Get ready to eat!

I love to read and experiment with recipes in cookbooks, food magazines, and food blogs. I don't love to FOLLOW recipes. I merely use these recipes for inspiration and add my own twist. Many times I find that recipes are lacking something indulgent to my hubs and I's palette (i.e. spice, salt or variety)and so I just do what feels right and add or subtract, but mostly add, accordingly. Last week I received my copy of "Appetite for Reduction" by Vegan chef Isa Chandra Moskowitz. I have yet to try any of the recipes but as I peruse the educational and fruitful pages I am getting the feeling there is nothing lacking in these yummy meals. This might just be my go to book if I am not feeling creative with dinner. In the book Isa offers 125 low-fat, fast and filling vegan recipes. The names alone of many make my mouth water. Things like Butternut Coconut Rice and Sweet and Salty Mable Baby Carrots make we want to quite the day job and head to the kitchen immediately. Oh man...it must be lunch time because I am getting hungry!!!

A New Morning Beverage

A couple months ago I easily gave up the morning jo (except occasionally...like on vaca). My morning cup-o-sludge was replaced with a seemingly better choice. After my greens and multiple glasses of water I was making myself chai tea with a tinge of cream and lots of honey. Comforting...yes, a healthy coffee replacement...not so much. It may have been little better that the roasted beans in coffee, but after some research (and reading CSD) black tea is still not something I want to be putting in my body every day and neither is cream.

On a quest for a nutritious, yet tasty and comforting morning bev, I scooted on over to Spice Girls/Aribona on Hillview and picked me up a bottle of Organic Matcha Green Tea Powder. At the time, the lovely and very knowledgeable employee (may have been the owner) prepared it her way, which was awesome. Shaken with ice, lemon and agave, which in my opinion, it was the perfect summer afternoon drink. It still did give me the morning comfort I was seeking. So this morning I decided to try it my way...in warm/hot water sweetened with agave and dashed with Hemp milk. YUM YUM YUM and oh so comforting.

Now mind you, matcha powder is not cheap, especially given the crisis that occurred in Japan. Have no fear it is not "radiation tea," import costs are just on the rise. Still matcha tea is pennies in comparison to a Starbucks latte and with so many healthy attribute. Throw in the hemp milk and you have the ideal "morning bev with benefits."

Match powder is made with stone ground green tea leaves, no steeping required. It is very concentrated and a little goes a long way. And since you are consuming the whole leaf, you are getting loads of cancer fighting and preventing antioxidants. According to the nifty brochure I took with me it also detoxifies the body, speeds up metabolism, cleanses the digestive system, improves allergies and eczema, slows the aging process, promotes good oral hygiene, controls high blood pressure, and lowers blood sugar. Wa-Wah-Wee-Wah!

It should be noted that green tea matcha tastes similar to green tea (dah!) but with a heartier, thicker consistency. So if you do not like green tea, you may not like the taste of matcha. But there are ways to slightly mask the "green" flavor:

• mix with lemonade
• add to your fruit smoothie
• sprinkle on your stir fry
• add to yogurt
• put in your baking
• make ice cream with it

Hemp milk rant is for another day but let's just say it is loaded with Omega's and that is a major plus in my book. If you are not quite ready to give up the morning Starbucks run, I have an idea. Switch out your mocha-choca-latte for a green tea latte and see how you feel. Yes, Starbucks does offer matcha and yes, you will pay a ridiculous amount of mula for it. But if you like it, you can get your own and have it any time you want!

Label Goodness

I was very happy to see this on the can of vegetarian chick peas last night:

It reassured that my animal flesh free diet is on track. In case you cannot read it it says the following:

Weekly: Eggs and Sweets

Daily: Nuts and seeds, plant oils, dairy, soymilk and egg whites

At every meal: Fruits and Veggies, whole grains, legumes and beans

EVERY DAY: PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, 6 glasses of water.

In moderation: Alcohol (in particular it shows vino)

The importance of being alone

I am one of those people who likes to be alone. I enjoy making my own schedule and feeling free of pressure to do or be anything or anywhere. When I lived in Boston, I had no problem going to bars or restaurants by myself but that does not happen much here in my hometown. Maybe for fear that someone I know will see me and think "something must be wrong." I still enjoy my alone time but moreso in the privacy of my own home where I can blare music and dance or walk around with a homemade mask beauty mask on. For many people even the thought of a Saturday home alone is frigid and scary. For you there is this beautiful poem and video:

Breaking a bad habit to make room for a good one!

