foodfarmhealth

Striving for Balance

2012-02-03T14:31:00.000-06:00

I've been away from this space for a while now, having been busy with holidays and traveling and family and other interests. While away, I've realized just how beneficial it has been for everyone in my family - myself included - to have had that break.

With a little one of three on the verge of dropping naps, the spare time I once had for working on blog posts has all but disappeared. I truly admire the many mothers out there who find the time to balance blogging and motherhood with such apparent grace.

For now, I've found that I parent with more grace without this blog. Perhaps at some point in the future, it will work out for me to come back here to share what I've been doing with you. Until then, thank you all for your readership, words of encouragement and support. It has been an incredible learning experience!

Recipe: Coconut Fingers

2011-12-17T05:00:00.001-06:00

The inspiration for this recipe comes originally from The Coconut Mama, and is dipped in chocolate. Unfortunately, chocolate has been bothering us lately, and so we tweaked the recipe to make the coconut portion taste like a stand alone treat. It is such a fast and easy snack to make - not to mention healthy - that I've taken to making sure we have some in the freezer at all times. My son loves these little bite sized morsels. I hope you do too.

Coconut Fingers (makes ~20)
6 dates, pited
1/2 tsp gluten-free vanilla extract
2 Tblsp creamed organic honey
3 Tblsp organic coconut oil
1 1/4 cups flaked organic coconut

In a food processor, blend together the dates, vanilla and honey. In a small saucepan, melt coconut oil. Add in flaked coconut and mix together. Once combined, add coconut mixture to dates in food processor and pulse until blended, scraping sides as needed. Line a bread pan with parchment paper and press mixture into pan evenly until condensed and firm. Place in freezer for 30 minutes and then remove and cut into "finger" sized portions.

Recipe: Mulled Apple Cider

2011-12-10T05:00:00.009-06:00

It has become a tradition for us to make mulled cider in the days leading up to Christmas. However, this year's apple cider has been particularly special because we've been making it from the apples we picked via fruit sharing this fall. You can definitely use store bought apple juice in this recipe, but if you have a juicer, I highly encourage you to juice your own apples beforehand. It will turn this beverage into an especially tasty treat.

Mulled Apple Cider
3 cups apple juice, fresh or canned
4 whole cloves
2 tsp organic orange peel, grated
2 cinnamon sticks (3 inches)

In a medium pot, place all ingredients together and bring to a boil. Turn off heat and let sit 5-10 minutes. Strain, serve and garnish with cinnamon sticks if you want to be fancy.

Linked to Wellness Weekend, Sugar-free Sunday, Butter Believer, Barn Hop, Monday Mania, Ruth's Real Food, Fat Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday, Tea Party Tuesday, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Real Food Wednesday, WFMW, Gluten-free Wednesday, Health2Day, Simple Lives Thursday, Pennywise Platter Thursday, Thursday's Cupboard, Full Plate Thursday.

Start a Harvest Sharing Organization

2011-12-06T05:00:00.006-06:00

I recently had the opportunity to say a few words in our community about the value of starting a local harvest sharing organization. It is such a fantastic way to preserve fruit producing trees and shrubs in a community. What follows is some of what I had to say:

Harvest sharing is the idea of linking up people with unwanted fruit trees or berry patches or even extra garden harvests with those who want of it via a fruit sharing organization. It works something like this: a homeowner would register and 'donate' their fruit tree to a harvest sharing organization for the season. Volunteers would come to pick the fruit. A portion of the harvest would go back to the home owner (if they wanted it), a portion of the harvest would go to the volunteers and a portion of the harvest would get donated to the local food bank, soup kitchen or other organization that had need of it. Essentially, harvest sharing is about rescuing and redistributing food.

In the last few years, the idea of harvest sharing has gained a lot of interest and organizations are popping up all over Canada. This past year, an organization called Fruit for Thought started in Regina. Their first season of picking brought in over 3000 lbs of apples from 30 trees! An organization in Toronto called Not Far From the Tree, which has been active for a few years now, harvested almost 20,000 lbs of fruit from just over 200 trees in 2010. In both instances, they received more fruit tree 'donations' than they had volunteers to pick.

In walking through my own neighbourhood, I've noticed that there are a lot of apple trees that go unpicked every year. It's really hard to see that perfect fruit go to waste, especially when there are people in our community that do not get enough to eat.

Harvest sharing is also a great way to help out the elderly who have fruit trees but no longer have the desire to climb up a ladder or to bend down to pick up what may have fallen on the ground. Or perhaps they have garden space that is sitting empty that they would like to see maintained. Harvest sharing organizations are a great way to keep food producing spaces in production.

Apples grow abundantly in our climate, and yet, in Canada, for every apple we export, we import five. The numbers are even worse for pears. In Canada, we import many foods that our climate is capable of growing. But, in the case of fruit trees, that produce is being provided to us year after year for very little effort. From a food security standpoint, harvest sharing organizations can help us change these numbers - on a local level at least - for the better.

Harvest sharing is such a win-win situation because it fills several needs and takes advantage of an underutilized local resource. If you're thinking about starting a harvest sharing organization in your community, take a look at the following established groups for some ideas on how to go about it:

Harvest Sharing Organizations in Canada
Toronto: Not Far from the Tree
Winnipeg: Fruit Share Manitoba
Regina: Fruit for Thought
Saskatoon: Out of Your Tree Saskatoon
Calgary: Calgary Harvest
Edmonton: Operation Fruit Rescue
Vancouver: Vancouver Fruit Tree Project Society
Victoria: Life Cycles Fruit Tree Project

If you know of more Canadian harvest sharing organizations, please leave their contact information in the comment section so I can add them to the list!

Linked to Real Food Wednesday, WFMW, Simple Lives Thursday, Real Food Friday, Living Well, Freaky Friday, Fresh Bites Friday, Gallery of Favorites, Barn Hop.

Recipe: Lazy Strawberry Coconut 'Yogurt'

2011-12-03T05:00:00.008-06:00

The best way to eat coconut 'yogurt' is by culturing it first, like Lexie does here. However, when we're running short on time, we make this recipe instead. This dairy-free yogurt tastes amazingly like the real thing. It's thick, not overly sweet and somehow has that tangy aftertaste of a cultured food. The secret lazy ingredient is the added pro-biotic cultures.

Lazy Strawberry Coconut 'Yogurt' (makes 6 cups or ~12 servings)
1 can organic coconut milk (we use Native Forest)
1 organic avocado
1 organic banana
2 cups strawberries, fresh or frozen
Pro-biotic blend**

In a blender, mix all ingredients until smooth. Store in the fridge for 3-5 days. Use it anywhere you would in place of traditional yogurt.

**The amount of pro-biotics you add will depend on what brand you're using. Divide the instructed pro-biotic dose by 12 servings to determine how much you should add. For example, 1/4 tsp per person multiplied by 12 servings would equal 3 teaspoons.

Linked to Wellness Weekend, Sugar-free Sunday, Sunday School, Monday Mania, Barn Hop, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Fat Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday, Real Food Wednesday, WFMW, Gluten-free Wednesday, Simple Lives Thursday, Full Plate Thursday, Thursday's Cupboard, Pennywise Platter Thursday, Real Food Friday, Allergy-Friendly Friday, Allergy Lunchbox Love, Living Well, Freaky Friday, Fresh Bites Friday.

Traveling with Food Allergies

2011-11-29T07:06:00.008-06:00

Today's post has been generously written by Rebecca Hirt of Peanut Butter, Passports and Epinephrine. Not only does Rebecca provide some excellent tips on how to travel with food allergies, but she also demonstrates the extent a mother has to go to protect her children from an allergic reaction while still trying to lead a normal life. Whether you have allergies in your family or not, I hope you will take the time to read this article.

I’m honored to be able to share some of my travel tips here on Food Farm Health. Travel has always been a huge part of my life, and when I had kids I wasn’t going to let that slow me down. I traveled frequently when my son, Connor, was a baby and never had any problems. When my daughter, Eva, was born she suffered from horrible eczema and stomach distress. I flew with her a couple times until, at 14 months old, she had a severe allergic reaction to peanuts while visiting a friend. Then all my traveling stopped.

I was devastated by her diagnosis, not because I wanted to travel but because I wanted her to see the world. I’ve always felt very strongly that experiencing other cultures is key to self-discovery. I wanted her to have the same opportunities that I did when I was younger. It took me quite a while to come to terms with the fact that we’d never again be able to book the cheapest flight two days in advance, pack all we’d need for the trip in a tiny carry-on, and eat at any old restaurant along the way. Things that were second nature to me had to be relearned and reprogrammed. The traveling spirit never left, however, and I knew I had to find a way for my little girl to see the world.

After I found out about Eva’s allergy, I made an appointment for my son to be tested. It turns out that he is allergic to shellfish and melon, and he tested positive to corn even though he’s never reacted to it (Genetically modified corn and its overuse is a post for another day). I am allergic to latex, which sometimes manifests itself in food. So between the three of us, we have to avoid quite a lot of things. Eva’s peanut allergy is by far the most severe, so I tend to focus on that; however, know that with food allergies, the reactions tend to get progressively more severe, so even if your child only had a mild reaction to something don’t dismiss it. The next reaction could be very serious.

Traveling with a child who has severe food allergies is always scary, and it’s never easy. I won’t lie – I’m always terrified before we leave. I don’t sleep. My mind won’t turn off. Did I pack all the food? What did I forget to cook? Did I count our days correctly? Do I have enough emergency safe snacks? I’m constantly checking and rechecking, adding to and crossing off my numerous lists. It will always be hard, but there are a few things that you can do to make it a little easier on yourself and safer for your little ones.

Always call the airline before you book your flight, talk to a real person, and make sure they can make it a “peanut free” flight. If they offer to create a “buffer zone” DON’T fly with them. I cannot stress this enough! A buffer zone does nothing to prevent air-borne exposure. Also, ask if you will be allowed to board the airplane early in order to clean your child’s seat area. FAAN has a list of cleaners that effectively remove the peanut allergen from surfaces.
I recently flew with Delta (a “buffer zone” airline) and there literally were peanuts everywhere – in the seat, on the floor, in the seatback pocket. I was astonished at how little cleaning was done prior to boarding. Thank goodness Eva wasn’t with me on that flight. Once you feel comfortable with an airline, book the flight.
Make sure your child wears a medic alert bracelet, and label her luggage and EpiPens with allergy information cards. Peanut Free Plane has a great example.
Bake and cook enough snacks for the entire trip, not just on your flights. It sounds strange, but I typically fill a third of my suitcase with food. That seems like a lot, but as we eat it there is more room to bring home souvenirs. I also always have some safe chocolate on hand. It’s a bummer not being able to eat what everyone else is eating, and a little chocolate treat helps Eva feel better. Here are some of my favorite travel food recipes.
Make sure you remind the airline of your child’s allergy when you check in. Depending on the airline, they may have flagged you child’s ticket, and they may print out a medical voucher which informs airport security, the pilot, and the flight attendants of your child’s situation. Your going to feel like a broken record as you tell people the same thing over and over, but I truly believe that the more people that know, the safer your child will be on the trip.
Keep your EpiPens in their original box and make sure your child’s current prescription is attached. Take them out of your bag at security and run them through the x-ray machine separately.
Give you child a dose a Benadryl before boarding the plane - speak to your child’s allergist first about the correct dose as it sometimes varies from what is printed on the box. I find that this offers some protection against air-borne allergens.
Familiarize yourself with any foreign languages you may be using. Learn how to say “My daughter/son is allergic to peanuts.” Write a list of all the words for “peanut” in that language so that you can quickly decipher food labels and communicate with shop owners and waiters. There are a lot of resources on the web to help you do this. Tour guides can be especially helpful with translating. Every time you eat at a restaurant ask for a peanut allergy menu - and I mean EVERY time. I don’t have to tell you that peanuts like to hide in everything from chili and pizza sauce to egg rolls and enchiladas.

If you are staying with friends or relatives there are a few more things to look out for. Beware of open jam and fruit preserve jars in the refrigerator. I was once staying with a friend when I got out the jam to spread on Eva’s tartine for breakfast. As I was spooning it out I noticed a small brown smudge mixed in with the jam in the jar. Someone had made a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and had used the peanut butter knife in the jelly.

Additionally, most people don’t realize that a large number of popular dog treats and food contain peanuts as a main ingredient. If you’re staying with a person who has a dog, ask to read the labels of their dog’s food and treats. I know it sounds silly, but if the dog eats these and then licks your child, he could develop hives.

This is by no means an exhaustive list, and I’m still learning myself. If you have any other tips or tricks please feel free to share them in a comment. I believe that as the number of children with food allergies continues to rise, the world will become more aware, and traveling will become easier. Until then, plan ahead, be prepared, and go show you child this amazing, diverse, and beautiful world!

Linked to Real Food Wednesday, WFMW, Health2Day, Simple Lives Thursday, Fight Back Friday, Fresh Bites Friday, Freaky Friday, Sunday School, Monday Mania, Barn Hop.

The Canary in the Coal Mine: Honey Bees

2011-11-28T07:36:00.000-06:00

If you have about an hour to spare, I highly recommend watching this video. It is a great introduction to what is happening with the honey bee. While I am not a bee keeper (yet), I am keenly interested in Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) and how it is affecting our bee population. Not only is the world's population very dependent on bee pollination for one quarter to one third of all food production, but their decline may be a warning sign to us all. What we are doing to our environment we are doing to ourselves - only in bees, a generation or two can turn over in just one year, so the damaging effects are amplified much, much faster.

Recipe: A Good Soup Stock

2011-11-26T06:14:00.008-06:00

A good stock includes four main ingredients: meaty bones, apple cider vinegar, water and time. These ingredients, before vegetables and herbs, will make a very tasty soup base all on its own. Adding a few vegetables and herbs like parsley, celery leaf and lovage will improve the flavour and add even more nutrients.

Making broths is an excellent way to let nothing go to waste. Vegetable peelings, vegetable water (water from cooking vegetables in) and leftover meaty bones can be saved and reused, and the result is very nourishing for our bodies. Sally Fallon has an informative section on the health benefits of bone broths in her book, 'Nourishing Traditions'. Here is an excerpt:

"Properly prepared, meat stocks are extremely nutritious, containing the minerals of the bone, cartilage, marrow and vegetables as electrolytes, a form that is easy to assimilate. Acidic wine or vinegar added during cooking helps to draw minerals, particularly calcium, magnesium and potassium, into the broth."1

The gelatin in stocks is extremely important for anyone suffering with digestive disorders. It not only facilitates nutrient assimilation in those having trouble digesting food, it acts as a "protein sparer, allowing the body to more fully utilize the complete proteins that are taken in."2 For anyone trying to minimize their animal protein consumption, bone broths are really great. Now that the weather has turned cold, soup made with homemade stock is usually on the daily menu.

