times when i ate gluten and dairy, i would snack on buttered toast or grilled cheese when i was too hungry to cook. now, i make things more like this.
while i toasted a rice tortilla in the toaster, i got all the toppings out. easy peasy.
pea shoots, cilantro pesto (my mom made it earlier, cilantro, pine nuts, salt, olive oil, i think that's it) hummus (store bought) and hot sauce. yum. snack on.
9.7.10
simple snack/light meal
8.7.10
garden update,early july
so, its easy to see that i planted late as my luscious little growing things are dwarfed by other local gardens. its ok, though, they're growing as well as they can.
cherry tomatoes have green future fruits, a couple of other tomatoes have flowers, as well as the zucchini, cucumbers, and musk melon.
also, my ground cherries have little husk pod things, like tomatillos do. last year, i had to give away my plants when i moved out of my apartment in august, and i gave away my ground cherries, which were assumed to be tomatillos and were consumed as such. so, i'm not sure what to expect from them. they're called pineapple ground cherries, so i assumed they would resemble one of those fruits in taste....
my brassicas were all chewed up. i pulled two caterpillars (cabbage worm) off two broccoli plants, and four more off the brussels sprouts. i am not sure if they are going to do well, they were pretty eaten up, plus they haven't grown much since i put them in the ground over a month ago... i hope they do. also, caterpillar poop is kind of cool looking, little green balls...
also, every eggplant plant i planted (plant a plant, plantyplants) has major bug bites. the leaves look like lace. i wonder why! i planted all the nightshades together, with aromatic herbs all about, and marigolds as well, with some carrots in between. i read that this was a way to repel the bad bugs. apparently, the eggplants are too delicious for the insects to resist... there is minimal damage to a few tomato leaves, and surprisingly to some basil, too, which i thought was unnatractive to leaf-eaters... apparently not. i hope some eggplants come up anyway, as i planted a variety of colors and shapes, and i just love eating things that look pretty and different. imagine the pretty kebabs! i rubbed all the leaves, hoping to kill any bugs i can't see. fingers crossed it works.
tomorrow, i'll sprinkle them with cayenne and hope that helps, too. i know its good for keeping animals away, not sure about insects... vinegar? does that work? soap? i've heard these things help... anyone? experience?
check out the little baby cornfield bed! there are like a hundred plants in here. 2 types, blue iriquois sweet corn and bloody butcher. i couldnt resist. i hope there will be speckly purple corn in the middle.
love <3
cherry tomatoes have green future fruits, a couple of other tomatoes have flowers, as well as the zucchini, cucumbers, and musk melon.
also, my ground cherries have little husk pod things, like tomatillos do. last year, i had to give away my plants when i moved out of my apartment in august, and i gave away my ground cherries, which were assumed to be tomatillos and were consumed as such. so, i'm not sure what to expect from them. they're called pineapple ground cherries, so i assumed they would resemble one of those fruits in taste....
my brassicas were all chewed up. i pulled two caterpillars (cabbage worm) off two broccoli plants, and four more off the brussels sprouts. i am not sure if they are going to do well, they were pretty eaten up, plus they haven't grown much since i put them in the ground over a month ago... i hope they do. also, caterpillar poop is kind of cool looking, little green balls...
also, every eggplant plant i planted (plant a plant, plantyplants) has major bug bites. the leaves look like lace. i wonder why! i planted all the nightshades together, with aromatic herbs all about, and marigolds as well, with some carrots in between. i read that this was a way to repel the bad bugs. apparently, the eggplants are too delicious for the insects to resist... there is minimal damage to a few tomato leaves, and surprisingly to some basil, too, which i thought was unnatractive to leaf-eaters... apparently not. i hope some eggplants come up anyway, as i planted a variety of colors and shapes, and i just love eating things that look pretty and different. imagine the pretty kebabs! i rubbed all the leaves, hoping to kill any bugs i can't see. fingers crossed it works.
tomorrow, i'll sprinkle them with cayenne and hope that helps, too. i know its good for keeping animals away, not sure about insects... vinegar? does that work? soap? i've heard these things help... anyone? experience?
check out the little baby cornfield bed! there are like a hundred plants in here. 2 types, blue iriquois sweet corn and bloody butcher. i couldnt resist. i hope there will be speckly purple corn in the middle.
