A Little About Azure

Azure Standard runs like a co-op. They deliver their goods once a month to many delivery drop locations, or drop site, throughout the United States. When you make an order you are committing to meet the semi truck at the delivery drop location and pick up your order straight off the delivery truck at a specified time on the designated date. 

Azure Standard is known for and believes in the benefit of organic foods. Although they do have some non organic products they are very diligent to source good quality foods. They are also known for the ability to order bulk quantities, they do also offer smaller or smaller quantities for their products. Flour for example, their organic all purpose flour has size options of 30oz, 5lbs, 10lbs and 25lbs. I buy 25 lbs at a time.

Azure Standard is a family and community motivated company. They strive to provide affordable and healthy food to their customers. From the way they grow their organic foods to the way the deliver, their motivation is for the benefit of the family and community.

A Little About Costco

Costco is a popular store that is known to have everything you will need. From organic groceries to swimming pools and insurance. They carry clothing and dog food, household appliances, pharmacy… Its designed to be a one stop shop. This is great! Some of their items are even in ‘bulk’ form, meaning you are getting more for your money. The prices at Costco are in someways are simply unbeatable. Especially for organic foods.

They have high quality prepared foods available such as their rotisserie chicken, big bags of chips, Sanders dark chocolate sea salt caramels, granola bars, the whole bakery section! They have a ton of organic or high quality snack foods. Good meats, bulk toiletries, and other household supplies.  

The Main Differences Between Costco and Azure Standard

Ingredients or Prepared Foods

Costco and Azure both have a great selection of healthy options but have one big difference in the items they carry. Costco leans towards more prepared food items while still having a good base for ingredients while Azure leans towards ingredients at its simplistic form before prepared foods. 

For example, Azure and Costco both sell organic flour. But Azure also sell wheat berries so you can make your own flour and Costco has a whole bakery where you can buy prepared breads, bagels, cakes, cookies, pies, muffins and more. Costco does not sell wheat berries, Azure has no bakery. (They do sell breads, bagels and cookies but nothing like Costco’s awesome bakery.)

Here is a list of a few things Azure sell that Costco does not and some items that Costco sells and Azure wont have.

Azure Standard has, but Costco does not.

• Dry Beans (even canned beans are hard to find at Costco)
• Organic Wheat Berries
• Raw Honey
• More Spices and Herb Options
• Raw Cheese
• Essential Oils
• Apple Cider Vinegar (Costco has some online only)
• Elderberry Syrup/juice/whole
• Organic Chocolate Chips
• Tallow
• Tons of delicious snacks without artificial flavoring and colors or chemical preservatives.

Costco has, but Azure does not.

• Muffins, Cakes, Pies other Bakery Items
• Pork
• Alcohol
• Shell fish
• Flowers
• Rotisserie Chicken
• More meat option in general
• Appliances and Electronics
• Tons of delicious snacks with artificial flavoring and colors or chemical preservatives.

There is so much more to both Costco and Azure than this simple list. But what I desire you to see is the different direction both of these store take in what they sell.

The quality and standard

Both Costco and Azure have great quality standards but… Azure Standards product standards are like not one else’s. Costco does a great job and with quality products but Azure goes above and beyond. Azure products, including all products they sell have to meet the very high standards of Azure.

To Learn more about the 50+ ingredients Azure Standard will not sell you that is often found in our local grocery stores, including Costco. “Azure Product Standards”

The standard the Azure Standard holds for the products they produces and sell may not be your own standard. To be honest, my standards are lower then Azures, but my standards are also higher then Costco a lot of the time. Azure’s product quality standards are high and you should never feel ashamed if your personal health convictions are not as the same as someone else’s. But we can still be thankful that someone else cares enough to offer me their very best.

Costco and Azure Standard Price Comparison

Where to buy bulk foods

So now, to determine whether to buy from Costco or Azure Standard we looked at the difference in what they sell, their quality standard, and the price difference. 

If you want already prepared foods and snacks in bulk then shop at Costco. If you like shopping in one spot for all your needs. Shop at Costco.

If you want high quality ingredients in bulk shop at Azure Standard. Also, if you don’t want to check labels and ingredients list, shop Azure Standard.

If you are like me you will probably shop at both! I order from Azure Standard monthly. I get oatmeal, sugar, wheat berries, raisins, beans, rice, spices, fresh/frozen fruit and so much more.
At Costco I shop for meats, dairy, nuts, toiletries, and a few treats here and there. Because I live in the central valley of California I get a lot of our fresh produce from a lady who has a delivery service that sources fresh produce form many local farmers in the area. If I didn’t have her I would shop produce mainly at Costco.

Let me know in the comments where you shop and if there is any other stores you would want me to compare.

The post Costco Or Azure Standard? Where To Buy Bulk Foods appeared first on Embracing The Home.

Azure Standard doesn’t specialize in nuts or in candied items but in organic, non-GMO bulk groceries. I love their mission and what they believe about the importance of the quality of food we consume. Azure is first family orientated and believe in making their prices affordable for all.

A Little About Azure

Azure Standard runs like a co-op. They deliver their goods once a month to delivery drop locations throughout the United States. When you make an order you are committing to meet the delivery truck at the drop location and pick up your order straight off the truck.

Azure Standard is known for and believes in the benefit of organic foods. Although they do have some non organic products. They are also known for the ability to order bulk quantities but they also offer smaller or regular sized quantities for their products. Flour for example, their organic all purpose flour has size options of 30oz, 5lbs, 10lbs and 25lbs. I buy 25 lbs at a time.

Azure Standard is a family and community motivated company. They strive to provide affordable and healthy food to their customers. From the why they grow their organic foods to the way the deliver, their motivation is for the benefit of the family and community.

Why Buy Organic

Organic foods can be expensive! And the question that always comes to my mind when seeing the price difference at the store is… “is organic actually worth this price?”. Is organic food worth the money? How much does it affect our health? Aren’t the labels out there all just a scam? In order to determine if organic foods are best for you, you will have to evaluate your own health conditions and your financial state.

Does Organic Foods Have Higher Nutrition Values?

The research is conflicting… Some say yes, some say no. I say yes and this is why.

What they have found to agree on is that organic foods have more antioxidants. Antioxidants help our body fight off free radicals. Free radicals can be very dangerous to our bodies and DNA causing cancer. Antioxidants help fight that from happening. Organic foods are a great source for antioxidants where conventional foods are not. Check out Healthline’s “What Is Organic Food, and Is It Better Than Non-Organic Food?” for more information.

