CULINARY CULTURE

We eat a lot of yogurt over here.  Lately we've been eating a lot of Saugeen Country yogurt in lieu of other popular and widely available organic yogurts specifically because it is better. No, it's not thick and creamy Greek style yogurt, or fruit on the bottom full of sugar kinda of yogurt.  It's un-homogenized, real, the kind you'd make yourself yogurt.  If our dear little Cassie was still producing milk I would be making my own yogurt.  But, she's not at the moment.  Good news though, we think she's pregnant.  Bad news, we think it was her son who made her so.  Nonetheless, we will be having milk again soon.  

So what's the big deal with homogenizing milk?  Well, milk straight up from a cow contains cream, which rises to the top.  Homogenization is a process that breaks up the fat globules and evenly distributes them throughout the milk so that they do not rise.  This process unnaturally increases the surface area of fat exposed to air.  When oxidation occurs as a result, their is an increased susceptibility to spoilage.  Homogenization has also been linked to heart disease and atherosclerosis.  

Personally, I'd rather have runny yogurt that I can strain if I want it thick.  Milk that needs to be shaken before consumed also sounds like a much better deal than denatured milk.  I have also exclusively been buying Harmony Organic un-homogenized milk until Cassie the goat is ready to share her goods.  

Now all we need to do is work on getting unpasteurized milk on the market and we will be all set.  Until then, I am just really grateful that organic raw cheese is available everywhere, you just have to read the ingredients on the label and check.  Generally, the aged cheeses are raw, whereas the young cheeses like mild cheddar and mozzarella are not. 

So, without further ado, her is one of the many ways we eat our non-homogenized yogurt.....

YOGURT with Blueberries, Apple, Cinnamon and Wildflower Honey

1 1/2 cups organic whole, non-homogenized yogurt

1/4 cup organic wild blueberries (frozen at this time of year)

1/2 of an organic apple, peeled and grated

1 Tbsp ground seed mix (flax, sunflower, sesame and pumpkin)

1 Tbsp local wildflower honey

dash of organic cinnamon

Method:  Combine all ingredients in a bowl, stir to combine.

SPRING IS HERE!

Happy Spring Equinox!  After a long winter of hibernating and gestating, I am so glad spring is here.  To celebrate the first day of spring, the sun shone brightly and I cleaned my house.  Nothing says spring like a little spring cleaning.  Oh, and nothing says spring like fresh local spinach at the Farmer's Market.  I can't tell you how excited I was to see that.  To top off my excitement about the spinach, I was delighted to see it being sold in bulk, so no plastic bag!  Woo hoo.  I filled a paper bag and have been happily consuming spinach at every meal thus far.  Spinach in my crepes this morning, spinach in my tomato salad last night, spinach salad for supper tonight......mmmmmmmm spring.  Oh, I also came home from the market with some local, pesticide free, greenhouse tomatoes yesterday too.  I can't wait to see what else is in store at the market next week.  But until then, I am content to still eat winter squash.  It shined tonight next to our Equinox feast of Lemon Chicken and Spinach Salad.  That is the beauty of spring.  Just as the days are still sometimes gray and cold, the sun still feels that much warmer.  The gradual shift from winter to summer is what spring is all about, and so our diet should reflect this too.  The slow emergence of spring's bounty mingles beautifully with the last few remains of fall's harvest.

SPINACH SALAD with a Yogurt Pear Vinaigrette

1/2 pound local organic spinach, washed and torn

1 organic carrot, grated

a sprinkle of organic sunflower seeds

3 Tbsp organic whole milk yogurt

2 Tbsp e.v olive oil

1 Tbsp organic pear cider vinegar

1/2 Tbsp local honey

sea salt and pepper

Method:  Whisk the yogurt, oil, vinegar, honey, sea salt, and pepper in a bowl.  Drizzle it on salad.  Serve.

GREEK LEMON CHICKEN

4 organic chicken thighs

1 clove organic garlic, minced

juice of half an organic lemon

3 Tbsp e.v olive oil

1 Tbsp dried organic oregano

sea salt and pepper

Method:  Preheat oven to 375*.  Marinate chicken pieces in the lemon juice, olive oil, and oregano in the fridge for 2-4 hours.  When ready to cook, sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Drain the chicken from the marinade and cook in the oven for about 30 minutes or until juices run clear and skin is browned.

Carrot Banana Smoothie with Fresh Ginger and Spirulina

This carrot juice smoothie was a great way to start the day.  I love juicing because it is an easy, delicious way to get more veggies in me and my toddler!  Lately I've been making my own yogurt because I am trying to avoid buying food in plastic containers that are not recyclable plastics #1 and #2's.  It is so easy, especially with the handy yogurt machine my sister picked up for me at Value Village for $1.99.

CARROT BANANA SMOOTHIE with Fresh Ginger and Spirulina

1 organic banana

1/2 cup fresh organic carrot juice

1/2 cup organic yogurt

3/4" organic fresh ginger root

1 tsp organic spirulina

Method:  Juice the carrots and ginger together and blend with the banana, yogurt and spirulina.