Shortly after I began freelancing in 1991, I searched my new Kentucky home for articles to write. Because of my interest in simple living and the environment, I was drawn to writing about Appalachia Science in the Public Interest. That’s where I met its founder, Jesuit Father Al Fritsch.
It was a fortuitous meeting because as I interviewed Fr. Al and others involved with his organization, I picked up so many things to use in my own life. I learned to “audit” my time to see if I was using it wisely. I visited communities of religious women who made marvelous use of their lands while also improving the energy efficiency of their buildings. (Keep in mind this was long before the current national trend toward such movements.) I visited the ASPI office, which at the time was in a cordwood house, and realized I could actually afford to build a house like that some day. I began to explore natural ways of gardening that didn’t require chemicals. One meeting led to so much learning!
I received a note from Fr. Al the other day. He’s also an author and I’m reading his most recent book, Water Sounds, a book about North American missionary and naturalist Jacques Marquette. Fr. Al also pointed me to some wonderful resources on his website. Besides listing his many published works, some of them are available for free on his site, including 365 Soups in 2009. He followed that with 365 Salads in 2010. This year it’s 365 ways to make breakfast with oatmeal. His motivation? He wants to show that it is possible to vary your diet on a low budget. It also allows him to try to live on $3/day (the average food stamp benefit for low-income people in the United States) and still have some left to support an orphan in India.
That encouraged me to think about my own food budget. I realized I do often eat on $3/day and purchase luxury items now and then. But I can do that because of the food I raise, the food preservation we do and because I cook from whole foods. Just to be sure I'm on target, I'm going to record everything I spend on food in February. That might lead me to learn more about my food budget that I'm remembering at the moment!
AS you can see, I continue to listen and learn.
Friday, January 21, 2011
Monday, January 17, 2011
Almost Mom’s Peanut Butter Cookies
I must admit that even though I try to live from the garden all year long, there are times when I cook something that continues absolutely nothing that I’ve grown myself. That’s what happened yesterday. The cold, gray day prompted me to long for a house filled with the sweet aroma of baking cookies. My mom is the cookies queen so, for me, making cookies is like taking a step back into the kitchen of my childhood.
I usually don’t waste calories on any dessert that lacks chocolate so when I came upon Mom’s recipe for peanut butter cookies, I decided to slightly alter it to add chocolate and make it a tiny bit healthier. You can do that with so many dessert recipes by altering the kind and amounts of flour, sugar and fat you use.
For the peanut butter cookies, I first substituted a combination of butter and coconut oil. Several years ago I heard a doctor praise the benefits of coconut oil; it is reportedly a healthier saturated fat made of medium-chain triglycerides that convert to energy rather than fat. Nonetheless, I’m not total sold on it so if you have another fat substitute that you like, try it. The coconut oil did work well in these cookies.
Next is the sugar. I used one-third of what the original recipe calls for. Sugar can almost always be cut by at least half in a recipe. Try it and see what you think. You can also experiment with sugar substitutes, like honey, organic maple syrup and agave nectar.
For the flour, I again used the one-third approach. No I didn’t only use one-third the amount of flour but I substituted one-third of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat. Again, there’s no discernible difference but you get more fiber.
Finally, I added dark chocolate chips. Dark chocolate is filled with antioxidants that fight cancer, so why not indulge once in awhile!
Find your favorite cookie recipe and experiment with adjusting it to a healthier alternative. And if you want to try Almost Mom’s Peanut Butter Cookies, here’s the recipe.
Cream ½ cup butter, ½ cup coconut oil, 1/3 cup sugar, 1/3 cup brown sugar and 1 tsp. vanilla. Stir in 1 cup peanut butter. Mix together 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup whole wheat flour, 2 tsp. soda and a dash of salt. Stir into creamed mixture. Add 1 cup dark chocolate chips. Form small balls and put on cookie sheet. Press with fork on top to make a crisscross. Bake 10 minutes at 375 degrees. Enjoy with a glass of milk!
I usually don’t waste calories on any dessert that lacks chocolate so when I came upon Mom’s recipe for peanut butter cookies, I decided to slightly alter it to add chocolate and make it a tiny bit healthier. You can do that with so many dessert recipes by altering the kind and amounts of flour, sugar and fat you use.