Antioxidants not only protect our bodies but also protect the plant from disease. Non organic plants have chemical pesticides sprayed on them to protect them. By doing this the plant does not need to produce as much antioxidants. Organic foods are not sprayed with these chemicals and create their own protection through antioxidants. When we eat these foods the antioxidants in them also aid our own health.

There more I could say about the benefits of organic food but that will have to wait. Comment below if you have any question, I’d be happy to answer them.

Price Comparison

Nuts are expensive! Almonds, pecans, walnuts they are full of nutrition and good things but cost so much. Here I am comparing the price of pecans, almonds with Azure Standard, Nuts.com, Costco and Walmart. The of my September haul I compare only with nuts.com. You can see a full comparison with Walmart and Costco on my other price comparison posts.

Costco definitely wins in the prices for nuts. Price and quality are both found at Costco when it comes to nuts. Check out Azure Standard Review, Costco Price Comparison to see more on Costco prices.

In Summary

Don’t buy nuts from nuts.com…. They are too expensive! Our Azure pick up is in town and the closest Costco is only 25 minutes away. We will continue to shop there rather then the specialized online stores.

The post Azure Standard and Nuts.com Price Comparison appeared first on Embracing The Home.

Ingredients for Granola

Oat

Old fashioned rolled out is the best choice for granola. The texture of granola is a huge part of what makes granola great. Oats play a huge part the texture but not all types of oats are equal in delivering this texture. Old fashioned rolled oats is best.

Almonds

Almonds add an extra crunch and flavor and is my favorite nut to add to granola. Walnuts and pecans are also fit this recipe and make delicious granola. If you don’t like these options you can choose your favorite nut. We add nuts in order to add more layer of texture. The oats give our base layer and we want the nuts to add crunch without braking out teeth. In order to not brake our teeth chop the nuts or add them to your food processor or blender before adding them to the granola.

Brown Sugar

Sugar is our sweetener but also plays a part in the texture of our granola. You can use just honey as your sweetener or substitute with maple syrup. I like using brown sugar because I do believe it helps bring out the texture I want. To much honey and maple syrup makes the granola too wet and it doesn’t always cook the same.

Honey

Honey helps sweeten our granola with a bit of added flavor. Maple syrup is also a great substitute for honey if you prefer. You could also substitute sugar instead of using honey. Honey is also a healthier choice over sugar so I do sweeten with both to create the right texture without to much comprise.

Blackstrap Molasses

Molasses adds a great depth of flavor to anything that you add it to. It also has great nutritional value being full of rich vitamins and minerals. Our American diet lacks good vitamins and minerals and then use synthetic supplements. There no need for supplements if you purposely add ingredients that are rich in vitamins and minerals in your diet.

To learn more about the benefit of blackstrap molasses read this.

Find more recipes with molasses here…

Oil

I use Coconut Oil but other oils would work as well but becareful of which one use choice. the different oils wont change the texture but each oil has a little different flavor and it comes out differently in what you cook it with. Coconut oil in my experience taste best when making granola.

Wheat Bran

Wheat bran is another ingredient that I choose to put in for its nutritional benefits. Bran is one of the 3 parts in a wheat kernel and is stripped away during the process of making our refined flour. It is full of great healthy benefits including its great source of Potassium, Manganese, and Fiber to name a few.

Wheat bran in our granola offers a little bit of softer chew for a variety of texture. It also contains gluten. Most granola recipes are gluten free, you can leave the wheat bran out or use Oat Bran for a gluten free option.

Where to find wheat bran? Not all grocery stores carry wheat bran but Bobs Red Mill Wheat Bran will probably be the easiest to find in the baking section. Or you can order online from Amazon Bobs Red Mill Wheat Bran or Azure Standard Wheat Bran.

Flax Seeds

Another great ingredient full of nutritional value. Flax seed is full of omega-3 fatty acids that are super important for our brain and nerve function. They are also a great source of thiamine, copper, protein, fiber and lots more. I buy my flax seed whole and grind it just before adding it to my recipes.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon adds some delicious flavor along with some great antioxidants. Herbs and spices have so many great healing abilities. I’m very intentional to add lots of flavor through natural herbs and spices like cinnamon into my recipes.

Salt

Salt brings out the flavor of everything you put it on. Its a great resource in the kitchen for making any flavor or recipe stand out. When it comes to baking, table salt works just fine but if sea salt has the needed health benefits.

Egg White

The egg white at first seems like a strange ingredients and not its not for the added protein and health benefits… The egg white is a binding agent along with the sugar and helps create the chewy, crunchy chunks.

How To Make Granola

Melt Oil, Sugar, Honey and Molasses Together

In a small sauce pan melt coconut oil, sugar and molasses together. We want the sugar to melt completely but not to come to a simmer or boil. We don’t want to create candy and brake our teeth on our granola. Take off heat as soon as its melted.

Blend or Chop Dry Ingredients

In a food processor to Vitamix, chop almonds, flax seed, wheat bran and 1 cup oats. Pulse a few time till a the almost are crumbly but not blended smooth, we want texture.

Mix Dry Ingredients

Pour you chopped ingredients in a bowl and add the rest of the oats

Combine Wet and Dry ingredients

Pour the sugar mixture into the dry ingredients and mix until fully combined.

Froth Egg White

In a separate bowl take one egg white and whisk with a fork or small whisk until frothy. Add to granola mixture.

Bake Granola

Spread the mixture on a baking sheet evenly. Its okay if its thick but I wouldn’t have it any thicker than half an inch. Bake at 275 for 30 minutes. Do not mix or crumble while its baking. just leave it alone and let bake.

Let Cool and Crumble

Let cool completely before braking apart. Once cool down you can brake the granola with your hands or a fork if you prefer. At this point you can also add dried fruit to your granola if you want. We like to add raisins, golden raisins my family’s favorite. Add, dried blueberries, craisins, dried apricots or whatever you fancy.

Store

Pantry: Store in an air tight container or zip-lock bag for up to 3-6 month in a cool dry environment.

Freezer: You can also store your granola in the freezer for long term storage, 6-12 month. When freezing granola make sure you use an freezer zip-lock or an air tight container. When freezing be sure to give room for expansion

Storing in the refrigerator may cause the granola to get soggy, I don’t recommend.