love <3
26.6.10
singing a song
here's a song i wrote while working on my friend's farm (one woman farm) last autumn. (read about it here:bigskydandelion, september 09
let's go to bed like carrots in the ground
carrots in the ground sleep so sound
ooh let's be carrots in the ground
let's go to sleep like weeds under the sea
weeds under the sea swaying in our dreams
ooh let's be weeds under the sea
let's make love like flowers do with bees
flowers and bees make the honey sweet
oh, let's be flowers, let's be bees
let's float along like dandelion seeds
dandelion seeds carried on the breeze
oh, let's be dandelion seeds.
let's go to bed like carrots in the ground
carrots in the ground sleep so sound
ooh let's be carrots in the ground
let's go to sleep like weeds under the sea
weeds under the sea swaying in our dreams
ooh let's be weeds under the sea
let's make love like flowers do with bees
flowers and bees make the honey sweet
oh, let's be flowers, let's be bees
let's float along like dandelion seeds
dandelion seeds carried on the breeze
oh, let's be dandelion seeds.
22.6.10
july pie
here is a fun, festive, delicious project. it took precious time, but the end product was decadent and well-enjoyed. make this! its fun!
gluten free, vegan, made without sugar. mostly raw. made with so much love.
each layer was put in the food processor (except the garnish layer)
crust: dates, macs, almonds, vanilla bean, himalayan sea salt- pulse quickly, leaving the nuts chunky. use just enough dates to make it stick together.
thick chocolayer: avocado, cacao powder, agave nectar, cayenne (a pinch)- blend until smooth.
thin fruit layer: fresh raspberries, dehydrated watermelon, process well.
extra thin spontaneous layer: fresh mint, agave, lime juice, tiniest bit of fresh ginger, not really necessary, but added a little zing. process well.
creamy layer: coconut milk, lime juice, agave, ground fresh mint- this works well if you keep the coconut oil in the freezer for an hour or so, not to completely freeze it, but make sure its creamy. if your coconut milk separates into clearer watery stuff and cream, just use the cream. process to smooth. break the mint down on its own before adding everything else.
garnish: dehydrated watermelon slices cut into stars with cookie cutters + fresh chocolate mint.
i found it incredibly delicious. i never made anything like this before so i was nervous putting it out there for my friends and family, but the response was almost unanimously in love.
20.6.10
botany of desire
watch this movie: the botany of desire
featuring michael pollan, narrated by frances mcdormand, this film talks about how certain plants (apples, marijuana, potatoes, tulips) and humans depend upon each other, and manipulate the other to serve its own needs. its really interesting and a fun way to look at the evolution of species. enjoy!
featuring michael pollan, narrated by frances mcdormand, this film talks about how certain plants (apples, marijuana, potatoes, tulips) and humans depend upon each other, and manipulate the other to serve its own needs. its really interesting and a fun way to look at the evolution of species. enjoy!
28.5.10
smooth like butter
there's nothing like butter. since i don't eat bread, either, its not really a big deal. there was a time when i would occasionally treat myself to gluten-free waffles with earth balance or some such not-butter spreads. i always felt weird about it, not being a big fan of soy products. after soy, there's the canola business, which also makes me wonder. canola is a hybridized form of rapeseed, often genetically engineered. these things raise flags. i hate to eat things i feel weird about.
but occasionally you get that hankering. maybe your neighbor gave you a batch of homemade fig jam, or perhaps you've concocted a sensational vegan, gluten-free cornbread, which begs some melty goodness atop. who says we can't all have our toast and butter it, too?
at thanksgiving, i made pumpkin pie and had to find a substitute for the gobs of butter in the recipe. i wanted a delicious crust, and a delicious crust i had! my concoction has passed taste tests on all sorts of butter-begging goodies. it does NOT taste just like butter. but it IS delicious, spreadable, smooth, melty, and SO deliciously satisfying in its own right. and it is super super simple to make, having only two ingredients.
the secret?
coconut oil and nutritional yeast. that is all. i blend it in a food processor and put it back in the coconut oil container. once, i added a little apple cider vinegar, which i found delicious, but my mom disagreed. so, suit yourself.
i just can't keep it to myself, so yummy.
but occasionally you get that hankering. maybe your neighbor gave you a batch of homemade fig jam, or perhaps you've concocted a sensational vegan, gluten-free cornbread, which begs some melty goodness atop. who says we can't all have our toast and butter it, too?
at thanksgiving, i made pumpkin pie and had to find a substitute for the gobs of butter in the recipe. i wanted a delicious crust, and a delicious crust i had! my concoction has passed taste tests on all sorts of butter-begging goodies. it does NOT taste just like butter. but it IS delicious, spreadable, smooth, melty, and SO deliciously satisfying in its own right. and it is super super simple to make, having only two ingredients.
the secret?
coconut oil and nutritional yeast. that is all. i blend it in a food processor and put it back in the coconut oil container. once, i added a little apple cider vinegar, which i found delicious, but my mom disagreed. so, suit yourself.
i just can't keep it to myself, so yummy.
