I’ve lost count of the number of times people have told me they can’t drink milk, but they can drink fresh, raw milk with no trouble at all! Seeing the giddy excitement on someone’s face as they share their newfound milk-freedom never gets old. I imagine this is how Santa Claus must feel – dishing out gifts that take your breath away.
Did you ever get a gift that you thought for sure you weren’t going to get, or you “couldn’t” have? This would be the gift that you resigned yourself to not getting. The one you gave up hoping for. But then, you actually get the gift. Everything changes when you open a package that you thought you couldn’t have. Changed realities blow our minds and make us unspeakably thankful.
I get to see this all the time in our farm store, like with one of our newest milk moms.
Nancy couldn’t drink milk. When she would cave and drink a glass, it would send her to the bathroom in short order. She’s one of many that have told me the same story.
Sometimes regular milk “just” creates stomach pain and discomfort, but sometimes it literally wrecks the day as people are spending hours in the bathroom. Who has time for that?!
Milk wasn’t worth the pain for Nancy, so she just avoided milk altogether.
That all changed when Nancy read that the symptoms of “lactose intolerance” are often just a processing intolerance. People who get sick from drinking milk can often drink raw milk with no negative symptoms!
Although it sounded too good to be true, Nancy missed milk and wanted the health benefits of drinking it, so she decided to give it a try. She picked up one quart – just to try.
The next week, I checked in with Nancy to see how the milk was treating her.
“The milk has been sooooo good,” she said. “It’s not even sending me to the bathroom! It tastes so good and I’m so happy to be drinking milk again.”
She continued, “Every time I drink a cup, I feel like a kid who is doing something they weren’t supposed to be doing. It’s like I’m saying, ‘look what I’m doing mom!’ I’m so glad I tried it.”
This is why I love doing what I do! Helping moms solve their troubles couldn’t be more exciting to me. What could raw milk do for you!?
Maybe it’s time to give yourself the gift of trying it.
What if, instead of running to the bathroom after drinking a glass of milk, you could enjoy the rich creaminess that you miss?
What if, instead of drinking preservative-filled fake “milks” like almond and soy, you could have the freshest, healthiest milk as God created it?
What if your body actually needs the thing you thought you couldn’t give it?
What if raw milk could actually heal your gut and make you healthier?
Chances are, you’ll have Nancy’s experience. I’ve heard it 100 times and I’m sure I’ll hear it 100 more!
Wherever you are, I’d love to help you on your raw milk “journey.” Chances are, someone in your shoes is solving their struggles by drinking raw milk! Email me at elisabeth.gerdes@gmail.com to find out how I can help you!
Meet your farmer – Liz Gerdes. She and her husband run a farm-to-table raw milk dairy and Airbnb in Caledonia. If you’re looking for raw milk “fresh off the farm,” visit www.gerdesfreshfarm.com or just email Liz at elisabeth.gerdes@gmail.com. First time visitors – mention this article and get a free half gallon of milk!
Classic Homemade Mac n’ Cheese
1/2 lb uncooked elbow macaroni, about 1 ½ cups
3 tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups milk
3/4 cup half and half or cream
2 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese***
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. and lightly grease an 8” square (or similar size) baking dish.
- Cook the macaroni to al dente, according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- Make the sauce: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Blend in the flour, salt, and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes. Slowly add the milk and half and half, stirring constantly, and cook over medium-low heat for a few minutes until the mixture has thickened like the consistency of gravy, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup shredded cheese, stirring just until melted.
- Add the cooked macaroni noodles and toss to coat. Pour half or the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle ½ cup cheese over the top. Add remaining pasta and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes or until cheese is melted on top.
*Recipe from “Tastes Better From Scratch
***Tips for getting a smooth cheese sauce:
- High quality aged cheddar cheese will give you a stronger taste and smoother texture. More mild and inexpensive cheddar cheeses will have less flavor and almost a grittier taste.
- Use fresh grated cheese. Pre-shredded store-bought cheese will not melt the same as freshly grated cheese, and grating the cheese helps it melt smoothly and evenly in the sauce.
- Bring the cheese to room temperature. I like to grate the cheese first, before moving forward with the recipe. That allows it to sit at room temperature while I prepare the white sauce.
- Use low heat. In order for the cheese to melt properly and smoothly we want it to have gradual changes in temperature (like how we shredded it and allowed it to come to room temperature at the beginning of the recipe). When it’s time to add the cheese to the white sauce, remove the sauce from heat and let it cool for a few minutes. It only needs to be warm enough to melt the cheese.
- Don’t over-stir the sauce once the cheese has melted. Add the noodles and quickly assemble in pan and put into the oven.
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