Granola

Yield: 2 Quarts

No Ratings

Print

Ingredients

• 1/2 Cup Coconut Oil
• 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
• 1 Tablespoon Molasses
• 1/2 Cup Honey
• 2 Cups Oats
• 1 Cup Almonds
• 1 Cup Wheat (or Oat) Bran
• 1/2 Cup Flax Seed (whole)
• 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
• 1 Tablespoon Cinnamon

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees.
2. Melt the Coconut Oil, Brown Sugar, Honey and Molasses in a small sauce pan. Don't simmer or boil, just melt and then take off heat.
3. In food processor or vitamix chop the Almonds, Flax Seed, Bran and 1 cup Oats. Chop till chunky but not smooth, we want texture, just not too big.
4. In a large bowl mix our chopped mixture with the rest of the oats (1 cup), Cinnamon, and Salt.
5. Add the sugar and oil mixture and stair until combined.
6. In a small bowl take 1 egg white and whisk with a fork or small whisk until frothy. Add to the granola.
7. Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper. Spread the mixture on baking sheet evenly.
8. Bake for 30 minutes at 275 degrees. Do not stir, just leave alone.
9. Let cool completely before braking apart. Once cooled brake in to bite size pieces with your hands. At this point you can add any raisins or any other dried fruit. Store in a air tight contain in your pantry for up to 6 months.

Shop This Recipe

Most of these ingrdients will easily be found in your local grocery store. Flax, Wheat Bran and Blackstrap Molasses are the few that might prove to be difficult. Here are some options.

Learn more about Azure Standard by reading my Azure Standard Review and Costco Price Comparison.

Flax Seed

Amazon: Anthony’s Organic Brown Whole Flaxseed, Batch Tested and Gluten Free, Raw, Non GMO, Sproutable, Keto Friendly 2lbs $14.99
Azure Standard: Organic Flax Seed, 5lbs $8.66

Wheat Bran

Amazon: Bobs Red Mill Wheat Bran 8oz $7.77
Azure Standard: Organic Wheat Bran 16oz $2.40

Blackstrap Molasses

Amazon: Golden Barrel Unsulfured Black Strap molasses, 32 oz $11.49
Azure Standard: Blackstrap Molasses, Organic $7.29

Vitamix

Amazon: Vitamix, Pearl Grey, Series 750 Blender, Professional-Grade, 64 oz. Low-Profile Container $699.99 ON SALE $399.99

Food Processor

Amazon: BLACK+DECKER 3-in-1 Easy Assembly 8-Cup Food Processor, Black $38.99

The post Granola Recipe Easy, Healthy And Crunchy appeared first on Embracing The Home.

A Little About Azure

Azure Standard runs like a co-op. They deliver their goods once a month to delivery drop locations throughout the United States. When you make an order you are committing to meet the delivery truck at the drop location and pick up your order straight off the truck.

Azure Standard is known for and believes in the benefit of organic foods. Although they do have some non organic products. They are also known for the ability to order bulk quantities but they also offer smaller or regular sized quantities for their products. Flour for example, their organic all purpose flour has size options of 30oz, 5lbs, 10lbs and 25lbs. I buy 25 lbs at a time.

Azure Standard is a family and community motivated company. They strive to provide affordable and healthy food to their customers. From the why they grow their organic foods to the way the deliver, their motivation is for the benefit of the family and community.

Why Buy Organic?

Organic foods can be expensive! And the question that always comes to my mind when seeing the price difference at the store is… “is organic actually worth this price?”. Is organic food worth the money? How much does it affect our health? Aren’t the labels out there all just a scam? In order to determine if organic foods are best for you, you will have to evaluate your own health conditions and your financial state.

Does Organic Foods Have Higher Nutrition Values?

The research is conflicting… Some say yes, some say no. I say yes and this is why.

What they have found to agree on is that organic foods have more antioxidants. Antioxidants help our body fight off free radicals. Free radicals can be very dangerous to our bodies and DNA causing cancer. Antioxidants help fight that from happening. Organic foods are a great source for antioxidants where conventional foods are not. Check out Healthline’s “What Is Organic Food, and Is It Better Than Non-Organic Food?” for more information.

Antioxidants not only protect our bodies but also protect the plant from disease. Non organic plants have chemical pesticides sprayed on them to protect them. By doing this the plant does not need to produce as much antioxidants. Organic foods are not sprayed with these chemicals and create their own protection through antioxidants. When we eat these foods the antioxidants in them also aid our own health.

There more I could say about the benefits of organic food but that will have to wait. Comment below if you have any question, I’d be happy to answer them.

Is The Price Worth It?

I can’t answer this for you. You will have to decide based off of your budget and needs. For us we try to buy mostly organic. We have a very tight grocery budget in this season of life and organic foods shouldn’t really fit in our budget but we make it work and this is how.

1. We buy in bulk. When you buy foods in bulk the price goes down. Its cheaper. So we are able to save money with some purchases when buying organic bulk.
2. We cook from scratch. I cook practically everything we eat from scratch. We do not buy prepared meals. Are kids eat fruits and veggies for snacks, there are no fruit poaches, goldfish or crackers in this house unless we make them ourselves. And I do make them. We save so much money and that money goes towards buying organic, high quality foods.
   
   I can’t say that we never buy anything prepared, or that I make everything from scratch but the bulk of what we eat we make. I do buy rice cakes and tortilla chips and some other things like that on occasion. I do not grind my own peanut butter or mill my own flour (yet). But I do make my own brown sugar (How to Make Brown Sugar).

Azure Standard and Costco Price Comparison

Why We Shop Azure and Not Costco

We have a few Costco’s around us, the closet one being about 25 minutes away. I don’t drive due to seizures so we mostly grocery shop as a family. Therefore we don’t shop at Costco because it of the drive and time frame that we do our shopping. I wish it worked out for us to shop there but its not for us at this time.

Azure Standard has been a great source for us. I love, and my husband loves, that our drop location is 5 minutes away. This works for our family because I can do the time consuming shopping online at my leisure and my husband can do the quick pick up once a month.

I trust Azure Standards quality of food and I love their family, community and healthful living passion. Costco is great! But just not the same. From what I’ve heard from my friend who works at Costco the company side is really good but they don’t have the same motivation for what they do. And that’s okay. It doesn’t make me not want to buy at Costco, but it does make me want to be from Azure.

