Garden 2014

photo by SMW

Here is my garden so far...a lot smaller than last year.  But I'm happy that I even got a garden in this spring.  So.much.going.on.

photo by SMW

In the planter box that huge monster of a plant was really only 2 little tomato starts that decided to overtake all the other plants I had growing there.  I had my first tomato yesterday.  Nummy....with sea salt.  Heaven!

How is your garden?  
Check out some photos of last years garden here and here

6 Ingredients in Your Food that May Shock You

1. Wood Pulp

That chew in your favorite breakfast muffin comes from cellulose, which in turn comes from wood pulp. Cellulose gives your muffin its weight and heft, and also acts as dietary fiber, which means it isn’t actually bad for you. It's not a new practice: fast food restaurants got a clue from old midieval inns and manors.  When feeding their travelling patrons, the inns keeper's wife usually added sawdust or other materials to 'beef' up her meals (no pun intended) to cheaply feed all the guests.  They often were sick from the 'travelling' food, hence when people travel they often ask if you got sick from the food.  McDonald's and other chains have copied history by adding fillers to their food.  Forms of wood pulp is one of their many tricks to make their food cheap.  Back to muffins, bet you didn’t think your breakfast so closely resembled that of a beaver’s.

2. Castoreum

While we’re on the subject of beavers, I have some sad news. Those fruit snacks you pack for your kids? The strawberry milkshake you grabbed at the fast-food restaurant? Anything that contains “natural and artificial strawberry flavors” also contains castoreum, a liquid extracted from beaver anal glands. That’s what gives strawberry-flavored foods their punch.

Think you’ll be able to avoid eating beaver anal-gland juice by skipping the strawberry-flavored candy? Think again. Castoreum also shows up in other berry-flavored treats, though it is most commonly associated with the strawberry ones.

It's also been found in breads as a softener.  Who wants beaver anal glands in their bread? I don't.  Making your bread is great, but sometimes you want some convenience.  Check labels carefully.  If it says "natural flavors" that could mean beaver 'flavor' as that is considered natural.  Yuck!

3. Titanium Sulfate

This chemical ingredient is what keeps the sun’s rays from breaking through sunblock. Would you put titanuim sulfate in your milk.  Why? You ask.   

Surprise: skim milk contains titanium sulfate too. Once you remove the milk fat from milk, it is no longer white. So milk manufacturers add titanium sulfate to skim milk to give it that fresh, white color. Lovely, cosmetics for dairy products. Gross!

4. Bone char

When manufacturers process sugar, they filter it through bone char, or carbonized animal bone. This bone char is what gives sugar its white color and fine texture. If you think you can escape bone char by eating brown sugar, think again — brown sugar passes through the bone char filtration process too, and is then dyed brown to restore the color lost during the charring process.

If you want to avoid bone char, whether for vegetarian/vegan reasons or simply because it sounds unsavory, look for raw sugar that does not go through the filtration process. Read the ingredients carefully, and avoid anything that includes “natural charcoal;” that’s insider lingo for “ground up, carbonized animal bone.”

5. Ammonium sulfate

Here’s another sulfate, this time a key ingredient in fertilizer. Oh, and bread. Commercial bread manufacturers add it in to speed up the yeast process.

If you already have living yeast growing and multiplying to create that tasty bread loaf, what’s wrong with a bit of fertilizer as well? Well, consuming too much ammonium sulfate can cause digestive upsets, ranging from gas to diarrhea. Luckily, there are some bread options that don’t contain this potentially uncomfortable ingredient.

6. L-cysteine

Many of the items on this list are shocking animal ingredients. Ready for a shocking human ingredient? Try L-cysteine, a dough softening agent made from amino acids in human hair. (Or, sometimes, chicken feathers.) This is exceptionally ironic because human hair is an instinctive digestive repellant; that is, if you find a hair in your sandwich, you’ll stop eating right away. Never mind that you’d been eating hair byproducts the entire time.

Now, don't get all depressed.  We do have some resources to obtain wonderfully fresh food.  Thank goodness for organic farmers, our own gardens, and consumers that are getting more aware and out spoken that rules are changing in the U.S.  It's important that as healthy citizens we demand a healthy food standard.  And teach it to our children.  Continue to be wary- many countries, like China and South America, want to sell us cheap, inferior products.  Learn the lingo and read the labels.  Another tip is to cook your own food as much as possible.

