Found some sites looking for paid market research studies!

So I kept thinking lately I would look up the place I used to go where I got paid to use products and answer questions on the product or taste food and answer questions on the food and I found these.  Some of them pay up to $100 for an hour and half of your time! Cool.

Paid Market Research Studies -- Consumer Research

Peryam & Kroll -- I used to belong to this group, just signed up again...
 https://www.pktesting.com/pk-liberated/RegisterA.aspx

Usability Sciences -- offering opinions helping to tweak company websites, software, application or products
http://www.usabilitysciences.com/contact-us/recruiting

Savitz Field and Focus -- (click on Join Our Database)
http://www.savitzfieldandfocus.com/

I've been to this location in person before.

C&C Market Research -- They have locations close to me and all over (signed up)
http://www.ccmarketresearch.com/

Product Testing and Market Research Recruiter -- Gina Robinson  (this may be a defunct website?)
http://www.producttestersneeded.org/testimonials.html

 Green Book.com --  A database to find Market Research companies
http://www.greenbook.org/index.cfm

Rye and oat crackers!

I made these crackers today and they were yummy!!  I modified them by using half oat 'flour' from chopped up oats, so the consistency was nice and the flavor and texture was really good.

 This was the link and the original recipe I followed..


http://www.mariasfarmcountrykitchen.com/how-to-make-crackers-its-so-freaking-easy/

This was my modified version recipe (I actually only made 1/4th of the recipe).  Calculated thanks to "Fruit From Washington Recipe Scale"
http://www.fruitfromwashington.com/Recipes/scale/recipeconversions.php




easy rye and oat crackers 
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour (I used half rye flour and half oats or oat flour) (2 cup)
1/2 teaspoon salt (1 teaspoons)
1/3 cup warm water (2/3 cup)
2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons olive oil (1/3 cup)

Directions: 1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees (because that’s where mine automatically goes to when you turn it on). 2. Put the flour, salt, warm water, and olive oil in a bowl, and stir until all the flour is absorbed (less than a minute). It kind of feels more like dough than batter. (I blended whole oats into a coarse flour and added them with the rye flour.) 3. Take a baking tray (I used a heavy one with edges, rather than a light one with no edges), and slather it with more olive oil. 4. Put the dough on the tray and smooth it out to cover the whole bottom. I used a rolling pin doused with oil. And my hands, too. No need to be fussy here! In fact, the thin rustic-edged ones tasted the best, I thought. 5. Take a knife and cut the dough into squares, rectangles…whatever! 6. Sprinkle the top with a bit more salt 7. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until golden. The crackers will harden up more after they cool. The potential variations for this recipe are endless: cheese, herbs, nuts and seeds, spices. I can see a lot of cracker experimentation in my future. And what I loved about them was that they were so easy and quick, and required no plastic packaging to bring into the house or to throw out afterwards. I stored them in a glass container, but as I said, they didn’t last long! http://www.mariasfarmcountrykitchen.com/how-to-make-crackers-its-so-freaking-easy/


They were really good!

Different kinds of Breads ~ Pumpkin Brioche, Salt Rising Bread and Outback's Honey Wheat Bushman (possibly)

Pumpking brioche recipes ~ Which one is best?

I'd like to try and make one into cinnamon rolls because I have seen that the regular brioche is a more common recipe for doing that.

One I'd really like to try! I love the two day fermentation breads, so far, they seem like a sourdough

http://www.applepiepatispate.com/bread/pumpkin-spice-brioche/

Brioche with pumpkin
http://www.google.com/search?q=pumpkin+brioche+recipe&rls=com.microsoft:en-us&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&startIndex=&startPage=1

SALT Rising bread! Should I try it?

Good instructional video about salt rising bread from a bakery in Pennsylvania. (I still need to watch it)

http://www.ehow.com/videos-on_1062_make-salt-rising-bread.html

Brown bread!!  Yum. I love the one from Outback Steakhouse, it is so sweet and yummy. I think it is the molasses.

This one has cocoa added to it, not sure about that. It also has some cornmeal (which makes it seem like the anadama bread I made ~ which was yummy!)

http://www.grouprecipes.com/53531/yeast-raised-brown-bread-outback-copycat.html

This one calls for molasses and rye, which makes it seem more authentic to me. (my preference to try)

http://restaurantrecipesbook.com/outback-steakhouse-bushman-bread-recipe/print/

A list of several variations of the brown bread on a group forum...  Cool! 

http://askville.amazon.com/sweet-dark-brown-bread-give-places-Cheesecake-Factory-Outback/AnswerViewer.do?requestId=2494845

Last idea for brown bread

http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/recs/394/OutbackSteakhouseHoneyWheat64760.shtml

SOURDOUGH!

