lawns can be truly beautiful, giving a meadow feel and blooming in a succession of colors. But the thing about flowers is that they attract

domesticactivist

domesticactivist

Lawn, Really?

I used to be an anti-lawn crusader. Everywhere I went, the lawn went, too. So when we moved in to our current place, the first thing I did was dig out lawn, sheet mulch large areas, and put in veggies and fruit trees wherever I could. While we didn't end up meeting all our needs with this approach, the soil is much improved and our fruit trees and shrubs are now starting to produce!   There are all sorts of reasons not to have a lawn. If we're talking about a standard suburban lawn maintained

domesticactivist

domesticactivist

Variety On A Restricted Diet & The Meal Where My Mouth Is Challenge

This post is part of Kelly the Kitchen Kop's Open Original Shared Link!   No matter what your special diet, it's likely you'll get tired of it. When that happens, it's not pretty. Here are some of the keys to living with limited food choices - we'd love to see you share your tips as well!   Learn to Love Leftovers... Later Leftovers are the convenience foods of a special diet. When you have to make everything yourself, in your own safe kitchen, it's a lot of work. It can be tempting to make

domesticactivist

domesticactivist

Off To Camp!

Twice a year I take our Camp Fire club to Open Original Shared Link. Camp Fire Columbia has a Open Original Shared Link! We stay in a cabin for two nights, play games, sing songs, have camp fires... and we eat in the dining hall with all the other clubs.   The kitchen is run by volunteers, the costs are kept low, and the food is aimed at keeping the masses happy. Pretty much everything comes from a can or a box, and every meal is loaded with gluten. This never really worked for our family, but

domesticactivist

domesticactivist

Hidden Onion And Turnip Borscht

One of the best things about the GAPS diet is what it has done for our picky kids. We once had one sugar-crazed kid who wouldn't eat meat and one meat-crazed kid who wouldn't eat vegetables. While things are still far from perfect, at least our vegetarian is eating meat and our carnivore is eating more vegetables. They will now eat nearly any vegetable.   Except for turnips and onions. Which I totally understand! Onions are slimy and turnips are squishy. What's the best way to get around these

domesticactivist

domesticactivist

Pork & Fennel Sausage Patties, Take 2! (The Liver Edition)

We had an entire pig liver from the last time I bought half a pig. Pig liver isn't known as the choicest of livers, but I'm determined to use it as more than just dog and cat food.   And what have people been using for centuries to hide the stuff they don't want to eat? Sausage! So I took my Open Original Shared Link recipe and added chopped liver. I knew it was there, but the kids didn't. Success!   Pork & Fennel Sausage Patties (with Liver!) serves 6 (4 if two are voracious children)

domesticactivist

domesticactivist

Wait, Real Food From Real People Is *less* Expensive?

Most of have an image of the local farmers' market as the place where rich people go to buy their expensive heirloom tomatoes, eggs, and artisan cheeses. Turns out, though, markets are not just a place for rich folks to shop.   In a Open Original Shared Link, researchers found that, with the exception of eggs and potatoes, farmers' market produce was actually cheaper than its grocery store equivalent.   Plus, you don't have to deal with fluorescent lighting, terrible chemical smells, and r

domesticactivist

domesticactivist

Pork & Fennel Sausage Patties

This post is part of Kelly the Kitchen Kop's Open Original Shared Link!   I really wanted to make these sausages for breakfast, but it just never worked out. So I made them for dinner!   If you are sensitive to eggs or don't have any, you can leave them out. I just put them in to stretch the pork. I might even add 4 eggs next time. The herbs are also flexible - add more if your family likes a more herby sausage and less if they like plain better.   My pork came from Open Original Shared

domesticactivist

domesticactivist

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