The hubs and I just got back from a great long weekend in a place we had never been, with great peeps, stunning views and delicious food and drinks. It is always so refreshing to visit a part of the country different from our home and even more refreshing when that part of the country appreciates summer weather and outdoor activity. Now that we are back and home for quite some time, I am ready to get out of the routine of TV or movies during dinner. I start school in a little over a month but will continue to work full time with the prospect of a second part-time job on the horizon. The eat and watch, then watch some more habit must be broken in order to free up time and leave room for nightly reading and writing for school. Fortunately, summer cable stinks so it's pretty easy to relieve that part if the time. I can also justify this because I realize that eating dinner is something that should be done at a table and not in front of a TV in order to be present while consuming and for your body to get the best and the most out of what you eat. Because I shutter when I think about giving up movie watching completely, I have decided to keep my Netflix account as an incentive on the weekends. So as I set my goal to break the habit I have carried for quite some time now I vow to still make the best and enjoy my nights until school starts.

Things I can do instead of turning to the boob tube:

• draw and color
• organize and clean
• read and write
• take luxurious aromatherapy baths
• cook 
• meal prep
• meditate
• give myself homemade spa treatments
• edit and frame photographs
• experiment in the kitchen 
• go to bed early!
• cuddle with the dogs
• work on my business plan
• write letters and emails to friends
• catch up with long distance friends on the computer
• research and read online
• peruse my favorite blogs and find more to follow

See, there is plenty to do. Now am excited!

Trials and Tribulations of Backyard Chicken Farming



Ok. I have to be honest, there really haven't been any, other than having to give Rose away. Rose was the cutest of the chicks but about a month ago she crowed at 6:30 a.m. Rose was, in fact, Rusty and therefore he had to find a new home. Other than that if you don't mind a little chicken poo (it's not so bad, I promise) and a tiny bit of added responsibility, the promise of fresh eggs and great organic fertilizer is well worth starting your own backyard flock. My goal was to raise the chicks from as early of an age as possible. I got Rose and Sophia from the same place but soon realized that neither of their breeds were known for good egg-laying so a week later I added Blanche and Dorothy, both of who's breeds are known for record egg production (yeah baby).

For the first two months they lived inside with us. I created a brooder to keep them safe and warm in a back room. At a young age they are susceptible to a great deal of predators included but not limited to dogs, cats, hawks, snakes, raccoons, etc. We made sure to introduce Duke and Fin to them but never unattended. Fin could have cared less. Duke loves stuffed animal toys and therefore instantly started giving the chicks the eye as if they were bred to be his next toy. We knew from then on we would need to establish boundaries to ensure the chicks did not suffer that particular fate. For the first two months my job as a chicken mom was to make sure they were safe, warm, well feed and hydrated. I changed the bedding in the brooder regularly because we are a clean, smell free home and wanted to keep it that way. As the weeks went on the girls feathers started to replace the fuzzy down and I knew it was time to get moving on the coop.

Ryan and I did a great deal of research on the girls future home. We wanted something that was mobile and attractive but as we looked online, the coops and tractors we were attracted to were extremely expensive. After a conversation with a family friend who happened to own a lumber yard, we decided we would let Ryan put his building skills to use and build our own coop with the help of my dad and the family friend.We referenced pictures from the Internet, Ryan did drawings and within a  couple of weekends, the wood working and painting paid off and we had our custom chicken tractor.
 I was nervous about putting the girls out there. I had read stories about critters getting into coops. I read that it was best to lock them in the coop at sundown to avoid a snatching. And so for the first couple of weeks I made sure as soon as the sun went down they were safe and sound. At first I had to herd them into the enclosed part of the coop. But as the days went on they just automatically went right in there. Animal instincts are a powerful force. Now I am much more laid back about it and don't stress as much about locking the coop right a sun down.
I wanted my girls to be friendly and get to know humans, so I handled the chicks as much as possible and had the neighbors kids come to visit and hold them when they were young. When they moved outside I tried to keep up with handling them but they were not coming to me as I had hoped. Instead Rose/Rusty would approach me in defense and the others would hang back letting their "alpha" protect them. This is when I started to think that Rose was a boy. As I researched more, it became evident that Rosie, was indeed, a rooster. He confirmed it with his first cock-a-doodle doo. After Rusty went to his new home, I noticed an instant positive change in my interaction with the girls. Blanche (black with pretty green and blue tones to her feathers) is super friendly and quick to approach me when I am outside. She is the most curious and what I would consider the "alpha" of the flock. Sophia (feathered feet) is the most timid, she is also the smallest so it makes sense. Dorothy (burnt orange with black tones) is inquisitive but more likely to follow Blanche's lead as opposed to creating her own path.