Ideas for sourdough and information:  Lookup the recipes and ideas for the bread recipe Pain au Levain

http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/19956/very-sour-bread-made-not-so-sour-starter

I would dearly love to have the time and inclination to try every one of these breads at some point in my life.  There just seems like so much to do sometimes...  But I will make what catches my heart and mind next!

Still working on my sourdough that I started.  I left it out on top of the fridge for longer than I should have, without feeding it, and it went all quiet.  I'm trying to revive it without having to throw it away. 

I may need to get some rye grain to help it ferment along.... ;)

Just an update and Peanut butter cookies! My fave!

This last week we had another "Bread Making" class.  We tested out several different recipes for making sprouted grain and soaked flour whole grain biscuits, they were yummy!  One of the recipes we used cultured coconut milk for the liquid instead of water.  The consistency and the taste were very good!  I think the first one we tried had us using whey to soak in over night, and using less flour than the recipe called for, so that we didn't have to add more flour.

We discussed the idea of food storage for emergencies, and how to rotate out your stock.

We also tried out a recipe for making a yeast free bread and home made mayonnaise.  One recipe for mayo we decided tasted good called for coconut oil in addition to or in place of the olive oil.  I think that one tasted best.

I was laying in bed this morning craving buttermilk biscuits the way Lucille made them, my mom's stepmom.  I also started thinking of all the recipes I tried for making peanut butter cookies when I was a kid.  I tried so many, we were peanut buttered-out by the time I was done.  I remember finding or tweaking a recipe I liked really well, but for some reason didn't keep track of it, so I'm going to have to try to recreate that with the ingredients I prefer to use now.  I hardly ever use white flour and white sugar any more as they cause a big-time sugar low and fatigue in me, besides messing with my brain chemistry and clouding my mind~

Recipes I found that I would like to try:

Peanut butter cookie recipe using natural unrefined rapadura sugar!! Yum!!

http://www.creatingheaven.net/eeproducts/eesfc/recipes/pbcookie.html

Flourless nut butter cookies! Mhmm.

http://www.thenourishinggourmet.com/2008/08/flourless-nut-butter-cookies.html

Scottish shortbread cookies.  Real BUTTER!

http://www.thenourishinggourmet.com/2009/12/scottish-shortbread-cookies.html

Thanks for listening! :)

Alice

Sprouts and blender waffles

This is what I'm doing today...

I already made the sprouted grain gingersnaps tonight (yesterday, technically) and they turned out yummy!
http://www.thenourishinggourmet.com/2009/12/gingersnaps-using-sprouted-flour-and-unrefined-sweeteners.html

I'm getting ready to try the Blender Batter/Waffles by Sue Gregg, using sprouted whole wheat about 1 and 1/2 cups of sprouts and 1/2 cup of oats (not sprouted). Using Buttermilk as the acid medium.

http://www.suegregg.com/recipes/breakfasts/blenderbatterwaffles/blenderbatterwafflesA.htm

Ideas of what to do with the rest of my sprouts (recipes on left hand side of page)
http://www.sproutpeople.com/cookery.html


Some more information I found on sprouts - good reading and recipes
http://nourishedkitchen.com/sprouted-grain/

I want to try this recipe.  I love shortbread, it's so rich!
http://nourishedkitchen.com/sprouted-spelt-maple-shortbread/

And of course Molasses, one of my favorites!! High in IRON, of all things.
http://nourishedkitchen.com/cinnamon-molasse-cookie/


I'll have to let you know how it turns out! Gotta go blend! :)

Bread making class and possible Sprouted Grain Ezekiel 4:9 Bread Recipes

     I went over to my friend Julie's house for a lesson on baking a 100% whole wheat loaf using a Bosch Universal Mixer and I'll be trying to figure out how to translate the recipe into use either with the Kitchenaid stand mixer or by hand.  Before I went I tried an experiment with sprouting grain and dehydrating it in the oven and some in a pan just out on the back porch.  I only got about three cups of flour, but I'm looking forward to trying to make something with it!  Maybe those ginger snap cookies I found and posted about on Facebook?  We'll see.

    Julie was so sweet to let me grind my grain in her mill and teach us how to make cinnamon buns out of the basic whole wheat loaf bread recipe.  SO easy it's not even funny!  Now if I can get her recipe for the yeast-free Raisin Loaf she let me try, we are in business! Hee hee. Yummy! 

