/
All blog posts
As you can probably guess, in this category you’ll find every single post from The Nourishing Hearthfire, from the very latest recipes and reflections, to my earliest blog posts, all in one simple category, sorted by date.
-
How to Make Mozzarella Cheese at Home Without Citric Acid or Microwaves (Easy Vinegar Method)
·
The difference between fast mozzarella and traditional mozzarella In this recipe I’ll be talking about fast mozzarella, which is a simple way to make stretchy and delicious pizza cheese at home. Traditional mozzarella is even more delicious, but involves slowly culturing the cheese until it reaches the right acidity, and the timeframe for this can be a bit slow and tricky to work with. With fast mozzarella, the milk is acidified by adding some kind of acid (vinegar, in the…
-
How to Make a Sourdough Starter from Scratch with Fresh Milled Flour (100% Whole Grain)
·
Here is my tried and tested method for creating a sourdough starter from scratch which is perfect for sourdough beginners, and for anyone interested in whole grain fresh milled flour. You can use fresh milled flour from your own grain mill, or organic 100% whole grain flour of any kind. For the best chances of success, choose whole grain rye flour for making your first sourdough starter from scratch – if you don’t like rye bread, once your starter is…
-
Blog reflections and future directions
·
The history of this blog I started The Nourishing Hearthfire ten years ago. Our youngest child at the time had started eating solid foods, we were in the process of buying land after what seemed like a lifetime of dreaming about it, and a whole new world was opening up for us. I had many ideas and photos, a stash of recipes and posts drafted up, with the idea of creating a place of my own on the internet to…
-
Introducing my Floury Friday email list, plus a free sourdough discard eBook for you
·
The last three times that I’ve finished writing a book, I’ve been really motivated towards my writing my next one, sometimes concurrently putting the finishing touches on the last book while excitedly mapping out and researching the next one. This time it’s a bit different. I have some possible ideas for new books, but nothing that is really shouting out to me as something I need to work on right away. At the same time, I feel like I want…
-
Understanding Phytic Acid in Sourdough and Whole Grains
·
Phytic acid in sourdough and whole grains I’ve been getting some questions about the phytic acid in whole grains and sourdough, and thought it would be a good idea to go into detail about how this works, and why you don’t need to be alarmed about it. Along with a bunch of good stuff that is not in refined flours, phytic acid is present in whole grains. If phytic acid is not broken down by the phytase enzyme by soaking,…
-
A Whole Grain Sourdough Book for The Rest of Us: Sourdough Without Fail
·
Creating a sourdough book for the rest of us: A 100% whole grain & fresh milled flour sourdough cookbook with easy recipes and a practical design Baking great sourdough doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming. Whether you’re using fresh milled flour or store-bought whole grain flour, you can make delicious bread, pizza, pastries, and more in your own kitchen. Sourdough Without Fail is a practical fresh milled flour sourdough cookbook written for real home bakers and homesteaders who want…
-
How much time does it really take to make bread from scratch with whole grains and fresh milled flour?
·
How to make fresh milled flour sourdough bread from scratch The time involved in making bread from scratch can be divided into hands-on time and hands-off time. Some bakers might use a lot of hands-on time, kneading a lot to develop strength in the dough. Other bakers might use a no-knead approach and use more hands-off time, with just a couple of minutes of hands-on time. You don’t need to knead your bread at all. The purpose of kneading is…
-
Getting started with bread baking on a budget
·
Getting started with homemade bread can sometimes be overwhelming if you are baking on a budget, but it doesn’t have to be that way at all. You don’t need to rush out and buy a bunch of expensive gear to make your own bread. In this post I’ll be sharing my strategies for making delicious bread on a budget. Frugal strategies for budget-friendly baking Be adaptable Don’t get fixated on baking with this or that heritage grain. Look at which…
-
The power of bread: how homemade bread can transform your life for the better
·
The power of homemade bread If you eat bread, the quality of bread you are putting on the table could be contributing to your health, or slowly making you sick. The best way to have healthy bread on the table is to make it yourself. It can be overwhelming to get started, but it doesn’t have to be. Many years ago when my husband and I were working on a farm on the other side of the world, I made…
-
Reflections on homesteading and self sufficiency, and our journey over the past two years
·
Around two years ago I wrote a big update about what we were up to, and our plans for homesteading and self sufficiency over the next year or so. There have been so many changes and reflections since then, so here is an update some changes here, and on our progress with self reliance and growing food on old logging land. Changes New babyBorn in April 2024. She is beautiful and healthy and loves homemade cheese. No hay, no cowEvery…
-
The best way to make stir fry
·
Stir fry is one of those basic meals that is often overlooked. My way of making it is a bit different to most, and I don’t think I’ve posted a recipe for how I make stir fry anywhere, so I’ll share it here. My easy stir fry recipe Ingredients My formula is usually something like: 1 part onions or leeks 1 part carrots 2 parts turnip or cabbage 1 to 2 parts dark leafy greens A bit of garlic and…
-
How to make pasta without a pasta machine
·
Making pasta at home is easier and cheaper than you may think. In this post I’ll share my method and thoughts on homemade pasta, and how to make pasta without a pasta machine. Why make pasta at home? Dry pasta is pretty much empty calories, wrapped up in plastic. Homemade egg pasta is a really tasty way to eat eggs that even picky eaters enjoy, and because it’s so rich in nutrition from the eggs, sauces can be really simple…
My books
More Resources for Off-Grid Living
Categories
Recent Posts
The Nourishing Hearthfire is reader-supported and mostly ad-free