My stock is never quite the same because I believe in using whatever happens to be on hand, and that will vary depending on the time of year or what's in the fridge at any given moment. However, in an ideal world, the following ingredients make it into our stock pot whenever we're making broth.

A Good Stock (makes a big potful)
8 cups cold water, or saved vegetable water
2 Tblsp apple cider vinegar
2 ham hocks, beef bones or chicken back, neck and feet
1-2 carrots, roughly chopped
3-4 parsnips ends (the parts too skinny to use)
1 celery stalk, roughly chopped
1 onion, roughly chopped
Bayleaf
A handful of parsley (fresh or dried)
A handful of celery leaf (fresh or dried)
A pinch of lovage (fresh or dried)
Sea salt
Cracked pepper

Starting early in the morning, on a day you plan to be around, place all ingredients in a stock pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and then turn the heat down to simmer - all day. The longer the better. Strain the broth once the broth is cool enough to handle. Store in the refrigerator for 3-5 days or freeze until needed.

Sources
1, 2 Nourishing Traditions, Sally Fallon, pg 116

Linked to Sunday School, Sugar-free Sunday, Sunday Soup Night, Monday Mania, Barn Hop, Fat Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Real Food Wednesday, WFMW, Gluten-Free Wednesday, Health2Day, Simple Lives Thursday, Full Plate Thursday, Full Cupboard Thursday, Fight Back Friday, Fresh Bites Friday, Allergy-Friendly Friday, Freaky Friday, Living Well.

Recipe: Roasted Carrots & Parsnips with Fresh Herbs

2011-11-19T08:03:00.010-06:00

This is my fancy vegetable 'go-to' recipe. With Thanksgiving just around the corner for my American friends, I thought I would share one of the dishes that we make for our Thanksgiving here in Canada. It's such a lovely way to showcase those carrots and parsnips from the garden, and any fresh herbs you brought inside for the winter. If you're not a fan of parsnips, you might just find you enjoy them once they're tossed with rosemary and thyme.

Roasted Carrots & Parsnips (serves 4-6)
6 carrots, peeled and cut matchstick style
6 parsnips, peeled and cut matchstick style
3 Tblsp grapeseed oil
Sea salt & cracked pepper
3 Tblsp coconut oil
1 Tblsp shallot, finely chopped
1 1/2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped fine
1 1/2 tsp fresh thyme, chopped fine
1 garlic clove, minced

Preheat oven to 400°F. In a large bowl, toss prepped carrots, parsnips, oil, salt and pepper. Transfer to a 8x11 glass baking dish and roast until browned, approximately 45-50 minutes. Be sure to stir vegetables frequently during this time. Meanwhile, combine coconut oil, shallot, garlic and fresh herbs in a small bowl. Remove vegetables from oven and toss with herb mixture until evenly coated. Serve immediately!

Linked to Wellness Weekend, Living Well Weekend, SOS November Ingredient, Sugar-Free Sunday, Sunday School, Monday Mania, Barn Hop, Fat Tiuesday, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Real Food Wednesday, WFMW, Gluten-free Wednesday, Health2Day, Simple Lives Thursday, Full Plate Thursday, Thursday's Kitchen Cupboard, Pennywise Platter Thursday, Allergy-Friendly Friday, Fight Back Friday, Fresh Bites Friday, Freaky Friday.

This Moment

2011-11-18T07:28:00.000-06:00

A moment from the week to savor and remember via Soulemama. A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

With Gratitude

2011-11-17T09:54:00.000-06:00

Having never entered in something like the Circle of Mom's Top 25 Allergy Blog contest before, I really had no idea what to expect. Though, I can tell you, given that I registered for the contest over a week late and given that I have been writing in this space for less than a year, my expectations for making it on that list were quite low.

To be listed among the top 25 was a far off hope. To have finished among the top five exceeded my wildest expectations! I'm touched beyond words to know that so many people took the time to vote because they felt this blog should be there. Thank you again to all of you for your support.

What Type of Allergy Test Did You Have?

2011-11-15T07:38:00.008-06:00

If you see a doctor about being tested for allergies, you are likely being tested for IgE (immunoglobulin E) antibodies. IgE antibody production "occurs right after ingestion or inhalation of an allergen and is referred to as a Type I immediate hypersensitivity reaction."1 This is the kind of allergy that can be life threatening and often requires EpiPens to be carried at all times. An IgE response is considered to be a 'true' allergy.

However, there is another type of allergy test that looks for a different kind of antibody, IgG (immunoglobulin G), and this test may or may not be offered by your doctor. IgG antibodies "are produced for several hours or days after exposure to an allergen and are called Type III delayed hypersensitivity reactions."2 Due to the delay in reaction time - sometimes up to three days - this type of allergy or 'sensitivity' is particularly difficult to connect to specific foods without first having an IgG test done or completing a very diligent elimination diet.

There is some controversy over IgG tests because the results are not always accurate. If a specific food has not been consumed within three weeks of testing, the body may not have produced sufficient IgG antibodies for the test to pick it up, causing a false negative. Some proteins are so similar (bananas and pineapple) that a person might test positive for both even if they are not allergic to both. This is considered a false positive. Due to these "inaccuracies" this test is often not offered when you request allergy testing from your doctor.

Despite the flaws of the IgG test, it does provide useful information. Results showing antibodies to a large percentage of the foods tested strongly indicates the presence of a leaky gut, or perforations in the intestinal lining that is allowing food proteins to enter into the blood stream. Results that you feel uncertain about can be challenged by proceeding with an elimination diet and then gradually reintroducing the suspected allergen over three days and noting any symptoms.

If you're sure that a certain food is causing your symptoms, but your results come back negative for IgE antibodies, you may also want to consider being tested for an IgG antibodies. It is quite possible for test results to come back negative for an IgE test, but positive for an IgG test and vice versa because they are testing for different antibodies.

If you're having allergy testing done, be sure to understand which type of test is being performed so that you're getting the complete picture.

Sources:
1, 2 http://www.rmalab.com/index.php?id=18

Linked to Fat Tuesday, Real Food Wednesday, Gluten-free Wednesday, WFMW, Health2Day Wednesday, Simple Lives Thursday, Fight Back Friday, Freaky Friday, Living Well, Sunday School.

Learning About Food Allergies

2011-11-14T09:01:00.007-06:00

Later on this winter, my son will turn three. We've started having conversations with him about why we don't eat certain foods, why we don't partake in bread or cake when visiting company. It's hard to know how early is too early and how much he'll comprehend at this age.

When telling him about his food allergies, we always try to give him a reason why, keep the sentences short and easy to remember. Our conversations go something like this:

"Eggs give you the runs and a rash all over."
"Chocolate makes you angry."
"Bread or cake gives us a tummy ache."
"Nuts make you act a little nuts and gives your skin spots!"

I'm always worried I'm going to overwhelm him with the number of foods we're avoiding, but amazingly, he is storing this information away for when it is needed.

Just the other day he surprised me. I was attempting to rework an old Christmas cookie favorite - Peppernuts - when he told me he couldn't have them because he couldn't have nuts! No matter how I tried to explain that they contained no nuts - that it was just the name - he remained steadfast that he couldn't have them.

That definitely warmed my heart and eased some of my fears about his eating the wrong thing when I'm not around. Kids are smarter than we sometimes give them credit for.

I may just have to rename that cookie recipe.

Linked to Real Food Wednesday, Gluten-free Wednesday, WFMW, Health2Day Wednesday, Simple Lives Thursday, Gallery of Favorites, Fight Back Friday, Living Well, Sweet Shot.

Thank You

2011-11-12T13:00:00.000-06:00

Being nominated in the Circle of Moms Top 25 Allergy Blogger contest has been an incredibly humbling experience. Through it, I've met some amazing moms doing some truly amazing work with their blogs for the sake of allergy awareness and health. I am so very honored to be listed among these well established and informative sites.

But, the fact that so many of you have taken time out of your day - each and every day - to vote has been the truly moving experience for me. So many people - people that I don't even know - have reached out to support me and this blog generously with their votes. I know many of you have passed on the details of this contest to others and have encouraged them to vote for me as well. I cannot describe the depths of my gratitude for all of these unselfish acts of kindness.

To all my friends, family and unknown supporters, thank you so very much for your continued generosity and support. I will do my best to be worthy of it.

--Shanon

Recipe: Raspberry Mousse (Dairy-Free)

2011-11-11T07:16:00.013-06:00

Thanks to fruit sharing, we have a freezer full of wonderful raspberries to tide us through the winter. I'm continually looking for new ways to eat them and this mousse has recently become our new favorite dessert. It uses simple ingredients and is fast to make - just be sure to make it a few hours ahead of time so it can set.

Although I haven't tried making it with other fruit, I feel pretty confident that it would be equally tasty with strawberries or blackberries or a combination thereof- so experiment and use what you have on hand!

Raspberry Mousse (serves 3-4)
1 can coconut milk (we use Native Forest)
1 tsp agar agar powder
1/2 tsp gluten-free vanilla extract
2 cups raspberries, fresh or frozen
1/3 cup honey (or other liquid sweetener if you're vegan)

In a blender, place raspberries and honey. In a medium saucepan, bring coconut milk, agar agar and vanilla to a rapid boil. Whisk continuously for several minutes. Remove coconut mixture from heat and place in blender. Mix everything thoroughly. Pour immediately into dessert cups and place in the refrigerator. Allow 4-6 hours to cool and set. Top with raspberries - or not - and serve!

Note: it will set faster if you use frozen fruit.

Around the Yard: Gardening Gradually

2011-11-10T05:00:00.009-06:00

I'm the type of person that tries to do all of it, all of the time. This trait tends to get me into trouble a fair bit and this year, I found myself a tad overwhelmed in the garden. I often find that I take on more than I can handle and drag my husband (willing or not) along with me for the ride. Fortunately, I have a very loving and patient spouse who humors me a great deal.

Blogher generously offered me the opportunity to reflect and write about the gardening lessons learned for the year. This week's post can be found there! I hope you enjoy it.

Linked to Simple Lives Thursday, Thursday's Cupboard, Harvest Monday, Barn Hop, Outdoor Wednesday.

Q. What do 3 Million Kids in the US Have in Common?

2011-11-08T15:10:00.008-06:00

A. Food allergies.*

And that number is growing. I'm sure the trend is the same in Canada. It's a huge number considering that we haven't even added adults into the equation.

As many of you know, food allergies have affected my life in a big way - some positive, some negative. We definitely eat healthier because of it, but I'm not sure we could maintain 100 percent diligence in our diet all of the time if we didn't have food allergies keeping us in line.

Combined, our family avoids a lot of food. Want to see the list?

Soy and all legumes
Grains, including corn
Buckwheat
Quinoa
Chia
Dairy
Nuts
Eggs, including duck eggs
Chocolate
Oranges
Canola Oil
Stevia
Artificial sweeteners
All forms of refined sugar

Basically, what this list means for us is that there are close to zero convenience foods for us to buy at the store in the small community where we live. Very few products do not have at least one of the above allergens in it. Even if they don't, they could be cross-contaminated by being produced in a facility that contains one of the above. It means that we make everything we eat from scratch. It means we dine out very, very rarely. It means that our days largely revolve around preparing food. We try to keep it fun and make it enjoyable, but some days, I have to be honest, it's a real drag.

In many ways, I am glad that I'm forced to take better care of myself and my family, but it sure is nicer to have the choice - and that is the truly unfortunate thing about food allergies in kids. I'm sure those 3 million kids are going to grow up just fine, but it's never easy being the odd person out. The one that causes every other student to have to avoid peanuts at school. The one that has to ask to see the list of ingredients on everything before taking a bite. The one that has to carry an epi-pen. The one that lives in constant fear of an allergic reaction.

I don't have all of the answers as to why food allergies are on the rise, but here are a few of my thoughts:

Our immune systems are overburdened.
Our produce is laden with toxic chemicals.
We are unknowingly consuming genetically engineered food with unknown consequences.
Food additives, preservatives and colorings are not food, but we eat them nonetheless.
There is too much sugar hiding (or not) in our food.
Packaged food is often devoid of nutrients and of vitality.
We're eating too much processed food.
We're eating more soy, corn and grains than we realize.
Lax food labeling standards means we don't always know what is going into our food.
There is a major problem with conventional food growing and raising practices.
Vaccines and antibiotics have contributed to an unbalanced digestive flora.
We've forgotten many of the traditional ways to prepare foods that make them easy to digest.

There are many more reasons as to why I think food allergies are on the rise, but I'll stop there.

The biggest stumbling block right now with food allergies is awareness - specifically of allergy symptoms - and what we can do about it. Food allergies cause a whole range of symptoms, from instant anaphylactic shock to skin rashes to digestive discomfort to neurological changes 24 hours later. Since many of the symptoms are delayed, they are dismissed as being caused by something else. I'm sure there are millions of more kids out there that have yet to be diagnosed with food allergies.

Avoidance of food allergens is certainly the first step in remaining symptom free, but it is not a long term solution. Many people with allergies have experienced healing through specific diet changes (ie: GAPS, SCD, Fodmaps) and holistic treatments (ie: NAET), and I think the knowledge of what is working needs to become more mainstream.

I didn't start off writing this as a plug for the Circle of Moms Top 25 Food Allergy Blogger contest, but being on that list did spur me to think about why allergy awareness is important to me. There is a definite need for more voices on the subject and remaining in the top 25 means that I could have the amazing opportunity to be one of them. It's an issue that's very close to my heart.

Many people tell me that they are so thankful that they don't have food allergies, and then one day, they realize that the symptoms that have been plaguing them all of their lives are, in fact, because of food allergies. That was me four years ago. That was why I started this blog.

It's an important issue. If you think it's important too, click here and vote.

Source:
*Center for Disease and Control

Linked to Real Food Wednesday, WFMW, Health2Day, Simple Lives Thursday, Pennywise Platter Thursday, Freaky Friday, Fresh Bites Friday, Gallery of Favorites, Fight Back Friday, Living Well, Sunday School, Monday Mania, Barn Hop,

The Only Constant...

2011-11-07T13:28:00.004-06:00

...is change.

You may have heard the saying before. Growing up, my father liked to remind me that change is constant, to be adaptable, open-minded and willing to try new things. I think that his lesson has served me well, though I never imagined I would apply it to food allergies. But, here it is, staring me in the face yet again this morning. After two flopped attempts to make pancakes without eggs, grains or nut flours, I'm beginning to think that perhaps I should just cherish my childhood memories of fluffy pancakes and move on.

It's hard to give up on pancakes though, especially when a certain adorable two year old is requesting them so sweetly. Maybe I'll keep trying, and simply give up on the expectation of achieving anything akin to fluffy. Fortunately, my son's idea of pancakes are much different from mine, making him much easier to please.

Go ahead and laugh. This was the better of the two attempts! Perhaps I just need to change my definition of pancake. Perhaps it could be any batter-like mass that is ~~round and~~ cooked on a griddle.