We talked about the Sprouted Grain Hearth Bread I tried making and the whole idea of sprouted grain flour, and cultured wheat.  Interesting stuff!

Here are some of the recipes I may look at trying. We'll see!


Sprouted Ezekiel Bread and Essene Bread (must try)
http://www.dadamo.com/forum/archive8/config.pl?read=40944


Sprouted Gluten free bread?  I really like this writer, so far.
http://thecoconutmama.blogspot.com/2010/09/sprouted-gluten-free-bread.html


Vegan Sprouted grain recipe
http://www.veganbaking.net/vegan-recipes/breads-and-muffins/flourless-sprouted-wheat-bread.html

Yummy cookie-cake recipe! MADE with HONEY! :) And no flour.
http://thecoconutmama.blogspot.com/2010/09/need-your-help.html

Honey let's have a Date: and the Science of Baking

Honey vs. Sugar
http://www.honey-health.com/honey-8.shtml

Go on a date..lol
http://zomtbakes.blogspot.com/2010/06/raw-natural-sweetener-date-syrup.html

pH levels in foods  ... adding baking soda (alkaline) to balance out honey (acid) in baking is what I'm researching. interesting. Looking for what to add to bread that won't change the flavor or texture or rise of the loaf.
What can you substitute for baking soda to increase the alkalinity of a food? Egg whites are one of the most alkaline foods.
http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/food-ph-d_403.html


How Baking Works: Exploring the Fundamentals of Baking Science By Paula I. Figoni
http://books.google.com/books?id=XqKF7PqV02cC&lpg=PA143&ots=hprVhcNcuN&dq=ph%20scale%20of%20baking%20goods&pg=PA143#v=onepage&q=ph%20scale%20of%20baking%20goods&f=false

 Understanding baking: the art and science of baking
 By Joseph Amendola, Nicole Rees
http://books.google.com/books?id=O-XW__S--v8C&lpg=PA45&dq=ph%20scale%20baking%20goods&pg=PA51#v=onepage&q=ph%20scale%20baking%20goods&f=false

Baked goods freshness: technology, evaluation, and inhibition of staling

 By Ronald E. Hebeda, Henry F. Zobel
http://books.google.com/books?id=8TismnTIcacC&pg=PA191&lpg=PA191&dq=ph+scale+of+baking+goods&source=bl&ots=jrKkwbGPV9&sig=NgzyNZdTPSid9oM3FtR0GwE_3Ww&hl=en&ei=wbftTfkxqefRAYrRlPgH&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CBoQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false

Understanding Food: Principles and Preparation

 By Amy Christine Brown
http://books.google.com/books?id=edPzm5KSMmYC&lpg=PA29&dq=ph%20scale%20baking%20goods&pg=PA23#v=onepage&q&f=false


Getting ready for the third day in the process of this bread

http://gamereviewwiki.com/bikinibirthday/2010/05/day-97/


Making date squares or protein bars :
http://www.google.com/search?q=date+squares&rls=com.microsoft:en-us&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&startIndex=&startPage=1


Making soaked grain breads:

Wholegrain Banana Bread, the Good Kind

http://www.paprikahead.com/2009/01/wholegrain-banana-bread-good-kind.html

Zucchini Bread

Food our grandmothers cooked, food our ancestors ate, food that has not been heavily processed or farmed in depleted soil — these are the foods that are Completely Edible.

http://www.completelyedible.com/2009/07/zucchini-bread/


Kamut Khorasan -- Recipe for soaked Zucchini Bread

http://www.kamut.com/en/recipe-detail.html?recipeId=126

Healthy Soaked Banana Bread
http://www.heaveninthehome.com/2009/04/24/healthy-soaked-banana-bread/

Soaked Pumpkin Bread
http://gnowfglins.com/2010/09/08/soaked-pumpkin-bread/
Dirty Dozen Produce List
http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/2010/04/29/2010-dirty-dozen-produce-list-released-by-the-ewg/

Vegetarian Sushi!!!  I want to try this.
http://unconventionalhomemaker.wordpress.com/2011/01/20/vegetarian-sushi/


CHECK THIS OUT!!
A local gal from Allen who orders grain from my friend.and does her own baking
http://unconventionalhomemaker.wordpress.com/

Using dates as a sweetener :Raw date sugar and date syrup

These are some links I found\\

I like this website for making raw foods!
http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/showthread.php?t=36380

recipe for date syrup
http://zomtbakes.blogspot.com/2010/06/raw-natural-sweetener-date-syrup.html

SWEET!!!  Blog and recipes making date sugar and using date sugar, YUM
http://www.muddyspoon.com/2011/01/naturally-sweet.html

