Cast Iron Pam

Recently my husband and I were searching the Internet about soaking / sprouting nuts.

We had heard that there were benefits by soaking them but didn’t know

what they were, or how to do it. This is what we found out.

All nuts and seeds have bacteria on them, which I didn’t realize before.

Also, nuts and seeds as most fruits, nuts, and vegetables, have a

natural desire to not be picked and eaten. The natural defense is

usually a bitter taste (usually tannin) due to bacteria that grows on

them to protect them, so when birds, bugs, etc. go to eat them the

critter will get a bad taste and not want to consume it.

Another thing that are in these nuts and seeds is an enzyme called

Phytates. This enzyme makes digesting nuts, and seeds difficult.

So to make them cleaner, better tasting, and easier to digest it is

suggested that you soak them and dehydrate them. The result is

fascinating. We tried it and sure enough it really does make a

noticeable difference. We found them to be mild and buttery in flavor.

I put the directions below for you Incase you’d like to try them.

Please let me know what you think. My email is listed below.

Soaking and drying nuts and seeds.

Directions:

Put nuts, or seeds in a bowl.

Pour hydrogen peroxide to cover them.

Let sit for 2 hours.

Rinse the hydrogen peroxide off really well under running water

In the same bowl cover the nuts with salted water, preferably with

distilled water, I used our well water.

Add 1 Tbsp. Sea Salt

Let soak overnight.

The next day rinse the nuts under running water again very thoroughly.

Pour the nuts, or seeds on to a cookie sheet/jelly roll pan.

Put pan in your oven and turn it on to 110 degrees, or better yet if

you have a dehydrator put them in there (you can put it in the garage

so you don’t heat up your house).

You want to dry them at least 4 hours then check them to see if they

are crispy yet or not.

Once they are crispy they are done.

Remove them from the oven or dehydrator to cool.

Store them in an air tight container in a cool spot or refrigerator.

Here is a list of nuts and seeds they recommend soaking and drying:

Any nut with a brown skin such as walnuts, almonds, pecans, and Brazil nuts.

Chia seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, alfalfa seeds, sesame

seeds, and flax seeds. 

I hope you found this helpful

As my husband works in his shop he listens to the radio. He loves music and staying informed on many topics.

One of the topics he likes listening to is on health/diet.

Several months ago he heard an interview they were talking about the benefits of the Keto diet.

This really caught my husband’s attention so he found several you tube videos on Keto of several different people.

These people are not Joe Blow down the street but doctors, personal trainers, body builders, etc.

After watching a boat load of videos and really checking things out we decided to give it a try.So that s just what we did. It really works.

I will give you one word of caution. If you don’t already eat a wide variety of vegetables, especially the greens, go slow adding them in.

I already ate a variety of vegetables, greens included. My husband on the other hand not so much. So for me it was easy to eat them.

Eddy on the other hand got to where it was too much too fast and his stomach started having issues.

The diet works great for losing weight, of that there is no doubt, but if your stomach isn’t used to eating 1 cup or more of vegetables, 

greens especially go slow. Add in 1 new vegetable or green a week in small increments then slowly increase them to where you can eat a 

cup or more at each meal and save yourself any tummy problems that might otherwise arise.

Whew! It’s been awhile since I have posted anything due to change over difficulties. Well now that’s all done I can make posts of new recipes, and articles that may be of interest to you.

Ten years ago I found out I was borderline diabetic. Determined NOT to become full blown diabetic I immediately changed the sugar and 

sweeteners I use.

Are you ready? Here is what I did. 

I went from refined sugar and sweeteners to unrefined organic sugar and sweeteners.

You're thinking WHAT? that's the same thing. Sugar is sugar, Right? WRONG!

All sugar is not created equal. You see to make refined white sugar (and yes brown sugar is also refined) is (in a nut shell):

1. They take the sugar caneand press the molasses out of it.

2. Using bone ash they bleach it.

3. To make brown sugar molasses is added back to the refined white sugar, which doesn't change it back into organic sugar. 

What ends up happening is all the nutrients are removed and you end up with is a nutritionally deficient sweetener that stimulates your 

taste buds to want more and more. Which are just wasted calories and non complex carbohydrates that cause you to gain weight.

However, with organic unrfined sugars this is how they are made (again in a nut shell version):

1. They take the sugar cane an press out the molasses.

2. Then either they let the molasses dry naturally or use a heat source (Depending on what type of brown sugar you are using), leaving all

of the nutrients contained.