Linked to Simple Lives Thursday, Pennywise Platter Thursday, Sunday School.

Vote for Me!

2011-11-05T17:25:00.001-06:00

Circle of Moms is looking to highlight the top 25 Moms who blog about allergies in their families. I'm listed there as well, just scroll down. I'm not usually one for shameless self-promotion, but if you enjoy reading this blog and find the information posted here valuable, I'd really appreciate your taking a few seconds to cast a vote for me.

The contest ends in 11 days (November 16th) and you can vote every 24 hours until then if you really want to support this blog! My direct link to the site is here. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Recipe: Cranberry Pumpkin Seed Granola

2011-11-05T05:00:00.011-06:00

How do I love granola? Let me count the ways:

On apple sauce,
mixed with smoothies,
covered with coconut milk,
in parfaits,
on top of buttercup squash breakfast pudding,
by the handful
can you think of any more?

This granola is both grain-free and nut-free for those of you in need of a quick and allergy-free breakfast (or snack). Pumpkin seeds are full of protein and beneficial fats and provide a nutritional punch to whatever you're eating them with. I usually make a batch of this granola on the weekends to save for the weekday mornings when we're running short on time.

Cranberry Pumpkin Granola (makes 2 cookie sheets worth!)
1 1/2 cups raw pumpkin seeds, pre-soaked and dried**
1 1/2 cups raw sunflower seeds, pre-soaked and dried**
1 cup organic coconut flakes
1/2 cup hemp seed
1 cup organic cranberries
1/2 cup organic raisins
1 Tblsp cinnamon
1/2 cup creamed honey
1/4 cup coconut oil
1 tsp gluten-free vanilla extract
dash of sea salt

**Note: I usually soak and dry large batches of pumpkin and sunflower seeds to have on hand. Using the ratio of one tablespoon of sea salt to two cups of seeds, cover everything with water and soak for 8-12 hours. Rinse and drain in a colander. Preheat oven to 250° and place on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Turn frequently until crispy and dry.

Preheat oven to 250°. In a small saucepan on low heat, melt coconut oil and honey (if using creamed honey). Add vanilla and stir to combine. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine pumpkin and sunflower seeds, coconut flakes, cranberries, raisins, cinnamon and salt. Pour liquid mixture over granola and stir thoroughly. Cover two baking sheets with parchment paper and spread out granola evenly. Bake for 20-30 minutes, stirring frequently. Don't worry if it seems too soft initially, it will harden as it cools. Allow to cool completely before transferring to a storage container. Seal and store for up to one month.

If you don't like your cranberries and raisins really chewy, leave them out during the baking process and immediately them toss into the granola before it hardens up!

Linked to Wellness Weekend, Sunday School, Sugar-free Sunday, Monday Mania, Barn Hop, Mouthwatering Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Fat Tuesday, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Tuesday Parade of Foods, Made from Scratch Tuesday, Real Food Wednesday, Health2Day, WFMW, What's Cookin' Wednesday, Gluten-free Wednesday, Ultimate Recipe Swap, Thursday Keeper, Full Plate Thursday, Pennywise Platter Thursday, Simple Lives Thursday, Fresh Bites Friday, Friday's Unfolded, Foodie Friday, Freaky Friday, Allergy-Friendly Friday, Fight Back Friday, Allergy-Free Friday.

This Moment

2011-11-04T05:00:00.004-06:00

A moment from the week to savor and remember via Soulemama. A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

Linked to Sweet Shot Tuesday.

Around the Yard: Cold Hardy Greens

2011-11-03T05:00:00.023-06:00

This was my first year planting a fall garden. The fall frost date around here is early - September 1st - and winter temperatures can drop quite low. A city slightly south of where we live dropped to -50°C (-58°F) back in the 80s. While it doesn't often get that cold here, it does get as cold as -30°C (-22°F) on a regular basis. The idea of growing things into the fall or even early winter never occurred to me until I read Elliot Coleman's, 'Four Season Harvest'. While we do not garden in the same zone as Elliot Coleman, the idea of choosing cold hardy varieties suitable to our area to extend the gardening and harvesting season makes a lot of sense.

Temperatures have been dipping well below freezing on a regular basis for some time now, but our little box of cold hardy greens remains alive and well. In hindsight, I should have planted more greens, earlier. It is important to start your winter greens early enough to allow for sufficient growth. As the hours of sunlight decrease and the temperatures drop, the greens stop growing altogether and remain as a sort of living salad bar. Elliot Coleman's book provides advice on how to figure out the best start date. As the season progresses, the later you start your seeds, the longer they will take to reach maturity, meaning, the number of days to maturity might differ from the packet's 'days to maturity'.

As I learned, it does vary from plant to plant, and area to area, so experiment and keep records! I definitely didn't get it right the first time. Our salad greens remain baby size because I started them at the end of August, rather than at the beginning when I should have.

When eating cold hardy greens, be prepared for a change in texture and taste - they will not be the same as the early summer lettuce varieties. Cold hardy greens are slightly more tough and chewy, and have a mild bitter aftertaste, making many of them good candidates for sautéing. Our experimental line up, in order of least bitter tasting to most (the last being still quite mild):

Batavian Endive

Red Deer Tongue Lettuce (not showing any red yet)

Red Oak Leaf Lettuce

Forellenschuss Lettuce

The green and red leaves have been such a welcoming sight amidst all of the browns and yellows of the season!

Seed Sources:
The Cottage Gardener, www.cottagegardener.com

Linked to Simple Lives Thursday, Thursday's Kitchen Cupboard, Living Well, Gallery of Favorites, Barn Hop, Harvest Monday, Outdoor Wednesday.

Sharing The Liebster Love Again

2011-10-31T12:53:00.000-06:00

I'm the lucky recipient of the Liebster Blog Award again - this time from Ali @ FarmersMarketVegan! Ali's blog is dedicated to eating local, seasonal, organic, gluten-free vegan fare. I admire her for eating healthy, sustainably and ethically grown food. Her website provides recommendations for vegan cookbooks and restaurants in her area, as well as healthy recipes. Thanks Ali!

The Liebster is awarded to spotlight up and coming bloggers who currently have less than 200 followers. 'Liebster' is a German word meaning dear, sweet, kind, nice, good, beloved, lovely, kindly, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing, and welcome. Now for the rules:

1. Thank the giver and link back to the blogger who gave it to you.
2. Reveal your top 5 picks and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog.
3. Copy and paste the award on your blog.
4. Have faith that your followers will spread the love to other bloggers.
5. And most of all - have fun!

This time, I'm going to focus on some great gardening blogs. Here are five, in no particular order. Definitely take the time to check them out!

Daphne's Dandelions - Daphne hosts Harvest Monday, a carnival link-up every Monday for showing off your garden produce - if you blog about gardening, definitely think about linking up. Her blog is about her beautiful garden, her amazing harvests and helpful tips on growing produce. She also keeps a running tally on how much her garden produce saves her after all garden expenses are tallied - something I've always wanted to try, but never had the discipline to.

Veggie Patch Reimagined - A fellow Canadian gardener from Ontario! She's passionate about growing food more sustainably and efficiently, employing the no-till, permaculture philosophy. Her website is full of wonderful growing tips, gardening book recommendations and ideas. The pictures are great too!

Foraging for Wild Food - This is a fairly new blog, but definitely one I'm going to be following. Johan writes about foraging for wild food and gardening - both of which I'm passionate about! I'm not sure which is more satisfying - growing your own produce and finding it in the wild!

The Modern Victory Garden - It wasn't that long ago that people grew victory gardens as a means to support their country's war efforts. Today, there is a resurgence happening where people are 'undertaking the challenge of declaring independence from corporate food systems, reducing reliance on fossil fuels to bring food to the table, and cultivating a more healthy and fulfilling life'. This blog is about Laura and her Victory Garden.

Subsistence Pattern - I admire anyone who decides to try and live a life that is more self-reliant and sustainable. Mr. H's blog is a wonderful example and resource to anyone trying to attain that goal. Definitely check it out if you're looking for some inspiration.

I hope you'll take a minute or two to get to know these blogs!

--Shanon

Recipe: Grandma's Borscht

2011-10-29T05:00:00.015-06:00

I live in a community with a high percentage of Ukrainians and beet borscht is their staple soup. I figured it was time I learned to make it. I never liked borscht growing up as a child. It wasn't until I tried my Mother-in-law's borscht that I became a convert. This recipe is based off of hers. Although, when I asked for it, it came more as a list of ingredients than a list of measurements. She's not necessarily a slave to exact amounts, but instead uses what she has on hand - something I definitely admire. Oddly enough, despite the varying ingredients and proportions that go into her soup, it always tastes the same to me - it always tastes perfect.

Borscht (makes one BIG pot)
8 cups vegetable stock or bone broth**
1 1/2 cups onions, chopped
2 large cloves garlic, minced
3 stalks celery, chopped
3-4 large carrots, grated
2 cups cabbage, shredded or cut fine
3 cups tomatoes (I use a combination of fresh or stewed, juice included)
3 cups beets, grated or cubed
Sea salt & Cracked pepper to taste
Splash lemon juice

**Bone Broth
2 ham hocks or chicken broth pack (neck, back & feet)
8 cups water
1 Tblsp apple cider vinegar
1 onion, roughly chopped
3 carrots, roughly chopped
a handful of parsnip ends
a pinch of dried celery leaf, parsley & lovage (optional)

In a large stock pot, place stock ingredients together and bring to a boil. Simmer until about 2 hours prior to wanting to eat your borscht - the longer the better. In a large frying pan, sauté onions, garlic, celery and carrots for 10-15 minutes or until soft. Strain your broth and return to the stock pot, adding sautéed ingredients, as well as cabbage and beets. Bring to a boil again and reduce to a simmer until beet cubes are tender. Add salt, pepper and a splash of lemon to taste. Enjoy!

Linked to Wellness Weekend, Preparedness Challenge, Sugar-free Sunday, Monday Mania, Barn Hop, Mouthwatering Monday, Real Food Link Love, Fat Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Real Food Wednesday, WFMW, Gluten-free Wednesdays, Health2Day, Full Plate Thursday, Simple Lives Thursday, Fight Back Friday, Fresh Bites Friday, Living Well, Freaky Friday, Allergy-Free Friday, Allergy-Friendly Friday, Sunday Soup Night.

This Moment

2011-10-28T05:00:00.000-06:00

A moment from the week to savor and remember via Soulemama. A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

Around the Yard: A Last Minute Cold Frame

2011-10-27T05:00:00.008-06:00

I'm not a particularly handy person, which is probably why I was standing outside in my garden mid-October wondering what to do about a cold frame for my little raised bed of greens.

Or perhaps it had to do with my nature to over-plan things that made building a cold frame more complicated than it needed to be. I had visions of a lovely glass topped box with sliding windows, but building that reality was definitely outside of my skill set, especially at this late a date.

A quick trip to our local building center gave us all we needed to build a last minute cold frame for less than $13: some metal brackets, a few screws and narrow water piping. Also used in this venture were a few clothes pins and leftover floating row cover material.

Recipe: Screw brackets into the sides of your raised wooden bed. Cut two 10-foot lengths of tubing in half with an exacto knife to create four arches of support. Place tubing into brackets, sinking them into the dirt. Cover with your row cover material and use clothespins or whatever else you have on hand to secure the fabric to your tubing. We may or may not have also used a few metal binder clips from our office. Et, voila! The last minute cold frame:

Not exactly what you would call high fashion for the garden, but it has it's own charm. We covered it with the row cover fabric that we had on hand because I just couldn't bring myself to purchase plastic that would degrade after one season and end up in the landfill. I know that the fabric row covering will not raise the inside temperature of our little box of greens much, but then again, I'm not so sure it matters. We planted cold hardy greens, after all. I'm mostly looking to keep the wind and snow off of them at this point. They'll have to soldier through the cold on their own.

As for how this little cold frame will work out for spring greens, we'll just have to wait and see to find out!

Linked to Simple Lives Thursday, Gallery of Favorites, Preparedness Challenge, Harvest Monday, Garden Tuesday, Bloomin' Tuesday, WFMW, Outdoor Wednesday.

Do You Know Where Your Food Comes From?

2011-10-24T13:51:00.001-06:00

This short video was produced by Hellmann's. While I personally don't buy their products, I applaud their initiative to bring awareness to the importance of eating real, local food. Check it out:

Recipe: Pumpkin Seed Coconut Flour Pie Crust

2011-10-22T05:00:00.017-06:00

Pie season is upon us. There is no better way to show off the summer's bounty than in pie format. But, what do you do when your family has grain and nut allergies? Compotes are all fine and dandy, but from time to time it is nice to have something akin to a traditional, flaky pie crust. While this recipe may not fall completely under the description of 'flaky', it did turn out to make a pretty decent pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving!

Note: I usually soak and dry a large batch of pumpkin seeds to have on hand. Using the ratio of one tablespoon of sea salt to two cups of pumpkin seeds, cover everything with water and soak for 8-12 hours. Rinse and drain in a colander. Preheat oven to 250° and place on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Turn frequently until crispy and dry.

Pumpkin Seed Coconut Flour Crust (makes 1 crust)
1 1/4 raw pumpkin seeds, soaked, dried and ground
1/2 cup coconut flour
2 Tblsp maple syrup or liquid honey
4-5 Tblsp coconut oil
pinch of sea salt

Preheat oven to 350°. In a food processor, pulse pumpkin seeds until finely ground. Add coconut flour and sea salt and mix until blended. Using a pastry knife, cut in the coconut oil and honey. Look for a consistency that holds together, but is still crumbly. Too much oil will cause the pie to loose it's shape while baking; too little oil will prevent it from sticking together in the pie plate. Gradually add more oil as needed. Press into a pie plate. If you plan to bake a pie in the shell, pre-bake the shell for 15 minutes. If the pie is in the raw format, bake the shell for 30 minutes. Enjoy!

Linked to Wellness Weekend, Grain-free Real Food, Sugar-Free Sunday, Weekend Gourmet, Monday Mania, Barn Hop, Mouthwatering Monday, Fat Tuesday, Tea Party Tuesday, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday, Real Food Wednesday, WFMW, Gluten-Free Wednesday, Health2Day, Full Plate Thursday, Simple Lives Thursday, Pennywise Platter, Fight Back Friday, Allergy-Friendly Friday, Freaky Friday, Allergy-Free Friday, Fresh Bites Friday, Living Well, Go-Ahead, It's Gluten-free.

Featured on:

This Moment

2011-10-21T05:00:00.003-06:00

A moment from the week to savor and remember via Soulemama. A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

Around the Yard: A Chard Confession

2011-10-20T05:00:00.007-06:00

I have a confession to make. This was my first year growing chard. It wasn't long ago that I tasted chard for the first time. Having not grown up with it, I had no idea how it grew. Long story short, I planted a lot. I don't think I even know the exact number of plants that were growing in my front yard. My thinking was that I might get one to two harvests from it, something like spinach.

