It's okay to be different.

... and on the perceived 'losing' team

Hello my friends,

Selfishly, I made this week’s new video “It’s okay to be different.” for myself as much as anyone. If I sound confident in the video, like I’m sure of it all, I must’ve been having a particularly good day.

Truth be told, like most, I must continually remind myself that it’s is okay to be different, and in some ways, to be on the perceived losing team.

We’re entrepreneurs, homeschoolers, gardeners, traditional-foodies and farmers who weaned our babies to raw milk, spend days fermenting bread, always have bone broth simmer on the stovetop, manage illness with fermented garlic and castor oil packs, keep bins of unwashed-homegrown carrots in our root cellar, cook with traditional fats, and prioritize soaking up sunshine without any sunscreen (GASP). Frankly, we’re used to being side-eyed.

But on day’s like today when the sun is out, my body feels nourished and strong, and my children are running barefoot through meadows, loving on our dairy sheep and lambs, I’ll happily go down with the ship. I’m confident that we continually make valuable choices that we believe in. Choices that make our life better in many different ways.

Oh - and if you’d like to invest a bit of time into cultivating a delicious piece of life as well, here’s the cracker recipe:

Cheddar Einkorn Crackers

• 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose einkorn flour

• ¾ teaspoon sea salt

• ¼ teaspoon baking powder

• 1 cup (100 g) shredded cheddar cheese

• 5 tablespoons cold butter, cut into ¼-inch cubes

• ¼ cup ice water

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line two baking trays with parchment paper and set aside.

2. Combine the flour, sea salt, baking powder, and cheddar cheese in a food processor. Combine the mixture for 30 seconds, until the cheese is broken up into very small pieces. Alternatively, this can be done in a large bowl with a pastry blender.

3. Add the butter into the flour mixture and pulse to combine until the butter is broken up into very small pieces and the mixture resembles coarse sand.

4. Add in the water slowly, and pulse to combine the dough. The dough should just hold together if you squeeze it in your hand but should not feel sticky.

5. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and gently knead the dough for 1 minute, until smooth and combined well.

6. Cut the dough in half. Working with one piece at a time, use a floured rolling pin to roll the dough into a 12x12-inch square. It should be about 1/8-inch thick.

7. Cut the rugged edges off the dough to create a perfect square. The trimmings from the edges can be rerolled to make more crackers.  Cut the rectangle into 2-inch rows vertically and horizontally to form smaller squares or use a cookie cutter to create any shape you like. Transfer the crackers to the baking sheets.

8. Bake the crackers for 7 minutes or until just lightly golden on the edges. Rotate the trays halfway through to ensure even cooking on all the crackers. Allow the crackers to cool on the baking tray, as this will help them crisp.

9. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

And the spread is simply whipped goat cheese with herbs, salt and pepper, and a bit of edible floral decoration.

You’re in good company.

Cheers,

Shaye