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I have come across your books in various homeschooling Internet groups and most recently saw your ad in Homeschooling Today.  I am a new Christian, and I want to live more naturally and healthfully.  The problem is I don't have the slightest idea of where to begin.  I grew up solely on fast food, Top Ramen soup and Hamburger Helper.  I don't know anything about whole foods or natural living.  I don't have anyone I can turn to for help or to ask questions. I am glad I found your site and I am praying that some of my questions will be answered and I can figure out how to begin.  May the Lord bless you always! Alice, Whittier CA 

 I need help in finding healthy recipes for my family. For a short time we tried the Atkins diet which severely limits carbohydrates.  I can not get myself to believe that eating so much fat and meat and no
grains can be good for you.  I have read that eating whole grains will help control your sugar levels and in doing so also control your insulin.  I am probably insulin resistant.  Diabetes runs in both my family and my husbands.  We are both over weight and I am very concerned that we may be in line for diabetes. 
Eleanor, Papillion NE

I started reading posts on the "Well-trained Mind" website about moms who cook whole foods...I have never eaten right, although for the first 25 years of so of my life I was thin and energetic. Now I've gained 75 pounds in 4 years, feel rotten about my appearance and have no energy. I would like to eat better to feel better, look better, live longer, have more energy, and teach these good habits to my children. 
Sally, Stillwater, OK

I have heard your name mentioned several times within the HS circles. Since I have recently been diagnosed with gestational diabetes, your books have been recommended to me several times.  Thank you for this ministry! Recipe by recipe I have been improving my family's eating habits, and much to my excitement, they have embraced all of the changes that I have instilled.  Betty, Dyess AFB, TX 

Dear Sue,
Soon I will have all of my equipment and will start doing something whether it be right or wrong!!  I think your semester course with help me with the "how to"  I'm leaning toward the Retsel Mil-Rite for grinding. It's expensive but I just like the sounds of it, slow and simple.  I already have a juicer so I'd be less likely to get the Champion juicer and attachment you mentioned (although that would be cheaper than the Retsel).  Anyway, I checked out the website you mention on your site "Real Food Living" and they talked about glazing and gumming up as being a problem with the Retsel (or any stone mill) if the wheat isn't completely dry.  I have emailed their group about this, and wanted to ask you to is this regular problem, or just with a "damp" batch of wheat. They said I could remedy it by placing wheat in a dehydrator or oven. That sounds like a pain if I had to do it every time. I value your opinion and wondered if you see this as a problem with stone mills or the Retsel in particular. I will store my grain inside my house in airtight food grade buckets, but I do live in NC and it is very humid here in the summer.  I don't know if this is a factor.  I would like to go with the stone mill. I don't want to worry if the heat is too high as. with the Whisper Mill. There seems to be no clear answer on this. I've heard the Jupiter mill is a nice stone mill, I'm worried about this "gumming" or "glazing". Cheryl, Raleigh, NC

In all our years of working with high speed and slow speed stone mills we have never glazed stones so they would not grind. I suppose it is possible, but I think the threat is overstated.

By the way we are becoming happier and happier with our Champion both as a juicer and a mill. It mills with steel burrs. Steel burrs, of course, can't be glazed. The best part of owning a Champion is the price! We'd expect it to cost $500 to $600, but it is half that. We'll be doing a review on it later on the grain mill review page.
Sue

Dear Sue,
   My daughter and I have really been enjoying your video tapes and workbooks. The recipes have been fun to try. We do have some questions though, on the whole wheat bread recipe. First, when you talk about vitamin C do you mean regular C tablets like you would find at the health food store? Should we dissolve it in water or anything?

Yes, regular vitamin C, crushed between 2 spoons or ground with the flour. If you can find vitamin C crystals or powder, use 1/4 tsp for 4 loaves of bread. 

Now for my second question - we have a Kitchenaide mixer. You used a different bread kneading machine in your video and I think you said that after enough flour had been added that resulted in the dough pulling away from the bowl, you then continued  to knead it for another 10 minutes. Right? Well, our Kitchenaide Mixer says that at this point to not knead it with the dough hook for more then 2 minutes or it could damage the machine. However, when we did this  the dough seemed to be fine -  it seemed elastic and thick enough to me and also very "formable". So I was wondering, do you HAVE TO knead for 10 minutes?

No, follow the instructions for your own bread making machine.

Is the attitude with whole wheat bread "the more you knead it the better" or is there a point where it is too much?

If you are kneading by hand, 300 kneading strokes per loaf is an excellent rule of thumb (Takes about 10 minutes, but I prefer to count strokes). Yes you can overknead. Overkneaded dough will begin to get sticky.

 Does more kneading result in a firmer or "higher" bread? Whole wheat is new to me, but I have made cinnamon rolls with white flour and in that recipe you didn't want to knead it past a point or I was told it would make them too tough. Is this true of whole wheat?