15.5.10
things i've been up to
a card i made for the lovely caitie koch before she away'ed to panama. (more cards)
wild mint for smoking, drying on the bureau
all dry
right before i smush my toes in the mucky part. mmmmm.
growing babies! mostly tomatoes. the garden peach variety is doing well! some holy basil, 5 other types of tomatoes, 3 varieties of eggplant (i'm excited for the turkish orange variety)... genovese and lettuce leaf basils, marigolds, white cucumbers, hmmm.... and i guess we'll see what else comes up... its hard in the house, there's no good place for them to get a lot of light. this house has porches on the east and west sides which block sun from the windows, and only tiny windows to the south. also, i am gone 3 or more days a week, so its hard to make sure they're doing well. i give them lots of love while i'm here though. and i send them good vibes from far away. (if you haven't, you must read the secret life of plants)
my dad and i have been digging and building, and soon they'll be at home in the ground. fence in progress.
meanwhile i have to move them around the house to catch the light.
6.5.10
holes in my moccassins
we're getting ready to build raised beds at my parents' house this weekend. of the hundred plus seeds i planted, about 10 of them popped up. i work far away for 3 days a week, and i often go down to baltimore or elsewhere on my 4-day weekends, so i only spend random time at my folks' where the plants are. i've got plenty of guilt over being a neglectful plant mom. dense potting soil, mold, lack of enough sunlight, overwatering when wrongly guessing on weather patterns, and simple lack of attention resulted in the poor showing i got this year. i planted a new tray of mostly tomatoes last week, but that one doesnt look that promising either. its hard being rootless and away, and trying to raise up a garden. i may have to buy seedlings at a farm or something. we'll see. anyway. i hope at least the garden peach seeds come up. they are my favorite.
this morning i watched a groundhog eating the tall dandelion stems in the yard. now i know why they're called hogs. that guy ate like a little oinky pig. it was super cute. he was smart to be in our yard. my parents had a fully disturbed dirt yard after building a new house about 5 years ago. they never planted grass, so our yard is all weeds and grass that came in on its own. a lot of wonderful weeds. the groundhog was wiser than i- i wish i collected a bunch of dandelion leaves to eat before my dad mowed this afternoon. i did, however, get to collect a bunch of wild mint leaves, which are drying in my room. i'm planning to smoke them. i haven't smoked cigarettes in about 3 weeks, but i've gone that distance and way more before. i like smoking, i just hate how it makes me feel. so, i'm drying the mint to roll into cigarette papers, for a harmless smoke. mullein and sage are also good herbs for smoking. smoking mullein can actually help reverse lung damage from smoking cigarettes, and can help with asthma and bronchitis. sweet. i haven't seen any mullein growing in this yard, though i do know where i've seen it in past years, so i'll probably bring that into my new smoking habit soon, too. you can smoke most dried leaves, so i may experiment with different blends in the future. for now i'm into the wild mint. i bruised a few leaves and enjoyed them in my sparkling red wine. yum.
i've started carrying a bag in my back pocket for foraging. this encourages me to actually do it more, instead of making mental maps of where i see edible things i recognize. i'd like to go on a weed walk soon, with the Wildman. i went once, when i was ten or so. i think i'd get much more out of it now. also, i'm ordering these books by Samuel Thayer.
i want to start using road kill, not to eat. for craft. preparing small leathers or furs and burying their remains into the soil appeals to me more than to see them decay on the asphalt. this has been a goal for awhile and i'm only baby steps closer. on one drive back from baltimore i kept thinking about stopping for the next big dead bird i found. i always think about doing that while i'm driving, but i'm usually going so fast on the highway that its hard to decide to stop and act with the right timing before it just seems like a silly thing to do. so, but this time, i was prepared. right before i found the big, dead, turkey vulture, i knew i was about to find it. i felt it about to happen, so i actually slowed the car a little before i found it, and pulled over not 20 yards past.
