# 100% Pure Organic Honey... Et Tu Brute



## Hackerman (Jun 24, 2017)

It's a curse being a cynic. It's even worse being an inquisitive cynic. Add the World Wide Web and all the availability of information and it just makes my world a living hell. LMAO

I consider myself a kind of a health nut. Not a maniac about it but I definitely feel I'm pickier about what I eat and drink than most. I have not had fast food in 30+ years. I read labels (and, try to understand them LOL). I bake my own bread from flour I make myself from whole grains. Same with pasta. My diet is mostly fresh fruits and veggies. I eat plenty of meat so I'm not a vegan or anything but..... well, in short, I just try to be aware.

And, it's hard because everything in the world is a lie (how sad) and you really have to dig to find the real truth. PASTEURIZED milk, ENRICHED flour, FORTIFIED milk... and all the other stuff we were brought up to believe was good is, in reality, very bad.  

One thing I have learned (at least for me) there's a huge difference in the way my body responds to natural vitamin sources like fruits and vegetables vs a one-a-day vitamin. LOL Or, whatever other artificial, overly processed source. And, I think most people are the same way.

Pasteurizing milk is a heating process that removes all the vitamins and minerals from the milk until it's as nutritious as water. Then, they toss some powdered vitamins in it and call it FORTIFIED with A and D. LOL

ENRICHED rice will say right on the bag that the vitamin efficiency will be reduced if you rinse the rice before cooking. LMAO. OMG, are they just sprinkling powdered bone meal on it. LMAO Yep.

OK, enough PRE-RANT... LOL Let's get down to it, Brutus.

We all know white sugar is poison, right? The chlorination, the impurity, the cholesterol jump, the unknown sources (it's not all CANE sugar, you know. LOL), whatever.  Pick your reason.

I don't use much sugar and when I do I always used a Turbino sugar that was all from CANE. No sugar beets, or other blends. Pure CANE sugar.

And, generally speaking, you want to buy it in as big a chunks as possible (same with salt, especially Himalayan salt) which often indicates less filler.

It's still sugar and it's all not great for you but I like a little in my coffee in the morning and I often use it in recipes when I cook (I love to cook).

In short, whether it's fully processed white, or minimally processed brown, I am still using sugar and my health freak buddy says I only have hours left to live if I don't stop. LMAO

So.... OK, I ask him. What do I use. He says He always uses honey.

No problem. I have always been a honey user anyway. When I was a hippy I drank tea and honey like the rest of the hippies. LOL I use it for breakfast often with a number of different breakfast foods.

So, I start reading about honey. OMG!!!!!

I am soooo disappointed. I wish I had never read about processed honey. That cute little bear with the big smile on his face. Sure he's smiling because he's pouring poison in the form of lead, mercury, antibiotics from ultra-filtered honey from China with a mixture of High Fructose Corn Syrup and any one of 13 other sweeteners right out of his cute little pour top hat, right on to my pancakes .

The little bastard. I'm gonna go over there right now and punch him right in his little Pooh Bear nose. LMAO

I just don't understand why they lie. On the jar it says, "100% PURE HONEY". How an I supposed to know it has HFCS and 4 or 5 other sweeteners in the mix. And, according to most of what I read, almost everyone is guilty. Almost 100% of honey sold in America is not honey at all. 

I posted 2 links below that I thought we well informed. I had no idea that you could track the origin of honey by analyzing the pollen. Very cool.

So, in order to smuggle illegal honey around the world, it is "filtered" to remove the pollen. How about that, almost 100% of the honey in America has NO pollen. Duh, the pollen is where all the health benefits come from. LOL 

You can pick the site of your choice or the search engine of you choice and simple search, "processed honey vs raw honey" and you'll see.

Here's a nice quote that I found common among the articles that I read....

_*Processed honey* is not *honey* at all and  if you desire any kind of health benefits, you must stick to the real  stuff. In the U.S., the Food and Drug Administration says that any  product that's been ultra-filtered and no longer contains pollen isn't *honey*
_
https://permaculturenews.org/2014/0...ocessed-golden-honey-found-grocery-retailers/

http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2011/11/tests-show-most-store-honey-isnt-honey/#.WU8WDFG1uCg

So, I went to the store tonight to look for "unfiltered" honey and whatever other sweetener I might find.