 More kneading (but not overkneading) develops the gluten strands in the grain to hold the expanding CO2 produced by the yeast as it grows. It will definitely make a higher bread, but if the more underkneaded the dough, the more the bread will turn out like a brick. So higher and lighter is more accurate for adequately kneaded dough.

Anyway, then we turned it out, divided it,  and began forming it into the different loaves. At this point, can you over work the dough? Do we have to worry about this? One of the girls  would roll it out into a rectangle, fold it, pound it down over and over again. I was worried that it would effect the dough. Will it?

Yes, you could overwork the dough by doing this, especially if you stretch it and start to break the gluten strands. A little more kneading doesn't usually hurt. In fact, I usually knead a bit after the last rise and let the dough rest 10 or 15 minutes. This is supposed to make it more pliable to handle. I recommend not rolling it out into a rectangle more than once. If the shape is not "perfect" (often the desire of a young cook), the whole rolled up roll of cinnamon rolls can be easily evened out with your hands before cutting the rolls.

 Our loaves did not rise as high as yours in the video and I am not sure whether it  was because of our kneading and "pounding"   or because we did not have any Vitamin C and therefore did not add any.?

Any or all of those reasons can make some difference. However, don't go by how high you saw the bread on the video. You will get different results at different times because there are more factors involved such as: the protein content of the grain, the type of grain used, the rising temperature, how fast the dough rises, the effective activity of the yeast, how many times you let it rise, whether you let it rise too much just before baking, the humidity, the gravitational tugs of the moon, the music you are playing, your hairdo, and who knows what else.

I don't know which book or edition you are using, but I have recently revised my bread making procedure which is not incorporated into our "Baking with Whole Grains" semester homeschooling course for high school people and adults. 

I have done further research about the effects of phytates in whole grains. The phytates tend to bind up valuable nutrients, especially calcium, magnesium, zinc, and iron. Unless the phytates release these nutrients, the body will not have access to them. The way to do this is to allow the whole grain flour to soak and/or ferment (or sprout) for several hours. I do it overnight or for about 7 hours. This means making a sponge the night before completing the dough.

The sponge is made with the proofed yeast, the water in the recipe at a cool temperature, about half of the flour, and some or all of the remaining ingredients. Cover in a bowl with a damp cloth and leave in a nondrafty corner of the kitchen. Complete the recipe the next morning. Follow the recipe but add a second rise in the bowl. This means the dough gets 4 risings (2 in the bowl, 1 in the pans before baking, and finally while baking in the oven).

If you could answer these questions for me I would be so grateful. I truly want to be able to make our families bread and want to become good enough at it so it will be accepted by them, as well as make sure my daughter understands the right way to do it.

Debbie

You may want to consider taking “Baking with Whole Grains” course with your daughter. It is 18 lessons  (18 weeks) with a Student Notebook, CD with step-by-step digital photo demonstrations of each recipe. The Breakfasts cookbook is the text for the course (3^rd ed). It covers blender crepes, blender cornbread, tortillas, biscuits, scones, zucchini, and pumpkin breads, and beginning Yeast Bread, sourdough bread, and cinnamon rolls.

Blessings, Sue

I'm a homeschool graduate, and I do a lot of the cooking for our family.  I like your cookbooks, but I was wondering about a Russian cookbook you mentioned..  I'm studying Russian language and culture, and I'd love to get info on a Russian cookbook if you have one.  Russian food that I'm acquainted with has a lot of pork, butter, etc...I'd like a healthier view on Russian cooking!  Tamberina, Clarence, NY   

See  http://www.suegregg.com/travel/russia/russia.htm   and   http://www.suegregg.com/recipes/salads/russianbeetsalad/russianbeetsalad.htm and   http://www.suegregg.com/cookbooks/russian/russiancookbook.htm

Dear Sue,
I am writing simply to ask for some encouragement as to how to "teach an old dog new tricks". The old dog is me! I am a homeschooling mother and wife — 5 children, ages 13-5 and a husband who eats pretty much anything I put in front of him. Although by most people’s standards my children are pretty good eaters, I have not done a very good job of instilling good eating habits in them. I bought your cookbooks last year and have tried a few of the recipes, but always slip back into old routines because I get discouraged at the lackluster reception from my children and find myself overwhelmed by all the changes that need to be made in my cooking and eating habits. I would certainly appreciate any counsel or encouragement you could give me!

I was moved by your letter to give you what I hope is quite a bit of encouragement, not only because I want you to have success with our cookbooks, but also because I think you have great potential with your interest in food to influence not only your family’s health, but the health of others.

