Kitchen Tools for the Homestead Kitchen: https://rootsandrefuge.com/kitchen-tools-for-the-homestead-kitchen/
Hey ya’ll, I’m Jess from Roots & Refuge Farm
Welcome to a place that feels like home. A small farm with a big family. We hope you’ll pull up a chair, grab some coffee and visit awhile.
There was a time that all I wanted in the world was a little farm where I could raise my family and grow our food. Now, that is exactly what exists outside my door. In watching it unfold, a new dream was formed in my heart – to share this beautiful life with others and teach them the lessons we’ve learned along the way. Welcome to our journey, friend. I am so glad you’re here.
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WHERE TO FIND US (Some of the links here are affiliate links. If you purchase through our links we’ll receive a small commission but the price remains the same – OR BETTER – for you! Be sure to check for any mentioned discount codes.)
– Our Website: https://rootsandrefuge.com
– Sign up for our newsletter: https://rootsandrefuge.com/yt-signup
– Abundance+ (Grab a FREE 7-day trial): https://rootsandrefuge.com/yt-wilder-still
– Shop our Stickers & Shirts: https://rootsandrefuge.com/yt-shop
– Order my book First Time Gardener: https://rootsandrefuge.com/yt-ftgbook
– Pre-order my newest book First Time Homesteader: https://rootsandrefuge.com/first-time-homesteader-yt
– Growing Gardeners Course: https://rootsandrefuge.com/yt-ggcourse
– Instagram: www.instagram.com/roots_and_refuge
– Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rootsandrefugefarm
– Email Us: rootsandrefuge@yahoo.com
– To drop us a line:
PO Box 4239
Leesville SC 29070
– To have a gift sent to our house from our Amazon wishlist: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/SFA0IZHZRCOZ?ref_=wl_share
– To support us through PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/jessicasowards
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PRODUCTS WE LOVE – You’ve probably heard me talk about these things a million times, so here’s where you can order them (and get a discount with my code!):
– Greenstalk Vertical Gardens (Use code “ROOTS10” for $10 off your order): https://rootsandrefuge.com/yt-greenstalk
– Squizito Tasting Room (Use code “ROOTS” for 10% off your order): https://rootsandrefuge.com/yt-squizito
– ButcherBox: https://rootsandrefuge.com/butcherbox
– Growers Solution: https://rootsandrefuge.com/growers-solution
#rootsandrefuge #homesteading #gardening
28 Comments
I've had joy in the kitchen long before having chickens. I've found joy in my kitchen and providing healthy meals for my family and friends in both scenarios. Just do what works for you at the moment. An open mind free of judgment is a beautiful thing
A question about oils for anyone who has an answer. What do you use to season your cast iron if not some kind of oil? Or is that an exception?
I have replaced our cereal with homemade granola, it’s so yummy. I do sweeten it with maple syrup (i melt equal parts maple syrup and butter and pour over whatever toppings until it’s just wet). I love it way more and it’s so much cheaper. Really easy to make to! Wanted to share in case it’s helps someone. And Jess, you are an inspiring person, you are such a change for good in this world. Love your perspective on so many things 😊
I love to garden but do not know how to cook from scratch. I have several cook books but they seem to always have ingredients that I never have on hand or can grow. It looks so easy when I watch someone but I don't know what herbs go together so interested in recipes that use them. I grew up on food out of a box or can but I love fresh food from my garden and try to avoid processed foods the best I can. Just need more ideas for variety.
I hope you follow this up with more seasonal farm to table recipes, from scratch cooks are often adventurous and always on the look out for a new crowd pleasing recipe!
I was taught to cook as a child and know my way around a kitchen. However I’ve been in a season of needing to rely a lot more on convenience foods, and pulling back from that has been a gradual process. My advice to anyone would be:
1. If your real choices are eating a convenience food, or not eating (because you don’t have the energy to prep the “real” food) eat the convenience food. Being fed is better.
2. Cooking real food takes more effort. So make small changes.
3. You can add veg to convenience foods or have both together. It doesn’t need to be all or nothing. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve added peas to my microwave Mac and cheese or eaten a banana after my pot noodle.
4. On that note, figure out how to cook veg. I like boiled carrot or cauliflower pretty well, but roasted carrots with honey, or roasted cauliflower, is something I’m actually excited to eat.
5. Again, THERE ARE NO RULES. If you feel like eating some roasted cauliflower but don’t have the energy to make a whole meal to go with it, just eat a bowl of cauliflower and then follow it up with a microwave meal. It’s still better than not having the cauliflower because you thought you had to be all or nothing.
6. Once you’re comfortable adding a fresh veg to most of your meals, move towards one from scratch meal a week. If you go too full on, you’ll burn out and throw out all that healthy food. Ask me how I know 😂
7. Find a friend to cook with once a week. Do it on a video call if you need to. It can help with the motivation and with finding exciting recipes to try together.
8. Don’t be scared to start. I can’t count the number of times I’ve put off cooking a meal because I was intimidated by wanting to get it right. If it doesn’t work quite right, try and figure out why, but don’t beat yourself up and don’t be scared to try again.
Hope this is helpful to someone ❤
Great video, Jess!
