So, you have made a crap ton of kombucha and now you have found yourself with a crap ton of SCOBYs.
Don’t you worry homie, I’ve got a fun super easy solution to this “problem.” If we can even call it a problem because I mean, come on, SCOBYs are your friend. We want them around but not a crap ton, right?!
Am I right!
Today we are making some fruit roll ups, Kombucha style. This is a perfect way to put all those SCOBYs to work, all the while putting a smile on your kid’s face.
Take your SCOBY out, using gloves or extremely clean hands. We don’t want to taint all of those beautiful SCOBYs left behind. Cut it up into chunks and throw in a blender.
Add your tea to the blender. And blend like a mofo.
Once you got that all nice a smooth. In a sauce pan add your fruit and sugar. Heat just enough to release those natural sugars and until a little liquid appears.
Next, throw your fruit in the blender with your SCOBY puree and puree your little heart out again.
Take your parchment paper and spread a nice layer of your SCOBY/fruit puree. If you spread to thin, your roll up will be brittle. If you spread to thick, your roll up will not roll like it should! Like I said, a nice layer! An 1/8 of an inch, if you will.
Place your parchment paper on your dehydrator racks and let dehydrate for about 12-18 hours. Or until your roll ups are nice and tacky but not gooey.
I know, I am extremely precise.
If y’all are using an oven, same concept. Turn your oven on the lowest setting and allow to bake until you achieve that tacky not gooey texture.
Now, how easy was that?!
Oh, and if you have some left over but not enough to make another layer, make some popsicles with it. Another delicious treat for the kiddos. I got these popsicle molds from amazon and love them. They are small, the perfect size for an after dinner treat for the kids.
Don’t let those SCOBYs go to waste y’all.
And……they LOVED them!!
Happy fruit roll up making!
If you have no idea what Kombucha is and want to check it out, head on over here. And if you want to get started with a SCOBY to start making your own Kombucha tea, we’ve got you covered there too.
Got questions? We want to hear them! Leave a comment below.
Purple pole beans are so much fun to grow. They are these perfect little beans that are the most gorgeous shade of purple. Give them an upright fence to grow on and boom son, no huge planter space taken up. This year, we planted them along this old ladder we had just sitting on the side of the house. We plopped the ladder in the middle of the garden and planted seeds that we harvested last year and we couldn’t believe how happy these little plants were.
This whole gardening thing is pretty incredible. Especially when you have the pleasure of utilizing your very own harvest to replenish the garden over and over again.
My husband and I have a deal. He grows our food and I make sure it gets to our table in some form or another.
He grew us some beautiful purple pole beans. And so….
I canned those beautiful purple pole beans.
Here is how I did it.
Well first off, lets talk about a few important things. When canning foods that have little to no acidity, you need to use a pressure canner to can. This ensures that all bacteria that can cause severe illnesses are killed in the process and what you have left over is safe pure food.
Beans fall into the little to no acidity category. So, for this adventure we are using our All American Pressure Canner. Wanna take a side note with me?
Ahhh I knew you’d say yes….
Which canner to use.
I did a ton of research on pressure canners before I made this investment. I landed on the All American Canner because of a few reasons.
These canners do not require gaskets. So there is nothing you have to continuously purchase. Only requirement is that you lube the edge of the lid with coconut or olive oil before each canning session.
These canners are built in the USA and are made to LAST, your great grand-kids could benefit from this investment.
They offer multiple sizes for your canning needs. Making it incredibly efficient if canning is your main source of storing food or if you just want to occasionally can at times. I invested in the middle of the road canner, model number 921. On the website I states that it holds 19 pint size jars and 7 quart size jars. What I have found is that I am only able to can 12 pint size jars. Or 6 quarts. It does state under the specs that quantity of jars may vary depending on jar brand.
I gotta to say that this last batch of canning I did, I wanted to make it count so, I canned 12 quart size pinto beans and 6 pint size black beans and I was really wishing I have invested in the bigger size available.
BUT…. I made it work and I’m still in love with my canner. Every time I bring it out, I have this feeling of confidence. This feeling of self-sufficiency. This feeling of, F-yea!
Lastly, I also love the weight on this pressure canner as well. It is incredibly easy to use and it gives you full control over your pounds per pressure.
So if you have been going back and forth on what canner to how with, I highly suggest you research the All American Canner and take the plunge.
