This is the time of year for gardening ... flowers, vegetables, fruit, and of course - weeds!
As mankind works so hard to use all kinds of unnatural methods to control nature, the job becomes much more difficult than need be (not to mention, making the planet a less healthy place to live).
Take for instance, the humble dandelion. A not so offensive weed to begin with, I actually find it cute and it's vibrant yellow is pleasant to look at. But, the homeowner's association seems to have a thorn in the backside about it, so I have to clear them from my yard.
The dandelion has a large and deep reach root, especially here in the desert, to allow for ample water. This is a pain in the butt (and nearly impossible) to hand pluck. I've taken to using a tool, that I'm not sure the name of, but it has two prongs and a rocker on the back of it to give good leverage for digging out weeds. Every time I see a dandelion I take a moment to use this item to dig the dandelion out, no chemicals needed, no poisons being put into the earth.
My neighbor opts to spray his dandelions. When the dandelion dies the vibrant yellow head turns into a white puff - dozens of little seeds waiting to spread into the wind. Soon the little seeds coat my neighbor's yard, and the entire thing turns into a field of dandelions. I see a lot of houses like this as I go around town. I can tell the people that choose to weed with chemicals instead of getting their hands a little dirty. They end up making the job far worse than it ever needed to be, due to their lack of willingness to put in a small effort to begin with. They end up needing to destroy more and more, in their quest to control a piece of the planet.
Take a lesson from the dandelions. Getting your hands in the dirt can be a relaxing and rewarding experience; when you work with the planet, the planet will be happy to work with you. When you unleash myriad chemicals and poison onto the earth, she will try and find a way to overcompensate. Fifty dandelions, because you poisoned one. Really, is it worth it?
And if you have a dandelion problem, maybe get creative about it! Dandelion tea is so healthy, and delicious. I also saw an interesting recipe for dandelion wine!
Showing posts with label recipes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label recipes. Show all posts
Friday, May 13, 2011
Friday, May 6, 2011
Kefir 101
I've mentioned kefir a couple of times, here on Grass Fed Girl, but I haven't actually gone into detail on the subject.
The term kefir is used to refer both to a fermented milk beverage (this can be dairy, or it can also be successfully made using soy, rice, or coconut milk), and to tibicos - or "water kefir". What I mean when I say kefir is the former of the two, the wonderful and slightly effervescent milk kefir.
For the past few years I've gone in and out of the habit of purchasing kefir from the store (it can often be found in the health food area of grocery stores, usually the Helios brand is what I've encountered). This can be a fairly expensive habit though, as a bottle contains four servings and costs juat over $4.00. A dollar a serving isn't prohibitive, but I didn't really fancy continually spending $30 a month on a beverage that was not dispensed from a coffee shop (priorities! I know!).
So, I began reading up on kefir. Something about it intrigued me. I wanted to know where it came from, was it really a nutritional powerhouse, could I make it myself?
I came across the KefirLady website, which has all the information one could ever hope for on obtaining kefir grains and making kefir. I discovered through even further research that kefir made at home, using genuine kefir grains, is NOT the same as the kefir you will find on the shelf in the store. The kefir you find in your grocery store is more like a drinkable yogurt; sure it has healthy bacterias, but on average only about four different bacterias vs the 30+ homemade kefir contains. In addition to the health benefits, homemade kefir is a sound financial investment. I paid $20 for my kefir grains, and as long as I take good care of them I never have to buy new ones. Kefir grains reproduce, and they do so FAST! I am still doing great with original grains I received, but I also keep some backups. So, I'm now down to just the cost of milk; a gallon of raw milk lasts us a week, and we make three servings of kefir smoothie a day. That's 28 servings of kefir for $10 versus four servings for $4.00. The only added costs are any flavors added to the kefir.
So how easy is it to make kefir? If you can pour a beverage, you can do it! Basically, slip your shiny little kefir grains into a bowl, pour milk over them (about 2.5cups for 1/4cup of grains), cover the bowl with a cheesecloth and leave it somewhere like the kitchen counter (don't put it in the fridge), come back in 24 hrs and voila! You have kefir! Strain the grains, and repeat.
I tend to make my kefir into a smoothie (see easy peasy recipe below). But, there are also numerous uses for kefir! You can make cheese, salad dressing, sourdough bread, and numerous other food items. You can also use it as a base for shaving cream, skin creams, or facial washes. It even works great to get your compost heap going!
If you're interested in obtaining grains, you can try the KefirLady, but you might also poke around craigslist, depending where you live, usually people are offering them up pretty cheap or free!