For the peanut butter cookies, I first substituted a combination of butter and coconut oil. Several years ago I heard a doctor praise the benefits of coconut oil; it is reportedly a healthier saturated fat made of medium-chain triglycerides that convert to energy rather than fat. Nonetheless, I’m not total sold on it so if you have another fat substitute that you like, try it. The coconut oil did work well in these cookies.
Next is the sugar. I used one-third of what the original recipe calls for. Sugar can almost always be cut by at least half in a recipe. Try it and see what you think. You can also experiment with sugar substitutes, like honey, organic maple syrup and agave nectar.
For the flour, I again used the one-third approach. No I didn’t only use one-third the amount of flour but I substituted one-third of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat. Again, there’s no discernible difference but you get more fiber.
Finally, I added dark chocolate chips. Dark chocolate is filled with antioxidants that fight cancer, so why not indulge once in awhile!
Find your favorite cookie recipe and experiment with adjusting it to a healthier alternative. And if you want to try Almost Mom’s Peanut Butter Cookies, here’s the recipe.
Cream ½ cup butter, ½ cup coconut oil, 1/3 cup sugar, 1/3 cup brown sugar and 1 tsp. vanilla. Stir in 1 cup peanut butter. Mix together 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup whole wheat flour, 2 tsp. soda and a dash of salt. Stir into creamed mixture. Add 1 cup dark chocolate chips. Form small balls and put on cookie sheet. Press with fork on top to make a crisscross. Bake 10 minutes at 375 degrees. Enjoy with a glass of milk!
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Revisiting the purpose of The Goodness of the Garden . . . All the Year Round
Last week a friend who read my blog asked: Where do you get the vegetables during the winter?
From the jars on our shelf.
From our freezer.
From two small businesses that sell local produce.
Directly from area producers.
Fifteen months after I challenged myself to try to eat, as much as possible, from the garden throughout the year, I’ve identified a number of area sources for food that is produced within 100 miles rather than flown or otherwise shipped, sometimes thousands of miles. Yes, I like a banana once in awhile and they don’t grow in Kentucky so I don’t buy them very often. And finding the fruit that I want in the region is my biggest challenge, but that’s only because I haven’t fully transitioned to using locally produced grains. That is part of my challenge for this year. I often buy Weisenberger Mill flour but need to expand my search for additional regional producers.
I began this challenge because I thought it was important not only for the health of my family, but also for our world. We, in the United States, have largely forgotten when foods are in season. We take for granted that we can get whatever we want to eat whenever we want it. We don’t think about all of the energy that is used to transport, grow and package our foods. I think we need to consider those things not only for our individual health but also for the health of our planet.
Besides all of that, I find it highly enjoyable to grow, preserve and cook my own food. In fact, other than the writing I do (writing is as vital to me as breathing) it’s probably the most rewarding thing I do. It provides me with a creative outlet, a way to enjoy the outdoors, produce to share with people who are hungry and plenty of great meals at home.
I’m still learning to live from that wonderful Goodness of the Garden and I don’t anticipate the lessons will end any time soon. Have you learned some lessons about this along your journey? Please share them. We can all learn from one another.
From the jars on our shelf.
From our freezer.
From two small businesses that sell local produce.
Directly from area producers.
Fifteen months after I challenged myself to try to eat, as much as possible, from the garden throughout the year, I’ve identified a number of area sources for food that is produced within 100 miles rather than flown or otherwise shipped, sometimes thousands of miles. Yes, I like a banana once in awhile and they don’t grow in Kentucky so I don’t buy them very often. And finding the fruit that I want in the region is my biggest challenge, but that’s only because I haven’t fully transitioned to using locally produced grains. That is part of my challenge for this year. I often buy Weisenberger Mill flour but need to expand my search for additional regional producers.
I began this challenge because I thought it was important not only for the health of my family, but also for our world. We, in the United States, have largely forgotten when foods are in season. We take for granted that we can get whatever we want to eat whenever we want it. We don’t think about all of the energy that is used to transport, grow and package our foods. I think we need to consider those things not only for our individual health but also for the health of our planet.
Besides all of that, I find it highly enjoyable to grow, preserve and cook my own food. In fact, other than the writing I do (writing is as vital to me as breathing) it’s probably the most rewarding thing I do. It provides me with a creative outlet, a way to enjoy the outdoors, produce to share with people who are hungry and plenty of great meals at home.