People often ask me if chickens make a great deal of noise. The sounds they make would not be considered noise to me. Their dialog consists of lovely cooing sounds. I think most would agree, it is less intrusive than any wild bird. They stay inside their tractor during the day while I am at work and then I let them out as soon as I get home until dark, unless it's raining. We do our best to maintain a balance with the dogs and chickens in the yard by cooping the chickens when the dogs are out. While I know that Duke and Fin would never intentionally hurt/kill the girls, I also realize that it is a natural instinct for a dog, no matter how domestic, to chase/play with birds and feel it would be unfair to put them in a situation where they may accidentally kill a chicken.

I give the girls an organic developer fed along with lots of treats such as sprouts, watermelon, mango and scrambled eggs (yes, I know this seems weird but it is good for them). I make sure they have clean water every couple of days. They seem to be very happy with their lives and in great health but the true test will be in September when they are old enough to start laying eggs. They say a happy hen shows it with her egg production. We are anxious for these eggs but for now we continue to enjoy watching the girls run around the yard as chickens are extremely entertaining!



 

An Overwhelming Desire to Color

This morning I have an overwhelming desire to color. I do not own a set of good old fashioned crayons, but I am going to buy some today. Do you know why? Because it sounds fun and relaxing and creative. I have been reading so much about the benefits of meditation but sitting still, deep in non-thought is virtually impossible for me now. I do practice occasionally but not often. I realized by my desire to color that we child-less adults (and some parents) forget how therapeutic and simple childhood activities can benefit our minds and bodies. How they can bring us to the present and allow a break from deadlines, mindless multitasking and emotional thinking. I think I might just vow to always carry crayons with me from here on out(but not leave them in car)!   NEXT ON THE LIST: Climbing a tree!

The accidental garden fruit

 

For the most part when it comes to edible gardening you must plan for the seasons. Summers in Florida make me a tad lazy in the garden. Sadly, mosquitos and heat drive me further from the dirt and closer to the water. But this year something neat happened. While I was swimming and boating and staying in the a/c, my summer garden took on a life of it's own. In early June I threw some okra seeds and eggplant seedlings out and they are holding their own along with some bell peppers and a watermelon vine but one day at the beginning of the month I noticed a different vine growing among the okra, one that I had not intentionally planted. I am still not sure how or why it decided it want to be a part of the heat and humidity but I decided to let it continue to grow. I noticed last week large round fruits growing on it. It looks to me like a melon, maybe cantaloupe, but it's still too soon to tell. I trellised it to give it more space and both it and the okra are thriving at this point. In a similar respect, a couple of weeks ago while running in the nature preserve, I happened to look up just it time to notice a muscadine grape vine full of grapes, just like the ones we are growing in our back yard. For those of you who can identify this vine which is EVERYWHERE in this part of Florida, most if the time it is sterile, non-fruit bearing and thought of more as a nuisance. But here one was, growing in the wild with fruit on it. I must have seemed like a weirdo to any onlookers that day as it stopped me dead in my tracks, backed me up and allowed me to stare up at it with a huge smile on my face. It's discoveries like these that remind me how powerful nature really is and how important it is to treasure not only the food we can control but the food and nourishment we cannot control and that somehow, against what seems like all odds, finds a way to survive. There is a movement called "food foraging" that has been going on for quite some time. The idea is that when we open our eyes and hearts to the natural world, we discover it's potential to feed us and heal us in it's natural state. And these types of foods and medicines that grow in the wild are so powerful and rich because they are not being controlled by human hands and pesticides and because they are local and therefore address our environmental needs. There are books on this topic that I would encourage anyone to read. If for nothing else, to gain a new respect for the nature that surrounds us and its potential to sustain us even while we sit in our temperature controlled, densely packed homes.

I stumbled across this website and have not had too much time to peruse it but at first glance it seems educational and interesting:

http://foragersharvest.com/

Nutrient Rich Dairy Free Chocolate Pudding

I have been wanting to try this for quite some time but was finally motivated when I saw it featured in the raw food article put out by Whole Living magazine. Boy am I glad I did! It's yummy and guilt free. Why? Because it's made with nutrient rich avocado, raw cocoa powder, honey and coconut oil. It is a super simple way to get some of those "good fats" into your diet and your little and big kids will love it. The cool part is that you can experiment with the flavors. The original recipe to which I referred did not include coconut oil but I was not only did I want the nutritional benefit of the coconut oil, I was hoping for a Mounds candy flavor and I got much more of a Mounds/chocolate cake flavor. Ryan loves peanut butter so next time I am going to add that instead of the coconut oil. I am also going to take advantage of the loads of mint growing in the summer garden and add some cocoa nibs to achieve a Thin Mint flavor.