I did find one jar of unfiltered. I have no idea if it's really any better but, I'll look into it. I must say, it's really sweet and vert tasty. Not a syrup at all. It's more like a wax. I couldn't spoon it. I had to twist the spoon to just get the tip covered. 

I also picked up some coconut sugar. I have never heard of it so I grabbed a small bag to try. It's not as sweet as the honey but it seems about 1:1 with regular sugar.

OK, rant off. Thanks for listening.

I was just so disappointed to learn the truth that I had to vent. After all these years to find out they have been lying to me my entire life.... My little Pooh Bear friend..... Et Tu Brute.


LOL


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## Keef (Jun 24, 2017)

Hack -- I got nothing to add !-- I like my Vienna sausage -- potted meat - bologna -chili dogs and stuff like that !- with processed cheese !---- So  U think I should stay away from that poison honey ?


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## umbra (Jun 24, 2017)

Yes Hack I knew about the honey scam. I am fortunate enough to live where honey is available directly from the beekeepers.


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## robertr (Jun 25, 2017)

Check with your nearest Hutterite colony, they make the real stuff.


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## Rosebud (Jun 25, 2017)

We had three hives come to our home last summer. One stayed the other we called beekeepers in to get them. I have never liked honey so I have a jar of raw unprocessed (amazon) for guests.   well, last winter, our hive had split and gone so bud brought in a large piece of honeycomb. I took a bite of it, and then realized there were still bees in the comb and made bud take it back to the hive. BUT OMG, that was the tastiest stuff I had ever tasted.  It didn't remind me of the honey i had. it was unbelievably good. If i could have that all the time I would be a honey eater. I just cook with organic sugars.

Hackerman, i am sorry that in your life you tried to eat well and the honey could have ruined it all. LOL... I tell people, we eat organic, we don't go on vacations.


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## Hackerman (Jun 25, 2017)

@Keef, hey don't kid yourself. We have an outdoor gig every Friday during the Summer and they have all the carni food vendors. I start with a Coney Dog with that yellow liquid stuff on it. Oh, yeah, cheese. LOL Then, a "cup" of fries cooked in god only knows what kind of oil. EXTRA salt. LMAO Maybe a piece of pizza, and for desert, one of those deep fried funnel cakes with LOTS of powdered sugar. So, it's not that I don't eat like that once in a while. Because I do. LMAO The only difference is that I know it's wrong when I'm doing it. LMAO

I am going to check around locally. I remember seeing "HONEY" signs on the roadside all around here. I'll stop at the next one and see what they have. I suppose it's a seasonal thing (around here everything is because our temps go from -10 to +110 during the course of a year. LOL)

Based on what I have read, it has a long shelf life so if I find something I like I could buy a more than ample supply and store it.

Another thing I read is to consider where the bees forage. Bees will travel to within 4 miles of there hive. If you have a toxic waste dump or a Roundup factory within 4 miles, your honey might not be so great, albeit, 100% real honey. 

One thing that seemed to be consistent among all the articles is that any honey that comes from any place except So America and Mexico will have pesticides. Something about a mite that lives here and not there.


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## umbra (Jun 25, 2017)

They have found honey in pottery in the pyramids and it was still good.


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## Keef (Jun 25, 2017)

Hack I was just Jerking your chain !-- Moderation in all things ( except smoking weed) -- Growing up in the south and not knowing any better I was taught how to follow the bees back to the wild hive !-- We then cut the honey tree down and harvested all the honey !-- I learned better as an adult !-- Unless U have bad things in your area local honey is what U want !-- Local honey boost your immune systems ability to fight off local illnesses !-- I've been around when they decapped the comb and spun the honey out ! --Then Right into a bottle ! --I like the honey comb !-- 
I have my dark roast coffee with lots of turbinato sugar --because I like it !--I'm 60 something little late for me to start being all healthy !-- Except for the shattered face and bulged disc in my neck I do O.K. !-- Got off morphine after almost a decade !-- I'm much healthier for just that !-- It was killing me for real !

One time I was gonna be a vegetarian but when I found out U couldn't have bacon that wasn't gonna work for me !--


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## umbra (Jun 25, 2017)

I have had vegetarian bacon. It was tofu cooked with liquid smoke. But was it a non GMO soybean?


