Natasha, Author at Natural Fertility and Wellness

The common housewife’s guide to making mozzarella

July 8, 2014 by Natasha

Cheesemaking used to scare me. Then I lived in a foreign country where cheese was not readily available. It’s really true that necessity is the mother of invention. Did you know that powdered whole milk can be reconstituted and made into cheese? It’s not as smooth as cheese made from fresh raw milk, but it is very doable. And when you haven’t eaten any cheese in three months, it’s even delicious!

When we moved home and bought dairy cows, I made my first batch of mozzarella with fresh milk straight from the tank. Um, yum, y’all. Seriously.

I’m not a fantastic cook, nor am I good at following directions (there may be a correlation there) but even I can handle this simple cheese. The biggest thing to remember is that cheesemaking is not a science (no matter what the books tell you!) it’s an adventure. And as long as you stick to the ingredients given, you can’t mess it up too bad. Even if your mozzarella turns out crumbly, lasagna is very forgiving.

Mozzarella is a great starter cheese because the ingredients are minimal, and the directions simple. You’ll need:

1-gallon milk
1/4 rennet tablet (available on Amazon) or 1/4 teaspoon liquid rennet (Available on Amazon)
1 1/2 teaspoons citric acid (available on Amazon)
1 teaspoon salt (available on Amazon)
1 1/4 cups water

The best milk to use is unpasteurized raw milk but any milk will do. The only kind that doesn’t work is milk that has been UHT (Ultra-High Pasteurized) to extend its shelf-life.

Fun trivia: Mozzarella was originally made from Water Buffalo milk in southern Italy.

For rennet, your best bet is to order cheesemaking rennet online. Unless you have a cheesemaking store in your town, you’ll probably only find “Junket Rennet” which is not strong enough to congeal the curds. If Junket is the only available rennet, use 1-2 whole tablets instead of 1/4. Liquid rennet is easier to measure but doesn’t last as long. Tablets can be stored in the freezer and retain their strength for years.

Fun trivia: Legend says rennet was first discovered by an ancient traveler who used a re-purposed calf stomach as a flask for his milk. When he went to get a drink, the liquid had formed curds. Today some rennet is still made from the lining of calf stomachs, but it is more popular to use the vegetable alternative.

Citric Acid can be found at any grocery store in either powder or tablet form. It is basically concentrated citrus. Most cheeses use either citric acid, lemon juice, or vinegar to help curdle the milk.

I use Real Salt in all my cooking, but any salt will do.

The tools needed for mozzarella are also simple:

large stockpot
cooking thermometer
slotted spoon
knife
colander
microwaveable bowl

Ready to make cheese?

Step One: Measure 1 cup water and add 1 1/2 teaspoons citric acid. Measure 1/4 cup water separately and dissolve the rennet into it. (easy so far, eh?)

Step Two: Pour milk into a stockpot and add the cup of water/citric acid solution. Mix thoroughly and turn on medium heat. You’re shooting for 90 degrees, which doesn’t take too long, so keep an eye out! Stir enough to keep the milk from sticking. The milk may begin to curdle. No worries.

Step Three: Once you have the milk at 90 degrees, remove it from the heat and stir in the rennet solution. Keep stirring for thirty seconds. When your thirty seconds are up, stop the milk from moving, cover and set a timer for five minutes. Don’t touch the pan. You’re letting the rennet do its job.

Step Four: When your five minutes are up, uncover and look at your milk. If the rennet did its job correctly, the milk should have formed into a soft jelly-like substance that is slightly separated from the whey (the whey is the watery substance around it). If the milk is still liquid, cover and leave it an additional 5 minutes. If it still has not set, your rennet may not have been strong enough. You can still use the milk, just heat it back up to 90 degrees and add new rennet. (Yes, I know this from experience!) When it is set, take your knife and softly cut the curds, making sure you slice to the bottom of the pan. Cut a grid-like pattern.

Step Five: Heat the curds to 105 degrees. Stir gently if needed. The curds will be loose and soft. Treat them nicely!

Step Six: Using your slotted spoon, lift the curds gently and place them in the colander. Spin the colander, allowing the whey to finish draining off.

Step Seven: Place your curds in a microwavable bowl and microwave on high for 1 minute. If you have an especially strong microwave, you might want to start with 30 seconds.

Step Eight: Carefully (it’ll be hot!) knead the cheese, adding your teaspoon of salt and mixing it through. Knead very gently and do not over-knead. The more you mess with the cheese, the tougher it will get (though still yummy, I promise!). If your cheese is very stretchy, it’s done. Form it into a ball, pat it gently, and tell yourself good job. If it isn’t stretchy yet, return it to the microwave for 30-second increments until it stretches easily. Form it into a ball, let it cool, and cut yourself a slice.

And all that leftover whey? Don’t throw it away! It’s perfect to stick in smoothies, bread, or soups.

Troubleshooting: There are two common complaints when making mozzarella cheese. The first is that the cheese turns out crumbly instead of smooth. This can be caused by using pasteurized milk, or from using too much citric acid which can make the curds separate too quickly. The cheese is still perfectly edible. If it’s not pretty, just shred it up and use it as normal.