We have some things in common. I started this venture of writing the cookbooks when I was 38 which is approximately the time we began making dietary changes in our own family. Our 3 children were 3-12 years in age. My husband was borderline diabetic and gaining weight. On my first trial run 2 years before the beginning of the cookbooks, no one liked what I made, children or husband--all meat and potatoes people. I stopped and prayed for 2 years and then the Lord began to open some doors to me to try again--this time to take familiar recipes and change the quality of ingredients. It worked! Time and time again people tell us that their children will eat my recipes and they love the cookbooks. One lady told me it was "real people" food. The secret is sticking to the familiar American dietary pattern and recipes but changing quality of recipes (rather than totally new strange diet). So I can tell you that if your children don’t like our recipes, they probably won’t like anyone else’s in the health department either. 

I will give you these suggestions: 1) Find the 44 Menu Choices for Children Menu Calendar in the Main Dish book, p. 34, and focus on trying some of those recipes; 2) Get into the Lunches & Snacks book with your children in the Children’s Cookbook section. Start making some of the recipes with the children. It is amazing how they like what they make themselves. There is a certain personal pride in it. 3) Go on our website at www.suegregg.com with your children and view the 3 demonstration recipes: Orange Frosty (with kids), Christmas Cheese Ball (with our Indiana grandchildren, Connor and Rose) and Applesauce Muffins demonstrated by Brittany who was 13 years old at the time. 4) Look up "Children, teaching" in the Master Index & Menu planner, pp. 191-193. This index gives you a long list of all the recipes from all the cookbooks that are especially good to do with children (or serve them). Since you homeschool, make lessons--a little minicourse out of this with your children. 5) Explain to your children that this is all new to you and you need their help and you want to make a success of it for yourself, their dad and for them so that you can all be happier and healthier and have more fun in life because of more health, energy, sharper minds, better looks, etc. and that it is all for Jesus. Pray with them, asking Jesus together for His help and ideas on how to go about this project together. It is crucial that you do so for so many reasons I won’t take the time to mention. 6) Pray for attitude changes in your children--for willing hearts and developing taste buds for healthier food. 7) Rate each recipe with the children from 1-10 (10 is best) and discuss whether to improve a recipe, have it often, forget it and try others, etc. The children will feel great having their opinion valued. But let them know that you are all trying to do better in this department and adapt to a new way of eating.

My husband and I are both about 25 pounds overweight and have a family history of all the usual diet related health problems, plus I am already being treated for high cholesterol. I am also a retired registered nurse, so I am well aware of the necessity to make better choices now, at 40, rather than 5 or 10 years from now when one of us has a heart attack. But I love to cook and bake (especially bake — particularly with chocolate!) and love reading and collecting recipes. I also like eating out and all these things stack up against me really making any lasting changes.

This paragraph caught my attention, especially that you love to cook and bake and love reading and collecting recipes. Not every woman loves the kitchen, recipes and cookbooks! If you have a love for it, it is part of God’s unique design he has made of you. He’s done that for a reason. Have you ever thought that He might plan to use your life and interest to influence others? I can see this. I can see you being an influence on your friends, family and others out of your God-given interest. Why not let it be an influence for healthier lifestyle of preparing and eating food? So I think you can have a possible greater reason than your own family alone to think of in making changes and learning how to do it. By the way, I love chocolate, too. Put a box of chocolates or chocolate bars in my house and they won’t last long! Make some of the recipes in Lunches & Snacks and Desserts that have either chocolate or carob in them. Stick with the chocolate. It tastes much better. To find all the Chocolate recipes, look up Chocolate in the Ingredients Index of the Master Index (p. 141). Maybe pick one recipe a week to make together with the children for a treat. Give your tastebuds the chance to adapt. My favorite chocolate recipes from our books is Chocolate Blanc Mange (p. 145 Desserts) and Chocolate No Bake Cookies (p. 89 Desserts, but you all might like Lite Chocolate Pudding, p. 144 better. Why not have a chocolate treat once a week?

Is Sucanat interchangeable in any recipe with white sugar? I bought some from a natural foods store (it is the dark brown kind), but it isn’t as fine as white sugar and I wondered if that made any difference or if I could just use it interchangeably. If not, how do I know what to use?

Yes, Sucanat is interchangeable in same amount as white sugar, but since it has the molasses in it, the taste will be stronger. It is expensive, but I like to use it in cookies because they come out more crispy with Sucanat, and also for crumbly toppings. Otherwise, I usually use honey (half as much as sugar). Honey makes things softer, especially cookies. If you haven’t done it yet, read about sweeteners in the Desserts book. That should give you more guidance.

I have a grain mill and a kneader/mixer and do bake bread from freshly milled flour from time to time, but get a better reception with regular white bread and even then my children prefer the store bought! I am intrigued and attracted to the idea of a whole foods diet and have read quite a bit about it— your cookbooks are extremely informative and helpful in this area. I also really appreciate your philosophy and all the information on your website.