from the safety of my moving vehicle, it seemed like an easy task- go collect feathers! not so, my friend. those feathers don't just pop off their wings. this great bird had to be a recent kill. i had a feeling if i laid my hands on its body, it would have a trace of warmth. i didn't. i was afraid of bugs and bird disease. i pick up feathers all the time, mind you. off of any ground. city, forest, chicken coop. i have hundreds of feathers on my craft desk. but i was spooked a bit. i tugged on some of the outer feathers to no avail. i realized i would need tools in the future, to do this seriously. plastic gloves, for sure. ziplock bags. scissors, perhaps, maybe. this time, i collected a few of the loose feathers that were around it, moved the body from the asphalt to the grass, and gave thanks. the feathers i kept had tiny mites on them. i shook them off and wrapped them in a plastic shopping bag from the floor in my car. i washed them in soap and water when i got home. three very long, brown, striped feathers, and a tiny one.
the other baby step is that i've got an email address for an artist who i know through 2 degrees of separation, who uses furs from roadkill in her work. i'm not exactly sure what to ask her, yet. i'm sure i'll figure that out soon.
anyway. happy spring. eat it all! ramps, field onions, violets, and dandelions!
<3jacqueline p.s. here's a great post on digging up dandelion roots and making dandelion coffee. (what in the wild?!)
this morning i watched a groundhog eating the tall dandelion stems in the yard. now i know why they're called hogs. that guy ate like a little oinky pig. it was super cute. he was smart to be in our yard. my parents had a fully disturbed dirt yard after building a new house about 5 years ago. they never planted grass, so our yard is all weeds and grass that came in on its own. a lot of wonderful weeds. the groundhog was wiser than i- i wish i collected a bunch of dandelion leaves to eat before my dad mowed this afternoon. i did, however, get to collect a bunch of wild mint leaves, which are drying in my room. i'm planning to smoke them. i haven't smoked cigarettes in about 3 weeks, but i've gone that distance and way more before. i like smoking, i just hate how it makes me feel. so, i'm drying the mint to roll into cigarette papers, for a harmless smoke. mullein and sage are also good herbs for smoking. smoking mullein can actually help reverse lung damage from smoking cigarettes, and can help with asthma and bronchitis. sweet. i haven't seen any mullein growing in this yard, though i do know where i've seen it in past years, so i'll probably bring that into my new smoking habit soon, too. you can smoke most dried leaves, so i may experiment with different blends in the future. for now i'm into the wild mint. i bruised a few leaves and enjoyed them in my sparkling red wine. yum.
i've started carrying a bag in my back pocket for foraging. this encourages me to actually do it more, instead of making mental maps of where i see edible things i recognize. i'd like to go on a weed walk soon, with the Wildman. i went once, when i was ten or so. i think i'd get much more out of it now. also, i'm ordering these books by Samuel Thayer.
i want to start using road kill, not to eat. for craft. preparing small leathers or furs and burying their remains into the soil appeals to me more than to see them decay on the asphalt. this has been a goal for awhile and i'm only baby steps closer. on one drive back from baltimore i kept thinking about stopping for the next big dead bird i found. i always think about doing that while i'm driving, but i'm usually going so fast on the highway that its hard to decide to stop and act with the right timing before it just seems like a silly thing to do. so, but this time, i was prepared. right before i found the big, dead, turkey vulture, i knew i was about to find it. i felt it about to happen, so i actually slowed the car a little before i found it, and pulled over not 20 yards past.
from the safety of my moving vehicle, it seemed like an easy task- go collect feathers! not so, my friend. those feathers don't just pop off their wings. this great bird had to be a recent kill. i had a feeling if i laid my hands on its body, it would have a trace of warmth. i didn't. i was afraid of bugs and bird disease. i pick up feathers all the time, mind you. off of any ground. city, forest, chicken coop. i have hundreds of feathers on my craft desk. but i was spooked a bit. i tugged on some of the outer feathers to no avail. i realized i would need tools in the future, to do this seriously. plastic gloves, for sure. ziplock bags. scissors, perhaps, maybe. this time, i collected a few of the loose feathers that were around it, moved the body from the asphalt to the grass, and gave thanks. the feathers i kept had tiny mites on them. i shook them off and wrapped them in a plastic shopping bag from the floor in my car. i washed them in soap and water when i got home. three very long, brown, striped feathers, and a tiny one.
the other baby step is that i've got an email address for an artist who i know through 2 degrees of separation, who uses furs from roadkill in her work. i'm not exactly sure what to ask her, yet. i'm sure i'll figure that out soon.
anyway. happy spring. eat it all! ramps, field onions, violets, and dandelions!
<3jacqueline p.s. here's a great post on digging up dandelion roots and making dandelion coffee. (what in the wild?!)
