Supermarket Sourdough Scam

..sounds rather dramatic doesn't it? Do you know what you're eating when you buy "fresh sourdough" from Aussie supermarkets? (pics are of the good stuff)

In my quest to make purist sourdough (no additives and only the s.dough starter as a raising agent) and eat a low GI diet,  I've been buying the odd loaf at the supermarket aka stupidmarket.

Fresh "Sourdough" bread has a big section in every (local to me) supermarket bakery area. So why is it that when I eat the organic sliced loaf, it FEELS completely different to eat than the in store baked stuff??

Taking a quick peak at the ingredients (OK! OK! So it's my favourite past time to read labels, ingredients, who grew, packed and produced the product. Sorry if you're nodding off to sleep, I'll get to the point.) and found a whole bunch of additives, preservatives and yeast in the bread. Most of which did have some sort of sourdough ingredient - I'm guessing to introduce the taste to the faux sourdough - but some had NONE! Using      vinegar or lactic acid for the sour effect.
* pic is of the good stuff. Bills



Now here's a case here of misleading advertising:
*Yes, the bread has a sourdough element in it (most of the time)
*Yes,  it's freshly baked
BUT:
*It wouldn't have the same Low GI rating as a true sourdough and..
*It would negatively impact those on diets requiring this low GI fermented product.
*It contains yeast which is a fast acting raising agent - fast production = more money but not the fermentation
*It has the sourdough starter for a flavour addition (not the point!)

Can I just EXPLAIN!? The whole point to having a sourdough bread is that it's a HEALTHfood. Not a fad food.

When grains, seeds, nuts and flours have been soaked, sprouted and/fermented the inhibitors are released (the chemical that helps preserve itself until ready to grow in the right conditions). This enables the high level of nutrients to be readily available.


Fermentation partially digests and introduces *friendly bacteria so those with IBS or other digestive and gut issues find this friendlier to their bodies.

I'm just a passionate person OK!? With one too many causes to fight for, I have to curb it all to focus on home, kids and figuring out what the heck's  for dinner! So I chat, vent and blab to you. On here. Thanks. x


P.s. The big seller for me, was Bill's stone ground flour. We order this flour through the Co-op Stop and it stores exceptionally well in our foil pouches long term.
Any bread you see with a multitude of added vitamins and minerals is from a super duper refined and quickly processed flour - having to add a little back for all the goodness it lost in the fast money making process.

LOVE SLOW FOOD!



*with friendly bacteria there's always bad bacteria present. Though not in sourdough as it's cooked, but (lactobaccilus is what makes it taste sour) if you're concerned ask your doctor before eating the good stuff if you're on chemo or something! Home made Kim chi, sauerkraut, any yoghurt, unpasteurized milk/cheese, keffir etc etc

tricky bricky..

Trying to find better recipes for sourdough bread, I've driven myself into a youtube stupor.
I just can't believe the amount of mind numbing, lengthy, helpful and not so helpful clips out there on the topic of sourdough.

Well, my patient friend who I called today (me being company deprived and home bound).. could tell you a thing or two about lengthy, mind numbing moments!

sorry

My purist desires are being compromised and I may just have to use some vit C, gluten and heaven forbid lecithin (non-soy based anywhere?!) to get sourdough bread that isn't tough or bricky.

....

Thrill or Fear? (wonderful things)

What is it that we love so much about fear? This none OH&S slide on holidays was nail bitingly steep.
DS1 looked so scared that I thought he was going to cry - but up he went a dozen times.

I'm sure we don't really like being scared. If you got on a roller coaster with a friend, then sneakily took a bolt out of your pocket and said, "oops! look what just came out!" then you could really test the 'loving fear' theory on your friend.

I don't think we really like it at all. Sometimes it's good for us though. Not knowing the future, the stomach lurching moments, the thrills and anticipation, smiling, screaming, laughing... and about to wet yourself or puke or both.

I personally don't subject myself to roller coasters or other panic inducing rides. I like to stay safe.

LIFE is one trip full of anticipation, stomach lurches, tears, laughter, heart bursting happiness and puke that I wouldn't miss for the world. {Thank you for mine Creator and co-creators}

Just say something!

With all the controversy over certain stationary items and t-shirts at the moment (and OH MY! are they shocking!!), I figured there was enough people on the case demanding change. There was an absolute outcry which was GOOD!


