Slow Cooker! We're Back On!

I've had an on-again-off-again relationship with my slow cooker, but I think I'm finally ready to commit. I had previously borrowed a slow cooker from my folks, but it wasn't up to snuff (the lid didn't fit right). A store at the mall had one on sale, so I thought I'd once again, give slow cooking the ol' college try. Again. With receipt in a safe place for an easy return.

Well, the one I picked up has a temperature probe and a bunch of other settings. I LOVE this thing!!!! I had never done a roast before (The Hubs told me he doesn't care for them), but I did one earlier this week and it turned out perfect! Husband ended up eating most of it! The recipe stated to cook on low for 5.5 - 6 hours, but someone in the comments wrote that 5.5 hours would overcook it. I had a morning appointment (this was going to be our lunch), so I ended up putting the probe in the meat, set the temperature I wanted it to reach, when I returned home, it was done! 3 hours did the trick! 5.5 would have destroyed it.

At this point, I've lost track of the number of stocks I've made in it. I throw chicken carcasses in the crock, add veggies, add ACV, let it sit for an hour, then set it to low and let it go for 24 hours. Easy peasy!

Right now it's finishing up some brown rice. I started it on the stove top and the recipe said to cover it and put it on low for 1.5 - 3 hours, so I'm letting the slow cooker do it. This will be the second time I made this recipe like this; here's hoping the first time wasn't a fluke!

Oh, slow cooker... I'm so glad we're friends.

Microwave Update & GAPS Rambling

Well, not only have I not used my microwave since my last post, apparently I also have not used blogger! It's been surprisingly fast to reheat meals on the stovetop or toaster oven, and I'm not missing the "convenience" of microwaving at all. I do use the kitchen timer function on the microwave though. That's pretty handy.

Currently I'm trying to spring clean the kitchen cabinets, clearing space for our next big project: the GAPS Diet. I think our entire family will benefit, and as stringent as it is, Husband and I are both on board. I'm so glad he's up for this; it's challenging sometimes to balance everything and get the food out (though I'm becoming MUCH faster at butchering chickens!), and it will be a relief not to prepare separate meals for him.

More about GAPS here: http://www.gapsdiet.com/

It's not about weight-loss or quick fixes. It's about healing the gut. This will be a 1.5 - 2 year (YEAR!) commitment, depending on how it goes for each of us. I'm going to stagger the starting points for everyone because of the probability of experiencing a rough die-off period when candida starts to die in the gut. When this yeast dies, it becomes a toxin in the body. Oy.

Usually I'm a "there's no time like the present!" sort of person, but for this, I'm putting it off until the end of the school year. I hate to say it, but I need to use up these other ingredients I have!! If we're not going to be using them for YEARS, then I want it all out of the house. Most of the stuff I need to use are already open (like the garbanzo bean flour), but some of it will just go in the trash. In the meantime, we're gluten-free and casein-free (for the most part. Husband and I still eat cheese every once in a while) and we're eating more of a traditional foods diet.

Once the house and my brain are re-organized, I hope to journal our GAPS journey. No promises though!