Price Comparison

Here I compared what I bought this month from Azure Standard with Costco prices.
My last review I compared with Walmart prices. To see that price comparison click here “Azure Standard Review, Pros, Cons, Price Comparison”

Disclaimer: Costco prices and stock may very depending on your location. This price comparison is based off of the online search of the Sacramento warehouse. The online and in store prices may also vary.

*minus what I couldn’t price at Costco.

Now obviously this is prices per lb or oz so the total is not the actual number of dollars I paid but the price per lb or oz of each item. I though it was interesting Azure cost a little bit more with most of the items but The few that Azure was cheaper it was buy a signification enough amount to not only to even the total out but reduce it. I was actually kinda surprised.

Costco Membership Vs. Azure’s Shipping Fees

To shop at Costco you much be a member. The standard Gold Star membership Card cost $65 per year.

Azure Standard does not have a membership fee but it does have a shipping fee for most states. They are based in Oregon so the states close to them there is not shipping fee but for these states: AL, AR, CO, CT, DE, DC, FL, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, ME, MD, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT-east of Missoula, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NM-east, NY, OH, OK, PA, RI, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WI, WV, WY there is a 8.5% shipping fee.

This means that if you order $200 worth from Azure you will pay an extra $17 for shipping. 200 x 0.085 = 17. If you were to order $200 worth each month you would then pay a total of $204 for shipping for the year which in comparison to the Costco membership is a lot.

If you happen to live in Oregon, Washington, California, Nevada, Arizona there are not shipping fees.

In Summery

I’m still very happy with Azure Standard. The quality and taste of their foods is great. The price is in our budget and comparable to Costco and better than Walmart. Their delivery and drop off system works wonderfully for our family. The more I shop at Azure the more I like it!

Comment below what store I should price compare next!

The post Azure Standard Review, Costco Price Comparison appeared first on Embracing The Home.

I’ve been experimenting with putting molasses in just about everything, from smoothies, to banana bread to pasta sauce… After learning about how good and high in nutrients molasses is I have been adding it to our daily diet in different types of ways. To read more about the benefits of molasses click here!

Ingredients For Banana Nut Molasses Bread

Vegan friendly alternatives below

Bananas

Ripe bananas are best, they are the sweet and easy to mash up and make into breads. You can use unripe but they are harder to mash so you might end up with more banana chunks in your bread. Bananas are a great source of potassium, vitamin B6 and vitamin C.

Plain or Vanilla Yogurt

I use Greek Plain Yogurt, I use yogurt in replacement for oils or butter in most of my muffins and bread. It has more vitamins and protein then oils and butter and less fat.

Eggs

Eggs are the binding agent in this recipe also adding 6.5 grams of protein per eggs. Whole Eggs also contain vitamin B12, selenium (anti-oxidant, anti-cancer, and stimulates the immune system) and iron.

Blackstrap Molasses

Full of flavor, nutrients and keeps my breads moist and delicious! Oh how I love molasses! It is so rich in so many vitamins and minerals and such a fun ingredient to add to my recipes. Molasses contains, iron, calcium, magnesium, sodium, copper and more. healthy for your heart and nervous system. Read more on the Benefits of Molasses here!

Flour

I use a combination of organic whole wheat and organic all purpose flour. Whole wheat is full of a wider range of vitamins and minerals such as, manganese, calcium and selenium, then all purpose or even enriched flours. It also has more flavor but is also a bit more dense. So I do half and half whole wheat and all purpose.

Oats

Not just for texture sake but I do love the texture of oats in my breads and muffins. Oats are full of fiber and also contain protein, thiamine, iron, phosphorus and more.

Sugar

You can substitute sugar with honey or maple syrup. Both of those would also add a lovely flavor to this recipe but I typically bake with sugar and save my honey and syrup for smoothies, pancakes, teas, oatmeal and such.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon is the chosen spice in order to add another layer of flavor to this recipe. Nutmeg, cloves or allspice would also be great additions but this recipe already seem complex with so many textures that I left those out for now.

Salt

Salt is going to help bring out all the flavor in this recipe. You can use table salt or pink Himalayan salt or another sea salt will also works great.

Baking Soda & Baking Powder

Both of these are a rising agent. The original recipe just had baking soda but as I adapted and added all these heavy grains I found the baking powder was also needed.

Chia Seeds & Flax Seeds

Chia and flax seeds are small but mighty. The Chia seeds have more iron, magnesium, zinc and phosphorus while flax seeds have more copper, thiamine, a B vitamin that help with metabolism, flax is also full of good omega 3 fatty acids. It is better to grind your flax seeds before consuming but not always necessary. I usually leave them whole for this recipe.

Walnuts

Walnuts are also full of both omega 3 fatty acids and antioxidants, they are also full of protein and they just taste delicious. You can substitute most any nut, almonds, pecans, hazel nut would be yummy. In the photos you might notice I added both walnuts and almonds this time.

Chocolate Chip (optional)

I could try to convince you that chocolate chip are a superfood by telling you about all the ways chocolate chips have reduced my stress and given me the endurance I needed that day but I don’t think I have to. I think you all know a little chocolate goes a long way. Although my kids and husband would prefer me to always add chocolate chip I only add it every so often as a treat. My way off making something ordinary, special.

Vegan Alternative Ingredients

• Yogurt/Applesauce.
  You can substitute yogurt for apple sauce at the same ratio and it will turn out the same.
• Eggs/Chia Seeds or Flax Seeds.
  Both of these are already in the bread but you must mix them with 1/2 c water and let them sit for a while before adding them to your batter. If you use the flax seeds for an egg substitute you will need to grind them in a coffee grinder first to get the correct reaction. You are looking to the seeds and water to get thick and gloppy, kinda like an egg.

How to Make Banana Nut Molasses Bread

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Because this bread is so moist with the bananas, molasses and yogurt plus the chia, flax and oats are holding on to water, you will want to bake this banana bread at a lower temperature for longer. Thus If the temperature is too hot you will burn the outside before the inside is done. Therefore this bread bakes for 60-70 minutes. Although a long time it does not dry out but stays moist.
2. Secondly, mash Bananas in a bowl, then add all the other wet ingredients. Eggs, yogurt and molasses. and put aside.
3. In a second bowl mix all your dry ingredients, flour, oats, sugar, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, baking powder, chia seeds, flax seeds and walnuts.
4. Now combine the wet and dry ingredients and mix together.
5. Pour into a 9.5×5 bread loaf pan or you can make muffins by pouring into a muffin tin. When making muffins or cupcakes I like to use these reusable silicone muffin liners.
6. Bake in loaf pan for 60 minutes at 300 degrees.
   Bake in muffin tin for 23-25 minutes at 300 degrees.
7. Check to see if its done by inserting a tooth pick into the center. If the toothpick comes out clean it is done.
8. Finally, let the bread cool completely before cutting into it

How to Store and Freeze Banana Bread

This banana bread can be stored in a zip-lock bag on your counter for 3-5 days and in your refrigerator for 7-10 days.
You can also freeze a loaf but putting it in a freezer zip-lock bag. Be sure to remove all the air for save storage. Keep it in your freezer for 3-6 months. In order to thaw the banana bread out simply take it out and set in on the counter for a few hours or rather in the refrigerator overnight.

