Welcome to Naturally Sweet & Sourdough!

My name is Lisa Fuhrmann and I am an avid baker with a passion for using high-quality, natural ingredients. This passion is reflected in the way I live my life - my husband and I started our homestead in southeastern Pennsylvania in 2022. When we moved to our new home, the land was just grass but we have been hard at work planting fruit trees, berries, vegetables, and herbs; and raising chickens, sheep, bees, and one very cute mini-pig. I am grateful to be able to grow a good portion of my food and I strive to make as much of what I eat from scratch - from homemade granola bars to sourdough crackers to baked goods and more!

I have always loved baking and I enjoy using the highest-quality, most natural ingredients possible.

Why Natural Sugars? I prefer to use natural sugars - such as, for instance, Sucanat, coconut sugar, honey, and maple syrup (as opposed to regular white or brown granulated sugar) - for a host of reasons. For starters, the natural sugars are just that - more “natural.” In other words, they are closer to the original ingredient with little to no processing involved. In contrast, regular granulated sugar goes through multiple steps involving various mechanical and chemical processes and the addition of preservatives and other additives. Because natural sugars do not go through intensive processing they retain most of their inherent nutritional properties, including antioxidants, minerals, phytochemicals, and vitamins. Of course, even natural sugars should be consumed in moderation, but when choosing what to use in baked goods for myself and my family my clear preference is to use the more natural, less processed option.

Why Sourdough? I am an avid sourdough bread baker so I am always looking for ways to use the sourdough discard that is produced every time I feed my starter. In addition to avoiding waste, I think that incorporating sourdough into baked goods adds a nice, subtle flavor and moistness as well.

Naturally Sweet & Sourdough is a combination of these two interests so the recipes here will incorporate both natural sugars and sourdough starter to produce delicious baked goods. I hope you enjoy!