29.4.10
april showers of love
the internet is a crazy place. humans are so interesting and complex. and boring, too. there is such a vast amount of information, colors, ideas, links and connections... somehow we navigate, and each follow some unique path. here are some sights along the way i'd love to share:
my house, by leriverrose
chocolate, oh chocolate. chocolovely love. by now, most people are aware of the beautiful, health-giving properties of this super, indeed, food. cacao, itself, is good for the heart/blood/vessels, is high in antioxidants, has magnesium, iron, and phosphorous, regulates insulin levels, can inhibit cancer growth, and on and on... blah... SO GOOD! EAT YOUR CHOCOLATE!
but wait---- what's in your chocolate? refined sugar? buttermilk solids? soy lecithin? how much chocolate is in your chocolate?
try to eat the darkest chocolate you can find, with the highest quality ingredients. here, i've found it: gnosis chocolate a RAW food chocolate of superior ingredients, chosen carefully by vanessa barg to be the most healthful ingredients, acquired in the most ethical way.
i just received my case of supercounselor bars which are jam-packed with super super foods. tulsi (holy basil) cat's claw, ashwaganda, reishi mushrooms... its a crazy amzing thing. and its delicious. silky and satisfying. i'm going to give them out to some moms i know, for a certain, arbitrary, spring holiday that's on its way.
ps-peep the chocoblog
Delaware Phoenix Absinthe.... i read about this in the recent
edible hudson valley (click and fing the Edible for your community! full of info on farms, restaurants, and other slow-food style projects in your area)...
delaware phoenix absinthe sounds like a beautiful beverage. the second of two versions, "meadow of love" is distilled as such: "The core six herbs are grand wormwood, anise, fennel, roman wormwood, hyssop, and lemon balm in different proportions than the Walton Waters. The seventh herb is violet." (walton waters is the other, more traditional of the two absinthe varieties available. for now, these elixirs are only available locally in NY's hudson valley and some places in NYC (see the website for details) but online ordering seems to be coming soon. I'm going up to Rhinebeck, NY to purchase some. *edit:demand is high, supply is low. still waiting for my taste... artisan wine shop in beacon, ny, will be carrying it in a week or two. i'm excited. now, i'm looking into home-distilling...
erin gleeson keeps a wonderful blog, Let's Be Self-Sufficient, where she has been detailing her backyard chicken coop, home-brewing gluten-free beer (!), making soap, and other such forays. she's supercute and funny, to boot. check it!
much love.
p.s. its prime time for preparing dandelion wine
my house, by leriverrosechocolate, oh chocolate. chocolovely love. by now, most people are aware of the beautiful, health-giving properties of this super, indeed, food. cacao, itself, is good for the heart/blood/vessels, is high in antioxidants, has magnesium, iron, and phosphorous, regulates insulin levels, can inhibit cancer growth, and on and on... blah... SO GOOD! EAT YOUR CHOCOLATE!
but wait---- what's in your chocolate? refined sugar? buttermilk solids? soy lecithin? how much chocolate is in your chocolate?
try to eat the darkest chocolate you can find, with the highest quality ingredients. here, i've found it: gnosis chocolate a RAW food chocolate of superior ingredients, chosen carefully by vanessa barg to be the most healthful ingredients, acquired in the most ethical way.
i just received my case of supercounselor bars which are jam-packed with super super foods. tulsi (holy basil) cat's claw, ashwaganda, reishi mushrooms... its a crazy amzing thing. and its delicious. silky and satisfying. i'm going to give them out to some moms i know, for a certain, arbitrary, spring holiday that's on its way.
ps-peep the chocoblog
Delaware Phoenix Absinthe.... i read about this in the recent
edible hudson valley (click and fing the Edible for your community! full of info on farms, restaurants, and other slow-food style projects in your area)... delaware phoenix absinthe sounds like a beautiful beverage. the second of two versions, "meadow of love" is distilled as such: "The core six herbs are grand wormwood, anise, fennel, roman wormwood, hyssop, and lemon balm in different proportions than the Walton Waters. The seventh herb is violet." (walton waters is the other, more traditional of the two absinthe varieties available. for now, these elixirs are only available locally in NY's hudson valley and some places in NYC (see the website for details) but online ordering seems to be coming soon. I'm going up to Rhinebeck, NY to purchase some. *edit:demand is high, supply is low. still waiting for my taste... artisan wine shop in beacon, ny, will be carrying it in a week or two. i'm excited. now, i'm looking into home-distilling...
erin gleeson keeps a wonderful blog, Let's Be Self-Sufficient, where she has been detailing her backyard chicken coop, home-brewing gluten-free beer (!), making soap, and other such forays. she's supercute and funny, to boot. check it!
much love.
p.s. its prime time for preparing dandelion wine
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