You need to put your foot down with your children! When I purchased my grain mill and bread kneader/mixer, I said to my children: "Now that we've bought this expensive equipment we aren’t going to let it go to waste. No more white bread in this house." I got moans and groans for 2 weeks until they began to enjoy some of the pizza and cinnamon rolls made with my new equipment. By the way, if this doesn’t work on them, focus on quick breads with whole grains that could have a wider appeal--the blender waffles/pancakes, coffee cake, crepes, cornbread, muffins, tortillas, etc. My friend Marty's 17 year old son will not touch her wonderful Bosch-made whole grain bread (with 4 cups white flour to 8 cups whole wheat flour), but he loved my oat waffles and millet crepes when I made them at their house. I stayed with them (in Kenya) for 3 weeks and over that time, Andrew began asking for the leftover crepes from my demonstrations after school. 

You also might try the Italian Bread Sticks in Soups & Muffins. They make great snacks. In the meantime you might use half white and half whole wheat in your bread. Try hard white wheat or hard red spring wheat (you can get either of these from sunorganicfarms.com.). Both these grains make softer, lighter whole grain bread than hard winter red wheat. Make some cinnamon bread. If they still don’t like the whole grain bread, let it go for awhile and focus on the whole grain quick breads. Let them get used to the whole grain with those and then try the bread later again.

I also use the canned cream soups a good bit and wonder if the alternative given in one of your cookbooks will work interchangeably in my recipes that call for cream soups. I know the canned cream soups are very high in fat and sodium, etc. and not very nutritious, but I haven’t been able to get the same taste or consistency with other things.

For canned cream soup substitute I use the Cream Soups Replacement Variation of the Cheese Sauce recipe in Main Dishes on p. 155. The only recipe with a canned cream soup I couldn’t omit is Javanese Dinner, p. 101. As you work with new recipes, try to move away from your recipes with canned soups if the alternative doesn’t work well. You might also try substituting half light sour cream and half plain yogurt along with sauteed vegetable for the type of cream soup you are replacing (celery, mushroom). If you want a cream soup replacement variation to be thicker, thicken it with a little flour.

I know my husband would be thrilled with a healthier diet since he loves fruits and vegetables, but I am more of a meat and potatoes person and so are the children. It is very hard to please everyone and hard to get the amount of fruits and vegetables in every day — in fact, i just don’t see how I could get the proper amount of fruits and vegetables in every day. When I factor in what everyone doesn’t like, the selection is pretty limited.

If I gave you this list: Husband, God, Children, what priority order would you put them in? It would surprise me if you did not say, God, Husband, Children. Now apply that to your efforts with feeding your family. Feeding everyone a different menu according to what he/she likes is not practical and the children should not expect that. The greatest gift you can give your children is to love their Dad. I think it is awesome that God gave you a husband who wants to eat really healthy food! I think you can safely accept that this is an indication from the Lord that you need to get serious about bringing the children (and yourself) into line. Some of the suggestions I have already made about including them in making changes could go a long way in doing this. Another thing you might do is have the children help you with the menu planning. Let them know that Daddy wants more fruits and vegetables and that you all need more and need to work on it together. Let each child select a favorite recipe or food to have for one of the meals during the week and also see how together that recipe could be made more healthful by changing the quality of ingredients. Don’t try to overhaul all at once. For example, don’t worry about getting the correct "number of servings of fruits and vegetables" in everyday. Think mainly "more" than before. Ask your husband for his support in encouraging the children to try new things. You might set up a little reward system for trying new things without complaint--possible a star chart. After a certain number of stars they get a special treat (not poor food or junk food--keep the treat out of the food category; maybe a special family outing, a special video movie, family game, etc.). Let them know you really want them to be happy, but that the family diet really does need to be changed and that if you work on it together with progress, one day they will be just as happy about it as they are now with eating just what they like.

Since you are meat and potatoes person, include in your weekly menu a meal or two that focuses on a potato main dish and a meal that focuses on a meat entrée. Potatoes are great in a vegetarian meal.

I would like to incorporate more beans, grains and lentils into our diet, but we haven’t eaten very much of this kind of food up til now and I have a hard time getting the dried beans to cook until they are soft enough. The outside skins always seem to be still tough even after soaking. I know you probably hear this kind of thing all the time, but I am so ingrained in cooking and eating a certain way that it doesn’t take very much for me to get discouraged. Do you have any advice?

I use the Crock Pot method of cooking beans on p. 59 Main Dishes. I usually do not presoak them by this method, but you can do that if you want to and change the water before cooking if gas is a problem for anyone in the family eating beans. With crock pot cooking, I have never had trouble getting the beans to cook up soft no matter how old they are. The older the beans, the longer they take to cook. If the beans are really old (I have had some 20 years old!), set the crock pot on high until they are done. You might do this anyway since yours don’t seem to be getting done. Start in the morning the day before you want to eat them--on high. See how long it takes to cook them soft. Don’t give up on the beans too soon! I had some that took 24 hours, but they finally did get soft all the way through. Be sure you add nothing to the beans while cooking them (note #1 under More Tips on Beans, p. 59).