Strawberry Banana Kefir Smoothie
serves three
2.5-3 cups of kefir (I use raw milk kefir)
1 cup of frozen strawberries (fresh will work as well, I like frozen since I use fresh kefir, meaning it has not been in the fridge)
1 medium banana
1-2 tbsp raw honey (depending how sweet you like it)
Place ingredients in blender. Blend to desired consistency. Enjoy!
The term kefir is used to refer both to a fermented milk beverage (this can be dairy, or it can also be successfully made using soy, rice, or coconut milk), and to tibicos - or "water kefir". What I mean when I say kefir is the former of the two, the wonderful and slightly effervescent milk kefir.
For the past few years I've gone in and out of the habit of purchasing kefir from the store (it can often be found in the health food area of grocery stores, usually the Helios brand is what I've encountered). This can be a fairly expensive habit though, as a bottle contains four servings and costs juat over $4.00. A dollar a serving isn't prohibitive, but I didn't really fancy continually spending $30 a month on a beverage that was not dispensed from a coffee shop (priorities! I know!).
So, I began reading up on kefir. Something about it intrigued me. I wanted to know where it came from, was it really a nutritional powerhouse, could I make it myself?
I came across the KefirLady website, which has all the information one could ever hope for on obtaining kefir grains and making kefir. I discovered through even further research that kefir made at home, using genuine kefir grains, is NOT the same as the kefir you will find on the shelf in the store. The kefir you find in your grocery store is more like a drinkable yogurt; sure it has healthy bacterias, but on average only about four different bacterias vs the 30+ homemade kefir contains. In addition to the health benefits, homemade kefir is a sound financial investment. I paid $20 for my kefir grains, and as long as I take good care of them I never have to buy new ones. Kefir grains reproduce, and they do so FAST! I am still doing great with original grains I received, but I also keep some backups. So, I'm now down to just the cost of milk; a gallon of raw milk lasts us a week, and we make three servings of kefir smoothie a day. That's 28 servings of kefir for $10 versus four servings for $4.00. The only added costs are any flavors added to the kefir.
So how easy is it to make kefir? If you can pour a beverage, you can do it! Basically, slip your shiny little kefir grains into a bowl, pour milk over them (about 2.5cups for 1/4cup of grains), cover the bowl with a cheesecloth and leave it somewhere like the kitchen counter (don't put it in the fridge), come back in 24 hrs and voila! You have kefir! Strain the grains, and repeat.
I tend to make my kefir into a smoothie (see easy peasy recipe below). But, there are also numerous uses for kefir! You can make cheese, salad dressing, sourdough bread, and numerous other food items. You can also use it as a base for shaving cream, skin creams, or facial washes. It even works great to get your compost heap going!
If you're interested in obtaining grains, you can try the KefirLady, but you might also poke around craigslist, depending where you live, usually people are offering them up pretty cheap or free!
Strawberry Banana Kefir Smoothie
serves three
2.5-3 cups of kefir (I use raw milk kefir)
1 cup of frozen strawberries (fresh will work as well, I like frozen since I use fresh kefir, meaning it has not been in the fridge)
1 medium banana
1-2 tbsp raw honey (depending how sweet you like it)
Place ingredients in blender. Blend to desired consistency. Enjoy!
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Spelt is a Wonderful Thing
I tried a new recipe last night - it's a hit!
I have been reading up a bit on spelt, and it's nutritional value. Normally, I try to stick to sprouted grains (and I'm sure you could substitute any variety of sprouted grains in this recipe) but curiosity got the best of me; last night I bought some spelt flour and made muffins!
We can't all be perfect right?
They are delicious! And as an added boost, my picky toddler loved them as well (and I'm sure you will too!). Also, a great thing about this flour is that the majority of people with wheat allergies have no problem consuming spelt. The flavor is not as heavy as whole wheat, but the texture is just a bit denser.
Okay okay, enough right? What you're here for is the recipe! The base for this recipe is the one on the Bob's Red Mill spelt flour package, but I altered a few things for delicousness factor!