Small disclosure, I am not affiliated with Pleasant Hill Grain, the company who makes this canner. I just have experienced their superior product and don’t mind dancing on roof tops and yelling, “I LOVE THIS CANNER…….” Because I LOVE THIS CANNER! I am, however, affiliated with amazon and that is the link I provided you. So, if you decide to take the plunge, would you be so kind as to purchase through the link I provided. There is no additional cost to you and it helps us out tremendously.
Ok….
Back to canning beans? You got it!
Oh, if you are new to the whole canning food thing, head on over here to read about all the equipment you need to get started.
And, if you want to check out the quick reference list before you get started, head on over here.
Canning Pole Beans
What y’all want to do is:
First off, get all your equipment and utensils ready. Use your quick reference list I gave you. And then get a cutie to help you pick those beautiful beans from the garden.
Fill your pressure canner up with about 2-3 inches of hot water. Using hot water helps heat the water when on the stove.
While your canner is heating up, fill a big pot with filtered water, enough to fill all jars. ***Heat more water than you think, the last thing you want is to not have enough water in the middle of your session.
While both pots are reaching their boil. Rinse your pole beans. Break the ends off if necessary. Then break into half inch pieces. Place in a bowl.
If you used your quick reference list, you should already have a bowl set aside with your lids in it. If this is true, you just earned yourself a star, yo! If it’s not and you just had to scrabble around to get yourself a bowl, I say, USE YOUR LIST! It’s time to fill your bowl with some hot water from your pot. This step is important, it heats up the seal on the lid allowing it to properly seal onto the jars during the canning process.
Fill up desired size jars with your beans.
Add 1/4 teaspoon of salt, this step is completely optional. It only adds to the taste.
Using your funnel, fill jars up with boiling water. Leave about a 1/4 inch of head space at the top of your jar. Use your “knife” utensil and remove any air bubbles that may be present.
Use your paper towel dip it in some clean water, or vinegar and wipe the rim of each jar. This is also important because it removes any debris that may have gotten onto the lid. If debris is left on the rim and you put your lid on, there is a great chance that your lid won’t seal properly.
Using your magnetic lid lifter, place lids onto your jars. Place the rings on top of the lid and only tighten finger tight. Don’t over tighten. Air still needs to be able to escape.
Use your tongs and place jars into canner. *** I am not gonna lie homie, sometimes you’ll come across a jar that will break the moment you place inside your canner. Or even during the canning process. Sometimes you just have a faulty jar. So just be prepared.
Place your canner lid on and tighten knobs. Tighten knobs opposite of each other. This ensures that the lid is evenly tightened.
DON’T PUT YOUR WEIGHT ON YET. Allow the canner to reach the proper temperature. You will know it’s time to put the weight on when you hear steam releasing from the steam valve for a stead FULL 10 minutes.
Once you allowed steam to release for 10 minutes, place your weight with the correct pounds, usually 10 pounds. Unless your altitude is insane. Now allow the canner to build pressure to the amount of pounds you have on your weight. Once you hit your pounds, turn heat down just a tad. I mean, just a tad. And start your timer. 40 minutes for quart size jars. 20 minutes for pint size jars.
Once done, just turn off your canner and set an hour timer. This allows all the pressure to naturally release from the canner. Once the hour is up I usually take my weight off and the last bit of pressure will release. I then wait for about 10 more minutes before I attempt to open the lid. ***Always unscrew the knobs opposite of each other. And open the lid away from your face.
Using your tongs, take jars out of canner and place on your towel that you already had prepared because you used your quick reference list!
Leave jars alone for a full 24 hours.
I only hope you get to hear the sweet sound of the PING. That sound tells you, spending all day in the kitchen like a 50’s house wife, was all worth it!
After 24 hours, remove rings from jars. I like to hold my jar by the lid, gently, just to make sure all my lids are actually sealed. ***You may notice some water spots, no biggy, just spray some vinegar on a paper towel and wipe clean. Don’t forget to label and date!
That is it my friends. It may seem like a lot but in reality it takes about 15 minutes to prep. The time consuming part is waiting for your canner to reach pressure and then decrease in pressure. The best part is that you get to fill your pantry with your own green beans that taste like heaven.
How to use your canned green beans
I love to heat up some oil in a cast iron pan. (We use bacon grease from high quality bacon to cook with.)
Slice up some sweet onion and throw them in the pan. I like to caramelize the onions before throwing the green beans in. The green beans only need to be heated, not cooked so they take about 5 minutes in the pan. I usually make this side dish at the very end.
Add some salt and pepper.
And the best part, take a few pieces of cooked bacon and cut it up into pieces and sprinkle on top of your green beans.
Y’all, its heaven!
Happy canning! AND eating!