What do I do with all the cookbooks and recipes I have collected over the years that are full of old-fashioned home cooking recipes that are high fat, high everything? 

Leslie

I packed mine up in boxes and gave them away. But keep favorites because they are often redeemable with some changes in the quality of ingredients. For example, I kept my Betty Crocker Picture Cookbook (e.g. my Favorite Tamale Pie in Meals in Minutes is a nutritionally improved version of this book’s recipe) I use my Creative Recipe Organizer for loose recipes I would like to try sometime. I put ideas and recipes in it that look good from magazines and newspapers, or something I ate at a restaurant or a recipe served by a friend (or given to me by a friend). When I enter these recipes, I disregard how "nutritious" they are because if and when I try one of them, I immediately decide the changes I want to make. I seldom try the recipe in its original form. If we like the recipe with my alterations, I have a new family recipe. There is a chart in the Creative Recipe Organizer of substitutions you can make in recipes. By this method I added 69 new recipes to Main Dishes between the 1st and 3rd editions.

I realize how difficult it is to change patterns of purchasing food ingredients, preparing them and then serving them to the family so they enjoy them. I haven’t "arrived" at "nutritional nirvana" myself and am always wanting to try new things. Making the time and having the energy is always a challenge. Here is an insight: "Any change you want to make in your life is going to be challenged." The enemy of our souls does not want us healthy and happy and if we do get healthy, he doesn’t want us to be happy about what we "have to" eat. One of his sneakiest victories is to keep God’s children in the sad American diet rut. It may be that you need to make the homeschooling focus change in the family eating for awhile. If you keep it on the back burner while everything else takes priority, you probably won’t do it.

I have suggested what I can plus what is already in the cookbooks, but only you can do the work. Make it a learning adventure, like looking for lost treasure! Pray for the Lords help, wisdom and strength. He’s on your side!

Blessings, Sue

I recently bought The Bible's Seven Secrets to Healthy Eating by Joyce Rogers. I have been on a quest for healthier living when a) I began gaining weight b) lost the energy to be active with my children c) found out my oldest son has Becker Muscular Dystrophy.  I've experimented a lot on different popular eating programs and found I was not looking to God for answers, but to popular doctors and actors.  I am now beginning to look to the food God created for us and trying to move my family away from processed foods. Merry, Charlotte, NC

I am mother to 3 and 2 grandchildren with another on the way. I mill my own grain and eat only the bread made from my milled grain. I need to lose over 75 pounds. My husband is diabetic, and we have very many reasons to learn to cook and eat healthier. I have tried every diet imaginable and have come to the conclusion that only whole real foods is the way for me and my family! Demetrius, Shrewsbury, PA

I was referred to your books through Training Our Daughters To Be Keepers At Home. I do have some reservations becauset I have a child who is anaphylactic to peas and lentils and is now testing positive to peanut and soy. I am now wondering if this is still an option for us since legumes are out. I am a homeschooling mother of three ages 4-9 and would be looking to follow the curriculum in TODTBKH.  Venita, High Bridge, NJ

I have been re-reading The 15 Minute Meal Planner and enjoying it again.  I am on the PRISM weight-loss program and find your recipes a good fit.  I home-schooled my three children.  Two are in college and one is back at home after college.  I want the best in health for my family and myself!  My daughters will soon have homes of their own and could benefit from what you have to offer as well. Merri, Nehalem, OR

I am very interested in using the recipes that you have listed on your website with photos.  They will be helpful to one of my children who has  learning disabilities. Penny, Platteville, WI

I am a homeschool mother who found of your books at a homeschool store in San Antonio.  I have Breakfasts and Desserts and the Master Index, but I need more.  I have a son with autism and my health is up and down with surgical menopause, so I am trying to continually improve the quality of our food intake. Thank you for your books, they are a real lifesaver, as we tend to eliminate foods from our diet, and scramble to find replacements Kathy, Richmond Hill, GA

I am a member of the MegaCooking group with Jill Bond.  I found your website from her bookmarks column.  I own a DLX and a Whisper Mill but since moving from Florida to Michigan 3 years ago, cannot get motivated to resume whole food cooking.  I used to make bread and we do grow our own vegetables, but I am lost as to how to jump back in to this much needed lifestyle.  I need to lose weight as do 2 of my daughters.  My whole family would benefit from a better eating menu. I would appreciate a sample recipe book and any encouragement and prayers from you. Roxanne, Canton, MI 