BUT when I walked into my local shopping centre to be confronted with a poster ad of a totally nude lady I was livid! I sent this letter in... I didn't hold back:

I am a mother of two young boys and have shopped at Westfield for the past 9 years.

I have three serious complaints to make about the inappropriate presentation 

of advertisements and music at Westfield.

1. the Coca-cola advertisement on the board near Woolworths and pie shop of 

a passionate kiss. Steamy hot kisses aren't appropriate!! I was really appalled 

when I saw this and continue to be. Children see this and think it's ok to 

kiss each other like that. It lowers the level of accepted (among their peer 

groups) physical contact. It's showing us that since it's public it's ok 

to do at any age. WRONG.

2. The new advertisement that has a NUDE poster of the biggest looser trainer.

WHAT THE HECK IS THAT ALL ABOUT!?! This isn't some sleezy back alley shop 

with an Adults only sign, it's a GENERAL PUBLIC AREA. This goes beyond 

acceptable and is nothing more than porn. Seriously! Having my 3 and 5 year old 

boys look at a poster of a naked woman signals to them that it's ok to see 

pictures like that. It's immoral and NOT G RATED.

3. I understand you have to appeal to all audiences when playing music but 

"I wanna sex you up" is not appropriate shopping mall music. 

So far with the heated kiss, naked body and music lyrics (which they DO pick up 

and notice) I have no desire to shop at Westfield. 

There are codes on television. So where are your codes of conduct? 

I can only assume you were getting alot of money for those ads. I'm fuming.

 So after a few emails back and forth, one claiming they weren't responsible for those ads as they're managed by someone else. They promised to give the feedback and follow up.

This is the final response I got:

I just wanted to let you know that all the Biggest Loser posters have been removed from the Centre entirely and we are in the process of removing the Diet Coke campaign.

The company who manages the advertising have taken on board the feedback. When it comes to advertising creative they do try ensure that all campaigns comply with the Australian advertising standards.

If you would like, you could also refer your complaint to the Advertising Standards Bureau (ASB) via the ASB website.

Kind regards,

Leanne Waterfield

Marketing Manager

So off to the ASB I go to make sure they at least hear what I, as a consumer, Mother and member of society have to say. It didn't hurt the last time I did.

Good result! I urge you all to stand up for the innocence of our children and for goodness. Just one email made a real difference. A small victory, but worthwhile.

"If only.." is the worst!

"You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream" C.S Lewis
I copied this off a women's e-newsletter that came this week. It's EXACTLY what I need to remember and what I've decided to take action on already.

The thing is... I have no dream attached to my goals. In my experience, I've found that doing what I feel is right and being consistent pays off big time in the end!

Learning German is an old goal from 2002 when I started a distance education course and never finished it. Ten years later I could be fluent if I'd have just stuck with it! 
German is just so impractical! Why not learn Japanese (we're close, only makes sense - lots of J. tourists!), Spanish - the most spoken language after English, or French (Fr. Polynesia's close, get an understanding for alot of words in the modern English language). It also sounds as ugly as the flag looks.. yerk!

But for some strange reason I'm loving it! It's confusing as heck, learning languages but at least my accent's ok! 

I've finally decided that when I grow up I want to be a....
Oooh.. do I dare say? mmmmmm... No. For now I'll just learn the basics of chemistry and physics (like I never did at school because of the crummy teacher - lost opportunities make me gasp!)
Then in a couple of years when I'm enrolled I'll let you know.
For now, it's German, high school brush ups and little boys to enjoy (in the reverse order).

I LOVE my family! And thank you Mum and Dad. For extra time, for extra chats, for those feelings of home, of safety and relief in belonging. You get me and I'm so glad I get you for a while longer. xxxx (can you feel the tears spilling over?).

Suzi Style Recipes - Rocky Road and Honeycomb

Ok Christmas treats were all dished out with great feedback! Well, for the Rocky Road anyway!

So here are the recipes:

Suzi Style Rocky Road - you know me, can't do anything without stuffing something healthy in there! All measurements are "-ish" add more or less, whatever you like.