Banana Nut Molasses Bread

Yield: 1 Loaf

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

No Ratings

Print

Ingredients

• 3 Bananas
• 1 Cup Yogurt
• 1 Eggs
• 1/2 Cup Molasses
• 1 1/2 Cups Flour
• 1 Cup Oats
• 1 Cup Sugar
• 1 1/2 Teaspoons Cinnamon
• 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
• 1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
• 3 Tablespoons Chia Seeds
• 3 Tablespoons Flax Seeds
• 1 Cup Walnuts
• 3/4 Cup Chocolate Chip (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. Mash Bananas in a bowl, then add all the other wet ingredients. Eggs, yogurt and molasses. and put aside.
3. In a second bowl mix all your dry ingredients, flour, oats, sugar, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, baking powder, chia seeds, flax seeds and walnuts.
4. Combine the wet and dry ingredients and mix together.
5. Pour into a 9.5×5 bread loaf pan or you can make muffins by pouring into a muffin tin.
6. Bake in loaf pan for 60 minutes. Bake in muffin tin for 23-25 minutes
7. Let the bread cool completely before cutting into it. Enjoy!

The post Banana Nut Molasses Bread appeared first on Embracing The Home.

We love to eat our cornbread along with hearty bowl of Chili!
Click here for an amazing Vegan Chili Recipe

Ingredients Need for Cornbread

Flour

I buy my flour from Azure Standard. I buy in bulk Whole Wheat Bread flour and an All Purpose Flour and mix them 1 to 1 ratio in my flour jar. So for this recipe I am using about 1 cup whole wheat and 1 cup all purpose. Growing up we would sometimes do this but most of the time we simple used All Purpose Flour. I personally wouldn’t go all whole wheat, my husband would not like it and whole wheat does absorb liquids differently, so the recipe may not work perfectly 100% whole wheat.

Cornmeal

So I also buy my cornmeal in bulk from Azure Standard. This cornmeal is coarser then most that you will find at your local grocery stores but they work the same. No matter if its fine or coarse cornmeal the baking process will be the same but the texture does change. So, depending on your taste and what you like pick your cornmeal accordingly.

Sugar

There is a whole cup of sugar in this recipe. This recipe is sweet, not too sweet, just delicious. I’ve honestly never had any other cornmeal that is so perfectly sweet without overpowering the other flavors.

Baking Powder

Baking powder is the best raising agent for cornbread. Baking soda also works but raises it too quickly and makes it crumbly. So baking powder best.

Salt

Salt brings out the flavor. Table salt is what I’ve always used for this recipe. If you prefer a coarser sea salt or Himalayan salt add an extra 1/4 teaspoon.

Milk

I always use regular old cows milk. I have made this recipe with rice milk before as well when I was out of regular milk. Rice milk is a little sweeter and the recipe needed to be cooked longer but it still worked out I just had to pay attention to it. So if you are wanting to substitute for a plant based milk I’d say go for it. Some plant based milks are sweeter so if you want to cut some sugar go ahead. Then make sure you check it after 25 minutes and possible keep it in the over for a few more minutes till the center is baked all the way. To check you can poke it with a toothpick. If it comes out clean its done.

Eggs

Eggs are a binding agent when it comes to baking. They also help keep the cornbread moist. If you are looking to substitute to make this cornbread vegan you can add 2 tablespoon chia seed to 2/3 cup water. Let sit for 15 minutes to thicken then add the milk.

Oil

I’ve used coconut oil, olive oil, avocado oil and even butter for this recipe. This time around I used coconut. I did have to heat it to ensure that it was liquefied but it still works. Olive oil is what I grew up using for this recipe.

I buy my flour, cornmeal, sugar, oil, baking powder and so much more from Azure Standard. Learn more about Azure Standard by checking out “Azure Standard Review, Pro’s, Con’s, Price Comparison” or check out their website here, azurestandard.com. They are a great resource to high quality organic whole food in bulk.

How to Make Cornbread

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
   
2. Mix together dry ingredients in a large bowl. This will be the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt. Mix together with a whisk.
   
3. Mix in a suppurate bowl all the wet ingredients, milk, eggs, and oil. If you use coconut oil make sure you milk is warm so that the coconut oil doesn’t become solid again. I placed my milk and oil in the microwave for a minutes to come to the same temperature so they would mix well. This seemed to work but I still prefer olive oil for this recipe.
   
4. Combine the wet and dry ingredients to make a batter.
   
5. Prepare a 9×13 glass pan by greasing it will a little bit of oil.
   
6. Pour you batter into prepared 9×13.
   
7. Bake for 25-30 minutes.
   
8. Take our of oven and let it cool completely before cutting into it.

This is seriously my favorite cornbread recipe and I could eat it all day. I try a lot of different recipes for things but this one never fails. It brings back childhood memories but its not the memories that make this cornbread good. Its the cornbread. Its so good and always has been.

The Best Cornbread

Yield: 9x13 Pan

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

No Ratings

Print

Ingredients

• 2 Cups Flour
• 2 Cups Cornmeal
• 1 Cup Sugar
• 2 Tablespoons Baking Powder
• 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
• 2 Cups Milk
• 2 Eggs
• 1/2 Cup Olive Oil

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degree’s
2. Grease a 9×13 glass pan
3. Mix dry ingredients
4. Mix wet ingredients
5. Combine the wet and the dry and mix
6. Pour into prepared 9×13
7. Bake for 25-30 minutes
8. Cool completely before serving

The post The Best Homemade Cornbread appeared first on Embracing The Home.

Molasses is a by product of sugar cane or sugar beets just like granulated sugar. To make it you take the juice from the sugar cane or beet and boil it down. Once all the water is evaporated you are left with a syrup. This syrup is then crystalized and separated into dry sugar crystals and the remaining syrup which we call molasses!