I’m still learning to live from that wonderful Goodness of the Garden and I don’t anticipate the lessons will end any time soon. Have you learned some lessons about this along your journey? Please share them. We can all learn from one another.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Roasted root vegetables add flavor to party
This past evening Jim and I went to a dinner party to celebrate two friends who are preparing to move to the Philippines. The meal was a feast—broccoli and cauliflower salad, roasted chicken, flank steak, spinach bread, potato and cabbage casserole, snowball cake and my contribution of roasted root vegetables.
Root vegetables (and winter squash) are easy to keep for the winter months. We still had beets, sweet potatoes and Irish potatoes from our garden to use in the recipe. I’ve never grown parsnips and had to buy them. It felt wonderful to be able to take a colorful dish filled with flavor and nutrition.
Typically when I roast vegetables I toss them in olive oil, salt and pepper, roast at 400 degrees until done then enjoy. The recipe I had from Kentucky Proud (a website with information about Kentucky products) called for making a dressing for the vegetables. Although I’m not a horseradish fan, I made the dressing with half the horseradish and drizzled it on the vegetables. The results? See the ratings for yourself.
Kathy: 9
Doug: 9 (Did you cut these all up so uniformly yourself? Maybe it should be 10!)
Jim: 9
If you don’t have your own root vegetables, check your area farmer’s market or the local coop. You’ll be happy with the results.
Root vegetables (and winter squash) are easy to keep for the winter months. We still had beets, sweet potatoes and Irish potatoes from our garden to use in the recipe. I’ve never grown parsnips and had to buy them. It felt wonderful to be able to take a colorful dish filled with flavor and nutrition.
Typically when I roast vegetables I toss them in olive oil, salt and pepper, roast at 400 degrees until done then enjoy. The recipe I had from Kentucky Proud (a website with information about Kentucky products) called for making a dressing for the vegetables. Although I’m not a horseradish fan, I made the dressing with half the horseradish and drizzled it on the vegetables. The results? See the ratings for yourself.
Kathy: 9
Doug: 9 (Did you cut these all up so uniformly yourself? Maybe it should be 10!)
Jim: 9
If you don’t have your own root vegetables, check your area farmer’s market or the local coop. You’ll be happy with the results.
Monday, January 3, 2011
Fresh pumpkin – it’s easy to use
Yesterday I was reading a gardening magazine that I quite enjoy when I came across an article about a farm family that is dedicated to growing organically. I scanned the article and photos then arrived at some of their recipes. Ah, pumpkin pie. Let me see how they make it I thought. I began to read the ingredient list. It began with canned pumpkin. What? A farm family dedicated to organics who makes their pie from a can? Please say it isn’t true.
I grew up not liking pumpkin pie because the only kind I ever saw came from a can. When I learned how easy pumpkins are to grow, and how much nutrition they contain, I tried making a pie from my homegrown pumpkin. Either my taste buds changed or the ingredients did it for me because I enjoyed the pie.
I’ve since discovered many ways to enjoy pumpkin. I’ve tried pumpkin filled ravioli, pumpkin pasta, pumpkin bread, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin cake and pumpkin coffee cake. (Check out that recipe at http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/pumpkin-coffee-cake/Detail.aspx. It’s easy and so moist. I substituted yogurt for most of the sour cream.)
I do understand the need some folks have for the convenience of a can and according to the Mayo Clinic (http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/pumpkin/AN01754), that’s not all bad. The nutritional Vitamin A, potassium and iron are comparable. They point out, however, that you should carefully examine the ingredients in the canned pumpkin to be sure you aren’t getting a lot of high-calorie additions.
How do you get pureed pumpkin to create with? It’s very easy.
1) Cut the pumpkin in half.
2) Use a spoon to remove the seeds. Save them for toasting in the oven if you like.
3) Find a pan large enough to hold both halves, or use two pans. Put ½ inch or so of water in the pan. Place pumpkin cut side down and cover with foil.
4) Bake at 400 degrees until the pumpkin is soft when you prick it with a fork. Large pumpkins might take an hour.
5) When cool enough to handle, use a spoon to remove the flesh. Place in food processor with a spoon full or two of water from the pan. Process until you get a smooth puree.