The second is that the cheese turns out tough and slightly yellow. This is caused by too much rennet, microwaving it too long, or from over-kneading the cheese. It’s still super yummy. No worries. Melt it on your pizza and enjoy.

Have you ever made cheese? What are your best tips?

Four ways to bless an infertile friend on Mother’s Day

May 7, 2014 by Natasha

For many years there was very little talk or thought given to those who long to have children but cannot. Around would come Mother’s Day, and those facing the silent struggle of infertility would disappear to cry out their sorrows at home, or in the women’s bathroom at church.

Thankfully, over the past few years, that has changed. With many bloggers addressing the issue, it is becoming common knowledge that those who deal with childlessness will probably struggle on the day to honor mothers.

But what can you do about it?

Just being aware is a huge help, but beyond that, here are four things that others have done for me, that helped ease my burden on Mother’s Day:

Send her a card.

Just saying, “Hey, thinking of/praying for you today!” can be a huge gift. One of the most difficult parts of infertility is feeling alone, so anything you can do to let us know that we’re not?—is a blessing.I still have a card that I received several years ago from a blogging friend, who, at that time, I had never met in real life. Using her amazing artistic gifts, she created a handmade card that was inscribed, “She Loved With a Mother’s Heart and God Smiled” on the front. It is, hands down, one of my most treasured possessions.

Ask how she’s doing, and really listen if she wants to talk.

As awareness of infertility grows, there can be a lot of people who will say (in passing), “Oh, yeah. How are you doing with Mother’s Day this year?” It’s easy to just blow them off, because an afterthought from someone usually feels like no thought at all, but if you really care?—be ready to listen. And if we don’t feel like talking about it?—don’t get offended. It might just be that we have nothing to say.

Flowers are for more than just mothers.

Seriously. If you send flowers to your mom, and your sister struggles with infertility—you might want to send her some too. Knowing that we matter, even if our bodies aren’t cooperating, is important.Years ago my husband started giving me Mother’s Day gifts, in honor of all the children I have loved through the years, none of which were my own. It makes the day beautiful, even if it hurts.And when someone else thoughtfully remembers me with a flower or gift, it blesses my socks off.

Prayers are truly priceless.

Infertility is a real battle, one that has to be fought continually. Blessing us, by praying specifically for our struggles, is worth more than any gift, any conversation, any thought.And don’t just pray that we will someday bear a child. Pray, also, that we will be faithful. Pray that our hearts will be wholly devoted to God, and that we will continue to learn to accept-with-joy the path He has given us to travel.

Do you have other ideas—ways that you’ve been blessed or have blessed someone else? Share them in the comments!

One simple way to raise your BBT (basal body temperature)

April 4, 2014 by Natasha

One of the first things you’re told to do when you start working on fertility issues is to track your BBT (basal body temperature). Several years ago I started taking mine and immediately I had an issue. The handy little chart the doctor gave me? It didn’t go low enough. With the numbers starting at 97.0 and my temps ranging from 96.3-96.5, I was thoroughly confused.

Eventually I realized that my low BBT was a common aliment amongst those struggling with infertility. But what could I do about it?

For seven years I tried numerous “treatments,” including, taking thyroid boosting herbs and supplements (like kelp), exercise, and natural progesterone.

After years of work, I was able to raise my BBT to 96.7-96.9. Better, of course, but still not stellar. However, by this time I was thoroughly sick of looking at unchanging temperatures and left my thermometer to gather dust in my bedside drawer.

Several months ago I went to a seminar about health and wellness. It was excellent and afterward I spoke with the speaker for a brief period of time. I mentioned some of the issues I have with losing weight and he made a suggestion. While I had been told that eating a “good healthy breakfast” would help me lose weight, he suggested pushing my first meal back until later in the morning.

“Our bodies need adequate time to digest our food,” he told me, “and if your body struggles with the normal routine of things, making sure that you have a 13-15 hour ‘fast’ in every 24 hour period can make a huge difference.”

The idea was simple: make sure there are around 14 hours between your last meal in the evening and your first meal in the morning.

It’s not hard to implement and completely flexible. (If, for example, you have late dinner the night before, just push your breakfast back until 10 or 11 the next day.)

It sounded like the easiest diet in the world, so I immediately started. Around this time I decided to begin taking my BBT again. Imagine my complete surprise when my temperatures almost immediately zoomed up! Since I made this one simple switch, making sure there is always a 14 hour break from dinner to breakfast, my BBT has held steady at 97.3-97.5 with an ovulating temp at 98.0-98.3.

When I researched online, I found it has already been documented that this simple change does raise your BBT, but for some reason I had overlooked it.

I feel like I have been handed a lifeline, one that frees me from swallowing handfuls of kelp capsules and remembering which days to apply progesterone.

Do you have a low BBT? What are the tricks and thoughts you’ve learned in the process of trying to raise your temps?