Walnut Spelt Muffins
makes 12
2 1/4 cups spelt flour
1/4 c raw honey (Bob's Red Mill uses brown sugar)
1 tbsp baking powder
1 1/4 c milk (I use raw, even though it loses the health benefits in cooking, it doesn't lose the environmentally-friendly benefits *smile* )
3 eggs, beaten (I use pastured)
1 Tbsp coconut oil (I use unrefined, it's solid, you'll want to warm it so it mixes evenly. Bob's Red Mill uses vegetable oil, which I am against. Also, the coconut oil does give it a bit of a nice flavor)
1 cup chopped walnuts
1. Preheat the oven to 425, and line or grease muffin tin
2. Mix together the flour and baking powder (and brown sugar if you are using this instead of honey).
3. In a separate bowl, mix the eggs, milk, oil, honey and walnuts.
4. Combine the wet and dry ingredients, mix just enough to moisten everything.
5. Fill muffin tin so that each cup is just 2/3 full. Bake for 17 minutes.
* These would be great with berries, cacao nibs, or coconut flakes as well!
I have been reading up a bit on spelt, and it's nutritional value. Normally, I try to stick to sprouted grains (and I'm sure you could substitute any variety of sprouted grains in this recipe) but curiosity got the best of me; last night I bought some spelt flour and made muffins!
We can't all be perfect right?
They are delicious! And as an added boost, my picky toddler loved them as well (and I'm sure you will too!). Also, a great thing about this flour is that the majority of people with wheat allergies have no problem consuming spelt. The flavor is not as heavy as whole wheat, but the texture is just a bit denser.
Okay okay, enough right? What you're here for is the recipe! The base for this recipe is the one on the Bob's Red Mill spelt flour package, but I altered a few things for delicousness factor!
Walnut Spelt Muffins
makes 12
2 1/4 cups spelt flour
1/4 c raw honey (Bob's Red Mill uses brown sugar)
1 tbsp baking powder
1 1/4 c milk (I use raw, even though it loses the health benefits in cooking, it doesn't lose the environmentally-friendly benefits *smile* )
3 eggs, beaten (I use pastured)
1 Tbsp coconut oil (I use unrefined, it's solid, you'll want to warm it so it mixes evenly. Bob's Red Mill uses vegetable oil, which I am against. Also, the coconut oil does give it a bit of a nice flavor)
1 cup chopped walnuts
1. Preheat the oven to 425, and line or grease muffin tin
2. Mix together the flour and baking powder (and brown sugar if you are using this instead of honey).
3. In a separate bowl, mix the eggs, milk, oil, honey and walnuts.
4. Combine the wet and dry ingredients, mix just enough to moisten everything.
5. Fill muffin tin so that each cup is just 2/3 full. Bake for 17 minutes.
* These would be great with berries, cacao nibs, or coconut flakes as well!
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Goji Berries
As trends in the health food industry come and go, there are some items that miss the mark, and some that are true nutritional power houses.
Goji berries (also known as wolfberries) , one of the "new" trends, are actually an ancient nutritional source, originating in China, and viewed as a source of vitality, longevity, and as being a powerful antioxidant.
There are many ways of ingesting goji berries, but one must pay attention to quality. With the rising popularity of this berry, many people are seeking to cash in ... by making "goji berry juice". However, there is an eye opening story on Dr Mercola's site regarding goji berry juice, that you may wish to read before drinking up. In addition to price inflation, some of the goji berry drinks contain actual very little juice.
If you get your hands on whole berries though, dry or otherwise, you can bet that you're getting your hands on a nutritional treat. These go great in trail mixes, tossed into your morning oatmeal or yogurt, or baked into homemade granola bars.
For a yummy dessert, try some Goji-Cacao-Oatmeal Cookies
1/2 cup dried goji berries
1 3/4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup almonds coarsely ground(I put mine through a coffee bean grinder)
1 cup spelt flour (I prefer sprouted. You can also use all purpose or wheat)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 sticks butter, softened (I prefer Kerrygold, as it's pastured)
1/2 cup honey (go for local! :) )
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 cup cacao nibs
About 40 cookies
1. As you prepare to begin making the dough, preheat your oven to 325F, and lightly grease the cookie sheets.
2. Stir together the oats, spelt, almonds, and baking soda
3. Using a different bowl, mix together the butter and honey, and then add the egg and vanilla to this mixture. Mix together until well combined.
4. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture, then pour in the goji berries and cacao nibs. Mix together completely.
Drop dough by spoonfuls onto greased cookie sheets, leaving about 2inches between them.
Bake at 325F for about 10 minutes, until golden.
Goji berries (also known as wolfberries) , one of the "new" trends, are actually an ancient nutritional source, originating in China, and viewed as a source of vitality, longevity, and as being a powerful antioxidant.
There are many ways of ingesting goji berries, but one must pay attention to quality. With the rising popularity of this berry, many people are seeking to cash in ... by making "goji berry juice". However, there is an eye opening story on Dr Mercola's site regarding goji berry juice, that you may wish to read before drinking up. In addition to price inflation, some of the goji berry drinks contain actual very little juice.