6) Now you can cook with it! If you don’t want to use it all immediately, measure it and freeze in plastic bags with the amount marked on the outside. Then you can enjoy pumpkin even when the season is past.
I promise that if you start with a good pumpkin, you won’t want to go back to canned filling the next time you make pumpkin pie.
I grew up not liking pumpkin pie because the only kind I ever saw came from a can. When I learned how easy pumpkins are to grow, and how much nutrition they contain, I tried making a pie from my homegrown pumpkin. Either my taste buds changed or the ingredients did it for me because I enjoyed the pie.
I’ve since discovered many ways to enjoy pumpkin. I’ve tried pumpkin filled ravioli, pumpkin pasta, pumpkin bread, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin cake and pumpkin coffee cake. (Check out that recipe at http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/pumpkin-coffee-cake/Detail.aspx. It’s easy and so moist. I substituted yogurt for most of the sour cream.)
I do understand the need some folks have for the convenience of a can and according to the Mayo Clinic (http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/pumpkin/AN01754), that’s not all bad. The nutritional Vitamin A, potassium and iron are comparable. They point out, however, that you should carefully examine the ingredients in the canned pumpkin to be sure you aren’t getting a lot of high-calorie additions.
How do you get pureed pumpkin to create with? It’s very easy.
1) Cut the pumpkin in half.
2) Use a spoon to remove the seeds. Save them for toasting in the oven if you like.
3) Find a pan large enough to hold both halves, or use two pans. Put ½ inch or so of water in the pan. Place pumpkin cut side down and cover with foil.
4) Bake at 400 degrees until the pumpkin is soft when you prick it with a fork. Large pumpkins might take an hour.
5) When cool enough to handle, use a spoon to remove the flesh. Place in food processor with a spoon full or two of water from the pan. Process until you get a smooth puree.
6) Now you can cook with it! If you don’t want to use it all immediately, measure it and freeze in plastic bags with the amount marked on the outside. Then you can enjoy pumpkin even when the season is past.
I promise that if you start with a good pumpkin, you won’t want to go back to canned filling the next time you make pumpkin pie.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Learning from the holiday season
Last evening at my final Christmas party of the season the topic of conversation among us five women naturally turned to New Year’s Resolutions. Of course, food and health are always at the top of the list. Someone wants to lose weight. Someone wants to exercise more. Everyone wants to incorporate more healthy habits into their lifestyles. The timing of the conversation was good for me as I had been reading two magazines that afternoon about holistic health as I looked forward to today’s seasonal acupuncture treatment.
For the first time in years, my health took a strong winter downturn last week when the doctor told me I had the flu. Since I began getting seasonal acupuncture treatments I felt that had helped me ward it off. This year for some reason that I’ll have to ask the acupuncturist about, he didn’t want to do the winter treatment as early as usual. Thus, I got the flu. At least that’s how it stacks up in my mind whether the lack of a treatment can be blamed or not.
Not having an appetite around the holidays helped me adjust my own perspective on eating. I returned to three lessons I learned years ago that I hope I will more strongly ingrain into my eating habits in the new year.
First, eat only when hungry. For me that generally means eating small portions at meals and not taking seconds. Although I often taste something so delicious that I immediately want another helping, I find that if I allow my food to settle long enough for my stomach to send my brain the signal that I’m full (approximately 20 minutes) then I will no longer want that second helping. So I’m going into the new year trying to make that an eating habit that I will not lose at the first temptation.
Second, the holiday season also reminded me of the kinds of foods my body most craves—whole foods that are not weighed down with heavy sauces, cheeses, dressings, etc. Don’t get me wrong, I love a cheesy casserole now and then. There are sauces and dressings that truly enhance the taste of foods that I also enjoy. But at least in my family, the holidays seems to be a time for casseroles in which the vegetables play a secondary role to the cream of something soup, crackers and cheese. Now that the potlucks are nearly over, I’ll be returning to those naked vegetable dishes that let their natural colors and flavors set the tone. I can taste those roasted vegetables already!
Third, the holidays wouldn’t be such a special food time without the loads of candies and cookies that everyone associates with the season. Each family has a specialty, something dear that grandma always made or that Mom has perfected through the years. We still have three tins of those delights on our dining room table, along with a pie made from real pumpkin in the refrigerator. I’ve been generally avoiding most of it (notice I only said most, not all!) because as I’ve been recovering my health I’m reminded of how refined sugar can deplete the immune system. I would rather be healthy for the New Year instead of having my sweet tooth pacified.
