A little late but here is Friday...

Peanut Butter is it good or bad?

At our last visit with our homeopath she suggested to curb back the amount of peanut butter C Monster consumes because it is linked to cancer. Weather it is my homeopath or my doctor that says to do something we always question and try to do our own research.

Their is a fungus that grows on peanuts that has been linked to cancer. Not all peanuts have this fungus it seems to be that this fungus thrives in humid climate.

Some links with good information:
http://www.bodybuildingweb.net/blog/peanut-butter-causes-cancer/
http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/id/QAA115491
http://www.scienceinafrica.co.za/2001/august/peanut.htm
http://www.ehso.com/ehshome/aflatoxin.php

All that being said C Monster loves peanut butter and is very picky so anything that is somewhat healthy that he is willing to eat he gets; so I decided I needed more information on the peanut butter we buy for him so I sent the company (MaraNatha) we get out Peanut butter from this letter:

"Hello,

As a concerned mother of a 2 year old that loves your peanut butter I wanted to receive a bit more information about the product.

Could you please inform me as to were the peanuts used to make your butter are grown?

Thank you"

Once I get an answer back from them I will update you on the peanut butter situation; as it stands for now C Monster will keep eating peanut butter, until I have a bit more information to make a fully informed choice as to what to do.

Blender

Our Kitchen Aid Blender died today; it's the second time in 4 years since we have had this blender that the exact same part dies...

Trying to figure out if we are going to fix it again or buy a new one?

Chips Chips Chips

I went on a chip kick today, I think it's because grandmama was visiting so I had free hands to do as I pleased; since she was entertaining the C Monster.

I made Kale Chips for the second time; other then the fact that I over salted them they were great. The first time we made well we threw them out... I used a recipe found via tastespotting for a guide - by Savour Fare I did not change much up:

Kale Chips

1 bunch kale
1 tablespoon oilve oil
1 1/2 teaspoon red wine vinegar
sea salt to taste

Preheat oven to 350.

Wash and dry the kale; remove the central vein and slice the kale leaf in half length-wise.

In a large bowl, combine oil, vinegar and salt. Toss the kale the in the mixture until well coated then spread leafs on baking sheets, lined with parchment paper.

Bake until crisp, 10 to 15 minutes. Check at 10 minutes then almost every minute after mine where ready in 13 minutes, the first time we made these they burnt and were gross.

After finishing the Kale Chips I wanted to try some sweet potato chips. I used the cooking guidelines for the beet chips I made a few days back, but other then that I made it up as I was going along:

Sweet potato chips

2 large sweet potatoes cut in thin slices lengthwise using a mandolin
olive oil
kosher salt

Preheat oven to 250. Spread potatoes slices on cookie sheets lined with parchement paper. Bake for 60 to 80 minutes. Check them at 60 minutes then every 5 minutes after that until they are crisp - once again you do not want to burn them.

Place chips in a large bowl drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt - toss then serve.

A note to ones that are new making chips, all baked vegetable chips tend to go soft again after a day or so; if you do not finish them all the same day you made them - just toss in the oven at 250 for a few minutes before you eat them and they should crisp up again.

Looking Forward To

Going to the maple syrup farm tomorrow...