3. To make a lighter sugar they take the molasses and steam it to create a vapor and dry it. 

So you can see how oranic unrefined sugar retains its nutrients.

Also, I have found that by using the unrefined organic sugars I eat a lot less of the same foods. I don't crave more and more sugar. 

Where I used to be able to eat two pieces of cheesecake, and I LOVE cheesecake, now I can only eat one smaller piece. My taste buds 

and belly are much more easliy satisfied, which in my book is a good thing. By making these changes I have lost a total of 65 pounds. I 

am at a plateau right now and need toexercise more but at least I know the foods I eat aren't the problem, it's just me. Also, because I 

have lost so much weight I feel better and have more energy.

In the beginning I  mentioned that I switched the sweeteners I use as well. So instead of regular pancake syrup I use Pure Maple Syrup,

Honey and Brown Rice Syrup are great replacements for Corn Syrup. 

I use Brown Rice Syrup in any recipe that calls for Corn Syrup and I have found it works pefectly so far. It also has a nicer flavor. While it 

is plenty sweet it does not have that over the top cotton candy sweetness to it. Instead it has a very pleasant buttery flavor.

Like I said before, I am NOT a doctor or any type of health care provider. I am just me. A mother of nine, grandmother of 9, and wife to 

only one husband in my life, and Cast Iron Pam.

I hope you have found this information informative and helpful. 

Don't exclusively take my word for it check out the information for yourself.

First and foremost I want to make it PERFECTLY clear, I am NOT a doctor, or health care provider at all! I AM however, a mother of 9, 

grandmother of 9 and wife to only 1 husband ever in my life. So please if you have ANY health problems talk to your doctor BEFORE you

make ANY diet changes. I would NEVER want to advise you on health matters. I am sharing what works for me and my family. The 

things I am sharing below are NOT intended for you to diagnose  or treat any health conditions. These are just some changes we have 

made that has been good for us and I wanted to share them with you.

Because both my husband and I want to be healthier we have decided to make a few changes in our diets along with some exercise.

Neither of us believe in following a set diet because that only sets you up for failure. You know like counting calories, no sugar, no fat,

those kind of things.

What we do believe in is eating better. We don't count calories, or deprive ourselves. The thing we do is change the kind of salt, sugar, 

oil, grains, and we eat more vegetables.

My husband read a study saying that you can eat as much as you like just make sure your plate is 1/2 full of vegetables (and don't just 

look at them but actually eat them).

These are the kind of changes we have made and it works for us.

I hope you find this information helpful.

For years I have made enchiladas the same way every time and my family always Loved them.

Now, all of the sudden my husband asked me to make some changes. No big ones. He just wanted the meat chopped instead of 

pulled, red enchilada sauce instead of green, and a little less rice. So since I like to cook to please my husband first and foremost, I made

those changes. Now even my son that stopped eating them because he was tired of them tried the new recipe and likes them better 

than previously.

So here is the new version of Pork Enchiladas.

Pork Enchiladas:

6 cups of cooked and diced Pork

8 oz. Cream Cheese

4 cups grated Monterey Jack Cheese (Use 3 cups in the meat mix and reserve 1 cup for on top)

4 cups grated Mozzarella Cheese (Use 3 cups in the meat mix and reserve 1 cup for on top)

1/2 to 1 cup chopped Green Onions

2 cups cooked (hot) Calrose Rice (I use 1/2 white and 1/2 brown)

Mix all of the above together in a large mixing bowl.

Preheat your frying pan to medium high heat.

Put 2 Tbsp. Canola Oil in frying pan.

cook corn tortillas until flimsy, abot 30 seconds on each side.

Remove tortillas from pan and drain on a paper towel lined cookie sheet to drain off excess oil.

Once the tortillas are done lay them out one at a time on a flat working surface.

Put 1/3 cup of meat mix in the center of tortilla, elongated so it's hot dog shape.

Then squirt a thin line of Sriracha Sauce in each one.

Roll up enchilada and put seam side down in a baking dish.

Drizzel Enchilada Sauce over the top.

Sprinkle remaining cheeses on top.

Bake at 350 F for 45 minutes, until edges are lightly browned, cheese is melted and a little bubbly.

I hope you enjoy them.