For more on raising your BBT:
Naturally Warmed Up, How to Raise Your Basal Body Temperature

Dreaming of babies: the realities of infertility

April 2, 2014 by Natasha

I was in the shower when I realized that I was having a baby. I didn’t even know I was pregnant, but it was obvious that I was giving birth. I screamed for my husband to come take me to the ER. No one answered. I kept screaming for help until finally my mom showed up.

By then I had a teeny, tiny baby boy. He had dark hair and the same chin that all my brothers and I have, very defined with a little dimple in it. He was breathing but I knew he wouldn’t be for long.

But instead of helping me get out to the van, my mom started gathering all these strange children together. Eight of them, to be exact. I stood there, holding this tiny little baby who was turning blue, and watching them all come down the stairs. I was crying and BEGGING Mom to just stick them in the van and she gave me this disgusted look and said, “Now, Tasha, we can’t take them until we get them all dressed and buckled into their seats.” I must have looked shocked because she added, “I can’t believe how selfish you’re being. What’s the point of saving one baby if you’re not going to take proper care of all the rest?”

I sat right down, rocked this itty bitty blue baby, and cried and cried.

The good news? My mother would never, ever, in a million years, be that horrible. The bad news? It was all a dream and I don’t really have a baby boy with dark hair and my chin.

And to be honest, my first thought on waking up had nothing to do with how terrible my mother had been in this dream. It had everything to do with feeling sad and empty because it wasn’t real and I didn’t have a baby or the hope of one.

I’ve had so many dreams over the years about babies. Sometimes I wake up crying. Sometimes I just lay there, trying so hard to fall back asleep and continue the dream. Sometimes they are horrible and involve me not being able to save a baby or accidentally hurting one. Sometimes they are lovely, like the time I was finally adopting this beautiful Ethiopian boy.

For a long time it made me angry. After the dream wore off and I was done feeling empty or lost or fearful, I would get so mad at God. I wanted to shake my fist at Him. I can exert some control over my waking thoughts, but what in the world am I suppose to do with dreams?

I’ve learned since then that dreaming about babies while dealing with infertility is completely normal. People have shared all kinds of dreams with me. Sometimes sweet (those few delusional minutes of rocking a baby that you think is yours) sometimes horrible (the ones where the baby dies or someone in your family does something out of character) and sometimes even funny (like the time I dreamed that Walmart started carrying babies at greatly reduced prices).

In dealing with these (often undesired) dreams, I’ve found three helpful responses:

1. Pray.

God’s shoulders are big enough to carry any of the hurts that rush through our minds. He can handle our pain, our anger, our insecurities. So, when I wake up after a dream that leaves my heart heavy and empty– the best response is to talk to the only true source of comfort, Jesus.

2. Laugh.

Sometimes the best medicine is simply to laugh. I mean, seriously, can you imagine Wal-mart carrying babies at greatly reduced prices? (I must have been reading too much on adoption costs at that point!)

3. Share

Telling your spouse your dream can help tremendously. It may also free him to share his own dreams with you. I’ve also been known to call up a friend, or my mother, the morning after a dream that keeps plaguing my mind, and sharing it with them. I’ve found that just talking about it– reminding my heart and mind that it was just a dream can be helpful.

What about you? Have you experienced any “infertility dreams”?

Make-Your-Own Gummy Vitamins

March 19, 2014 by Natasha

I really like homemade gummy vitamins. Well, let me rephrase that: I really like fruit snacks, chewy candies, and even gummy vitamins. It’s a terrible weakness of mine. I think I picked it up when I was a pre-school teacher and we kept fruit snacks in the classroom as treats instead of candy.

Regardless, when I decided to try taking Chaste Tree Berry extract as part of an herbal treatment last year, I realized that guzzling down the bitter liquid in a glass of water was actually not my “cup-of-tea.”

Unfortunately, for several months I just didn’t take my daily supplement (I could only work up the nerve to drink it about once a week) and herbal treatments are usually only effective if taken regularly for at least three months.

So I regrouped and formed a new plan. All those gummy vitamins that are filling up the store shelves? Why couldn’t I make some? I did some research and realized that they could be made easily with what I had in my cupboard! I did buy a candy mold (just to make taking my vitamins more fun…) but they can easily be made in a shallow dish and sliced into small squares.

The main herb that I’m trying now is Chaste Tree Berry (vitex), so this recipe is using just that extract. However, it can easily be changed to (or combined with) whatever extract you are looking to take.

For this recipe, I take 2 gummies, 2x a day, but do your own research to decide what dosage you require.

Any type of juice can be used, but my favorite is pineapple.

Gummy Vitamins

Ingredients

⅔ cup juice
4 Tablespoons honey
10 teaspoons gelatin
6-8 teaspoons herbal extract

Instructions

Pour juice in a small pan.
Sprinkle gelatin over juice.
Let stand 2-3 minutes.
Slowly heat until gelatin is dissolved, 2-3 minutes.
Let cool until just slightly warm, mix in honey and extract.
Pour into candy molds or a shallow dish and cool until hardened.

Keep in the refrigerator for proper storage and use within one week. (They probably freeze well, so you could easily make a double batch and freeze some for later.)