Today while Freya napped I made a large pot of chicken stock from a whole carcass, carrots, celery, onion, and peppercorns, which in the end totaled seven pint jars. I also made a batch of sweet potato pear puree for Freya, which filled two ice cube trays, along with one portion for tonight’s supper (she loved it). Then later I made dinner: pork chops and dijon sauce, boiled new potatoes with herbs, and a simple green salad with homemade vinaigrette.

I really like cooking and since I’ve become a full time mother, I have tried to do more from scratch than ever, to the point where I wonder why anyone ever buys applesauce pre-made, considering it’s one of the easiest things to make. That goes for salad dressing, too. That never needs to be purchased from a store shelf, either. Barbecue sauce? So easy to make. By making these things from scratch, you also eliminate the chance of high fructose corn syrup and other artificial ingredients sneaking in. It’s also cheaper. The reasons go on and on.

It’s annoying that whenever I read an article about HFCS, inevitably there’s someone claiming that it’s hard to avoid because it’s in “everything.” Well, if all you eat is processed crap from a can, jar, or box, then I guess yeah, it is in everything. But actually, high fructose corn syrup is really very easy to avoid. Shop around the outside border of your supermarket, where you find produce, raw meat, and dairy. Shop in the bulk food section for as many things as possible, especially stuff like rice, dried beans, cereals like whole oats, etc. Read labels. DO NOT drink sweetened sodas, drinks, juices of any kind. Eat plain or organic yogurt.

This summer I want to try my hand at canning. I’ll keep it simple, maybe start with tomato sauce, pickles, and salsa. In the fall, apple compote or jam. What I have done so far in small batches (chicken stock, applesauce) has motivated me to make even more of my staples instead of buying from the grocery aisle.

Okay Freya needs me, she’s pulling on my robe! G’night.