For those of you who have grown chard, feel free to laugh at me now. Chard is one of those wonderful plants that gifts you perpetual leaves to eat - all season. I planted enough to start a small side business in it.

I gave up on trying to keep up with our chard early July.

Not long ago - September maybe - an elderly neighbour came knocking on our door, asking how much I would sell my chard out front for. Nothing, take it, please! I handed him extra grocery bags to fill. Before he left, he asked, "Why did you plant so much chard?" I'm sure I turned at least one of the colors to be found in that rainbow chard.

What a laugh. That's the wonderful thing about gardening, isn't it? There is always something new to learn, from knowing to plant much less chard next year to seeing how the food sharing wheel keeps turning. If you live near me, I still have chard available, so feel free to pop on by.

Linked to Simple Lives Thursday, Harvest Monday, Barn Hop, Bloomin' Tuesday, Garden Tuesday, WFMW, Outdoor Wednesday.

Birthdays. Allergies. Panic.

2011-10-18T05:00:00.005-06:00

My son recently went to his first (non-family member) birthday party. My dear friend gave me the heads up that there would be birthday cupcakes that were not William-allergy-friendly. No problem. I'll just make a batch of fudge to take along.

The birthday cupcakes looked delicious with their blue frosting and sprinkles. I felt a moment of panic when I saw them, and worried that the fudge we came with as his alternative would not be enough. That my son would pine over not being able to have the cupcake that everyone else was having. That we would end up with a melt down at the table, a tug-a-war of will power and in the end, a crying, unhappy child. I needn't have worried though. He dove into the fudge without any apparent thought to eating the cupcakes. Gigantic sigh of relief.

At two and a half, his preferences and experiences are still being shaped, so he really didn't miss that cupcake nearly as much as I did. Perhaps it will get more challenging as he gets older. Or maybe, it will get easier as his comprehension increases. It's one big learning curve. However, there is one thing I feel sure of: I have to be careful not to let my food hang-ups become his. If I make a big deal about his not being able to have a certain yummy cupcake, then it will certainly become a big deal. Alternatives abound, even if they aren't entirely traditional birthday fare. Traditions can be changed and birthdays can become reasons to eat lots of fudge instead.

And so, I let him eat (almost) as much fudge as he wanted.

Linked to WFMW, Health2Day Wednesday, Simple Lives Thursday.

Recipe: Buttercup Squash Breakfast Pudding

2011-10-15T05:00:00.013-06:00

The first year is always the hardest when committing to a different way of eating. There is no repertoire of recipes already established, and each new season brings with it the challenge of cooking with what's on hand. Old favorites have to be modified and new favorites created.

With the cooler fall mornings, I've been missing warm, comforting breakfasts like oatmeal and rice puddings. This pudding was inspired by one of my favorite breakfast recipes from the cookbook, Rebar. My son cheerfully gobbled it up the first go around and promptly asked for seconds, immediately making it a new breakfast standby for us. This pudding is perfect for a lazy weekend morning breakfast. Enjoy!

Note: Preparing the squash does take a bit of time, so I would recommend roasting the squash the night before to cut down on the cooking time in the morning. I used buttercup squash because we grew it this year. Experiment with other winter squash if you don't have buttercup.

Buttercup Squash Breakfast Pudding (Serves ~4)
3 cups roasted buttercup squash (1 medium sized squash)
1-398 ml can full fat coconut milk (we use Native Forest)
1 inch of fresh ginger, peeled (thumb sized)
1 cinnamon stick
1/4 cup honey
1/4 tsp cardamon
grated cinnamon (for garnish)

Preheat the oven to 350°. Wash and cut squash in half. Place in a shallow baking dish with a splash of water and roast for 40-45 minutes or until cooked through (a fork will pierce the flesh easily). Refrigerate overnight or until cool enough to handle.

Scoop out the flesh and place in a medium sized pot. Add coconut milk, cardamon, ginger, and cinnamon stick. On medium-low heat, simmer the squash for ~30 minutes or until reduced and thick. Remove the cinnamon stick and ginger. Using an immersion blender, pureé until smooth. Remove from heat and add honey, mixing until blended.

Serve topped with sprinkled cinnamon and banana slices or whatever other fruit you have on hand!

Linked to Wellness Weekend, Sugar-free Sunday, Monday Mania, Barn Hop, Mangia Monday, Fat Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Real Food Wednesday, WFMW, Gluten-free Wednesday, Health2Day Wednesday, Simple Lives Thursday, Pennywise Platter, Full Plate Thursday, Fresh Bites Friday, Gallery of Favorites, Living Well, Freaky Friday, Allergy-Free Friday, Allergy-Friendly Friday, Fight-Back Friday.

This Moment

2011-10-14T06:56:00.002-06:00

A moment from the week to savor and remember via Soulemama. A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

Linked to Sweet Shot Tuesday.

Around the Yard: Growing Garlic

2011-10-12T13:56:00.008-06:00

In gardening, every plant has its prime sowing and harvesting season. Many things overlap or happen all at once, but there is a steadiness and rhythm too. Late spring and early summer brings something new to pick almost every week. By late summer, the pace quickens to daily harvesting and preserving. And by the time the garden is finished in early fall, it is time to begin thinking about planting garlic. I love that garlic gets to be planted separate from the spring rush, affording a little extra attention to be lavished.

In the Canadian prairies, the hardneck variety of garlic we grow needs to overwinter in the ground and is best planted right about now (or, two weeks ago when I originally wrote this post). Last week was spent doing just that - 150 bulbs in all, which will result in 150 heads of garlic next year! More than enough to keep us in good supply of garlic for the year and for fall replanting. I am by no means an expert on garlic growing, but here are some of the things I've learned:

Garlic loves good, fertile soil and will be very happy if planted following a legume or nitrogen fixing crop. Our garlic was planted in a bed of freshly hauled compost where shell peas grew previously.
Plant garlic four inches deep in well worked soil and at least one fist width apart.
Garlic will appreciate being covered with mulch.
Avoid growing garlic in the same place year over year to minimize disease.
Once garlic bulbs are separated from the head, plant within twenty-four hours to prevent them from drying out.
Ideal planting times for garlic bulbs and seed are between mid-September to early-October.
Save and plant garlic seed every year (saved from the scapes) to keep your garlic genetics strong. It takes two years to grow a full head of garlic from seed.
Harvest most of the garlic scapes and eat them (except those you let go to seed).
Harvest garlic when the bottom set of leaves turns brown.
Leaving garlic in the ground too long will cause the garlic head to crack. Cracked garlic heads will not store as long, so eat those first.
Garlic prefers a cool, dry storage spot (we keep ours in our pantry) as opposed to a cool, damp spot - like a cold cellar

Garlic will be one of the first welcome sights of green come spring, and aside from periodic weeding, it is low maintenance until harvest time in early August. It was one of my favorite and most satisfying crops to grow, not to mention delicious!

Linked to Outdoor Wednesday, Real Food Wednesday, WFMW, Health2Day, Simple Lives Thursday, Pennywise Platter Thursday, Fresh Bites Friday, Living Well, Fight Back Friday, Harvest Monday, Barn Hop, Garden Tuesday, Bloomin' Tuesday.

Recipe: Cauliflower 'Rice'

2011-10-01T18:58:00.006-06:00

This is one of those recipes that I should have tried sooner. With no grains and minimal starch at meal times, I often feel like the dinner plate is missing something. When I made cauliflower rice as a side dish for the first time, I felt that the meal looked complete again - or at least closer to what I'm used to seeing. It looked delicious - it was delicious! This recipe has become a new staple in our house. Here is our version:

Cauliflower 'Rice' (serves 4-6)
1 head cauliflower, grated
2 small onions, diced
2-4 cloves garlic, minced
Coconut oil
Sea salt & cracked pepper

Preheat the coconut oil in a griddle on medium-low heat. Add the diced onions and minced garlic, stirring frequently. Add the grated cauliflower, salt & pepper. Cover, but stir frequently. Cook approximately 10 minutes or until softened. Serve and see if anyone notices that it's not rice.

Linked to Real Food Wednesday, Health2Day, Gluten-free Wednesday, Simple Lives Thursday, Pennywise Platter Thursday, Fresh Bites Friday, Living Well, Freaky Friday, Allergy Friendly Friday, Fight Back Friday, Allergy-Free Friday, Wellness Weekend.

Around the Yard: Harvest Happenings

2011-09-28T12:18:00.010-06:00

Since our last "Around the Yard" update back in August, over one month ago, much has happened in the garden. We've done a lot of picking, pulling, hauling, washing, peeling, blanching, freezing, canning, dehydrating and eating. Work was organized around the weather and a little nap time. Supper often ended up being the same as lunch. Fingernails remained dirty and the creases in our hands seemed permanently etched with soil no matter how hard we scrubbed. Our bodies were sore and stiff most mornings. But, oh, how I love to walk into our storage room and just gaze at all that food - food that was (mostly) grown locally, organically and by us!

It was a tremendous amount of work, with many hours of panic and stress during a severe thunderstorm or sudden frost warning. There was disappointment too - the tomato blight before it turned around, the stubborn clay soil in which certain things simply refused to grow, the cabbage moths that devoured my beautiful Brussels sprouts and the cauliflower that, for some inexplicable reason, grew into gigantic plants but did not produce a head. But, each little failure provided us with an opportunity to learn and grow, and the successes far outnumbered any disappointment.

We had melons for the first time ever - watermelons, honeydews and cantaloupes. Our winter squash patch surprised us with more than enough to see us through the winter. We had our first crop of beautiful garlic. We are still eating (and canning) beautiful red tomatoes. Nothing compares to the sweetness of crunching on a raw homegrown carrot. And, my two year old has declared that he is now a farmer, just like his mom. That melts my heart more than anything.

Tell me, how was your garden this year?

Linked to Simple Lives Thursday, Outdoor Wednesday, Simple Lives Thursday,

The Liebster Blog Award

2011-09-26T08:46:00.000-06:00

Thank you so much Melissa for giving my blog the Liebster award - what a nice surprise!

The Liebster is awarded to spotlight up and coming bloggers who currently have less than 200 followers. 'Liebster' is a German word meaning dear, sweet, kind, nice, good, beloved, lovely, kindly, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing, and welcome. What a gift to be awarded with such kindness! Now for the rules:

1. Thank the giver and link back to the blogger who gave it to you.
2. Reveal your top 5 picks and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog.
3. Copy and paste the award on your blog.
4. Have faith that your followers will spread the love to other bloggers.
5. And most of all - have fun!

Here are five of my favorite blogs, in no particular order:

Homeplace Earth - Every couple of weeks, Cindy writes something informative on permaculture and sustainable food production - from compost and cover crops to building cold frames and mini-green houses. I just love reading what she has to say.

Recipes to Nourish - Sweet Emily posts recipes made with real food that help to nourish and heal our bodies. They also happen to be extremely delicious. Check out some of her ice cream and fudge recipes!

Farmama - One of my all time favorite blogs to follow. I'm not really sure how many followers Sara has, but definitely check out her site. Her family farms on a small acreage and sells their produce at their local farmer's market. She blogs about the happenings on her farm, the food they grow and eat, and the sustainable life they are trying to lead.

The Adventure Learning Company - Leah is a fellow Saskatchewan blogger and gardener who shares my love of heritage seeds, real food, home cooking and deliberate living in tune with the seasons.

Heal Balance Live - Another site devoted to healing food, with a bent towards recipes that meet the guidelines of the Specific Carbohydrate Diet. Just like me, Karen suffered from unexplainable health issues that were remedied by removing certain food from her diet - namely, sugar and grains.

Take a minute or two to visit these great sites!

--Shanon

Recipe: Soaked Sunflower-Pumpkin Seed Crackers

2011-09-24T05:00:00.012-06:00

Necessity is definitely the mother of invention. With allergies of eggs, nuts, grains and dairy in our family, I have been feeling in desperate need of a bread-like product. This recipe came about as a result. These crackers are mild, crunchy and work perfectly alongside a bowl of soup. Experiment by adding your favorite seasonings or make it plain and top with fresh homemade jam or pesto!

Note: Soaking the seeds for a minimum of eight hours in a slightly acidic solution helps to neutralize enzyme inhibitors and other anti-nutrients making them more nutritious and digestible.

Soaked Sunflower-Pumpkin Seed Crackers (makes ~2 cookie sheets worth)

2 cups raw sunflower seeds, soaked
1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds, soaked
1 Tblsp sea salt
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup tahini
1/4 cup grapeseed oil or melted coconut oil
1/4 cup flax eggs or 2 eggs

In a large bowl, cover sunflower and pumpkin seeds with water and add 1 Tblsp sea salt. Let soak overnight. In the morning, rinse and let sit draining for several hours.

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease two cookie sheets with coconut oil. Place the well drained seeds into your food processor and purée until mostly ground. Add in 1/2 tsp sea salt, tahini, oil and flax eggs. Blend until mixed. Refrigerate the dough for 15-30 minutes to help make rolling and cutting easier.

Place half of the mixture between two sheets of parchment and using a rolling pin, roll out until the dough is 1/4 inch thick. Using a bread knife, cut into 2 inch squares. Using a metal spatula, gingerly slip underneath each cracker and place on greased cookie sheet. Bake 15-20 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Serve with your next bowl of piping hot soup!

Linked to Wellness Weekend, Living Well, Sugar-free Sunday, Monday Mania, Weekend Gourmet, Barn Hop, A Southern Fairytale, Mangia Monday, Hunk of Meat Monday, Fat Tuesday, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday, Tea Party Tuesday, Real Food Wednesday, WFMW, Gluten-free Wednesday, Cast Party Wednesday, Health2Day, Full Plate Thursday, Simple Lives Thursday, TGIAFF, Fresh Bites Friday, Fight Back Friday.

Apple Sharing

2011-09-21T14:38:00.005-06:00

I'm a little fanatical about apples this time of year - specifically other peoples apples - because our own apple trees are not producing yet and for some reason organic apples are not to be found anywhere in this town unless you pick them straight from the tree.

When I walk down a back alley and notice that apple trees are going unpicked or fruit is piling up on the ground, I feel compelled to go around front to ask if it would be alright if I picked just a few. Usually, I end up going home with more than I know what to do with. But somehow, our family finds a use for them all.

I know my husband does not share my compulsion to ask complete strangers for their apples, but I must admit I am motivated by the little thrill I get when I see our baskets full of that salvaged, perfect fruit - fruit that was otherwise destined for the garbage bin - and the visions of yummy applesauce, jellies and pies soon to follow.

Linked to Barn Hop, Harvest Monday, Sweet Shot Tuesday, Garden Tuesday, Simple Lives Thursday.