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## WoodHippy (Jun 25, 2017)

umbra said:


> I have had vegetarian bacon. It was tofu cooked with liquid smoke. But was it a non GMO soybean?


 No I could not put that in my mouth. We do love the local pure honey here. Purple Clover is my local Favorite.


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## Rosebud (Jun 25, 2017)

I believe all soy is gmo'd. lol


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## umbra (Jun 25, 2017)

WoodHippy said:


> No I could not put that in my mouth. We do love the local pure honey here. Purple Clover is my local Favorite.



It is what happens when you meet attractive vegan women.


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## Hackerman (Jul 5, 2017)

Well, I just finished a nice nutritious breakfast of rolled soy/wheat product glued together with glue-ton and soaked in 'everlast' nutrient coating with compressed black nibbles of raisin concentrate and any number of 5 or 6 'natural' and 'artificial' sweeteners.... and a little cow water.

AKA Raisin Bran and Milk.

Probably should have had a coney dog instead.

LMAO

Off to the gym to work off this mighty fine and nutritious breakfast.


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## umbra (Jul 5, 2017)

I didn't think too many people even know what a Coney Island hot dog is, lol. Or Nathan's or a knish. Don't even get me started...I heard some one ask for a corned beef sandwich on white bread with mayo, I could feel the dead rolling over in their graves. Oy vey


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## Keef (Jul 5, 2017)

GMO soybeans ? -- Mane we live in the age of genetic manipulation !-- I got no problem with them adding genes that give a plant riddance to disease and increase production !-- Now when they start making stuff like the dreaded "Ali-Co" --Part alligator -Part Cougar  -- That's  crossing the line !-- We are a society taking control of genetics and evolution  !-- Can't stop it !-- The genie is already out the bottle !-- Designer babies ? --It's  gonna happen !-- I have always had a question about such things !-- U know a chimp shares like 97-98 percent of our genetics !-- If they manipulated the genetics of a chimp and it feel well withing what we consider human !-- What's his or her legal status !-- Will someone own this person !-- Since it would have no human parents would people accept it or create a new slave class ? -- Perhaps this has already happened in the distant past and we are that creature ?


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## umbra (Jul 5, 2017)

manipulated genes and designer babies....you mean the movie Morgan!


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## umbra (Jul 5, 2017)

If you subscribe to the theory of ancient astronauts, then things like religion, parting the red sea, minotaurs, griffins, ect. all take on a completely different meaning. My question is this, if there are extra-terrestrial being, why do they have a head, 2 eyes, 2 arm like appendages and 2 leg like appendages? Even Carl Sagan suggests that the most likely extra-terrestrial will be made of Ammonia. He also suggests that there already is a life form on earth that is neither a plant or an animal....fungi. But again, no head, eyes, hands, legs, or torso.


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## Keef (Jul 5, 2017)

Natural design Umbra !-- Raw evolution where a gene that give a organism an advantage stays and those that don't die out !--We the dominate species and we got a head and 2 hands and feet so this shape must be fairly common ! -- Plus U got that Panspermia thing !-- When that meteorite hit 65 million years ago and killed the dinosaurs-- they say --there were huge chunks of the earth got blown into space !-- One them pieces hits a planet  with favorable conditions -- earth bacteria and stuff be alive there now ! -- There is also the Sumerian tablet with the story of how the Ananaki made us as a slave species  to mine gold for them !
That would explain the need of some to worship something !-- Zakaria Stitchen  (?) The 10 planet (?) --He translated the sumerian tablets -- Thier history !-- Neburu ? -- Yep !- I know about that stuff !


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## umbra (Jul 5, 2017)

there is a faction of ancient alien theorists that believe that the aliens are us. just from a different time and going thru a worm hole. you can make an argument in many different directions about theories.


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## Keef (Jul 5, 2017)

Maybe we migrated here from Mars because of a coming meteor that killed the planet ? -- Could be ?


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## Hackerman (Jul 9, 2017)

A meteor is headed for Mars.????? Excuse me, I need to call home....quick. LMAO

OMG!! I went shopping yesterday and bought nothing in a bag, box or can. You would have to be a billionaire to eat healthy like this (or a farmer).