Guiltless Mound-ish Pudding

(one serving portion, feel free to make some for the whole fam)
1 ripe avocado
Cocoa Powder (raw is best)
A pinch of sea salt
Honey (raw and unfiltered is best)
Coconut butter or oil
Vanilla Extract or Vanilla from the bean
OPTIONS: Chopped raw nuts, unsweetened shredded coconut, fruit

Remove the pit from avocado and scoop meat into food processor (I used my mini for this one). Add 2-3 spoonfuls of cocoa powder, 2 spoonfuls if coconut oil, a pinch of salt, 2-3 spoonfuls of honey (to taste) and spoonful of vanilla extract. Pulse until desired texture is achieved. Taste for desired sweetness. Fold in any additional ingredients and place in the fridge for 10 minutes or so (if you can wait that long) then enjoy!
* I do not recommend this as a after dinner dessert or a bed time snack, as the chocolate can tend to hype people up. Make it a weekend treat or after school/work snack.

Benefits of your sweet tooth snack:

Raw Cocoa Powder provides loads of antioxidants and mood boosting phytochemicals. It is said to contain more antioxidants than red wine, coffees, teas and even some fruits and veggies. It is also said to have an effect on reducing blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. Chocolate is known to have an extremely high magnesium content, a nutrient in which deficiency tends to be common for Westerners.  Also, a study back in 2004 found consumption of chocolate by rats to inhibit cataract formation. It should be noted that these benefits start to disappear and the negative out ways the positive when the percentage of actual cocoa decreases and the end result is processes milk chocolate. To receive these benefits stick to raw cocoa powder and chocolate containing at least 75% of cocoa.

Coconut Oil contains lauric acid, capric acid and caprylic acid to which the benefits of consumption and use include hair care, skin care, good cholesterol presence, weight loss, high immunity levels, good digestion and metabolism, relief for kidney issues, dental care and bone strength. Coconut oil is also said to help in the absorption of vitamins and minerals and help to heal infection. In the organic skin care world you always see "if you can't consume it, you should not put it on you skin." Well here you go folks. Eat it and put it all over your skin! Again, it should be noted that not all coconut oil is alike and as with any high fatty acid, you should consume this morning, noon and night. That said, look for good quality coconut oils and feel free to use on a daily basis along with a plant based diet full of fruits and veggies.

Avocado used to have a bad rap for causing weight gain, but consumed in the proper quantities alongside a balanced, healthy diet, nothing could be further from the truth. The avocado does contain a large amount of fat but we need fat and especially the kind that this buttery, green fruit provides. This fruit also is extremely low in bad cholesterol and extremely high in good fiber. It is a wonderful source of Vitamins C and K and contains a good amount of folate (listen up ladies with a bun in the oven). Once again you can consume this or use it as a skin and hair mask.
***No waste garden tip:
Save the rinds from your avocados to start seeds in, then plant seedling and avocado skin directly in garden soil.

Food/Garden Illustrations & Prints

Ever since a very special friend sent me this print:

http://www.20x200.com/

And then I promptly purchased this print to keep it company:

http://www.20x200.com/

I have been on the look out and very attracted to prints, artwork and illustration with a similar edgy but hand drawn look. This type of artwork seems to satisfy two completely different styles of decor that our household ensues. Not to mention Ryan and My's love of edible landscape and food makes them even more attractive. I found these and am already scanning our home for places to put them:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/redcruiser?ref=seller_info



http://www.etsy.com/shop/redcruiser?ref=seller_info



Great Flavor from Green Kitchen Stories!

Taken from Green Kitchen Stories Blog

Happy 4th of July Weekend! Us Floridians are starting ours off with a thunderstorm. I wanted to share an awesome recipe link from the beautiful family over at Green Kitchen Stories. If you have never been to their blog you are truly missing out. Not only are they an adventurous adorable couple but they have a little girl that has the most amazing palette at such a young age and their pictures are always stunning. Their recipes are all vegetarian and mostly gluten and dairy free. This particular link is for their portabello peach burgers and I cannot rave enough about this flavor combo. I made this last week but altered it slightly in that I did not grill the mushroom or the peaches. Instead I baked them in the oven, gill side up with peach slices stacked on top so the juices flowed into the portabello. Then I added a slice of fontina cheese on top last minute instead of the avocado. I also added fresh arugula on the ciabatta for a little peppery green flavor. As seen in their pics, this sammie is a mouthful and I decided that next time I would do it open faced. Give it a try!

http://www.greenkitchenstories.com/portobello-peach-burger-for-designsponge/portobello_burger/