Recipe: Flax Eggs

2011-09-20T17:16:00.000-06:00

I discovered this recipe during my early vegan days and I relied on it a lot in baked goods. When we added meat and eggs back into our diet, I thought I had said good-bye to this recipe for good. But, here we are, dusting this recipe off again due to my son's egg allergies and I'm so thankful to have previous knowledge of it. This recipe comes from the cookbook Rebar, but you can find variations for flax egg recipes all over the web.

Flax Eggs (yields ~1 cup)
1/4 cup ground flax seeds
3/4 cup + 2 Tblsp water

Place the ground flax seeds in a food processor with water and blend until the mixture congeals to the consistency of eggs - about 2-4 minutes. Using an immersion blender with the ingredients in a jar also works quite well to achieve the above. Substitute one quarter cup of flax eggs for two eggs. Store in the refrigerator for approximately one week.

Recipe: Potato-Leek Soup

2011-09-17T05:00:00.012-06:00

I know I've written about the questionable health benefits of potatoes here and I know they are not GAPS, SCD or Paleo-approved, but fall is not complete for me without this simple comfort soup. It is the primary reason that I grow both leeks and potatoes in our garden.

I have been considering the potential merit of fermenting potatoes in a culture for a few days to help break down the starch in order to make them more digestible, as they do here. However, being the type that usually plans meals the day of, I've yet to attempt fermenting potatoes as it would require organization and advanced planning on my part. Either way, I encourage you to make this soup - we've been making and tweaking the ingredient proportions for years and I think it's just about perfect!

Potato-Leek Soup (makes a lot)
4 cups chopped onion
5 cups chopped red potatoes
6 cups leeks
6 cups chicken broth, full fat (or enough to cover all ingredients)
Lard or coconut oil
Sea salt
Cracked pepper

Melt lard in a large stock pot. Add onions and leeks, stirring frequently for 5-10 minutes. Add potatoes, broth, cover and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Use an immersion blender or transfer to a blender in batches to purée. Serve hot.

Variations: Add crispy bacon or use as a base for dishes like chicken pot pie.

Linked to Living Well, Savory Sunday, Sugar-Free Sunday, Monday Mania, Hunk of Meat Monday, Mangia Mondays, A Southern Fairytale, Weekend Gourmet, Real Food Wednesday, WFMW, Health2Day,

Giving Thanks Early

2011-09-14T14:08:00.001-06:00

We're not quite done with pulling, cleaning, storing or preserving, but the end is in sight. The temperature dipped below zero last night for the first time this fall after an unusually warm September. We still have a few things growing in our planter boxes that are being covered to extend their season - mostly lettuce, spinach and other cold hardy greens - and there are still root vegetables and leeks in the ground, but the majority of the harvest is now done and sitting in our temporary cold cellar - our garage.

Despite all the hard work, the aching muscles and my body's refusal to get out of bed this morning - even with a rambunctious two year old jumping on me - we are feeling truly grateful to have had such a bountiful harvest. We definitely grew more than we needed and several times, I turned to my husband while pulling carrots from our six 25 foot rows of them and said, "What was I thinking?!" But, it is wonderful to be able to share the excess with family and friends.

Last night at the community garden, we exchanged extras with our gardening neighbours. We've shared home cooked meals in exchange for apples and offered preserves for being allowed to pick raspberries. Gardening and food sharing has opened the doors to a new community of friends, neighbours and gardening advice - and we're feeling especially thankful for all of it right now.

Harvesting Hiatus

2011-08-22T11:31:00.001-06:00

Over the weekend, my husband and I took stock of the amount of produce we have yet to preserve, freeze, dry or otherwise eat over the next few weeks and we're both overwhelmed. I can't stand the thought of wasting any of it. We have a lot of work ahead of us - especially since we do not have a root cellar in which to store any of it!

I'm going to be taking a little break from this spot in order to free up time for the harvest. I will be back in a few weeks time to tell you all about it. I'll miss writing here and reading your comments... until then, enjoy those last few weeks of summer!

Recipe: Snap Pea Salad with Basil Pesto Vinaigrette

2011-08-20T05:00:00.010-06:00

A long time ago, before I became interested in gardening and eating seasonally, I followed recipes to-the-letter. I didn't know how to experiment or combine food to get tasty outcomes - particularly with fresh herbs. Most of the recipes I grew up with were not seasonal and were of no help to me if I wanted to prepare something strictly from farmer's market ingredients. And then I stumbled upon an article that provided some helpful advice:

foods harvested in season together usually also taste good together
taste often, and after each ingredient is added to get a sense of what flavour it has imparted to the dish
keep it simple

Right now, our garden is loaded with cherry tomatoes, yellow wax beans, snap peas, basil and freshly harvested garlic, and this recipe came about by following the above guidelines. Not every recipe turns out to be one you'd make again, but usually it is hard to mess up fresh, seasonal ingredients when you keep it simple. Play around with what's in season in your area for this dish - the basil vinaigrette is amazing over pretty much anything.

Snap Pea Salad with Basil Pesto Vinaigrette (serves 6-8)

Basil Pesto Vinaigrette
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp lemon juice
1 Tblsp apple cider vinegar
2 garlic cloves, lightly chopped
2 cups basil, lightly packed
sea salt and cracked pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and purée until combined.

Snap Pea Salad
2 cups yellow wax beans, diced
2 cups snap peas, trimmed and diced
1 cup cherry red tomatoes, cut in half
1 cup yellow pear tomatoes, cut in quarters
1 tsp shallot, minced
2 chicken breasts, pre-cooked and sliced (optional)

In a medium sauce pan, cover diced beans with water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat, simmering until tender ~ 10 minutes. Remove from heat, drain and refrigerate until cool. Meanwhile, dice and then combine your tomatoes, snap peas and shallots in a large bowl. Add the green beans once cool. Toss with dressing and top with chicken (optional). Serve immediately. It's equally delicious the next day once the vinaigrette has had a chance to marinate.

Linked to Whole Health Weekend, Wellness Weekend, Sugar Free Sunday, Simple Lives Thursday.

Around the Yard: Cucumbers & Fall Gardens

2011-08-17T23:19:00.004-06:00

I have to admit that I am struggling to keep up with the pace at which our garden is producing - as is always the case come mid-August. It is with a little bit of relief that I picked the last meaningful pails of beans and shell peas today. As much fun as it has been, I am feeling hopeful that after tonight, there will be no more shelling peas until midnight.

We're also knee deep in cucumbers right now and I am researching all manner of ways to preserve them. Beside lacto-fermented dill pickles, I think I might try making a batch of this fermented relish. We've also been juicing cucumbers, watermelon and mint for a very refreshing post-gardening drink. And of course, eating lots of cucumber salads tossed with vinegar, sea salt and pepper!

Today I found the time - between picking and washing and blanching - to plant some more seeds for our fall garden. I can tell you that it wasn't nearly as exciting as it was last March (which might have something to do with the overwhelming bounty we're enjoying right now)! Some of the cold hardy crops to go in include: Red Tongue Lettuce, Red Oak Leaf Lettuce, Cracoviensis Lettuce, Batavian Endive, Bloomsdale Spinach, Fordhook Giant Swiss Chard, Red Giant Mustard Green, Tatsoi, Dwarf Blue Curled Scotch Kale and Black Tuscan Palm Kale. I've also recently planted a few more Chioggia Beets and Paris Market Carrots! All of these seeds came from The Cottage Gardener, one of my favorite sources for heritage seeds. Are you planning a fall garden? What are you growing?

Here is how our garden is growing this week (you can check out last week here):

Scarlet runner beans.

Sunny sunflowers.

Squash with Brachycome.

Our first kohlrabi. No sharing required.

I plant these just for me since no one else in our house cares for them!

Do you plant anything in your garden to eat just for you?

Yellow beans, shell peas, snap peas and a grubby little hand.

Beans ready for blanching.

Haskap: tastes like a cross between a blueberry and a raspberry.

Also known as blue honeysuckle.

Calendula blossoms ready for drying.

Cucumbers anyone?

Our first spuds. Not at all GAPS friendly,

but I do love fresh garden potatoes.

How are things in your garden this week?

Linked to Simple Lives Thursday, Preparedness Challenge.

Recipe: Rosemary Balsamic Steak Marinade

2011-08-16T05:00:00.010-06:00

Rosemary has amazing antimicrobial properties. I consider it not just a culinary herb, but a medicinal herb as well. Traditional cultures that ate pork consistently served it with rosemary for its anti-parasitic properties. It's a powerful anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory, and has been used to help with indigestion as well. It's a great herb to grow in your garden and to introduce into the foods that we eat. Balsamic vinegar also has anti-bacterial properties and works on tenderizing the meat in this recipe. The longer you marinate, the better.

This recipe came from a very old issue of Martha Steward Living, and has become a staple marinade for us. It is especially wonderful with fresh rosemary and garlic straight from the garden.

Rosemary Balsamic Steak Marinade (makes 3/4 cup, good for ~2 lbs of meat)

2lbs steak, local, organic and grassfed
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar (I like Queen Creek)
2 Tblsp unrefined, extra virgin olive oil
6 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
Sea Salt
Cracked pepper
6 rosemary sprigs

Whisk ingredients together, minus the rosemary, together in a small bowl. Place steaks in a glass baking dish and cover with marinade. Sprinkle the rosemary throughout. Refrigerate for 6 to 24 hours, turning the meat occasionally. Cook as desired and serve!

Linked to Delectable Tuesday, Fat Tuesday, Real Food Wednesday, WFMW, Health2Day, Gluten-Free Wednesday, Full Plate Thursday, Pennywise Platter Thursday, Simple Lives Thursday, Cooking Thursday, Fresh Bites Friday, Fridays Unfolded, Foodie Friday, Ina Garden, Fight Back Friday, Allergy Free Friday, Freaky Friday.

Recipe: Chioggia Beet Fries

2011-08-13T05:00:00.010-06:00

We've been incredibly busy this week with gardening, harvesting and preserving, so much of what we're eating right now is pretty simple fare. My son loves anything that comes in 'fry' form and these beet fries meet his approval - they are also extremely fast to make.

If you're not a fan of beets, you might enjoy the chioggia variety. They are sweet, with a less intense 'beet' flavour, and as a bonus, they are also non-staining. In addition to helping your liver detox, the pigments in beets are also an important source of phyto-nutrients that provide anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits. If you're not already growing them in your back yard, check out your local farmer's market this weekend for them!

Chioggia Beet Fries (serves ~3)

5-7 medium sized Chioggia beets, peeled and cut into 1/4" matchsticks
1 Tblsp coconut oil, melted
pinch of sea salt

Preheat the oven to 375°. Place the beets into a bowl and toss with melted coconut oil and a pinch of sea salt. Place on a pre-greased baking sheet and bake for 20-30 minutes, turning once or twice to ensure even cooking. Serve in place of potato fries with a burger and side salad. Happy seasonal eating!

Linked to Sugar Free Sunday, Bacon Time, Monday Mania, Barn Hop, Mangia Monday, Weekend Gourmet Carnival, Tasty Tuesday, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Traditional Tuesdays, Full Plate Thursday, Fight Back Friday.

Fighting Blight: A Fermented Recipe

2011-08-12T05:00:00.018-06:00

Although blight is often referred to as a fungal spore, it can also be a protozoa, bacteria or virus as well. It's almost a catch all term for what often inflicts vegetation during damp or humid and windy conditions. It affects a wide variety of plants, from carrots to potatoes and apple trees to squash. It's hard on a plant, and even harder to get a harvest once your plant is infected.

After planting over 60 tomatoes, I was on the verge of loosing every single one of them to blight. I searched online for organic home remedies and found some, such as epsom salt dissolved in water. Unfortunately, I did not find that this particular solution made any noticeable difference to my plants.

Fermented foods are incredibly good for us. They provide loads of good bacteria to help fight and overpopulate the bad. It makes sense to reason then that fermented formulas would help us fight microbial pests in the garden too. After all, the soil could be likened to the human digestive system, with beneficial bacteria working hard to make nutrients available for use while keeping dangerous pathogens in check.

I recalled reading about a fermented garlic and ginger recipe to deal with fungal problems in the garden a long time ago. Since I'm learning to incorporate fermented foods in my diet, it felt appropriate to try this for my tomatoes as well.

The results to date have been amazing. My tomato plants are looking incredible and the tomatoes themselves are ripening quickly without any signs of being infected. I have been spraying this solution weekly to continue to keep the tomato plants healthy and to harvest what tomatoes remain on the plants.

What follows is the protocol and recipe I used:

Fermented Ginger & Garlic Spray (makes 2 gallons)

2 small garlic bulbs
2 small ginger roots (equivalent in size to the garlic)
1/2 cup cane sugar (do not use white sugar)
Purified water
2 gallon mason jar with lid
Sprayer or mister

Peel, crush, chop and mince your garlic and place it into your mason jar. Do the same with your ginger. Fill with purified water, leaving one inch of head space. Do not use chlorinated water, as it will inhibit bacterial growth. Place lid on loosely. Let steep at room temper for 24 hours.

Add the cane sugar, stir and set the lid on top of the jar. I used a glass lid, which provides weight, but still allows air to bubble out as it ferments. Place in a warm spot for five days. The solution will turn cloudy when it is ready to use. Strain and refrigerate until you're ready to spray.

Remove all yellow leaves and any leaves touching the fruit on your tomato plants. Remove any additional leaves that may be inhibiting air circulation around your plants. Use a ratio of approximately 1/10 solution to 9/10 water (rain barrel water preferably). Spray the plants and fruit thoroughly. I continued to spray everything in my garden - except my lettuce - with this solution. Store leftover solution in a cold cellar or fridge until you need it again. When you're down to one batch left, start another jar fermenting.

Note: When I started experimenting with this solution, my aim was to save what was left of my harvest, and so I snapped off all new growth on my plants. I do not know if this solution would have allowed me to continue developing new fruit or not.

Linked to Fight Back Friday, Barn Hop, Tomato Tuesday, Traditional Tuesday, Real Food Wednesday, WFMW, Health2Day
Simple Lives Thursday, Pennywise Platter Thurdsay, Living Well Blog Hop.

Around the Yard: A Shift

2011-08-11T05:00:00.007-06:00

There has been a slight shift in the weather (have you noticed?) and it is a welcome change from the heat of July. The mornings are cooler, the flies are trying to get inside and I have spotted the odd leaf turning yellow - all signs that summer is beginning its slow wind down. Everything in the garden is reaching maturity now, and we're enjoying the bounty it has to offer: cucumbers, new potatoes, fresh peas, beans, tomatoes, peppers, onions, garlic and loads of squash.

Growing enough food for one's family is hard work, and I'm pretty sure that I didn't even grow enough to keep us through the winter! I often wonder how women a century ago managed with the added labour of hauling firewood and water, manual heating and clothes washing, and no refrigeration or air conditioner. They must have been incredibly capable! When ever I think of them, I feel grateful that blanching can wait another day because our fridge will keep things fresh until I can get to it!