And, it is so much worse where I live. Everyone always says how expensive California is. I challenge anyone in Cali to meet these prices...

Let's not even talk about a bag of oranges at $4.99 for a 4 pound bag. You know how many oranges are in a 4 lb bag? About 6. LMAO Almost a dollar each for oranges. Now, I have been to Cali a bunch of times and I know oranges are not a dollar a piece. LMAO

A lot of the fruit is pretty close in price, like bananas at $.55 a pound. However, cherries at $5 a pound, strawberries at $4 lb and raspberries at $3.50 lb, apricots at $4 lb are all way higher than I see in the grocery ads at the Ralphs Groc in Santa Barbara.

Veggies are even worse. Romaine lettuce $2 lb, Vadalia onion $1 each, Carrots are pretty cheap at $1.50 lb and corn is only $3 for 5 big pieces. We do grow the corn right here so it's usually about $.25 an ear in season for fresh picked.

Meat, fish and chicken all seem to be real close but Cali is a little cheaper on every one except pork.

Ground beef, $5 lb in 3 lb or more packages. Fresh cut bacon $6 lb, New York Strip $9 and Rib Eyes at $15 lb. Wild Sockeye Salmon $15 lb. Scallops $17 lb, cocktail shrimp $12 lb. Chicken runs from $2 (drumsticks) to about $4 (breasts) lb.

My milk is $4 a 1/2 gal, butter is $4 lb, brown eggs are $3.79 doz. All pretty close to Cali. 

Coffee $7.50 /12 oz.

0% tax on groceries here. How is that in Cali?

I bought 66 item total and the amount was $306.31

Most everything I buy, I try to get when it's on sale and almost nothing I buy is 'organic' since I know so many organic farmers and hear the same story from every one. LOL

Another thing they do here... instead of cutting prices for a sale, they offer 5 or 6 of an item for a special price. You don't get the discounted price if you buy one. Only if you buy all 5 or 6. Also a lot of BOGO (buy one get one free) Which is why everyone around here is 80 pounds overweight. Bigger and more is always better around here.

/rant

LOL


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## umbra (Jul 9, 2017)

I moved to Cali from the east coast couple of years ago, so I know the difference in prices from there to here. The biggest cost difference was gasoline. Cali charges a minimum of $.80 a gal more for gasoline. My water bill was $13/m on east coast in Cali $75/m. Sales tax is higher. State income tax is higher. Food prices here are not that much cheaper, unless you buy at the roadside stands everywhere. Yep they tax everything here.


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## Hackerman (Jul 9, 2017)

I have been looking at some of the other COL items out there like gas. Rent/own a place to live is crazy outrageous expensive. My house is about 150k here and would be well over 1 mil there, especially with the acre of land. LOL

Like you said, gas is higher but I only drive about 5000 miles a year (retired) and so gas is not a big factor. And, I could ride my bike 12 months a year so that would save me money. LOL

My income tax here in Ohio is only 3.96% but when you add in the city tax (2.35%) it comes to  6.31% which isn't too far from Cali's 8% for that same bracket. Besides, most of my income is interest from T-Bonds and SS income, neither of which are taxed by California state income tax.

Same thing for sales tax Yours is 7.5 (base) to 10.25% with assorted city/county taxes added in. Ohio is 5.75 (base) 8.25%. 

Although, again... who buys brick and mortar. LOL I buy 90% of my stuff (except groceries) online anyway. Amazon doesn't charge sales tax (for now) LOL Bummer you charge sales tax on groceries. That will actually be a big hit to me as a big part of my spending is done on food.

Don't even talk to me about the water bill. Our city poo poo'd the EPA and got a zillion dollar fine.... and has to fix their sewer system. So the city passes the fines and costs onto us. My water bill was $140 this month and last year, totaled $1254.00. Don't dare wash your car or water your lawn. 

That's another thing.. utilities. Not counting cable my total utility costs for one year are over $5000.00. That's just gas, water and electric. It's always too hot or too cold here. My house is under 1400 SF. I doubt most peeps in Cali spend 5k on utilities for a house this size. (growers with 50 gazillion lights excluded LMAO). I'm sure your cost per cubic foot or per kilowatt hour or whatever is more, but our weather is so extreme, one thing or another runs all 12 months. Which also might mean that I am replacing furnaces and air conditioners more often than you.