There are many other dangerous, strange, and unsavory items used in food in our country that aren't on this list.  These 6 are just the highly 'visible' ingredients.

What are you doing to avoid these all together?  What brands do you buy that DON'T carry ANY of these toxic killers?

Garden 2013- End of season

My garden has been good to me this year. So good to me I wanted to write a poem about it but I will spare you of that.

Here is Bono getting some luvin' from my mom.  My parents were up to visit before Madison left.  That was 2 weeks ago (it feels like an AGE, but we have received 2 emails from Madison since then- Happy Dance!)

As of today, the mums to the right of the chair are budding yellow.  Can't wait for them to pop some color!

A Place at the Table- - a food documentary

After you watch this, I am dying to hear some discussion on this!!  If you are even remotely interested in the food you eat, please comment.

You knew I was going to comment, so I won't make you wait any further.

1.  We all know that sometimes REAL food is more expensive.  But families need to learn or be TAUGHT that there is a way to buy wholesome, from nature food without breaking the bank.  I mean the example they showed blew me away:

Broccoli, O.J., and grapes = 300 calories= $3

Soda, chips, cookie pack, donut pack,= 3,200 calories=$3

2. In 1980 there were 400 food banks in America.  As of 2011, there are 40,000.  Whaa?  That's crazy sauce (no pun intended!).

3. That math escapes me.  If we have 40,000 food banks, then why are we food insecure?  Don't get me started.  My tongue is bloody from biting it- there are SOO many layers of issues in our country that are surrounded by issues of good and bad food situations.  But I am reminded to have loftier thoughts by this quote:

" The Bible states that pure religion is actually helping the poor, not theorizing WHY they are poor" see James 1:27 

Thanks for hanging in there with me on this, I had to get it off my chest.  For all of you who are on a new food journey, hang in there.  You are doing the write thing.  And by the way, plant a garden!

In harmony,
Leslie

Garden Sept 2013

Jasper in the morning

This is what greets me in the morning.  A cat worshiping the sink.  Actually he loves the sound of the dishwater and the water when it comes out of the out take valve.  Animal rituals?  Heh?

Well, I am mammal and I do have my own morning rituals.  This morning was a little off kilter because Pierce went to Middle school and Madison went for her wisdom teeth out.  Other than that, my morning went like clock work.  Like this:

• scripture/prayer/meditation time for me

• put away misc. dishes/ clean up kitchen

• feed dog (the cat is Gigi's job)

• pick up behind other mammals in my house and place on stairs for them to put away

• check email/facebook  while making a green smoothie

• do any 'secretary' work

• check garden, collect harvest, weed

• workout

Everything before the workout part takes less than 40 min. and usually is done while multi-tasking.  All moms do the multi-tasking part, right?  What are your rituals in the morning?

This is my harvest for today.  The potatoes will feed us nicely for dinner.  Disclaimer:  I am normally NOT a green thumb.  I am TRYING to be a gardener.  And, this has been a great year to make me feel good about my gardening skills!  It's totally been worth it for the $180+ that I spent on my garden, and new grow boxes.  We've gotten that money back plus more.  I'm so excited about the cucumbers.  How has your garden been this year? Have you learned any new tricks?
In harmony,
Leslie

Garden 2013- August Report

 

 

I'm tickled with this year's garden.  It just keeps going strong with gusto.

 

Here is what I have harvested so far:

 

radishes

 

carrots

 

green beans

 

green onions

 

snap peas

 

kale

 

spinach

 

 

3 kinds of lettuce

 

beets

 

rhubarb

 

 

We didn't buy lettuce at the store for over 2 1/2 months.  I'm sad the lettuce is over, but I'm going to try planting a new crop next week.  My pumpkins and tomatoes don't look like they are going to make it (sadness).  We always grow our own pumpkins, so a little disappointment here!

 

My cucumbers seem like they've been in a holding pattern for a month so we'll see how they do.  Any tips?  How is your garden thriving this year.  From the word on the street, it's a great year for garden produce!