2 x 375g packets of Nestle cooking chocolate Melts (I did one batch white and one batch milk)
1 cup whole dried cranberries (I got mine from Thomas Dux as they looked nice and plump)
1 cup desiccated coconut
1 cup whole raw cashews
1/2 cup cacao nibs ("raw cocoa is full of antioxidants that rival super foods like blueberries, and many antioxidant rich teas the cacao nib is also rich in good fat and minerals such as calcium, zinc, iron and potassium.")
Marshmallows - this was a bit of a blur.. it may have been 500g packet per batch... so just chuck a load in and see what you think..

I simply melted the chocolate in the microwave for a min. combined all other ingredients in well and then plopped it into a lamington tray (40x30cm -ish) that was lined with baking paper and buttered.

Cover with plastic wrap ( I have to use foil so the kids don't see it) and hey presto! Cut into half then in strips.

Honeycomb
Now you know when something turns out so well it's braggable!?! Well my first batch was.. then we had a couple of really humid days and it went chewy on the outside.. but still Yummo!

 
Here's my secret - GELATINE and the microwave:

1 cup white sugar
1 cup syrup (I used golden syrup but can be corn syrup, maple etc)
1 tablespoon white vinegar.

Stick those three in a pyrex dish and stick in the microwave for 6 1/2 mins on high, then wait until it's slowed down bubbling a bit before you take it out.

Then add a 1/4 tsp of gelatine that was "blooming" in a tsp of water - stir stir stir!!! (will start doing the bubble up thing here.)

Then quickly add 1 pre-sifted Tablespoon of baking soda - madly stir! stir! stir! (volcanic action here)
Then when it looks all mixed and is huge and foaming, tip it into a lined and super buttered baking tin (butter all the way to the top of the paper). NOT a tray but a cake tin. I used the smallest one I have about 20cms across. This way it's a high chunk and the gelatine makes better air holes throughout.

It'll take an hour or two to dry out, then cut/smash/splinter up, pack and store in air tight container. If you leave it to the air it will go sticky and chewy then eventually dissolve.

UPDATE: the Sauerkraut is great! I'm really surprised I managed to pull it off. It has a few more days to go but we've had really warm weather so I'm tempted to jar it up now and refrigerate... we'll see.

Other treats I made this year are:

Mulberry jam (to clear the freezer to make way for ham mainly!)
Fermented mustard (coriander, garlic and honey mustard)... it's... an acquired taste :o)
Honey almonds with a cayenne kick

My fav gifts received this year:

* A basket of home grown carrots, parsnips, onions (with decorations and chocs) from my kindred spirit American friend Heather
* A gift bag full of mini jam jars with home made jams - ok one or two jams is impressive but four!?! Plus they're all interesting; passionfruit and peach, kiwi and orange marmalade, wine jelly and choc hazelnut spread. Plus chocs, from my very soft hearted friend Kay (she made them for all the oldies she looks after, and seriously doesn't have the time!).
* A dwarf Meyer lemon tree from my husband (and tea pot with mesh strainer inside for my new herbal tea fetish - rooibos chai is my fav at the moment)

And for next year?.. I'll remember to get more sleep, wrap early and buy food for boxing day! - what a mistake to make ;o\  Maybe some mini gingerbread houses to give away.. or I might go back to the easy peasy chocolate candycane fudge... Oh gimme a break! I'll start thinking about that in June :o) haha!

Christmas lights..

Last night we went to the Temple lights about 20mins away. The lights were already on and the boys loved running down the bush lined paths to be in the middle of it all.

 On the life size Nativity the boys seemed to like Herod and the soldier the best. I think the armour had a bit to do with that! They're doing their mean king faces.

 They liked the Shepherds too ..

  And "ooh"-ed and "aaah"-ed over baby Jesus and ran past the wise men.. they do take ages to get anywhere!

DS2 enjoyed the art exhibition and I'm sure would have learned alot if it wasn't for DS1 saying "come oooon!" the whole time. We gave the missionaries there a bag of 'white Christmas' we'd made (the white chocolate version not that skanky copha and milk powder blerugh!) and off to see the lights again.

My pics of the lights weren't great so you'll just have to go and see them yourself if you're in and around Sydney.

On the way home we visited  a street famous for it's Christmas lights - OH MY! They were crazy spectacular for house lights!

off to bed. Christmas is tiring.. and very very enjoyable. It was nice to see the big Nativity, our teddy Nativity at home is a bit slack in the acting department and they keep falling about the place with giggles. Messy toys they are!

Merry Christmas!
THE COAT
A GIFT TO THE WORLD