I am very concerned about better nutrition for my family.  I was raised during a time when pre-packaged foods such as Kraft Macaroni & Cheese were all the rage.  Such convenient foods helped working mothers serve quick meals.  Consequently, my parents cooking methods trickled down to me.  I would like to re-learn how to cook by cooking foods that taste good, have high nutritional value, and can be cooked quickly on work & school nights. Esther, Bay Minette, AL 

I would love for my kids to take a cooking course.  The only time I have cooked with a whole food is when I've made whole-grain pancakes and truth be known, our kids really didn't enjoy them. They loaded the syrup on!      Hesther, Franklin, New Jersey

Someone wrote about you on a homeschool list that I subscribe to.  I am a diabetic and whole foods are less sugary I have heard.  and also my son would like to be a Chef when he graduates so was looking for a cooking curriculum that isn't expensive.  He is 13.  Patience, Hollister, Fl

I am looking forward to sampling your recipes.  I have tried various recipes with "healthy" foods, but they usually do require exotic ingredients which are usually gross!  I look forward to trying your ideas.  It will be nice to have "normal" foods with a healthy twist!   Blessings! Shannon

Someone posted your web site on a home school list I'm on.  I've cooked with whole foods for over 2 years and am looking for new recipes.  I may be interested in your cooking curriculum for my 12 and 9 year old children.  I'm going to try the recipes you have on the web - thanks, they look good. Jalice, Blaine, WA

I am a homeschooling mom of five ages 12 to two.  A friend recommended this website for a cooking class, but I had known the reputation of Sue Gregg cookbooks before her recommendation.  I have very limited experience with whole foods, but would like to do more.  My daughters are 12 and 11 and all three of us would like to go through the cooking curriculum!  Thanks. Debbie, Brock, NE  

I found you through Barb Shelton's High School list.  I bake my own bread from wheat berries. My husband is on a diet to loose nearly 70 pounds.  He's using low cal TV dinners from the freezer section of the grocery store.  We really need to change our overall eating habits.  Sherri, Byhalia, MS   

I am a homeschooling mom of our one and only miracle child (daughter, 17).  I first heard of you through a friend who has all of your cookbooks.  I have immersed myself into nutrition at times, but have always had a difficult time staying with it.  I've read extensively on the subject thru' the years.  My daughter & I went totally vegan once for 3 months andhad some very good results.  I am indeed interested in your cooking curriculum for our daughter. Thank you. Delores, Calera, AL  

I found a link for your site at Teaching Home Magazine's site. My 11 and 8 year old daughters are very anxious about learning to cook. My problem is that I wasn't taught by anyone and I don't know how to cook, except for pre-packaged items. I want to be able to prepare healthy home cooked meals for my family and to teach my girls the same thing.  Cathy, Hastings, FL

I first heard about you through reading 15 Minute Meal Planner.  That book was really my first step to feeding my family in a whole foods way.  I have always done a lot of cooking and from scratch too, but not so much of whole foods.  I do bake most of my bread, but don't have a mill so get my flour from a bakery that grinds their own daily.  We eat whole wheat pastas and quite a few vegetables and fruits.  We also eat too many sweets and junk!!  I am not really looking for a curriculum, but do like to cook with my own kids and am teaching a homeschool club on cooking this spring. My main reason for coming to this site was to get information about your books.  I have wanted to buy the set for some time and was reacquainting myself with the price and details. Have a great day!   
Rose, Clarksville, MD 

 I homeschool my four children: 16, 13, 12, and 7.  I heard about your books several years back, but have never purchased any.  I have tried to serve whole foods several times to my family over years, but we ended up reverting back to our old SAD diet.  I am looking for a way to introduce healthy food a little bit at a time and have it taste good enough to have my junk-food eaters like it. Delores, Spring,TX

Hi Sue! 2 homeschooling moms shared your cookbooks with me. We recently took them to a beautiful cabin on a lake (just us 2 moms!) and spent the whole weekend going through your cookbooks and making 10 weeks worth of menu plans with no repetitions!  I used to cook almost exclusively with whole foods, but as my kids got older, I got busy and overwhelmed and gave up to a certain extent.  I am trying to get back to what I know to be the best way for my family to eat and your books have proved very helpful (I hope to order my own set soon!)  I do not homeschool but my children go to a new Christian Classical school here.  Thanks for your ministry! Linda, Brandon, MS

I found you through the Christ Centered Unschooling List.  My experience with whole food in cooking is just beginning.  I would love to see what cooking curriculum is composed of. The age levels would be 6-9. Renaie, Stevensville, MT 59870

I am a homeschooling mother of 4 children (all boys!)  I would like to serve more nutritional meals and still save time. I heard about your cookbooks on the Five in a Row website.  I would like to cook with whole foods.  The family does not find them quite as tasty though.  I would like to test some of your recipes in my kitchen! Glades, Seymour, IN