 

 

In harmony,

Leslie

Kale Chips

After ten days of spinning plates, a.k.a. piano recital, end of school parties, moving my mother-in-law, basketball tournaments, the start of kids camps, starting to pack for Africa, and couponing and food shopping for my 5 children (whom are all adult eaters- but luckily they are pitching in to do some cooking!)... I finally had my first day of relaxation where I could work in the garden, take a nice walk with Bono, and make some Kale Chips!

I've tried these before at health food store samplers...but now that I have kale in my garden, I'm a happy camper!  This stuff is better than I thought- and 1/2 my kids like it!  Now that's a winner!

So here's to healthy eating this summer, a few days of fun in the sun (hopefully more than a few this summer in the NW), and relaxing from the grind.

Have you tried Kale chips?  Do you have a special recipe?  I'd like to know more.

In harmony,
Leslie

Garden- 5/15/2013

photo by Leslie

Garden update:  I am reaping!  And I ate my reaping for lunch today!

Here is my spinach from the garden.  It weighs approx. 8 ounces.  I think that's worth about $1.50 roughly.

So here is my salad for my lunch: homegrown spinach, homegrown sprouts (2 ounces), feta, and Ken's creamy caesar. I didn't have time to make my own dressing today, but usually that's my go to dressing- homemade.  It was a yummy salad.

Grown so far:

rhubarb: 4 pounds

sprouts: 4 ounces

spinach: 8 ounces

Garden- May 8th, 2013 - lots of Rhubarb

Garden report here.  With the sun shining, there's so much to do, especially since all the seeds have decided to do their job- grow!  My first harvest this week was rhubarb!  My grandparents had rhubarb in their backyard in Sugar House, Salt Lake City, Utah.  I have so many good memories playing in their little bungalow and backyard garden.  One of them was eating rhubarb pie.

I pick my rhubarb then I freeze it for later.  I can whip out a bag for rhubarb crisp, or rhubarb/strawberry pie, or our newest fave Rhubarb jam.  Yes, you read it correctly rhubarb jam.  I'd looked for a long time for a good jam recipe with the tart and strange 'fruit' (is it part of the fruit group?)  We love that it actually tastes like apple jam: kind of like biting into a red jelly belly, thinking it's going to be spicy hot, and it's a sweet strawberry cream flavor instead.  Surprise!

What do you do with rhubarb?

thanks to Mavis for the jam recipe

Herbs- MVP for the night!

Last night was a girls night out- or rather- girls class out!  That's right, we outclassed everyone because we were learning about gardening with vegetables and flowers and herbs!  In my humble opinion, I think we all had fun and learned a lot.

First, I'm coping with the fact that my gardening escapades are near failures compared to my friends, but like I told my walking buddy this week, with cooking and gardening, as frustrating as they can be at times when you are always experimenting, I am choosing NOT to give up!  That would mean defeat from the cooking/gardening gods and I refuse.  Whatever successes I do have in those areas I hold them up like trophies!  They are my glory!  Aha!

So, I shared about my love of using herbs in the kitchen at the class tonight with my lady friends. When I use herbs,  I get that 'clean' feeling that I've been talking about. Using god-given plants to enhance my food, now that's a winner!  Here is my little list that I presented tonight:

rosemary: make your own herbes de provence- use on chicken or swiss steak
               use in homemade gyro meat recipe

mint: use in chia pudding, homemade tea, desserts

chives: use in scrambled egg recipes, or with cream cheese spreads

basil:  ok- just about anything with basil is a bit of heaven, but the obvious, pesto, pizza, etc

tarragon: salad dressings!  Can we hear a woot, woot!  I could drink this stuff.  Just do your basic
             dijon vinigrette with tarragon blended in with it.  Gold sauce!

I know you foodies out there can talk about more herbs forever. We need your legacy of knowledge, so please add to the list in the comments below.

In harmony,
Leslie

Garden 4/4/2013



grape vines



My husband, Boss Moss, is onboard with the extended gardening plan.  We spent $72.77 on composting materials, stakes, garden rich soil, and seed potatoes.  We also spent another $21.11 for straw for our potato tower and seeds we couldn't find anywhere.

