"Baking Bread" on Momversation.com

Recently I was invited to help tell "my story" on an episode of HerStory, located on the website www.momversation.com. I chose to talk about the challenge of finding and feeding my family foods without all the chemicals and additives they now add to make food last longer... and most particularly in bread! We've been making all of our own bread for about 7 months now. I was initially amazed at how easy it was, and am continually amazed at how easy the habit has been to keep up. I'm thrilled that momversation.com chose to include this as part of their new segment. I hope that it simply encourages other moms to be aware of what is in the food that we purchase at the store. And it would also be exciting to see if it encourages some moms to try baking their own bread! If you are one of those moms, and you decide to give it a go... make sure you leave a comment to tell me how it works out for you. I'm sure you won't be disappointed! Make sure to see the Simple Bread Recipe posted in May.

The Issue of Food Additives

One of the reasons that I started to bake all of my own bread at home was the fact that I was bothered by what I was reading on the bags' labels. I'm sure each of you have read a label at some point while shopping and thought... "what IS this stuff and why can't I even pronounce it?" Ever since my bread making venture first started, I've become more curious about reading all labels while shopping. I also started to do a little research on what the FDA has allowed manufacturers to do (and to add) to our food. Here is an article by Sustainable Table that I'm sure will surprise some of you!

The Issues: Additives

Americans spend about ninety percent of their food budget on processed foods, which, unlike whole foods, have been treated in some way after being harvested or butchered.¹Almost all of these processed foods contain additives, substances intended to change the food in some way before it is sold to consumers. Additives include flavorings that change a food's taste, preservatives that extend its shelf life, colorings that change the way it looks, and dietary additives, such as vitamins, minerals, fatty acids and other supplements. Packaging is considered an indirect food additive and, in fact, many kinds of packaging actually add substances to the food they enclose.

By eating fresh, unprocessed foods grown by local farmers, you avoid preservatives and additives because these foods are not transported thousands of miles. Photo by Jason Houston.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) currently has approved more than 3,000 food additives for use in the United States.² However, while approved for human consumption, food additives may still threaten our health. This is one of many reasons why it is better to purchase whole foods, or those that have been minimally processed and treated.

Regulation and Categories of Food Additives
The FDA regulates all food additives, breaking them into three categories. "Indirect Food Additives" include packaging materials such as paper, plastic, cardboard and glue that come into contact with food.³ "Direct Food Additives" include preservatives, nutritional supplements, flavors and texturizers that are added to food. "Color Additives" are used to alter color.

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Another reason to feel Sassy about that apron!

Aprons: Go ahead and tie one on

The garment no longer symbolizes women's relegation to the kitchen but their delight in being there.

May 06, 2010|By Rene Lynch, Los Angeles Times

• 
  Kirk McKoy, Los Angeles Times

Is there another kitchen object that carries as much baggage as the apron?

A whisk and a wooden spoon are, after all, tools to get the job done. But an apron?

For years, aprons were commonplace and worn with pride. But somewhere along the line the apron became shorthand imagery for all that was holding women back, an emblem of humble domesticity and repression. When an apron was required for practical reasons, it certainly wasn't flaunted. (If your mom was like mine, she'd yank that apron off before answering the front door.) And still today, when a man is too close to his mother, we say he's tied to her apron strings.

But a growing community of self-proclaimed apronistasis seizing the apron back from such dusty, anachronistic thinking. No longer a symbol of kitchen drudgery, the apron has returned with a vengeance, ushered by a renewed appreciation of all things domestic.

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Coconut Oil... "Sticks and Stones"

"Unhealthy!" "Hydrogenated!" "You're a bad, bad, naughty fat... shame on you!"

It's funny... since sharing my bread recipe, I've had three people question or comment to me on the health pros and cons of Coconut Oil. I had the same ponderings awhile ago, but after purchasing a baked good that was made with it (and liking it) I did some research on the stuff. Turns out, it got a pretty bad rap in the 60's when concern rose over hydrogenated fats. What you want to find is a brand of oil that is NOT hydrogenated, but pure virgin coconut oil. Instead of quoting the page word for word, I will suggest you read this link posted by Nutiva. I've had no problems finding coconut oil at my local grocer, though I find that I actually have choices between brands when I hit the health food/organic market!

And ironically, the hexane solvents mentioned in the link also made the news recently in conjunction with tofu and soy "veggie burgers". Hexane is used to separate the fat from the soy to make things, well... lower in fat - per consumer request, of course. Google it... it's nasty stuff.

Consider giving Coconut Oil a try if you haven't already. It is a little more money than other cooking oils, but if you consider the health benefits it's a win win. Plus the taste is just wonderful. Not overly coconut-y, if you are concerned. You can bake with it, fry with it, and ohhhhh my favorite... make POPCORN with it!!!

**As a side note, I'm not receiving any money from Nutiva by posting about their products. :) It just happens to be a brand that I trust and enjoy!