To learn more about how brown sugar is made from the molasses and sugar read, “How To Make Brown Sugar” here.

Heads up! My post do contain affiliate links, which means I may make a commission if you make a purchase using these links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Different Types of Molasses

As the sugar cane juices are boiled down the molasses and sugar are separated.

• After the first boil you get light molasses.
  Light molasses has the highest content of sugar of the three.
• The second boil a dark molasses
• And then the third boil gets you Blackstrap molasses.
  Blackstrap has the highest concentration of all the good nutrients.

Some of the more common labels to see in the store would be,

• Old Fashioned Molasses. Old fashioned hasn’t had all of the sugar removed (typically a light molasses) from it so it is a little sweeter but has a lower concentrate of nutrients then blackstrap molasses. Molasses can be bitter so the sweeter flavor makes it more popular for recipes and desserts and will work great for making brown sugar.
• Blackstrap Molasses. Blackstrap has more of the sugar removed, which makes it less sweet or more bitter. The benefits is in its richer concentrate of iron and other nutrients. Light and dark molasses have these same nutrients but as you continue to boil it down it becomes a thicker and richer concentrate of those nutrients.
• Unsolphured Molasses. If the sugar cane is unripe when the molasses is extracted from it, sulphur dioxide is added to preserve it. Unsolphured means that the molasses has not been treated with sulphur dioxide.

Benefits of Blackstrap Molasses

Blackstrap has a higher concentrate of all the nutrient benefits that come in molasses due to it being boiled down further than the other types. So lets look at the nutrient for 1 tablespoon.

Calories 50 g

Carbohydrates 13 g

Manganese 0.7mg (37 percent DV) – Fatigue, Brain Health, Digestion

Manganese is a mineral that nourishes the brain and nerve centers. It also helps with digestion metabolizing sugars and fats. Manganese helps with fatigue, nerve irritability, lower back pain and seizures.

Copper 0.6 mg (29 percent DV) – Blood Production and Health

Copper helps in absorbing iron, protein metabolism (converting food into usable protein), and helps with red blood cell production. It can also help keep your hair healthy with color.

Iron 4.7 mg (25 percent DV) – Anemia, Fatigue, Immunity

Iron helps produce hemoglobin with copper and proteins, hemoglobin then carries oxygen through the body in red blood cells. Similar to copper, iron will also help keep that color in your hair, along with bright eyes and strengthens immunity. Iron reducing fatigue, anemia and muscle weakness.

Calcium 226 mg (15 percent DV) – Bone Health, Heart Health, Nerves System

Calcium works to build solid bones and teeth. It also works with magnesium to aiding in cardiovascular health. Lowing blood pressure, helps blood to clot, prevents muscle cramping, and helps maintain your nervous system. Calcium helps with quality sleep and rest, reducing anxiety and depression.Calcium 226 mg (15 percent DV) – Bone Health, Heart Health, Nerves SystemCalcium works to build solid bones and teeth. It also works with magnesium to aiding in cardiovascular health. Lowing blood pressure, helps blood to clot, prevents muscle cramping, and helps maintain your nervous system. Calcium helps with quality sleep and rest, reducing anxiety and depression.

Potassium 334 mg (8 percent DV) Acid/Alkaline System, Electrolyte, Brain Health, Hormone Health

Potassium helps balance the acid/alkaline system in your body. It is an electrolyte and works with sodium (another electrolyte) to regulate the body’s water balance. Potassium helps oxygenate the brain and helps reduce anxiety, depression and stress. It helps keep a healthy hear, muscle function, energy, nerve stability, enzyme and hormone production.

Magnesium 60 mg (15 percent DV) – Nerve Function and Muscle Function, Kidney Health and Heart Health

Magnesium enhances the absorption of other minerals. It is necessary for nerve function and muscle function. Magnesium reduces stress and nerves, it helps calm twitching (nerves and muscles) and promotes endurance and exercise capacity. It also aids in the healthy of your kidneys and heart.

Vitamin B6 0.2 mg (10 percent DV) – Nervous System, Natural Diuretic

Vitamin B6 also known as Pyridoxine is a great help to the nervous system. It is especially helpful to those with epilepsy or convulsions, and carpal tunnel syndrome. It works as an natural diuretic especially during per-menstrual time, also helps with acne, and alleviates morning sickness.

Selenium 5 micrograms (7 percent DV) – Immune System, Blood Health,

Selenium is a powerful anti-oxidant, anti-cancer, and stimulates the immune system. Working with Vitamin E it prevents fat and cholesterol build ups in the bloodstream by doing so it protects the heart.

All that to say, blackstrap is full of very good things!

If you want to know more about foods, vitamins, minerals and herbs that help heal our body I recommend “Healthy Healing” by Linda Page. It is a great resource for natural healing.

To summarize, the minerals and vitamins we receive from consuming blackstrap molasses helps aid our nerves system, brain function, blood function, immune system, and has electrolytes.

Molasses helps with fatigue and stress, menstrual relief, stabilizes blood sugar and slows down glucose, aids in digestion, can also be used as a stool softener. Molasses is an anti-imflammaotry and arthritis reliever. Its great for those who have epilepsy or heart arrhythmias. Its a natural sleep aid as well as increasing stamina and energy creating balance in your life.

There is so much good but how do I add molasses into my diet?

Easy Ways To Add Molasses Into Your Diet

Add It To Your Drinks

• 1 teaspoon to a tablespoon in your coffee
• 1 teaspoon to a tablespoon in your tea
• 1 teaspoon to a tablespoon in milk
• 1 teaspoon to a tablespoon in hot chocolate
• Pumpkin Gingerbread Molasses Smoothie
• Spinach Smoothie With Molasses

More Molasses Recipes

• Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
• Molasses Vegan Chili
• Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls
• Ginger Cookies
• Gingerbread Loaf
• Molasses Banana Bread
• Maine Molasses Cake
• Best Southern Baked Beans
• Sweet Brown Bread Rolls

There are so many more recipes out there that include molasses in them. So many of them sound delicious that I myself want to try to make but and most of them desserts. When trying to add nutrition to your diet its best to first find the easiest and healthiest way to add it. If its about flavor, try all the cakes and cookies and enjoy! If you are truly trying to add molasses to your diet to improve your health I encourage you to find a way to add it in at least 5 times a week. I personally have been experimenting with adding to my daily spinach smoothies. Finding the right combination that my kids will also enjoy has been the hard part. When I figure it out, I’ll share the recipe. *UPDATE, Here’s the recipe!