Here is how our garden is growing this week (you can check out last week here):

Wild borage that showed up in my carrot patch.

Rows and rows of parsnips.

Brussell sprouts that may not make it, thanks to the

cabbage moth and her hungry little offspring.

Shell peas called 'Provider'. Don't mind the weeds - I've given up on them.

Three varieties of summer squash.

Our garlic harvest!

Those little white lumps are nitrogen fixing nodules on the

roots of the snow pea that I pulled up. Pretty neat!

Bell peppers are just beginning.

Sweet romeo cherries - not from our garden - but from a local u-pick.

We have these planted in our yard, but they will not likely produce much

for several more years. I can't wait for that!

My gardening sidekick, whose idea of gardening

is digging in my raised beds with his tractors!

How are things in your garden this week?

Linked to Simple Lives Thursday, Preparedness Challenge, Sweet Shot Tuesday, Bloomin' Tuesday, Garden Tuesday, Outdoor Wednesday.

Recipe: Slow Roasted Tomatoes

2011-08-08T08:22:00.005-06:00

What are we doing with all of our garden produce you ask? Something daily! However, I'm making a batch of this particular recipe every week as long as the tomatoes and thyme continue. My hope is to put enough of this tomato sauce in our freezer to enjoy in sauces and other dishes all winter long!

This recipe comes from one of my all time favorite cook books, Rebar. Most of the recipes no longer fit the allergy-free category, but I still enjoy plucking ideas from it.

Slow Roasted Tomatoes (yields ~5 cups)

~20 tomatoes - enough to fill two baking sheets
1/4-1/2 cup unrefined, extra virgin olive oil
Fresh thyme sprigs
Cracked pepper
Sea salt

Preheat the oven to 250°. Cut tomatoes into quarters and place on tinfoil or parchment lined baking sheets. Brush tomatoes generously with olive oil. Sprinkle with sea salt, cracked pepper and fresh thyme. Place in the oven for the next 3 to 4 hours and enjoy the aroma as it fills you home. Once they are visible dehydrated, yet still meaty, remove from the oven and allow to cool.

Pureé the tomatoes in batches in your food processor or blender and transfer to suitable freezer storage containers. I use ziplock bags for the lack of a better plastic free freezing option. Laying the bags back on a clean baking sheet while they freeze ensures nice stackable packages.

Variation: Use fresh basil or tarragon from the garden for something different!

Linked to Barn Hop, Monday Mania, Weekend Gourmet Carnival, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Traditional Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday, Gluten Free Wednesday, Real Food Wednesday, Health 2Day, Pennywise Platter Thursday, Full Plate Thursday, Simple Lives Thursday.

A Wonderful Fact: Gardening Makes You Feel Good

2011-08-05T13:32:00.001-06:00

I loved reading this little tidbit on gardening and health, and just had to share:

Scientific research has recently confirmed that gardening makes you feel good (like we didn’t already know that!). It turns out that making direct contact with a particular soil bacteria, Mycobacterium vaccae, triggers a release of serotonin in the brain, a natural mood enhancer (are the naked gardeners on to something here?). Furthermore, researchers also have also demonstrated that the act of harvesting releases dopamines into the blood stream – another way to enjoy that natural high. Good food, good health and good vibes – what more could a gardener ask for!

This explains my addiction, and perhaps why my son has taken to playing in the garden dirt instead of his sandbox!

Enjoy some feelgood harvesting!

Source:
Robyn Francis, www.permaculture.com.au via the www.urbanfarmer.ca

Recipe: Saskatoon Berry Fudge

2011-08-05T05:00:00.016-06:00

This recipe inspiration comes from Emily over at Recipes to Nourish - one of my new favorite food blogs. Her recipes are amazing and I highly recommend you check them out. I put my own seasonal and local twist on this recipe with the use of Saskatoon berries - a sweet, dark purple berry that grows wild around these parts. Saskatoons are amazingly high in antioxidants - ranking highest among other common fruits - and they taste delicious. We've been picking them as fast as we can this week as their season is almost over!

If you're not able to find Saskatoons where you live, experiment with other berries - like blueberries, raspberries or blackberries - or try Emily's recipe with Elderberry syrup. Either way, I'm sure you'll find this fudge completely addicting!

Saskatoon Berry Fudge (makes ~12-15 squares)

1/2 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup creamed honey
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup Saskatoon berries

In a small saucepan on low heat, gently cook the Saskatoon berries with a splash of water until they are soft and tender. Remove from heat and allow to cool. In a food processor, blend coconut oil and honey until creamed together. Add vanilla, cocoa and berries, processing until smooth. Pour the fudge onto plastic wrap placed on top of a cookie sheet.

Gently wrap it up so that it forms a loose rectangle approximately 1/2-3/4" thick. Place it in the freezer for four hours or longer. Mine solidified nicely in under two hours. Unwrap, cut into squares and try to save some for the other members in your family. Store the leftovers - if there are any - in the fridge to maintain its firmness!

Linked to Seasonal Sunday, Sugar-free Sunday, Bacon Time, Weekend Gourmet Carnival, Barn Hop, Monday Mania, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday, Traditional Tuesday, Tea Party Tuesday, Waltz on By Wednesday, WFMW, Real Food Wednesday,WLW, Pennywise Platter Thursday, Simple Lives Thursday, Sweet Shot Tuesday, Full Plate Thursday, Fight Back Friday, Fridays Unfolded, Foodie Friday, Allergy Friendly Friday.

Around the Yard: Harvesting is in Full Swing

2011-08-04T05:00:00.008-06:00

We went away for the long weekend and came back two days later with a garden over flowing with produce. We had tiny zucchinis when we left and came back to find they now reach from our wrists to our elbow. Tell me, how does that happen? We have buckets of shell peas, snow peas, snap peas, and beans. We have stopped trying to keep up with the lettuce. Our onions are popping out of the ground, as are our beets! Our broccoli plants are still producing and our winter squash and pumpkin vines are just plain getting out of hand! Our peppers are getting huge and I really do need to do something with all that basil! Goodness, it really comes in all at once, doesn't it?

Being overwhelmed with produce makes it easier to leave some aside for saving seed. We tried a new variety of snow pea this year called Snow Wind that is mildew resistant and it produced fantastically! We'll be saving that, along with shell peas, snap peas, beans, arugula, spinach, parsnip, and whatever else I have time for!

As for the blight-stricken tomatoes, I'm pleased to say they are doing great! A friend suggested we remove most of the tomato leaves to help ripen the remaining tomatoes. In hindsight, this is something I should have done right away, both to help get the air flowing around the tomatoes and to prevent any contaminated leaves from touching the fruit. We also made a homemade spray of fermented garlic and ginger, given their anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. Last week I dared to hope that I'd be able to salvage what was left, but now I'm thinking that it will be possible! Since we've sprayed our solution, the tomatoes look fantastic and are ripening, the previously curled leaves have uncurled and are looking normal again, and there have been no more yellowing leaves since last Thursday. We plan to do another spray tonight, and then we'll repeat again if necessary.

Here is how our garden is growing this week (you can check out last week here):

Multi-colored beans.

The first of the garlic to be pulled. This is a hardneck variety suited for our northern weather, called Music. We get our bulbs for planting locally at the Garlic Garden.

Little fingers just itching to pull this yellow zucchini.

Cape gooseberries.

Pickling cucumbers.

Purple kohlrabi.

Calendula.

Scallop squash.

Zinnias.

Basil: can you ever have too much?

How are things in your garden this week?

Linked to Simple Lives Thursday, Fight Back Friday, Fresh Bites Friday, Fridays Unfolded, Feed Me Tweet Me, Barn Hop, Harvest Monday, Garden Tuesday, Tomato Tuesday, Bloomin' Tuesday, Outdoor Wednesday.

Fruit Sharing

2011-08-02T05:00:00.006-06:00

I currently participate in fruit sharing, and I think it is a fantastic way to preserve fruit trees and shrubs destined for the axe and to prevent unwanted fruit from going to waste. An elderly neighbour of ours had a huge three-row raspberry patch - more than he was able to pick. Since much of the fruit goes to waste, one row of raspberries was removed. I think row two was destined for the same fate, but I came along last year and started picking it. I'm helping again this year, and in exchange, I bring him goodies of canned raspberries and jam - things he won't bother with at his age, but surely enjoys.

Fruit sharing creates a wonderful, mutually beneficial relationship. Many older properties come with mature fruit trees and raspberry patches. Elderly folks who own these older properties cannot climb the ladders to pick the apples, or bend over to clean the ground up when they fall. I think that while most do not want to see the trees go, they can no longer keep up with the work either. I know of many such properties where fruit trees or shrubs have been removed for this very reason. It is such a shame, especially when there are people out there who would love to have access to such fruit and would be glad to help out maintaining the trees or shrubs in exchange. The key is linking these two groups up.

Fruit sharing organizations are popping up around North America, and I encourage you to look for one in your location if this interests you. Barring an official organization, put the word out with different community organizations or church groups, put up notices on local bulletins or newspapers or just get to know your neighbours and ask them. The neighbour where we get our raspberries is delighted that my son and I come to pick. He is just so happy to see the patch remain and to see the fruit get utilized that he wants nothing in exchange!

Linked to Hearth & Soul, Traditional Tuesdays, WFMW, Health2Day, Real Food Wednesday, Pennywise Platter Thursday, Simple Lives Thursday, Fight Back Friday, Fresh Bites, Fridays Unfolded,

Around the Yard: Blight

2011-07-28T05:00:00.008-06:00

Blight. Such an ugly word. It sends shivers up and down my spine. Last year, we harvested only a handful of tomatoes before we lost all of our plants and their fruit to blight. Blight is also what caused the Irish potato famine: when it strikes, it moves quickly. The leaves curl, turn yellow and black and spotty, and eventually the plant dies. The fruit, once touched with blight, will also rot as it ripens, even if it looks fine when you pick it.

Early blight, late blight, fire blight... there are many different types affecting many different plants. Blight travels through the air, and it thrives under windy, damp and/or humid conditions - exactly the kind of weather we have been experiencing here in Southeastern Saskatchewan. Apparently, the spores do not survive the frost, so that means that each year it is brought to us on the air currents of somewhere else.

Last week, I was in denial when I saw the curled up leaves. This morning I had a good cry - the signs can no longer be ignored: 60+ tomato plants and all of them are infected with blight. I started every one of them from seed back in March. It is such a sad, sad thing to know that this huge bounty of fruit will end up in the garbage unless I can find a natural remedy to save them.

My mother-in-law tells me that they never used to have problems with blight here. Growing enough food was as simple as throwing seeds in the ground. Today, gardening has become challenging. Many people tell me they have simply stopped trying to grow tomatoes. Growing tomatoes in a greenhouse seems to be the only surefire way to avoid blight. Maybe Santa will find me an acreage with a greenhouse next year...

Aside from the blight, which we suspect has also affected our fruit trees, the rest of our garden is growing. Here is how our garden is growing this week (you can check out last week here):

The summer's first taste of raspberries!

Our first bowl of snow peas!

U-pick strawberries of the kent variety. Our little patch is of everbearing

strawberries, which will produce a harvest two to three times a

year, but just enough for a bowl every day.

Chioggia beets.

Carrot thinnings.

Our first sour cherry.

Bachelor buttons.

Blue podded peas.

Cucumbers are climbing.

Lobelié.

How are things in your garden this week?

Linked up to Simple Lives Thursday, Frugal Gardening 101, Barn Hop, Harvest Monday, Garden Tuesday, Bloomin' Tuesday, Sweet Shot, Tomato Tuesday, Hearth & Soul, Outdoor Wednesday.

On Wild Plants, Gardening & Saving Seeds

2011-07-26T05:00:00.007-06:00

Lately, I feel as though our garden has turned into a battle zone. I'm either drowning Colorado beetle larvae, preventing cutworms, trying to foil cabbage worms or rub off the thousands of eggs they have laid on our growing food. If it is not the countless other pests and diseases trying to take over, it is the excessive heat, excessive rain or excessive wind storms that are trying to do my plants in.

And then, there is my back alley and the vacant lot next to us. It is full of weeds - or wild plants - depending on your perspective. I see no out of control pests devouring holes in leaves, no eggs on their undersides, no diseased parts (although I'm sure it's there to a degree). It seems peaceful compared to my growing plot. Here grows dandelions, and over there you'll find wild chamomile. There is also plantain, multiple varieties of clover and countless other plants crowded together in bunches, each doing its own thing without help from anyone and thriving.

The ground isn't much different on either side of the fence. In fact, I would argue that the soil in my garden is better. And yet, how is it that the wild plants seem to be growing so well with no care at all? It is a curious thought, isn't it? I have a feeling that the answer lies in one word: adaptation. It is the difference between wild plants and cultivated ones. Unless we are saving our own, the seeds we are using have likely come from another environment, different soil, and quite possibly, pampered greenhouse conditions. Compare that to the wild plant: it reseeds itself in the vicinity it has adapted to survive in. Wild plants have developed characteristics and properties that enable them to survive in less than ideal soil, in extreme weather conditions and against all other manner of pests and diseases.

I think back to my garden: it requires a lot of intervention. If I do not water it, thin it, weed it, debug it, cover it or use homemade concoctions, I'm not sure how much produce I would have to harvest at the end of the season. It is a lot of work.

This rant is likely just the result of a seriously exhausted gardener looking for ways to make growing food easier. But, could it also be that our produce seeds need some toughening up? I think the answer is YES!, and it provides a good case for saving one's own. Seeds that survive under minimal attention, that thrive despite local pests and diseases are really what we need more of, especially as weather conditions become more unpredictable.

I don't mean to underestimate the work that seed savers do, nor do I mean to oversimplify this topic. I am new at saving seeds myself. However, after several years on the front line, I'm feeling slightly desperate to see gardening become less of a challenge. There are many ways, I'm sure, but my thoughts lately have been on the seeds themselves. Experience makes us as humans stronger, but how do the characteristics of plants evolve if we continually purchase new seeds from far away places? Our garden produce is not given the opportunity to adapt to and eventually thrive in adverse, local conditions. Perhaps my own solution is to start learning about old fashioned trait selection and seed saving with the hope of creating hardier varieties of garden seed rather than trying to make seeds imported from a completely different environment work.

Linked to Sweet Shot, WFMW, Health2Day, Waltz on Wednesday, Simple Lives Thursday, Barn Hop,

Recipe: Collards 'n' Bacon

2011-07-23T05:00:00.008-06:00

Ah, collards... My almost favorite vegetable. We do not get collards in the grocery stores here, and so the only time I get to eat them is in the summer when we grow them ourselves. This recipe is my favorite way to eat collards and the inspiration comes from Simply Sugar and Gluten-Free. My husband tells me that anything served with bacon tastes good, but there is just something about collards that I love. And, it's not just the fact that they are an extremely good source of calcium either.