How about property taxes? I know it's all over depending on where you live but my house is about 150k and costs me over $4000 a year just for property taxes. I don't live in the 'up and coming' neighborhood. LOL My neighborhood was build in 1963-68 for the schools nearby. So, the area has declined "significantly" in 50 years as have the schools that were once the best in the state (now flunked the state test for schools this year). LOL

What's really killing me about Cali is a place to live. If one of you wonder people who are so lucky to live there already would just build a tiny little cage in the corner of your garage, I could live there and everything else is pretty affordable. LMAO

I just need a tiny little space. LMAO

Thanks for the input bud. It's a big help to me. I just need to get out there and I'll real quick see the things that affect me the most. Like tax on groceries. Hopefully, I'm almost out of here.


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## umbra (Jul 9, 2017)

Although I'm not old enough to collect SS, for all practical aspects, I am retired. Housing is funny here. I have a 1/2 acre and it was hard to find. The larger properties do exist in Cali, but they are either remote or crazy expensive. They pack houses really tightly. The whole land use thing. When Reagan was Gov of Cali, they did property tax reform out here. It is 1% of value based on the last time it sold.
Back east my property taxes are $7500 for a $250,000 house. My utilities in Cali are $1800 a month, lol. But that is the grow as well.


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## Hackerman (Jul 9, 2017)

I don't really need any land. I could live in a trailer park if I really had to. LOL Even with a half acre or acre of land, you don't really have any privacy from neighbors anyway. At least not like the 30 acres I just sold. LOL And, even that, I could see my neighbor.

So anything would be cool. A small yard would be cool. And, I'm not big on the beach. I could live in the mountains a little way up. When I was in Santa Barbara, there were 2 basic areas. The coastal, and the mountains. The coastal area seemed to be where everyone was. As you went up the foothills of whatever mountains those are, the lots got bigger. The prices didn't get a whole lot cheaper but you got more for your money.

And, what's the story on Ventura? Is the entire city the 'hood'? LOL Prices are much cheaper there than in SB. Oxnard seems pretty cheap too. I have not even started looking South of there yet. So far, all my looking has been between Monterey and Oxnard.

Buying is worse than renting. I find some pretty reasonable rents...

https://santabarbara.craigslist.org/apa/6180357998.html

https://santabarbara.craigslist.org/apa/6210043653.html

https://santabarbara.craigslist.org/apa/6177192965.html

Thanks again for the input.


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## umbra (Jul 9, 2017)

I'm east in the central valley and a bit north. It depends on what you like to do. Out this way the large land use is agricultural and ranching. We have 3 24 hr bait stores, lol. Lots of fishing by me. Camping is plentiful. Near the foothills. Yosemite is 50 miles. Sacramento is 75 miles, San Fran is 75 miles. Works for me.


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## Hackerman (Jul 9, 2017)

I never even considered the Central Valley. Not real sure why. Like I said, I have no real need for the beach or ocean. I just want that moderate, year round climate. I don't know anything about the Central Valley but I just did a little reading.

Where you are gets a little too much weather swing. I can take the 80's and 90's in the Summer but you get well below freezing in the Winter (according to the Wiki weather thing) and I am done with cold Winters. LOL Maybe a little further South in the same valley.

Last time I was out your way I spent a week in Mariposa. If I could stand Winters, that would be an awesome place. Although, if I could stand snowy Winters, I would be going to Colorado, not California. LOL

Thanks again


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## umbra (Jul 9, 2017)

Hackerman said:


> I never even considered the Central Valley. Not real sure why. Like I said, I have no real need for the beach or ocean. I just want that moderate, year round climate. I don't know anything about the Central Valley but I just did a little reading.
> 
> Where you are gets a little too much weather swing. I can take the 80's and 90's in the Summer but you get well below freezing in the Winter (according to the Wiki weather thing) and I am done with cold Winters. LOL Maybe a little further South in the same valley.
> 
> ...


Actually it never gets below freezing where I am. Above 5,000 ft maybe, but not in the valley. Our climate is described as a Mediterranean climate; dry hot summers and cool wet winters. Summer here is hotter than 90's right now. Triple digits half of june and july so far.