If you have some recipes featuring Molasses that you think I should try let me know in the comments below. I’m excited to continue to find new recipes and cook and bake more while improving my health.

Where To Get Blackstrap Molasses

Molasses is not very hard to find, but Blackstrap can be tricky. Our local Walmart carries Grandmas Original Molasses, but does not carry any Blackstrap. Often stores will carry molasses as a seasonal item for the holidays but its usually, again, not blackstrap. You may be lucky and have a local grocery store that carries blackstrap but if not try looking at the local health food stores.

Online is probably the easiest way to find it. Amazon has Golden Barrel Unsulfured Blackstrap Molasses among other good brands.

I get my blackstrap molasses from Azure Standard. I love the quality, the price and the bulk sizes. Azure Standard is a online store focused on high quality organic foods. Azure runs like a co-op and deliver monthly to a drop off location near you. Read my “Azure Standard Review” to find out more about Azure Standard.

The post Benefits of Blackstrap Molasses appeared first on Embracing The Home.

1. The ordering process
2. Delivery/pickup process
3. Their food quality
4. Price comparison to Walmart

A few things to note about Azure Standard before we get into the review.

Azure Standard runs like a co-op. They deliver their goods once a month to delivery drop locations throughout the United States. When you make an order you are committing to meet the delivery truck at the drop location and pick up your order straight off the truck.

Although Azure Standard is known and believes in the benefit of organic foods they do have some non organic products. And although they are known for their bulk quantity they also offer smaller or regular sized quantities for their products. Flour for example, their organic all purpose flour has size options of 30oz, 5lbs, 10lbs and 25lbs.

The Ordering Process

How Azure Standards ordering process works is actually very simple. It works like any other online store, you search for items, add to cart, and check out. You can search by category, sale, or even by your previous orders. Then add your items to the cart and check out like you would anywhere else. You do need to have an account, (name, email, password) not unlike many places.

When searching for items Azure will keep track of previously purchased and item and that makes restocking my pantry quick and easy. Another feature I like is that I can add to my order after I’ve completed my order as long as its before the cut off date for shipping. Azure Standard only ships and delivers once a month, so I can add to my order all month long. They will not charge you for anything until it gets shipped out. The flip side of this is that if you forget to complete your order before the cut off date you have to wait a month to get your order. I don’t like when that happens.

Something else that has disappointed me is when I place something in my cart and then when I check out its out of stock. I do believe this is my fault for not completing the order earlier in the month when it is in stock, then adding more as the month goes on if needed. I think I can fix this problem by ordering earlier and not waiting till the last minute.

The Ordering Process Pros and Cons Summary.

• Pro – Easy and simple to navigate.
• Pro – Add Last minute items to your cart

• Con – Forgetting to complete order on time, results in waiting a month to get your goods. (I was 1 hour to late today and I have to wait. I might be more mad at myself…)

Delivery/Pickup Process

Like I mentioned before, Azure Standard delivers once a month to your local delivery drop off location. The location is hosted by a Drop Coordinator, they are often a local from your community who has the space for delivery truck to drive in and out of. On the day of the delivery, the delivery truck driver keeps in contact with the Coordinator on the their ETA and the Coordinator is responsible for letting you know what time you need to be at the drop location for a quick and smooth delivery. So far we have not had any issues with this system at our drop location. Our Coordinator has been great with the reminders and updates on time of arrival and we have always received everything we’ve ordered undamaged.

The Con to this system is that you have to be available at that time. If you couldn’t make it on time you would miss the truck and not receive your order. So far this has not happened to us. I honestly don’t know if our coordinator would be gracious enough to collect our goods for us, or if we would be able to send someone else in time to pick it up. I have heard of other peoples stories of someone forgetting a part of their order so their another azure friend grabbed it for them. I’ve heard that as you wait for the delivery truck you can make friends with those waiting with you and created a great community that helps you out if something goes wrong. Again, I have not experienced anything go wrong yet so I don’t know how it would play out. If I do have a horrible experience at some point I will be sure to update this post.

Delivery/Pickup Process Pros and Cons Summary

• Pro – Great communication
• Pro – Received everything undamaged

• Con – You have to work with their schedule

The Quality of the Foods I’ve Purchased

To be honest, I have loved it all! I’ve ordered a lot of dry goods, baking goods, like rice and beans and flour and baking soda. They have all kept so well in my food grade buckets and I haven’t found any contamination in anything. The only fresh produce that I have gotten has been organic apples that were on sale. I had heard these were hit or miss when it came to freshness but I took the chance and bought 20lbs of apples. There were some rotten apples in the mix but not many. I was warned so I wasn’t disappointed. So I made applesauce with the apples and my kids love it. Yes, I would order them again, but they would still have to be on sale. I have also ordered things like oats, raisins, frozen fruits, butter, elderberry syrup, and rice cakes and more and everything has been delicious and kept well.

Pros and Con for Quality of Foods Summary

• Pro – Stores wonderfully and tastes delicious.

• Con – I’m always nervous the fresh fruit will not be fresh

Price Comparison (to Walmart)

Walmart my not be the best comparison to prices against but we live in a small town and the Super Walmart is kind of all we have here. Walmart is where I shopped before discovering Azure so its what I price check everything from.

Here’s a list of some of my essentials. This will be the price for organic unless otherwise noted. (updated 5/8/25)

• Oats – Azure: 5lbs, $1.65 per lbs | Walmart: GV $3.58 per lbs
• Flour – Azure: 10lbs, $1.32 per lbs | Walmart: King Arthur, 5lbs, $2.32 per lbs
• Raisins – Azure: 5lbs, $3.23 per lbs | Walmart: GV not organic $4.58 per lbs
• Sugar – Azure: 5lbs, $1.57 per lbs | Walmart: GV 4lbs, $1.44 per lbs
• Brown Rice – Azure: 5lbs, $1.88 per lbs | Walmart: Mahatma 2lbs, $2.09 per lbs
• Black Beans – Azure: $1.78 per lbs | Walmart: Not organic $1.76 per lbs
• Rice Cakes – Azure: .55c per oz | Walmart: Not organic .80c per oz
• Peanut Butter – Azure: $7.12 per lbs | Walmart: GV, $4.68 per lbs
• Frozen Fruit (blueberries) – Azure: 5lbs not organic, $2.36 | Walmart: not organic, $2.98

Organic is typically more expensive but it’s something I don’t mind paying for because I do believe it is best. But when shopping with Azure I have not felt like I’m spending a ton more for organic healthy food. In fact, I’m saving money. If you buy the larger, 10lbs or 25lbs with Azure the price does go down as the quantity goes up, so I buy in bulk. I’m very happy with the prices.