Information on honey and dates as sweetener - very scientific!
http://www.honey-health.com/honey-8.shtml

Scientific data on date sugar
http://www.triedtastedserved.com/natural-sweeteners/date-sugar.php

Why you should eat more raw foods and date sugar
http://altmedicine.about.com/od/popularhealthdiets/a/Raw_Food.htm

Recipes using date syrup and cooking with date sugar
http://www.thehealthycookingcoach.com/2010/06/i-love-dates-and-im-always-on-the-lookout-for-new-ways-to-incorporate-them-into-recipes-i-like-showing-people-how-they-ca.html

another cooked version of date syrup
http://www.ehow.com/how_5351992_make-syrup-great-vegan-honey.html

What is date sugar?
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-date-sugar.htm

healthy sugar alternatives
http://www.organiclifestylemagazine.com/blog/healthy-sugar-alternatives.php

a source for premade date syrups and recipes using date syrup.
http://www.organicsareforeveryone.com/about/

Food dehydrating

I'm looking at the idea of getting a food dehydrator and of course it occurred to me to find something cheap or free.  So after looking online and pricing food dehydrators, I also looked up the idea of having a homemade one, a solar dehydrator.  Actually it came up in the search for dehydrators.  So here are some of the websites to look for and research for buying an electric one this has an autocompare feature for the different brands and varieties. http://discountjuicers.com/dehydratorcompare.html
this site just has several different types http://www.canningpantry.com/dehydrators.html

This one just gives tips on how to dry and some other things http://rawfoodswitch.com/raw-food-recipes/raw-food-dehydrators-dehydrate-snacks/

This one I really like because it has tips for drying and dehydrators and also tips for making your own dehydrator.  http://www.squidoo.com/solar-food-dehydrator#module9800298
and this one here has the same concept http://www.alpharubicon.com/prepinfo/dehydratorstryder.htm

I think this may be an option except for the obstacle of keeping the animals out of the food.  But it's always fun to try!

Permaculture blog on dehydrating and food dryers http://permaculturelist.wordpress.com/2011/05/27/permaculture-three-solar-food-dehydrators/

So, there are some ideas, now I'll get ready to go for my day!! :)

Making bread!!

On Thursday and Friday I made Anadama bread and found this recipe to try for sprouted grain bread.  Yesterday I started the process by soaking the grains, this morning at 9:30 am I started the soaker and I'll start the biga later today since it only needs to sit overnight. Anyway here is the blog post I'm following bikini birthday- day 97: sprouted grain hearth bread now we'll follow the process and see how things turn out. 

I also found these blogs that I want to look at because I'm doing research on the sprouted grain and soaked flour methods of baking bread.  So far this is what I've found.


http://www.modernalternativemama.com/blog/2010/6/2/affording-real-food-purdy-family.html

http://rawmilkmama.blogspot.com/2008/02/making-bread-with-fermented-soaked.html

http://www.healthbanquet.com/sprouted-grain-bread.html

http://articles.urbanhomemaker.com/index.php?article=265

I was also investigating the ideas of making bread without yeast completely as there was a biblical reference to making it as an offering unto the Lord in Leviticus 2 where I was reading yesterday morning.

Here are a few articles about that: http://www.optiderma.com/en/healthy-skin-tips/food-recipes/bread-dough-without-yeast---anti-candida.html

http://earthnotes.tripod.com/soda-bread.htm

Anyway! That's really it for this morning.. (Edited at 11:18 am June 5th)


So here we go! I'm off to get ready for my day, possibly go to church or listen to it online.  Take some things back to the grocery store and get my money back, and maybe go to a movie! We'll see what really happens!

Love!

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Finnegan Begin Again...

Well, as they say, this is the first day of the rest of your life.  I've been putting off writing my thoughts down in a blog because, honestly I don't really want anyone else reading them.  That opens me up to the possibity of people looking and not responding, or people reading and responding, but in a way that makes me feel like I'm being critiqued. Or disagreed with.  And quite honestly, I don't really like it when people disagree with me. Ha ha.  Not so much that I mind that people have a different opinion, it's not that.  It's just that I don't really want to know about it, unless I ask...  And even then, I sometimes don't want to know!  Besides the fact that people can look and lurk, without me knowing who is privy to my thoughts. When someone comes up to me and remarks about something I've shared and I don't recall ever having that conversation with them, it makes me feel slightly awkward. So, I'm throwing caution to the wind and doing this anyway. I'm hopeful that the response will be more positive than negative, and I will finally begin to feel free to express myself in my writings, instead of wishing it so or thinking I should. Here goes!!

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