Questions? I wanna to hear ’em! Leave a comment or question down below! Oh and hey, wanna free eBook with some awesome recipes utilizing herbs? Subscribe to our email list yo!
When the slightest bit of cool weather starts to roll in, we get way more excited than we probably should. We live where it is F-ing hot ALL. THE. TIME. Last thanksgiving; you know thanksgiving, a cold holiday that should be filled with sweaters and fireplaces lit, well, we had the air conditioning going. So, needless to say, we get super pumped the moment the temperatures drop to the 70’s.
Anyway, we have been fortunate enough to get a break from the heat. That means, our bellies want comfort food like beef stew and chili.
And tonight we made beef stew. My old recipe called for a cook time of, pretty much, all day. This recipe calls for the same delicious ingredients but a cook time of 45 minutes. How you ask?
Start the saute button on your pressure cooker. When ready add in your olive oil and brown your onions. Then throw all other veggies in except for the potatoes and cook enough to get the flavors blended together. About 5-7 minutes.
Next, add in your stock, potatoes, bay leaves and rosemary sprigs.
In a small bowl mix your tomato paste with a small amount of water. Just enough to mix it well. Then add it into your mixture.
Now, heat a large skillet on high heat. Add some olive oil, bacon grease or butter, whatever tickles your fancy, and brown your meat. This seals in all the flavor and juices so be sure to not skip this part.
Once brown go ahead and throw them delicious pieces of meat into your even more delicious pot of soon to be stew.
Last thing, add your flour or corn starch. In a small bowl mix your flour or corn starch with just enough water to mix it. And pour it into your pot.
Slap a lid on this puppy and cook it on high pressure, meat/stew setting for about 35 minutes. Allow the pressure cooker to depressurize naturally. This will add another 15 minutes to the cook time.
Boom son, get ready to enjoy a super delicious bowl of beef stew that will literally melt in your mouth.
Recipe Notes
Cooking this easy meal on Sunday will allow you to have left overs throughout the week. Making your life so much easier. And if you find yourself not finishing the whole batch even with having left overs, measure out portions and use your Food Saver to package it up and freeze it. On those nights where you can't get your life together, pull a bag or two out of the freezer and heat those bad boys up! Again, making your life so much easier.
Let me know how this recipe turns out for you. I would love to hear feedback or questions you may have.
Happy stew making!
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We are constantly on this journey of natural healing. Our minds are always open to what could be beneficial to our health. And it just feels really good to try different things. It is not always easy, I am one that struggles with jumping on the band wagon of something new but I eventually get there and always happy I did. My husband, on the other hand, can make a decision to do something and it’s done, I mean like, DONE. He sticks to it and doesn’t ever lose track of it.
What band wagon are we on now?
The celery juice band wagon yo.
Did you know that celery juice had so many powerful healing properties? Yea, celery juice. You know, that delicious crunchy green veggie that you use to dip in french onion dip. Yup, that one.
It has the power to straight up heal serious ironic illnesses.
Let’s break this down shall we.
Benefits to celery juice.
Celery juice is most beneficial when consumed first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. This allows the beneficial properties, which include mineral salts, to help strengthen your digestive system, allowing it to function at optimal levels.
While adding other fun, delicious fruits and veggies seems like a great idea. I know, I went there too. Consuming celery juice ALONE is really the only way to obtain all the fantastic medicinal properties to it. You see, when you add to the juice, it dilutes it, leaving it less potent to heal the body the way it should.
And ice is no different. I know, I went there as well. First thing in the morning the last thing you want to do is drink a 16 oz glass of warm salty celery juice but you get used to it. Ice dilutes the healing properties, don’t do it yo.
Speaking of salt. The mineral salts that are present in celery juice are really where the healing properties come from. You see Mother Nature is truly amazing. I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again. She give us everything we need to heal ourselves. We just need to listen.
The mineral salts present in celery juice actually go into your body and starves pathogens that manifest into illnesses. What the salt does is, it goes through your digestive tract and blood stream and starts breaking down the pathogens’ cell membranes. These pathogens include nasty little F-ers like Epstein-Barr and HHV-6. As the salt moves through your body it flushes out toxins like you wouldn’t believe, from every nook and cranny of your body.
Lets talk neurotoxins.
Neurotoxins are toxins that are extremely dangerous to the body, especially to nerve tissues. They tend to feed off of toxic heavy metals that are left in the body. Neurotoxins are responsible for creating neurological symptoms such as, tremors, spasms, insomnia, vertigo, twitching and cold feet and hands.
