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Well, given our crazy weather, planting is on hold for a bit. Our seedlings are still coming along, but I won’t be moving any of them outside this week with the weather that’s being predicted! So on to another topic.
In our homesteading journey, we’ve been discovering lots about processed food versus real food. Unfortunately it has meant giving up eating some of my favorite (unhealthy) things! At least most of the time….
I have to admit…this one in particular was hard for me. Velveeta is in SO many yummy recipes. Casseroles, creamy soups, queso dip…doesn’t it make your mouth water just thinking about it? But once I learned about pasteurized processed cheese food, I felt like for our family’s benefit I needed to find an alternative. In general, it’s been super easy to just replace Velveeta (or other processed cheese) with cheddar. However, just recently I came across a family recipe that just didn’t work with cheddar – our favorite broccoli soup. The cheddar got all clumpy and nasty, and completely ruined the soup. Needless to say, I will be doing some experimenting with that one! (Next time I think I’ll make a roux with butter and flour, whisk in the milk and add the cheese to melt, just like you would do to make a cheese sauce for homemade mac and cheese. Then I can add that to the broth and other soup ingredients. We’ll see if it works! I’m open to suggestions.)
A quick internet search will find you several more articles on pasteurized processed cheese food if you’re interested in reading more. In doing so, I also found this alternative homemade version of American cheese. I’ll be giving that a try as well!
And even though I whine about my lack of Velveeta cheese, I can honestly say that my body feels much happier and healthier with the changes we’ve made, to a diet with more real food and less processed “stuff”! (And, besides, I’m not against indulging once in awhile….)
Joey Norsen is a hopeful homesteader, military wife and mom. From recipes and organic gardening, to chickens and do-it-yourself ideas, Joey will be sharing her experiences (and challenges!) as her family seeks a simple, more self-sufficient life.