Collards 'n' Bacon
1+ cup nitrate, preservative free bacon, pre-cooked and chopped
3-4 cups collards, washed and chopped
1 medium onion, diced
1-2 cups water or chicken stock, depending on what you have on hand
coconut oil or left over bacon fat
pepper to taste

Pre-heat saucepan over medium low heat. Using the leftover bacon fat, sauté the onions until slightly translucent. The trick to chopping collards is to stack the leaves, roll them up and then slice the roll thinly.

Add collars, half of the water and cover, stirring occasionally. Keep adding water as it evaporates and until the greens are sufficiently wilted and cooked through - about 20-30 minutes (sometimes its less depending on how hungry and impatient I'm feeling). Add the bacon pieces and cook together for a few more minutes. Serve immediately.

Note: I always mean to keep the leftovers for the next day, but I end up eating them as I'm cleaning up the kitchen. They are just that good!

Linked to Bacon Time, Savory Sunday, Sugar-free Sunday, Seasonal Sunday, Monday Mania, Weekend Gourmet Carnival, Melt in Your Mouth Monday, Mangia Monday, Homemaker Monday, Hunk of Meat Monday, Barn Hop, Mouthwatering Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Delectable Tuesdays, Traditional Tuesdays, Hearth & Soul, Tasty Tuesday, Made from Scratch Tuesday,
Cast Party Wednesday, Real Food Wednesday, Gluten Free Wednesday, What's Cooking Wednesday, Foodie Wednesday, Recipes I Can't Wait to Try, Pennywise Platter, Real Food Weekly, Frugal Food Thursday, Full Plate Thursday, It's a Keeper Thrudsay, Ultimate Recipe Swap,

The Many Types of Chamomile

2011-07-22T15:23:00.006-06:00

A little while back I posted on wild chamomile (pineapple weed) and the many uses of this plant. When I was researching it, I found that it went by several names including, pineapple weed, wild chamomile, chamomile and scentless chamomile. This post is to set the identification record straight:

Pineapple Weed

The flowers of this plant are tiny, yellow-ish-green disks that lack any white, ray petals. When crushed, pineapple weed smells strongly of pineapple. This variety is also referred to as wild chamomile or disk mayweed. You will find this growing in rocky, gravelly or disturbed soil and it is native to North America. I have found that extract of pineapple weed works to repel cutworms.

Scentless Chamomile

This plant has small daisy-like heads, which are found singly at the ends of branches. Each head has tiny yellow disk flowers in the center surrounded by flat, white ray florets. Scentless chamomile is often confused with ox-eye daisy or stinking mayweed, however, both have an unpleasant odor, where as scentless chamomile has none. Scentless chamomile was brought over as a garden flower from Europe during the 1930s. I have found scentless chamomile growing in amongst other prairie flowers, and not necessarily in rocky soil.

Chamomile

Chamomile, also know as German chamomile, is what I have seeded in my garden. The other two varieties are considered noxious weeds. The name chamomile is of Greek origin and the word means 'earth apple' because of its apple-like scent. Chamomile flowers take the shape of a badminton shuttlecock, with the petals pointing downwards.

There are other varieties of chamomile not mentioned here, including a yellow chamomile found in the Mediterranean and western Asia that is quite pretty. As far as I know, all of the above varieties of chamomile are edible - I have consumed two out of three so far with no ill effects. Happy gathering!

Sources:
Prairie Beauty, by Neil L Jennings
Weeds of the Prairies, Olds College Alberta
http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/agdex871
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chamomile

Linked to Simple Lives Thursday, Crunchy Betty, Monday Mania, Weekend Gourmet, Real Food Wednesday.

Around the Yard: Things are Blooming

2011-07-21T06:29:00.005-06:00

So much is in bloom right now: beans, peas, potatoes, cucumbers, and squash. It is so pretty. The canola fields are also blooming, which means the cabbage moths are out en mass feasting and laying eggs on our brassicas! We had to do an emergency harvest of kale, collards and Chinese cabbage this morning, for on the underside of each leaf we found loads of worm eggs. It took us hours to hand wash each leaf!

While many of our brassicas are under row covers, equally as many are not. Once the worms hatch, leaves can go from perfect to perfectly annihilated in days, stunting any further growth in the plant. Flour mixed with cayenne sprinkled on the leaves is supposed to cause the intestines of the worms to explode and we are using this method as well. But, just in case this fails, we now have bags of kale safely in our freezer.

Here is how our garden is growing this week (you can check out last week here):

Wonderful Russian snow peas.

Our emergency harvest of kale, collards and Chinese cabbage.

Pretty blue lobelia.

Raspberries that are almost ready!

Potato plants.

My favorite: chamomile.

How are things in your garden this week?

Linked to Frugal Gardening, Simple Lives Thursday, Harvest Monday, Outdoor Wednesday.

Recipe: Sausage & Butternut Breakfast Hash

2011-07-16T07:27:00.009-06:00

Finally, a breakfast recipe that is free of common allergens and complex carbohydrates. The inspiration for this recipe came from Everyday Paleo and it satisfies that little bit of sweetness we've come to enjoy at breakfast time. I'm almost embarrassed to say that we ate this for breakfast all week! If time is an issue first thing in the morning, this recipe can be prepped the night before by pre-cooking the sausage and shredding the squash.

Sausage & Butternut Hash
1/3 butternut squash, peeled and grated
2 Tblsp cinnamon
2 Tblsp honey
1/4 raisins (optional)
1-2 cups Grain-free, additive-free sausage pre-cooked and diced
Coconut oil

Pre-heat coconut oil in a skillet. Add grated butternut squash and toss with cinnamon. Cover, stirring frequently until the squash is softened (approximately 10 minutes). Add honey and mix to combine. Toss in raisins and pre-cooked sausage, stir together and serve warm!

Variation: Use zucchini instead of winter squash during the summer months to keep it seasonal!

Linked to Bacon Time, Simply Delish, Savory Sunday, Mangia Monday, Hunk of Meat Monday, Homemaker Monday, Mouthwatering Monday, Melt in Your Mouth Monday, Barn Hop, Weekend Gourmet Carnival, Monday Mania, Tuesday Night Supper Club, Real Food Wednesday, WFMW, Gluten-Free Wednesday, What's Cooking Wedneday, Healthy 2Day, Foodie Wednesday, Delectable Tuesday, Made it on Monday, Simple Lives Thursday, Pennywise Platter, Frugal Food Thursday, Full Plate Thursday, It's a Keeper, Recipe Swap, Real Food Weekly, Fight Back Friday, Fridays Unfolded, Food Trip Friday, Foodie Friday, Fat Camp Friday, Fun with Food Friday.

Around the Yard: Weedless Gardening

2011-07-14T05:00:00.013-06:00

How the week has flown by! We've been busy weeding, harvesting and preserving - with an emphasis on weeding! We've spent so much time weeding that when I saw the book, Weedless Gardening by Kee Reich, at our library I checked it out in hopes of finding some time-saving tips. What follows are his three guiding principles:

Mulch, mulch, mulch
Don't till the soil
Irrigate only what you have to; ie: drip irrigation

Given that there are approximately 140 weed seeds per pound of soil, the more the soil is disturbed, the more the seeds are exposed to the elements they need to sprout: sun, water, and air. Avoiding tilling eliminates sun and air, mulch eliminates sun, and drip irrigation eliminates water. Reich claims that his method reduces weeding time down to just five to ten minutes per week! My goodness, what would I do with all that extra time?!

Here is how our garden is growing this week (you can check out last week here):

Red tomatoes, your days are numbered!

Itty bitty zucchini.

Green bell peppers not too far off.

Chamomile is finally starting to produce flowers.

An assortment of things: Chineese cabbage, lobelia, melons,

chard, celery, and cucumbers.

Isn't flowering arugula pretty?

This is our first time letting it go to seed.

Leeks, more lettuce, more melons, carrots and parsnips.

Our beet box: this contains an assortment of heritage beets including Golden Detroit

(yellow root), Chioggia (red & white concentric rings inside), Bull's Blood and Cylindra.

Russian snow peas hide our compost bin.

Front and center: two varieties of kale.

Still haven't been able to bring myself to eat

this pak choy. It just keeps getting prettier.

The star vegetable of the week: broccoli. Our first ever successful

harvest - thank you floating row covers. I am disappointed that we did not get those lovely 'button' heads. From what I have read, this is a cold related problem. Next year we'll have to transplant before the last frost date.

Getting the broccoli ready for supper.

Sautéed garlic scapes and broccoli stems in coconut oil: yum!

Tomorrow night we eat the florets.

How are things in your garden this week?

Linked to Simple Lives Thursday, Frugal Gardening, Harvest Monday, Barn Hop, Garden Tuesday, Bloomin' Tuesday, Tomato Tuesday, Outdoor Wednesday.

Fermented Foods: A New Mindset

2011-07-12T06:57:00.008-06:00

I've understood generally that fermented foods convey certain health benefits for some time now. After reading Sally Fallon's, Nourishing Traditions, last fall, I set out to include something fermented in our diet. We started with her Ginger Carrot recipe. I made it, it fermented, and then the jar went into the fridge for storage. And there it sat, month after month after month. I looked at those carrots every time I opened the door. The jar even made it to the table for supper on several occasions, but it was never opened - not even once. Finally, I threw the contents out and haven't tried fermenting since.

Now that we are preparing to embark on the GAPS diet, I'm trying to build my family up to eating fermented foods once more. My husband grimaces every time I use the word, 'ferment'. I'll be honest, I shudder too. My experience with fermented foods extends to sauerkraut filled pierogi and sour cabbage rolls. Neither of which I enjoy at all. Yet, people around the world eat fermented foods and like them, so clearly there must be recipes out there that make a person want to eat them. Or perhaps the problem stems from our distorted sense of taste. Too much sugary laden food in our diet has changed our ideas about what is palatable.

I often lament the fact that growing up, I was not exposed to fermented foods early on in life. Perhaps I would find it easier to eat them now. Maybe if I had grown up understanding how to ferment foods, the process might not be so scary. Coming from a generation of vaccinating, anti-biotic using, hand sanitizing, canned food, germaphobes, the idea of eating food laden with bacteria (even if it is good) goes against everything I was raised to believe. Bacteria is bad, it's harmful, it will make you sick.

Photo by Chiot's Run.

I know that this is not the case with fermented foods. In fact, it is quite the opposite. Fermented foods contain helpful enzymes (to help supplement our own body's finite supply), which aid and improve digestion. Fermented foods contain vastly more nutritional value than their raw and cooked counterparts. Fermented foods, according to Sandor Ellix Katz, author of Wild Fermentation, are safer than canned foods and there is no risk of contracting botulism. Fermented foods help keep the bacteria populations in our digestive tract tipped in favour of the good guys - a state most of our guts in the Western world are not in.

I desperately want to like fermented foods. I certainly love the idea of them and I feel very passionately about the fact that we all really, really need fermented foods in our diet. But, fermented anything - in my family at least - is not going to be an easy road of acceptance. I know it will require a huge leap of faith, a change of mindset and probably a lot more, for most of us to get on board with eating them.

Linked to Traditional Tuesdays, Real Food Wednesday, WFMW, Healthy 2Day, Simple Lives Thursday, Pennywise Platter,
Fight Back Friday, Monday Mania, Weekend Gourmet.

Recipe: Strawberry-Rhubarb Cobbler

2011-07-09T06:51:00.011-06:00

I debated whether or not to post this recipe, since we just discovered that our son seems to be reacting to eggs and nuts. However, if you can eat both, this is a wonderful grain-free, sugar-free cobbler recipe that meets the SCD, GAPS, Paleo diet guidelines. It is also perfect if you have loads of rhubarb and fresh strawberries coming from your garden. The topping is based on the 'Classic Drop Biscuit' recipe out of Elana Amsterdam's, The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook.

Strawberry-Rhubarb Cobbler
2-3 cups strawberries, diced
2-3 cups rhubarb, diced
1/3 cup honey (or more, depending on your desired level of sweetness)

Topping
2 1/2 cups almond flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 coconut oil, melted
1/4 honey
2 large eggs
1 tsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed

Preheat oven to 350°. Place the desired amount of fruit in a sauce pan with a splash of water on medium-low heat. Stir frequently until fruit becomes soft. Remove from heat and add honey, stirring until dissolved. Pour fruit mixture into pie plate.

In a large bowl, combine the almond flour, salt and baking soda. In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted coconut oil, honey, eggs and lemon juice. Stir the wet ingredients into the almond flour mixture until thoroughly combined. Drop the batter on top of the fruit by tablespoons. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown or a toothpick inserted into a biscuit comes out clean!

Linked to Bacon Time, Seasonal Sunday, Sugar Free Sunday, Weekend Gourmet Carnival, Monday Mania, Barn Hop, Melt in Your Mouth Monday, Mouthwatering Monday, Meatless Monday, My Meatless Monday, MMMM, Mangia Mondays, Homemaker Mondays, Traditional Tuesdays, Hearth & Soul, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday, Tea Party Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday, Made from Scratch, Tuesday Night Supper Club, Made it on Monday, Real Food Wednesday, WFMW, GF Wednesday, What's Cooking Wednesday, Foodie Wednesday, Whisking Wednesdays, What's on Your Plate, Healthy 2Day, Cast Part Wednesday, Recipes I Can't Wait to Try, Simple Lives Thursday, Real Food Weekly, Frugal Food Thursday, Full Plate Thursday, It's a Keeper, Ultimate Recipe Swap, Pennywise Platter, Fight Back Friday, Fridays Unfolded, Food Trip Friday, Fun with Food, Fat Camp Friday, Foodie Friday, Friday Favorites, Friday Potluck, Foodie Friday.

A Video Introduction to GAPS

2011-07-08T05:00:00.004-06:00

This is such an important series of videos that I feel that I have to share it. While the focus in this video is on how to help children with autism, the Gut & Pyschology Syndrome (GAPS) diet protocol has the potential to heal a wide variety of ailments. What is particularly fascinating to me is how with each generation of antibiotic use, we are seeing more extreme health consequences.

If you have not heard of the GAPS diet, or have but don't know what it's all about, this video is a great place to start. The full series can also be watched here.

Around the Yard: Pest Management

2011-07-07T07:24:00.007-06:00

Our harvest is still predominantly green right now, with a few splashes of red. We've been eating a lot of pak choy, mustard greens, collards, lettuce, chard, and green onions along with radishes, rhubarb, baby beets and finally, strawberries! The beds previously filled with cool weather greens are now being replaced with heat loving peppers, basil and zucchini.

Wild chamomile seems to be keeping the cutworms at bay, flour mixed with cayenne pepper will hopefully protect our brassicas against the cabbage moth and subsequent worms, and diluted hydrogen peroxide is being used to prevent the spread of powdery mildew amongst our squash. Aside from pest management, our time has been spent dealing with weeds. The hot weather seems to have finally arrived, and with it, the growth of all plants!