The mineral salt within celery juice flushes out these nasty toxins. It allows your kidneys and adrenals to function at optimal levels and it also increases the hydrochloric acid in the gut so that your digestive system functions properly.
Celery juice is also supportive to the central nervous system. You see, the mineral salts allow neurotransmitters to function the way they were intended to. When your brain goes into shut down mode, when suffering from, depression, anxiety, brain fog, obsessive compulsive disorder, ADD/ADHD, bipolar disorder, or difficulty focusing or concentrating, the mineral salts help keep the heart pumping, which then creates a stronger signal to the neurotransmitters to send information from one point to the other.
Celery juice contains high amounts of electrolytes making it extremely beneficial for those who suffer from migraines, panic attacks and anxiety.
Celery juice also supports the thyroid. It has the ability to flush the thyroid of toxins.
This is such a short list of benefits. The list can literally go on, balancing the body’s PH, balancing out hormones, bringing stability to body and mind. I mean, come on!!
So you are on the band wagon but now what do you do?
Here is what you do.
Ingredients:
1 whole bunch of organic celery
What do you do:
Cut the end off and cut the tips off, sometimes they can get a little brown.
Then…..
Juice the muther f-er. That’s it yo!
Drink 16 oz of celery juice, alone, on an empty stomach. Remember not to add ice either. Simply wait about 15 minutes before eating anything. Celery juice is not caloric, so it should not replace any meals. It is just simply to start your day and get your digestive tract running smoothly.
***Alright, I have to say it, well, because it happened and still happens to us and it took us forever to figure out why or if the two were connected. Celery juice flushes out toxins right, we learned that above. Well, toxins have to go somewhere right?! So, just be prepared after drinking a full glass of celery juice that the bathroom will be in your near future.
Don’t let this freak you out. Going to the bathroom is a really good thing. It means you are getting out all that nasty stuff that has been bringing you down, man. But I get it, it can get rough. I tend to take mini breaks. I’ll go for about 4 or 5 days straight of drinking celery juice and then take a 2-3 day break from it. My husband, on the other hand, recently just upped his ante. He is now juicing two stalks of celery EVERYDAY. To each their own. Just listen to your body and do what feels right. Just remember that new routines and flushing out your body of nasty stuff is not going to be comfortable. Prepare yourself and hang in there.
***An awesome little tip for ya, when you cut off the end of your stalk, place it in a cup of water and in a few days you’ll see a new little celery pop through. It’s fun to watch plus you can plant them in your garden and BAM, you’ve got yourself some celery homie.
Happy celery juice drinking!
Join us on Wednesday for some more questions answered about celery juice. Because we all have questions, right.
What is your question? Leave your questions or comments down below, that way I’ll be sure to answer them.
We love ice cream, I mean, it can get to an unhealthy point. I am not going to lie. So we cut ourselves off of ice cream a little short of two years now. Don’t get me wrong we have indulged a few times here and there but if we don’t check ourselves, shit can get real, real fast!
But who doesn’t want ice cream, right? It is just so nice and creamy and cold.
Damn it, I want some right now!
Anyway, back to my point. One night the thought of ice cream popped into our heads. And then another thought popped into my head…
Frozen bananas
I thought, why not try and use frozen bananas to make some ice cream. So in went some frozen bananas, some fruit and some milk. I blended that goodness up and served up some “ice cream.” I didn’t think to much about it, I figured it would help curb the craving that night and we would forget about it.
Well hot diggity damn, this blended up goodness came out way beyond expectations. My husband kept asking me, “you made this?”
The kids were fooled and all our bellies were smiling!
The next night after dinner everyone was like, can we have ice cream again.
And a delicious recipe was created. The best part about this recipe is that it can be totally changed depending on your mood. Throw in some chocolate chips, vanilla bean, cacao powder, granola…the sky is the limit my friend.
Toss in your frozen bananas. It is best to break them in half or quarters.
Toss in your frozen fruit.
Blend your little heart out.
The key here is to not blend to the point of liquidation. You want everything blended but just enough to maintain a thick texture.
I like to add some fresh fruit or even frozen blueberries on top when serving.
Boom son, you just made yourself some damn delicious ice cream that you can feel good about. It is super easy and your kids can enjoy with out the sugar high after.
Recipe Notes
Heavy cream is ideal for making super creamy ice cream. But you can choose any milk that you desire. The base of this ice cream is really the banana. The milk just helps allow all your frozen fruit to blend easily.
Tell me what y’all think. Does it hit the spot? Did you add anything else like vanilla bean or some chocolate chips? Leave a comment below.