If you get your hands on whole berries though, dry or otherwise, you can bet that you're getting your hands on a nutritional treat. These go great in trail mixes, tossed into your morning oatmeal or yogurt, or baked into homemade granola bars.
For a yummy dessert, try some Goji-Cacao-Oatmeal Cookies
1/2 cup dried goji berries
1 3/4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup almonds coarsely ground(I put mine through a coffee bean grinder)
1 cup spelt flour (I prefer sprouted. You can also use all purpose or wheat)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 sticks butter, softened (I prefer Kerrygold, as it's pastured)
1/2 cup honey (go for local! :) )
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 cup cacao nibs
About 40 cookies
1. As you prepare to begin making the dough, preheat your oven to 325F, and lightly grease the cookie sheets.
2. Stir together the oats, spelt, almonds, and baking soda
3. Using a different bowl, mix together the butter and honey, and then add the egg and vanilla to this mixture. Mix together until well combined.
4. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture, then pour in the goji berries and cacao nibs. Mix together completely.
Drop dough by spoonfuls onto greased cookie sheets, leaving about 2inches between them.
Bake at 325F for about 10 minutes, until golden.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Coconut Oil Recipes!
Coconut Sweet Potato Fries
These are one of my favorite snacks, or side dishes. The coconut flavor and sweet potato blend really well. My husband - a verified picky eater! - as well as my very choosy toddler are both big fans of these. It tastes sweet enough to be a dessert, but this dish is full of vitamin A and medium chain fatty acids - both essential to your well being.
1 medium sweet potato (yam) per person
Unrefined, extra virgin coconut oil
I prefer to bake the sweet potatoes before frying them, this allows for a shorter frying time, while still ensuring that the fries are cooked all the way through.
1. Heat the oven to 375, and place the potatoes directly on the rack for about 40 minutes.
2. About 2 minutes before the potatoes are done cooking in the oven, take 1 tbsp of coconut oil for each potato, and heat in a large skillet, on medium.
3. Take the potatoes out, remove the skins, and cut into wedges, or thinner strips for fries.
4. Fry in the coconut oil, turning often, you can crank the heat up to get a little sizzle going if needed.
5. Fries are done when they've reached your desired crispiness!
Chocolate Coconut Pudding
This is an amazing and healthy dessert item, that can actually make a very energizing and vitamin packed breakfast as well. I had a similar item in a local vegetarian restaurant, and became obsessed with replicating it at home. I browsed the internet for recipes, and ended up blending a couple of them until I came up with one that satisfied me. This recipe serves 4.
1 avocado
2 tbsp raw honey
2 tsp vanilla
3 tbsp unrefined, extra virgin coconut oil
5 tbsp raw cacao
Combine all ingredients and blend in a blender until smooth. Try it topped with strawberries and/or blueberries, or chopped nuts. Tastes best chilled.
These are one of my favorite snacks, or side dishes. The coconut flavor and sweet potato blend really well. My husband - a verified picky eater! - as well as my very choosy toddler are both big fans of these. It tastes sweet enough to be a dessert, but this dish is full of vitamin A and medium chain fatty acids - both essential to your well being.
1 medium sweet potato (yam) per person
Unrefined, extra virgin coconut oil
I prefer to bake the sweet potatoes before frying them, this allows for a shorter frying time, while still ensuring that the fries are cooked all the way through.
1. Heat the oven to 375, and place the potatoes directly on the rack for about 40 minutes.
2. About 2 minutes before the potatoes are done cooking in the oven, take 1 tbsp of coconut oil for each potato, and heat in a large skillet, on medium.
3. Take the potatoes out, remove the skins, and cut into wedges, or thinner strips for fries.
4. Fry in the coconut oil, turning often, you can crank the heat up to get a little sizzle going if needed.
5. Fries are done when they've reached your desired crispiness!
Chocolate Coconut Pudding
This is an amazing and healthy dessert item, that can actually make a very energizing and vitamin packed breakfast as well. I had a similar item in a local vegetarian restaurant, and became obsessed with replicating it at home. I browsed the internet for recipes, and ended up blending a couple of them until I came up with one that satisfied me. This recipe serves 4.
1 avocado
2 tbsp raw honey
2 tsp vanilla
3 tbsp unrefined, extra virgin coconut oil
5 tbsp raw cacao
Combine all ingredients and blend in a blender until smooth. Try it topped with strawberries and/or blueberries, or chopped nuts. Tastes best chilled.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)