I told some friends that in the past I've tried to do a garden as cheap as possible.  Sometimes, being creative with money is good, really good.  But sometimes, you have to invest a little to get a bigger return!  In the gardening world, I think that applies.  My dirt wasn't so great or nutrient rich, my seeds were the cheapest (probably oldest too) you could find, and my harvest was always dismal.  And, I wondered why!

Boss Moss put together a container garden so I could have more room.  We had really nice wood left over from when we extended our deck last summer. Now to keep Bono out of it (it's not his personal play box!)

Readers, this year, I'm putting in some money, more dedicated time, effort, sweat-- to see if more results will be a fruit and vegetable bounty!  I'm going to weigh the food and compare it to the grocery store.  My challenge is to come out with more food than what I paid for and then some.



Total so far...$162.66

Starting to look like an official garden, yahoo.  Now we have to wait....the hard part!

Garden 2013

 

 

 

Here we go, it's garden season 2013.  I've been doing this garden for over 5 years, since my husband turned this slope on the side of our house into tiered, levels for me.  Right now it looks pretty worn out from winter (and who isn't)- check out the nubs on the rhubarb.  Pitiful!  But, hopefully that will be yummy pies and cobblers in a few months.

 

I spent $68.78 on compost, steer and chicken manure, and seeds.  So my goal is to get enough produce to cover my costs, and then some, plus share my bounty with others. My mentor is Mavis who is growing 2 tons of vegetables this year.  She lives near Puyallup in suburbia, too.



Bono

This is Bono.  He is a Dog Rock Star. He knows his place- in Dad's chair.  He loves to get the party started, sing, and kiss (as in licking you all over your face, especially when you AREN't in the mood for dog licks!).  Bono is a dog you can count on making your happy.

In fact, we didn't plan on getting a dog or puppy.  We were picking up our daughter from her ultimate frisbee game on our way to Fred Meyer to get a new BBQ, since ours had given up the ghost.

On the way to the frisbee field, we saw a sign nailed to a post.  You know, like a white paper plate type sign, with the words "Bichon puppies for sale" hand written on them.  My husband and I looked at each other and said " Let's take a detour.  We're early anyway to pick up daughter #3."  The other kids in the car seemed surprised but know to not question their parents antics.

Scene 1: arrive at owners of Bichon frisee puppies home.  We ask to see puppies.  Owner gets gleam in their eye and says "I'll be back in a moment".  We wait at door for awhile.  Owner carries the cutest marshmellow I've EVER seen and a few other walking marshmellows follow him.  All of us take turns holding the cutest marshmellow which cuddles with us, licks our face, burries his nose in our armpit, and uses its little marshmellow eyes to say 'I love you forever'.  It was the kiss of death.

We politely said we had to go and walked to our car in a slightly drugged fashion.

Scene 2:  [ discussion in car]

"Do you want a dog?"

"I don't know, we haven't really talked about it."

kids: " Yes, let's get him.  He's so cute."

Us: "Oh, alright. Let's get him."

Scene 3: [pick up daughter #3, go to bank, return for dog]

All of us:  " Yeah, he's the best dog ever, let's go spend a wad on dog toys!"

As you can see, the owner beguiled us and put a spell on us.  We never held the other puppies:  Only Bono and he has the personality to fit our family.

Bono is now 18 months old.  He sleeps in the laundry room- his little space.  In fact most nights he puts himself to bed.

He eats Canidae food and likes anything we drop on the floor.

My daughter #2 works at a fudge shop.  One time she brought home a whole bag of the bad stuff and left in on the table.  We have a rule that you have to push in your chair or else Bono will get on the table.  Well, she didn't follow the rule.  And, Bono got on the table and ate the entire contents of the bag.

That night, I woke up to hear what sounded like an old man wailing.  Poor Bono sounded like and old man with a very sick stomach.  When I checked on him, he'd thrown up the fudge and was still moaning.

Bono can jump very high.  I am 5'8 and he can jump up to chest high on me.  One time my niece was holding a chip out in front of her while she was talking, waving it around with her gestures.  Bono jumped up and grabbed it while she was in mid sentence.  Hey, if your not going to eat it, it's fair game.

Bono loves to run around the garden while I weed.  However, when I spread fertilizer he likes to run through it- not so pretty on a white dog.  But we love him anyway.