As I look to 2011, my food challenges are to eat only when hungry, cherish naked vegetables and keep sweets in their place, which isn’t in my desk drawer. What are your food challenges for 2011?
For the first time in years, my health took a strong winter downturn last week when the doctor told me I had the flu. Since I began getting seasonal acupuncture treatments I felt that had helped me ward it off. This year for some reason that I’ll have to ask the acupuncturist about, he didn’t want to do the winter treatment as early as usual. Thus, I got the flu. At least that’s how it stacks up in my mind whether the lack of a treatment can be blamed or not.
Not having an appetite around the holidays helped me adjust my own perspective on eating. I returned to three lessons I learned years ago that I hope I will more strongly ingrain into my eating habits in the new year.
First, eat only when hungry. For me that generally means eating small portions at meals and not taking seconds. Although I often taste something so delicious that I immediately want another helping, I find that if I allow my food to settle long enough for my stomach to send my brain the signal that I’m full (approximately 20 minutes) then I will no longer want that second helping. So I’m going into the new year trying to make that an eating habit that I will not lose at the first temptation.
Second, the holiday season also reminded me of the kinds of foods my body most craves—whole foods that are not weighed down with heavy sauces, cheeses, dressings, etc. Don’t get me wrong, I love a cheesy casserole now and then. There are sauces and dressings that truly enhance the taste of foods that I also enjoy. But at least in my family, the holidays seems to be a time for casseroles in which the vegetables play a secondary role to the cream of something soup, crackers and cheese. Now that the potlucks are nearly over, I’ll be returning to those naked vegetable dishes that let their natural colors and flavors set the tone. I can taste those roasted vegetables already!
Third, the holidays wouldn’t be such a special food time without the loads of candies and cookies that everyone associates with the season. Each family has a specialty, something dear that grandma always made or that Mom has perfected through the years. We still have three tins of those delights on our dining room table, along with a pie made from real pumpkin in the refrigerator. I’ve been generally avoiding most of it (notice I only said most, not all!) because as I’ve been recovering my health I’m reminded of how refined sugar can deplete the immune system. I would rather be healthy for the New Year instead of having my sweet tooth pacified.
As I look to 2011, my food challenges are to eat only when hungry, cherish naked vegetables and keep sweets in their place, which isn’t in my desk drawer. What are your food challenges for 2011?
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Vegetables in winter provide inspiration for pasta variations
The world outside my door has been white all week with a glistening armor of ice protecting its purity. Here and there the ice breaks up as we walk on it, pound it with shovels, throw down de-icer, but the icicles still hang from the garage roof and I continue to walk cautiously when I go out.
My previously green garden is so glaringly white that it’s hard to imagine how it looked just two months ago. But when I pick up the jars of re-hydrated vegetables on my kitchen counter some of that memory returns. I wanted a quick supper to prepare last night so I turned to a long-time favorite—pasta with a mock Alfredo sauce. It’s a 15-minute recipe made with cream cheese, butter and Parmesan (yes, full of fat although you can do as I did and use a lower-fat cream cheese like Neufchatel. I can use this dish to please myself and my husband even when we might have two different cravings.
Last night was no different. I wanted vegetables and found two of them in my jars of dried vegetables. I re-hydrated beets and tomatoes to toss in with the pasta and picked out a bag of locally-grown spinach from the refrigerator for a green addition. I tossed that all together with whole-wheat linguine then added the Alfredo sauce. It looked quite appetizing, but I wasn’t finished.
I knew I needed a little more protein but didn’t want meat so I toasted walnuts to top my dish. My husband, however, is a seafood lover so I unthawed shrimp to add to his, thus giving us each a variation to make us happy.
Pasta is an easy way to please just about anyone in the family. You can even set it up as a pasta bar if you like, allowing each person to choose what they’ll throw into their mix. Re-hydrated or unthawed and warmed vegetables plus whatever might be in season can provide several variations that you can offer with chicken, meatballs or seafood. It’s fun and it tastes good, especially when you need a reminder of those good vegetables you put so much time and energy into growing and preserving this year.
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