I was introduced to your cookbooks through my favorite homeschool board, Five in a Row. My son has life threatening allergies to milk, eggs, and all nuts. Rather than trying to cook without these ingredients, I chose to find premade foods that were safe for him to eat (e.g.: Tyson brand chicken tenders are his favorite). Over the past few months, I have felt strongly led to start making healthier, non-processed foods for my family to eat. I am now able to substitute ingredients for the milk and eggs and feel that this is the right path. I am interested in finding out more about your cookbooks. Janice, Charlotte, NC

I'm a homeschooling mom to two girls with a 3rd on the way.  Due to family history of allergies, asthma and eczema I've been told to avoid dairy, egg, soy, nuts and fish for my last trimester and while breastfeeding.  I have begun to cook ahead and freeze meals and love the time and money this saves me.  I do use whole foods as much as possible and try to avoid convienence foods.  I learned about your cook books and this site from the Five In A Row homeschool board. Sally, Holland, MI

I homeschool my three children ages 6,6,15.  I cook for 5 total.  I heard about you from the FIAR website. I try to cook with whole foods but find that I am very time constrained with teaching, cleaning, living! Leslie, LaGrange, IL

I'm mother of 11, one daughter is married and the other is away at college. I found you on the five in a row site. My husband and I have been reading quite a lot about nutrition and health over the past 2 years. We have many meals without meat, using beans, grains and vegetables. My children are age 23 to 7 months.  Many helpers but who can do what when?  Jasamine, Blacklick, OH

I have NO experience at all cooking whole foods. When I got married, we lived on Hamburger Helper. I discovered your website from other homeschoolers chatting on the Five in a Row message board and am intrigued. I've been trying to improve my health, and my husband has serious weight and allergy problems but is resistant to "healthy" foods.  If it doesn't taste good, he just won't eat it.  Then we're back to shells & cheese and milkshakes. Jacqulaine, Wichita Falls, TX

I saw that your books are recommended for the "Training our Daughters to be Keepers of the Home" Curriculum.  Although my daughters aren't yet old enough for that curriculum, I thought I would investigate your cookbooks.  Also, I am trying to improve our overall family nutritional habits. Jean, Autryville, NC

I found this site through "Google" search engine, but my friend told me about your cookbooks. I am considering the purchase of your set, or maybe just a few titles. I have been inspired to a healthy lifestyle and diet through Pamela Smith's books, but have only enjoyed a few of her recipes.  I was wondering how your recipes might fit in with her program.  She advocates eating a complex carbohydrate with a simple carbohydrate and a small serving of low-fat protein. I prefer the use of butter to margarine and cannot bring myself to use shortening for any purpose. Unfortunately, I have high cholesterol readings, so I make "better butter" and use it sparingly.  I think it would be helpful to see if the recipes you offer would work for me.I have used LaLeche League's "Whole Foods for the Whole Family" and "Laurel's Kitchen" as my primary cookbooks. Sherri, Santa Rosa, CA

I use Sonlight Curriculum and on a message thread the ladies were talking about eating healthy and someone suggested the Real Food Living web site and that brought me to your web site. I am so thrilled to see support in the area of eating healthy and biblically. That is what I am trying to provide for my family.  I have tried before and failed miserably, so I am encouraged to learn how to do this properly. So far, I have found the premade substitutes (when I could actually find tasty ones) expensive and will need to learn how to prepare and cook these foods and condiments. So basically we have tried some things, and we eat fruit and vegetables but I have not baked or cooked a lot of the whole foods from scratch. Any chance of you coming out to the Boise, Idaho or Ontario, Oregon area? There is a big homeschool influence here and a lot of farms/ranches where people have there own gardens and do their own canning. Kathy, Fruitland, ID

I purchased one of your cookbooks years ago at a home school conference, and just found your web page. I'd like to learn more about your cooking philosophy and process. I use about 1/2 whole grains in my cooking, but my family is resistant.  My daughters are 8 and 11, and starting to be interested in cooking. Ellen, Farmington Hills, MI

Someone on the MOMsboard (www.titus2.com) mentioned your name in a post regarding wheat-free recipes.  So, I simply did a search using your name and was directed to this site. I have a child who has some definite food issues, although we are not yet sure of the extent.  She is undergoing testing now.  We know for certain that she is lactose-intolerant.  She also exhibits signs of having additional food allergies. We have another child who is frequently ill with respiratory illnesses and who has illness-induced asthma.  I know that a healthy, nutritional diet can help with these types of symptoms. In general, I would love for our family to be healthier.  My husband & I need to lose weight as well as regain lost energy that is caused by a less-than-superior diet. I have relatively no experience with whole foods.  I understand the general concept, but am unfamiliar with details, and/or how and where to start.We also homeschool our 9 year old and 6 year old daughters.  I would love to be able to incorporate cooking lessons as well as sound nutritional information into what I teach our children.  Starting children off on the right nutritional foot is so important, in my opinion. Theresa, Camby, IN