I had intentions of experimenting with a living mulch this year to help keep the weeds under control, but the Canada Post strike derailed that plan. Since I am still waiting for the seeds to arrive by mail I have instead resorted to asking kind neighbours for their grass clippings to keep the ground mulched. Perhaps there will still be time yet.

Here is how our garden is growing this week (you can check out last week here):

Our very first bowl of perfect strawberries!

Garlic scapes - I look forward to these every year!

Baby beets thinnings.

Zucchini and marigolds.

Edible nasturtiums in between rainbow chard in our front yard garden.

One lone cherry tomato that was snatched up by a little

hand before I could get a proper picture!

There's that tomato!

How are things in your garden this week?

Linked to Simple Lives Thursday, Frugal Gardening, Harvest Monday, Barn Hop, Sweet Shot Tuesday. Garden Tuesday, Bloomin' Tuesday, Outdoor Wednesday,

Allergies and Delinquency

2011-07-05T07:07:00.002-06:00

It never ceases to amaze me how food can affect behavior. If I had not witnessed it first hand with my own child, I do not think I would appreciate the depth of its impact. Joseph Keon makes an intriguing suggestion in his book, Whitewash: The Disturbing Truth About Cow's Milk & Your Health: that there is a connection between juvenile delinquency and food allergies, particularly to milk, corn and sugar. Studies have shown that delinquent adolescents consume ten times as much milk as their non-problematic peers. Over consumption or addiction to any food is thought to be an indicator of a food allergy. While this alone does not show a causal relationship, the potential connection should be investigated further.

Photo by Arvind Balaraman

If the conclusion Keon makes is true, I can't help but wonder whether the futures of so many troubled youths could be different with early detection of food allergies.

Adjusting to a Curve Ball: More Food Allergies

2011-07-03T22:05:00.006-06:00

I've been feeling a little sorry for myself lately. My son, aged two and a bit, has recently thrown a curve ball into our diet - unintentionally, of course. About one month ago, William developed severe eczema all over his torso, arms and legs. It was red, angry looking and itchy. His behavior also started changing after eating certain foods. He went from calm and cheerful to aggressive, anxious and inconsolable. My husband and I debated: is this just the 'terrible twos' or is it something more, like a food allergy? My gut was telling me that he was, in part, reacting to something in his diet despite many assurances that this was typical two year old behavior. My mind has been in a tug-a-war state of questioning whether I'm overreacting versus trying to get a handle on his rash and behavioral changes.

I must admit, I thought we had the food/allergy thing figured out with the removal of grains and dairy from his diet. But now, I feel as though we are back to square one, eliminating more food from his already limited diet. Through the process of elimination, we have discovered that eggs are causing his eczema and nuts, coconut and most forms of sugar (other than honey) cause his behavior to change drastically. I've been feeling sorry for myself because it means no more pancakes, cookies or muffins with nut flours. It means being more creative at meal time. It means being far more organized than I have been. And, it means bucking up and adjusting to this new reality with a positive attitude.

After having a good cry over the situation, I've decided that I need to rise to the challenge. I started by making a list of the positives:

There are still a lot of different foods left to eat. Meat, animal fat, vegetables, fruit, possibly some seeds like hemp, sunflower and pumpkin (that we've not yet tested his tolerance for),
I'm being forced to feed my family a truer Paleo diet (no eggs, limited seeds, no sugar), which is healthier for us,
The large quantities of nuts and eggs we were consuming wasn't natural from a traditional diet sense: if we had to pick and shell nuts ourselves, we'd eat much less of them, and they would be available seasonally only,
Nuts are very expensive, so this should cut down on our grocery bill - a lot,
I no longer have to worry about the pesticides and chemicals nuts contain from the monoculture growing and extraction methods,
We are now eating a more seasonal, local diet because let's face it, most nuts, with the exception of hazelnuts do not grow in Saskatchewan, and
Most importantly, it will keep my son happy, healthy and eczema-free.

When things seem completely overwhelming, having a plan helps me regain a 'sense of control' over the situation so that I can move forward:

First, I started by cleaning out my kitchen pantry and removing all of the foods we can no longer eat. I also removed all of the old cookbooks that aren't of any use to us.

Second, we purchased a food dehydrator so that I can make healthy snacks, like fruit leathers, vegetables chips and jerky. It's important for me to be prepared to have a variety of food on hand that we can eat in pinch or if we plan to be away from the house for awhile.

Third, we'll be incorporating traditionally fermented foods and nourishing bone broths into our diet. I believe that part of William's food sensitivities and behavioral issues stem from the fact that he has a severely leaking gut and abnormal gut flora, just like me. Broths are incredibly nourishing and healing and fermented foods will help repopulate his gut with a better balance of friendly bacteria. I'm hoping that by healing his leaky gut, we will be able to reintroduce some of the foods that are affecting his behavior in time.

Lastly, I'm researching meals that we can eat and making meal plans. I plan to do away with trying to eat a traditional breakfast and instead, we'll be eating super leftovers in the morning or a smoothie. Lunch will remain largely the same (burger patties, vegetable 'fries' and more vegetables or soup) and supper will be a new meal cooked from scratch. I will make up certain food in bulk - things I can freeze, like soups with homemade bone broths, burger patties, meatballs and meatloaves.

With all new things there is an adjustment period that makes everything seem so very hard, but I know that eventually I will find a rhythm again with meals, meal planning and eating. That is how I will cope. That and trying to maintain a sense of humor about it all - my two year old definitely helps with that. This morning, after a tense and complete flop of a breakfast, my son asked me for more of Mommy's 'banana pancake mess'. What a wonderful reminder that while I considered the meal a failure, my son still considered it a yummy breakfast. And, there is nothing like the frankness of a child to put the laughter and ease back into a stressful situation.

Linked to Monday Mania.

Seasonality in All Things

2011-07-01T15:26:00.000-06:00

Lately, my thoughts have turned to gardening and food security because that is how my days are being spent: planting seeds (still), weeding, watering, tending, harvesting, storing, preserving, and soon to be, drying. I am researching news ways to eat new foods, preparing dishes with what is in season. Some have been a success, others have not. I am reading about four season or winter gardening (shiver) and how we can prolong our harvesting season. I've ordered more seeds - cold hardy, heritage ones, like Batavian Endive, Cracoviensis Lettuce, and True Siberian Kale and anything that will mature in 60 days or less, like Little Finger and Paris Market carrots. It also means constructing a few cold frames in the heat of summer.

It has been such a very busy spring. The books I planned to read over the past few months are stacking up and I look longingly at them every time I hurry out to the garden. There are countless other projects collecting dust too because there just isn't time to start anything new. Right now is the time to be outside growing and eating and preserving, but most importantly, enjoying. While there is much that is wrong with our food system, the food itself is worth celebrating: fresh garden produce, farmer's markets, u-picks, homemade popsicles, picnics and outside meals shared with family and friends. And so, while I will still be writing in the space over the summer months - it may be with less frequency - because who wants to be inside at a computer reading about growing food when they can be outside doing it! Wishing you a happy Canada Day!

Around the Yard: Cabbage Moths

2011-06-30T05:00:00.008-06:00

This week cut worms have made their appearance in my kale patch, in my lettuce and in my snow peas. Since learning about the benefits of wild chamomile as a cut worm deterrent, I doused my kale in wild chamomile tea yesterday - buds and all. This morning there were no more casualties - so it appears that it might just work. The question is, how long will it keep the cutworms at bay?

Also, cabbage worms have arrived. Despite my floating row covers, they managed to find their way inside and have chewed fairly sinister looking holes in the leaves of my cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower. I may have to revert to plan B: operation pantyhose.

Here is how our garden is growing this week (you can check out last week here):

Mounds of harvested spinach headed for the freezer.

My spinach taste-tester.

Baby collards.

Garlic scapes are almost ready.

The tomatoes are getting bigger - it won't be long now!

Bunches of carrots.

Mustard greens. I'm searching for ways to enjoy eating this one. Recipes anyone?

Snow wind peas. Rows alternating with more radishes.

Arugula is flowering. I will be attempting to save seed.

A nice long pepper on a very wind damaged pepper plant.

Mystery winter squash.

Cherries. This bush was planted last year, so we'll only get a small sample this year.

Pak Choy. It's so pretty I almost don't want to eat it. Almost.

How are things in your garden this week?

Linked to Harvest Monday, Garden Tuesday, Tomato Tuesday, Outdoor Wednesday.

The Kind of Spokesperson the World Needs

2011-06-28T08:07:00.001-06:00

Wayne Roberts is my new hero. I haven't yet read his book, 'The No-Nonsense Guide to World Food', but I have devoured his website: www.wayneroberts.ca. He tackles serious food issues and still makes his audience laugh - Wayne is just the kind of spokesperson the world needs. When talking about the number of meals per day that people across the globe eat, he says,

"We have 20 billion chances a day to in the world to do something good with the planet or 20 billion chances to do something that's not good by the planet, and that's our choice."

Quite right. Each of us has the power to change what we don't like about our food system every time we eat. Watch the rest of this short (5 minute) video to hear more of Wayne Robert's thoughts on food:

Recipe: Arugula Apple Chicken Salad

2011-06-25T05:00:00.011-06:00

We made this recipe last weekend for supper and it was the best arugula salad recipe I have ever tasted. Even my husband said it was one of his 'more favorite' salad recipes. This recipe comes from Everyday Paleo, but since we reworked the dressing, I thought I would share our revision. The bacon, in my opinion, is what makes this recipe. We are fortunate to have a local source for nitrate, preservative free bacon that comes from a family farm called Cool Springs Ranch. The bacon slices are nice and thick and I'm am only just a little addicted to them.

One note of caution: on the picky eater toddler-friendly scale, I'd give this recipe a two. However, if your two year old is anything like mine, a bit of ketchup usually does the trick.

Arugula Apple Chicken Salad
1 chicken breast, cooked and diced
2 cups cabbage, shredded
2-3 Tblsp green onion, diced
6 cups arugula
1 apple, diced
6 strips bacon, diced
Small handful of slivered almonds

Dressing
6 Tblsp olive oil
1 Tblsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tblsp stone ground mustard
2-3 Tbsp dried rosemary
4 sun dried tomato halves, diced
3 green onions diced
Juice from 1/2 a lemon
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

In a large mixing bowl toss in the arugula, cabbage, apple, and onion. While the chicken and bacon are still warm, add these items to the bowl as well. Place all dressing ingredients into a jar and blend using an immersion blender. Toss the ingredients all together and serve immediately topped with a small handful of sliced almonds.

Linked to Bacon Time, Seasonal Sunday, Savory Sunday, Sugar-free Sunday, Weekend Gourmet Carnival, Monday Mania, Barn Hop, Melt in Your Mouth Monday, Mouthwatering Monday, Mangia Mondays, Traditional Tuesdays, Hearth & Soul, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday, Made from Scratch Tuesday, Delectable Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday, Made it on Monday, WMFW, Gluten Free Wednesdays, What's Cooking Wednesday, Foodie Wednesday, What's on Your Plate, Real Food Weekly, Simple Lives Thursday, Pennywise Platter Thursday, Picnic Linky, Frugal Food Thursday, Full Plate Thursday, It's a Keeper Thursday, Recipe Swap, Fight Back Friday.

Your Family's Food Security

2011-06-24T05:00:00.011-06:00

There is no food strategy in Canada that links what we grow with what we eat - there is no comprehensive National Food Policy. Apparently, Canada is not alone in this. Are you surprised? I have to admit that I am. According to Wayne Roberts, author of 'The No-Nonsense Guide to World Food', less than five per cent of Canadian farmer's produce the fruits and vegetables Canadian citizens need in their diet. That means that the bulk of our fruits and vegetables are being imported from abroad. With world food prices on the rise and the threat of food scarcity due to unpredictable weather, how does the Canadian government plan on feeding its population during times of uncertainty?

Photo by John McGarvy

The majority of Canadians live in urban centers, meaning we are food consumers, not producers. But, I believe that this can change and there are several growing movements that reinforce this thinking - locavores, 100 mile diet, urban homesteading, urban farming, urban chicken keeping - the list of local, urban food movements goes on and on! There are so many inspiring people out there encouraging each of us to take the issue of food security into our own hands, instead of waiting for the government to step up. I believe this is the right place to start - with ourselves.

Which leads me to ask the following questions: Have you given any thought to how you would feed your family should the world food supply become unpredictable? Do you have any short term or long term goals in regards to your own family's food security? We are encouraged to plan for all sorts of emergencies, but what about food shortages? A national food policy may not be in place when we need it and the skills needed to grow and preserve food aren't learned overnight. While I don't think we need to start panicking, I do think it is something we should all start thinking a little more about.

Sources
http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/World/20110203/food-inflation-rate-set-to-rise-110203/
http://wayneroberts.ca/

Linked to Fight Back Friday, Fresh Bites Friday, Preparedness Challenge, Weekend Gourmet Carnival, Monday Mania, Traditional Tuesdays, Hearth & Soul, Real Food Wednesday, Simple Lives Thursday,

Around the Yard: Rain, Rain, Go Away

2011-06-22T05:00:00.009-06:00

I'm feeling particularly thankful that we decided to build raised beds in our yard. They've made a huge difference when it comes to drainage. Last year when our city flooded, the produce growing in our raised beds did wonderfully. With all of the rain we've been getting, this year is turning out to be no different.

My heart goes out to all of the growers whose livelihoods are being affected by this wet weather. At our local farmer's market, one seller has been trying to get me strawberry plants for the last six weeks, but much of her yard is still under water. She sells other produce throughout the summer as well, but this year, she doubts whether she will be able to get her garden in at all. With all the rain, farmers and market gardeners in the area have experienced their share of hardships.

Here is how our garden is growing this week (you can check out last week here):

We've been harvesting (and eating) a lot of spinach this week.

Container baby bok choy.

Russian snow peas - a gift from a seed-saving friend.

Chioggia beets - my very favorite variety.

Hello Mr. (or Mrs.) Pollinator. Thank you for taking care of our raspberry patch.

Tiny little apples.

A tray of lettuce and kale transplants and a few other starts.

Our community garden plot. It's a good thing you can't see just how

bad the weed situation is out here.

Lots and lots and lots of onions.

Our brassicas under protection from the cabbage moth. I recently learned from here that cabbage moths love canola, which is why we have such a problem with them in Saskatchewan. Another interesting tidbit that I just learned, after having found several of my lovely plants sawed off at their base, is that cutworms would rather starve than attack a plant that has been treated with the extract of pineapple weed or wild chamomile (I wrote about chamomile previously here)! Another helpful benefit of that wonderful plant!

How are things in your garden this week?

Linked to Farmama, Frugal Gardening, Harvest Monday, Garden Tuesday, Bloomin' Tuesday, Outdoor Wednesday.