A Clean…Plate

I love new beginnings. New days, new months, New Years. New journals, relationships, challenges, recipes. I thank God that He gives us a second chance, a new day, over and over and over again. I thank Him for a new year in which I can hope for a better understanding of Him and of who I am in Him. I’m excited about the New Year – are you?

Yesterday my pastor asked our congregation if anyone had made New Year’s Resolutions. I piped up that my goal was to not make any because I am too goal driven. Ha. That lasted until last night, when I found journal #71 and my resolutions, or goals, for 2010. It was so much fun to see how I had actually achieved many of the things I set out to do in the past year, I knew I needed to jot down the few things I had swirling around in my mind to focus on this year. ‘Cause it’s so fun to cross things off. ‘Cause I can’t help myself. And ’cause that’s who I am – a list maker, a goal oriented, driven person.

(I’m making it one of my goals to be more relaxed and take it easy, ok?)

I’m posting my Real Food goals here today  as part of Nourishing Gourmet’s Resolutions 2011 Carnival.

I liked what Kimi posted as her goal – “resolving to keep what I’ve learned in practice.” 
That is where I’m at, too, I think. I had some huge goals in the kitchen the past few years, like ‘learn to sprout wheat’ or ‘make whey’, or ‘incorporate fish into our diet’. But things have evened out as I have made more and more things part of our routine, and I feel I have the most important basics of our diet in good shape.

So, my first goal is Maintain.
Keep making cultured and fermented foods and incorporating them into our diet daily.
Keep making bone broth and serve it often.
Keep sprouting or soaking all our grains.
Keep sweets few and nutrient dense foods frequent. 

My second kitchen goal is Mozzarella I have had this on my list for two years – to learn to make mozzarella cheese (or, re-learn, ’cause I did this on the homestead when I was a teen). I actually made a batch last month that turned out edible, but it still needs some work. My goal is to see if I can actually make a cheese that is as good as what I get at the store. If I can do that, it will be time to evaluate whether it is worth working it in to my routine. The fact is, I’d need to make it once a week, using two gallons of milk to get the amount of cheese I use on our weekly pizza. I know it would save money, and be better for us, but the question is if it is actually worth it in this season. (or do I wait till my kids are old enough to actually delegate that job to one of them?) I realize I have limits and do not actually want to spend all day in my kitchen.

I also want to try Making my own Lard by rendering beef tallow. Yeah, I know, I’m addicted to making stuff from scratch! But I just found out that the lard I’ve been buying has stabilizers in it, and who knows what else, so I’m motivated to try to make it myself. It’s gonna be another one of those things that I will try to see how much work it is and then decide whether I can fit it into my routine.

Finally, Sprouting. I started making sprouts this month, and LOVED them. It’s hard for me to get fresh veggies in our diet regularly in the winter ’cause I go shopping less and produce is more expensive and not as fresh. Sprouts is the yummy, easy solution to this! I can add them easily to everything and it feels so great to be getting such good stuff in our diet so easily. I want to add this into my routine.

So, those are my goals in my Real Food Kitchen. What are yours?