I found your website searching for information on grain mills, though I've read about your cookbooks (usually in Want-to-buy ads on used curriculum boards). I have begun making a few small changes to my diet and my family's diet (only in the past few weeks), and have been looking for "a cookbook" (is there such a thing?) to help me make good, but healthy food for my family. I have ground my own wheat (we only have a hand grinder, and find that it doesn't get the flour fine enough.  I am considering an electric grain mill, but it will be a few months anyway before we can afford it), and am also experienced at baking bread, though I haven't done it on a regular basis for some years. I homeschool my 3 boys ( 7, 8, &11) and would love time-saving, healthy, good-tasting recipes!  My husband is definitely a refined sugar and flour, meat and potatoes type, and the boys are on their way to becoming that as well.  There is hope for them, though (as I think there is for my husband. He is currently "doing the Atkins diet", which I am leery of, and am keeping an eye on him.  If nothing else, it is breaking the hold of sugar and white bread.) I never knew there was a cooking curriculum. I might be interested. Hazel, Dunrobin, Ontario, Canada

I have been into healthy cooking with wholefoods for about 4 years, but health was my major in college and it always interests me. In Feb.  I will be teaching a health class to 8-10 year olds in our homeschooling group and I am looking for resources I could use.  I am thinking of purchasing your "Lunches and Snacks" cook book. Thanks for your advice and input. Jenny, Laurel, MD

I subscribe to "Joyfull Noise" and have been reading your column.  I have 6 children, 5 still living at home.  When I have tried to change our eating habits in the past it has not gone over very well with the kids or my husband.  The recipes I've tried have not been very tasty or looked very appealing. About half of the family does not like meat so I am looking for some recipes where meat is not included.  Kitty, Littleton, CO

I'm from the south.  It seems that everything I cook is loaded in fat and sugar. I'm not very experienced with cooking with whole foods. It seems that when I try to go the whole food route, my husband and son tend to turn up their noses. I am very concerned about my husband's health. Currently, he is ok. However, both his mother and father have heart disease in their families. I would like to begin cooking healthier for him. I have IBS.  To be honest, I'm not sure what I need to eat in order to feel better. Also, I would like to reduce my level of spending on food items.  Do you think your cookbooks might help me? Mary Sue, Hazel Green, AL

I heard about your books thro Cindy Rushton of Time for Tea Magazine. I just wanted to see more of what you have to offer to see what would suit me best. I am not interested in grinding my own wheat, but would like to improve our nutrition and our grocery budget, if possible. Sallye, Coffeeville, MS

I am grateful to have stumbled across your name in my search for whole grains.  I was looking to purchase whole grains online and saw many references to your cookbook. I was intrigued by you and found you online.  What a lady!  I'm very impressed and touched by your Christ-centered focus and ministry to others.  I'm looking forward to learning more about your ministry.  I am a stay-at-home mom in Santa Barbara with a 3-yr-old and one on the way.  I have been trying to figure all this out on my own since I got married 6 years ago.  I wish I'd known about you back then--I could have really used your internship program!  I'm starting my own business selling whole grains, foods and Bosch mixers etc. because there is such a need for that here.  I was trying to find someone to purchase from myself since moving here last Jan. and couldn't so this seems to be the next step.  Santa Barbara needs healthy, tasty cooking and breads! 
Carmeline, Santa Barbara, CA

I found you through a good friend who has shared some wonderful recipes and nutritional concepts with me. She has been a great influence and a real blessing to me.  My son suffers from allergies and has attention problems.  We home school and I would love to have a few simple ideas that a child of 10 could be involved with in the kitchen. 
Entoniole, Cocoa, FL

We need to eat more healthy foods, but I cook in the Southern tradition with lots of lard, and plenty of red meat and potatoes. I found this site through a message on the Titus2.com site.  Those ladies love you over there! I am looking forward to trying you way of cooking.  Hoping it can help me! 
Anesthesia, Weaverville, NC  

I found out about your books and website on the Managers of Their Homes message board at Titus2.com. I am just learning to cook at all, in the last two years - and know very little, if anything about cooking with whole foods. Thanks for your help!
Alice, Greensboro, NC 

I was lead to your website by the MOTH board at Titus2.com. Rave reviews! I don't use enough whole foods because I feel it takes more time.  I am probably not doing things the best way. I would like to prepare meals and have them in the freezer. We are adding a kitchen and dining room on to our house but it will be about 2 more years until it is finished. We are doing the work ourselves and trying not to get into debt.  I don't have an oven, but  I do have an old roaster that I can bake casseroles in. 
Katrina, Fleetwood, PA 

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