I have never experienced any hidden fees, or shipping fee’s. Its actually the opposite, when you purchase certain items you receive Azure Cash Rewards. So when I go to check out often I have about $5 of reward cash I can use based of off my previous purchases.

To Sum Up

I have been very happy with Azure Standard and plan to continue shopping there for the bulk of my needs. The site is easy to navigate, communication on delivery/pickup has been excellent, the quality of food is wonderful and I’ve been saving money.

I highly recommend Azure Standard for anyone looking to purchase high quality, organic foods.

The post Azure Standard Review. Pros, Cons, Price Comparison. appeared first on Embracing The Home.

Where To Buy Bulk Food

Azure Standard is my number 1 place to shop. I love the clean, Non-GMO, organic food they offer. Azure Standard is an online whole food distributor. They skip the middle man and deliver your order to drop off location near you. You pick up on the day and time they deliver. For example, for me they deliver on the 1st Tuesday of every month around 6:00pm. Knowing this allows me to plan out my orders knowing my food needs to last at least a month long. Although most of what I order lasts us 2-3 months, some items, like dry beans, last us 6+ months.

There are other places to shop in bulk like Costco, AllBulkFoods.com, and many more… Each place differs a little on what they carries so you will need to shop according to your needs. I shop Azure for their Non-GMO organic whole foods.

Foods You Can Store In Buckets

• Dry Beans/lentils
• Rice
• Flour
• Oats
• Popcorn
• Sugar/brown/powdered
• Seeds (flax, chia, sunflower, etc)
• Salts and spices
• Pastas
• Even cereals

This list is not exhaustive but the more common items that are stored in buckets. You can store pretty much any pantry food in a food bucket. But just because they are in food grade buckets doesn’t mean they will last longer. Although most items that can be stored in a food bucket can last a good long time. Do you research the shelf life of the foods you want to store and don’t simply believe that because it’s in a food bucket that it will automatically stay good for 30 years.

Food Grade Buckets

Which buckets are safe for storing food? Can I just pick up some $5 buckets from Home Depot or Walmart? Regular $5 buckets are made with releasing agents that can be toxic. They are not ideal for storing food and the FDA advises against it. Luckily food grade buckets are not hard to find and are typically only a few dollars more. To know if your bucket is FDA approved look for the recycle number “1”, “2”, “4” or “5” on the bottom of the bucket.

Where To Buy Food Grade Buckets

You can buy Food Grade Buckets online easily, I like buying them from Azure Standard but you can also find them on Amazon, Home Depot, Tractor Supply, even some Walmart’s. The prices for Food Grade Buckets is typically only a few extra dollars around $6-8 per bucket but it’s the lid that often comes separate and is another $5-7. 

I’ve actually bought most of my buckets from our local donut shop. When we first started buying in bulk it was because we were trying to save money and spend wisely. So buying new 10 buckets with lids at $12 was money I just didn’t have at the time. So I went to my local donut shop and found they sold their used buckets for $2.50 with the lid. Most of their buckets were only 4 gallons and didn’t always fit 25lbs of flour or sugar in one but I worked with it. The goal was to save money while providing my family’s needs and it worked.

TIP: I will advise, when buying from a local restaurant or bakery make sure to avoid putting your flour or sugar in a bucket that had jalapenos, vinegar or something strong smelling in it previously.

Where to Store Your Food Buckets

Keep your buckets in a cool, dry location. You want to keep food buckets out of extreme temperatures. A pantry or closet inside the house is always the ideal temperature but they are often not big enough for your needs. Some  Basements and garages are typically perfectly fine. Sheds and carports are not ideal due to their lack of insulation.

Along with temperature you always need to consider moisture or humidity levels. You want to store your pantry foods in a dry location. Too much moisture can lead to rot, fungus and molds. Often people who store in a cool room or basement will invest in a dehumidifier to insure a safe room for all their goods. If the room you are planning to store in has trouble with moisture this may be something you will want to look into.

I store my bulk foods in my kitchen under my worktable.

Remember there is not one right way to store food for your family while providing for them. But there are multiple wrong ways that might lead to contamination and food waste. Avoid the wrong and be creative with the right ways to fit your family’s needs and enjoy the fruit of your labor.

The post How to Store Bulk Foods with Buckets appeared first on Embracing The Home.

I’m so thankful for grocery stores always having produce like, bananas, apples and spinach year round. My kids always have their favorite fruit to snack on, I can get fresh greens for a healthy salad or smoothie and I can pickup ingredients and produce for just about any recipe I may need, any time of the year, I am so blessed.

But… about two years ago I found on Facebook a lady near me who was selling and delivering local Produce Boxes. It was the height of summer and the melons, berries, tomatoes in her boxes where all so fresh and delicious! I couldn’t resist and got on her regular bi-weekly deliveries. That summer our home was filled with wonderful fresh produce.

A Change In Seasons

As fall and winter approached the contents of the boxes started to change. No more melons, or berries, or stone fruit but lots of butternut squash, walnuts (with the shell), potatoes, carrots, onions, apples… the fall and winter crops. I loved the new items but there was some foods I just didn’t know what to do with. It was no longer filled with easy snack fruit for my kids but vegetables that I had to find recipes for so we could cook and eat them.

This ended up being a blessing in disguise. Some food went to waste at first, because I just didn’t know what to do with them. On the other hand new foods became our new favorites. I didn’t know one of my husbands favorite soups was butternut squash soup until we had an abundance of butternut squash. My kids love raw broccoli and will grab the whole head before I can get the produce box into the kitchen. Walnuts, with the shell, became a great activity for my kids to learn that food, takes work. I’ve learned to cook seasonally.

A Better Life

The grocery store has everything I need for any recipe I want to make. Yet, I found I was still limiting myself by buying the same ingredients for the same recipes every time I went to the store. Having seasonal fruits and vegetables delivered to my door made me cook with fresh foods. In turn, expanding my recipe box and giving me the opportunity to learn new things. Eating seasonally has truly enriched our lives.

The post How I Started Cooking with Fresh Seasonal Produce appeared first on Embracing The Home.