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## Hackerman (Jul 14, 2017)

I have been reading up on the Central Valley. I have been to Cali 15 to 20 times in my life and never seemed to spend a lot of time there. My business took me mostly to government and military locations so maybe there's just not much of that there. I was a Travis a few times but I never got off the base. Thanks again for all the info.

Meanwhile, I made some home made raisin bran today. I hung around the kitchen and made bread and ciabatta and one of my recent favorites... cinnamon raisin bread and figured I would try something new.

I am not a big breakfast eater (like I should be) and if I do eat breakfast, I try to make it high protein (eggs and bacon type breakfast). However, sometimes I just don't feel like either and a nice cool bowl of cereal usually goes down pretty easily.

I used to think that I was eating a relatively healthy breakfast with Corn Flakes or Raisin Bran and some skim milk. OMG, poison. LMAO Soy/grain product and cow water. LMAO

I'm sure what I made today isn't really much better. LMAO However, it probably has less preservatives in it and it's actually very good. AND.... I know what's in it. Well, I think.  LMAO

Nothing but some Hodgsons Unprocessed Wheat Bran, some King Arthur whole grain wheat flour, honey, sunflower oil and water and a pinch of salt.

The next batch will definitely include cinnamon. 

The taste, when mixed with raisins is pretty close to Kellogg's, simply because the taste of the raisins overwhelms everything else. 

Just plain, it tastes about like you would expect unprocessed bran and whole grain flour to taste. LMAO Actually, it really is pretty good all by itself. Next time, I may include more honey, or maybe some brown sugar just to sweeten up the flakes. The fruit (raisins or whatever) is really what sweetens this type of cereal anyway.

Another thing I'll do different is to prick the dough before I bake it so the finished flake is bumpy and wavy rather than flat. When you break up these into bite sized flakes, they lay flat or each other. LOL A little curvy shape will help the milk flow between the flakes. Duh, Kellogg figured that one out too. LOL

I guess the best news about this whole thing is that I made 2 batches today. I weighed the 2 pieces and they weigh about 11 ounces. I added a cup of raisins and it's at about 18 ounces A box of Kellogg's Raisin Bran cereal is about 18 - 20 ounces. Kellogg's is about $4. Mine was about 80 cents.

And, it was fun. Bread is just about to go into the oven. Yummy. 

View attachment raisinbran.jpg


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## umbra (Jul 14, 2017)

if you take 152 from Fresno to Gilroy, you will drive passed Sun Maid's grape orchard


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## Rosebud (Jul 14, 2017)

I eat nasty healthy bars for breakfast or a smoothie, made with veg protein powder, frozen organic fruit, ground flax seed a half a cup of oj and water... it is good, BUT, it doesn't stay with me long. I usually eat one of the icky bars in two hours.  We are all organic here, we do that instead of going on vacation. lol


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## Hackerman (Jul 14, 2017)

I just love to cook. So, it's fun for me to experiment with stuff like home made raisin bran. LOL

I was crunching on some of the bran flake I made and it tastes a lot like a Granola bar. I could add some chopped nuts, more honey and make it a little thicker and it would make a very nice breakfast bar. 

If you like to munch on bars like that, there are a million home recipes for making them yourself. And, those bars are way expensive in the stores. Making your own might leave a little money for a vacation. LOL

The bread came out of the oven and is cooled. I sliced it and yummy yummy. Bread is not great for you. Lots of dead calories. However, some times I just like a slice of bread and this stuff sure fits the bill. I slice it and freeze it. Then, toast a slice or 2 at a time as I need it. Fresh bread has no preservatives so it's only lasts a few days to a week on the shelf. So, with only me and Mrs Hackerman eating it, we have to freeze it or throw half away. It freezes very well.

This bread is so light and airy. It toast so well, it's like it toasts all the way through. Even better than Thomas's nooks and crannys in their English Muffins. LOL 

View attachment bread1.jpg


View attachment bread2.jpg


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## Rosebud (Jul 14, 2017)

OH MY GOD, do you know how long it has been since i have seen or smelled bread like that?? ten years at least i have been gluten free?  You should frame that!  Just beautiful. damn.


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## Hackerman (Jul 14, 2017)

I wish I could share the smell with you. On days that I spend baking bread, the house always smells so wonderful. LOL


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