We eat oatmeal at home very often will add In it chopped up nuts chopped up dried fruit or seasonal fresh fruit and a little honey.so satisfying
This is again a very good one, thank you so much Jess. I am allergic to a lot of stuff, so I startet reading labels early on in my life. But it never seems to stopp. Under the influence of some good friends, I started tending towards vegeterian food, but then, what they where buying, I could not eat because all of the stuff that was in there. For me the main thing is real ingredients, fresh, simple cooking. Now I even started backing sourdough bread. I was so intimidated at start. And now I LOVE it! I was on vacation and coming back home what I was mostly looking forward to was starting my bread. Never thought that would happen. Backing in generell was definitely not my thing. Now that I learned, I love it and will teach my friends. Please keep it up Jess. Even far away from your world (I am in Germany) there is so much value in your videos also for me. Thanks thanks thanks.
My go to is soup or stews.. I cannot stand up long at the stove nor can I carry things out of the oven so it's easier for me to use the Crock-Pot or cook a big pot of soup on top of the stove I will prepare all my vegetable sitting down in a seat and preparing steps as I can
Some very wise words. I think I will save this to refer to later for inspiration. I certainly don't have the time do a lot of things I'd like to, but i try my best. You are very encouraging. I love your advice and suggestions.
Butter or olive oil that's all I use. Some time ago, I realised some of our butter options in Australia were butter blended with canola spread. I've been much more careful to read and understand what I'm eating and not guessing from the label.
Allergies necessitates that I cook from scratch, between mine and my grandchildren we are limited.
First of all, thank you Jess for this sober and realistic view in this matter.
My issue with cooking from scratch is time.
Cooking from scratch, even the most simplistic receipes, takes a lot of time, which I don't have.
It also has to do with the ability of planning ahead (for the next week, for example) and actually sticking to that schedule.
Thank you so much for the information in this video. Many years ago I was healing at a centre where the focus was eating clean and they spoke to us about a philosophy they called ,”good, better, best.” The idea is that you strive to choose the best whole foods to eat each day but we all know that at times life gets in the way and sometimes we can make a choice that is better than something else. When you spoke about eating nutritious food most of the time it resonated deeply. I appreciated the compassionate yet clear way that you encouraged people to take an intentional attitude towards choosing their diet. Thank you!! I feel inspired and look forward to more videos in this series.
Thanks Jess for sharing your thoughts on this subject. Scratch cooking isn't easy at first because, as you so aptly explained, it takes the realisation of how much processed foods are everywhere we turn. It can feel daunting and even discouraging but your approach really helps I think. You emphasise the importance of taking it slowly and replacing items step by step with such encouragement and kindness that it feels reassuring so thank you! I look forward to the next video on the subject! Have a glorious day! Love to you all!
I really love this message! One thing I haven't been able to give up buying processed is granola. I cannot seem to make a nice clumpy and crunchy granola from scratch. If anyone has any recipes to share, I'd love to hear it!
thank you Jess! i have wondered what the heck is wrong with the shredded cheese! now I know. i have been looking for the old C&H sugar BBQ sauce recipe. my mom always cooked from scratch and made her own BBQ sauce. hoping someone has it and could share. I did a diet that a friend recommended, nothing processed, nothing packaged no wheat, no dairy,…i walked into the grocery store and froze in my tracks, but quickly figured it out. all the food that i could eat was on the perimeter of the store. In a week I lost 3 dress sizes and felt like a bounding 3-year-old
I eat cheese cuz i5 tastes so darn yummy, but it doesn't lik3 me at all. Am I willing to pay with pain for the pleasure…oh heck yes,
I just love how you can put your thoughts into coherent words and use them to promote peace and tolerance alongside your cause❤🕊🌱🌱
Yesterday, hubby and I were buying seed potatoes and we found a gift set (that was expensive before Xmas, but purchased for less than the contents by us) and it was for growing your own mustard seed for making mustard. The gift set was under a popular brand (in the U.K.) for mustard. There was instructions on the back for making mustard. It surprised me how few ingredients and steps were required for this condiment.
This was a really good video x
Very well done, and very timely. God continues to use you dear. One of these days I'm going to be able to be past the chaos and figure out a letter to you. 😉🙂
Brilliant introduction to your "from scratch series, Jess.
Coming from an Australian, long time "real food" cook.
Jess, you said you don’t always feel qualified to talk about this topic, that you’re not always the most disciplined from scratch cook. I was trying to figure out how to say this without sounding like I know it all, or overwhelming new cooks, but you kind of said it.
I’m an almost 50 year old homesteader, mom, and grandma and I grew up on a homestead and have cooked for 40 years- and I don’t feel the most qualified to talk about this either. I just find joy in feeding my family healthy foods and I enjoy trying small new things still. I still haven’t made homemade sourdough bread yet like I want to. Keep doing the baby steps. You all got this:)!
Thanks Jess:).
That's true I'm taking food classes and money classes
Very good video!!!
Jesse help me how did my mom get cancer again
She died
You have no idea how much I needed this video ❤ thank you as always for being a light and resource
I know it’s not for everyone but after my 2nd youngest was diagnosed with a sugar and dairy allergy I got a thermomix and found skinnymixers recipe books. This has helped us being able to cooks so much from scratch especially with stocks, sauces and spice blends. We are still learning preserving techniques and expanding our gardens to help reduce costs of more sustainable food choices