SUGARING TIME

As you may have noticed, I love maple syrup.  I use it whenever possible, and love substituting it for sugar whenever I can in recipes.  Our house is always stocked with it, and in fact, I start to get anxious when we run out.  So, it only makes sense that we would try our hand at harvesting our very own sap to make maple syrup.  To our dismay, we only have three (small) maples on our property.  That hasn't stopped us from purchasing three spiles and tapping away.  Going around to each tree to empty the buckets of sap is one of the highlights of my day.  Right now, all the sap is gathering in our fridge until the weekend when the big boil down occurs.......

Did you know that maple sap makes for a refreshing beverage right out of the tree?  Oh indeed!  And so even without a chemical analysis of it, I can pretty much guarantee it is full of electrolytes and life giving energy to give you just the boost you need this spring.  If drinking it straight up isn't your thing, try replacing it for water in your favorite recipes....oatmeal, coffee, tea and more!

SPROUTS OF SPRING

All the excitement over the first signs of spring have inspired me to start sprouting again.  I seem to go in phases when it comes to sprouting.  I think sprouts are especially good in the spring, as their vibrant energy helps our bodies get in gear for the warmer weather.  Growing your own sprouts is farming essentially, only you do it indoors, which also makes them great winter crops to supplement the heavier fare of winter. I could go on and on about sprouts, but instead I'll just share you an excerpt from my new book!  Yes, that's right I am writing a book which is almost complete!  So exciting.  All I can say about it now is that it is basically a renegade homemakers guide to living.......will keep you posted on it's developments as they unfold..
Sprouting is a wonderful and easy way to grow some of your own food year round.  Not only are sprouts tasty, they are very nutritious.  Sprouts are concentrated natural sources of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, trace minerals, amino acids and proteins.  Growing your own sprouts reduces the amount of packaging that store bought ones come in, not to mention the carbon footprint associated with shipping fresh produce to stores.  Homegrown sprouts are also always fresh, and a rewarding experience to grow!
What can be sprouted?
Although most people are only familiar with alfalfa sprouts and asian bean sprouts, there are so many wonderful sprouts you can grow:
* alfalfa
* broccoli
* lentils
* radish
* red clover
* mung beans
*onion

METHODS OF SPROUTING
There are so many ways to sprout seeds, depending on the tool you use.  I personally prefer sprouting in a glass mason jar and in a specially designed sprouting tray that has perforated hole in the bottom.  When I am growing sunflower sprouts, I start the seeds in a mason jar and then transfer them to a tray filled with soil.

MASON JAR METHOD
1. Soak the Seeds: Not all seeds require this step. If they do, fill the jar with seeds and water, twirl the water in the jar, pout water out and repeat until the water runs clear.  Fill the jar with cool water and leave to soak for 8-12 hours.
2. Rinsing and Draining: Drain the water out of the jar, fill it with cool water, twirl the water.  Pour off the water and repeat once or twice more.  Rinse 2-3 times daily.  When you are done rinsing, you need to get as much of the water out of the jar as possible.  Turn the jar over and shake until all the water is gone.
3. Sprouting: Place the jar face down at an angle between the times you are rinsing and draining.  You can use a dish rack or high-rimmed bowl for this purpose.  Be sure that the jar is placed in a low light area.  When the sprouts are done and big enough to eat, you can move them to a brighter area of your kitchen, but never in direct sunlight.  Placing them in more light will cause the leaves to turn green, which is a good thing.  Refrigerate the sprouts to slow the growth rate and keep them fresh until you eat them.

SPROUTING TRAYS

Growing sprouts in a tray is very similar to growing them in a jar.
1. Soak the seeds in a jar as outlined above.
2. Rinse and drain the seeds in the sprouting tray.  The perforated holes will allow the water to drain out.  Be sure all the water is removed from the tray.
3. Cover the tray with a damp cloth in a dimly lit part of your kitchen.  Be sure to rinse and drain 2-3 times a day.
4. Sprouting: When the sprouts reach the desired height, remove the cloth and move them to an area of the kitchen with more light to green off your plants.  When done, store sprouts in a container in the refrigerator.

GROWING GREENS

The difference between sprouts and greens is that sprouts are eaten root and all, whereas greens are harvested and you only eat the greens!  Greens also differ from sprouts in that they require soil to grow.
The most popular greens to grow are sunflower, buckwheat, and pea.
1. Pre-Sprout the Seeds: Most seeds need to be soaked and pre-sprouted until they grow a root of about 1/8-1/3-inch long.
2. Growing Medium:  Fill a shallow tray with organic potting soil.  It is not necessary that the tray have holes.  Spread the seeds evenly over the moistened soil.  Store the tray in low light at room temperature.  Water lightly every morning until the greens are 2-3 inches long.
3. Sun Your Plants: Move the tray to a well-lit area out of direct sunlight.  They should be ready in a few day.
4. Harvest: Use scissors to cut the greens off above soil level.  Store them in the refrigerator until you are ready to eat them.  Some of the sprouts may not be ready to harvest yet, so just let them grow some more.  You will be able to harvest a few times before all the seeds are spent.

GROWING GRASSES

The increase in popularity of juice bars, raw foods, and healthy living has introduced people to the benefits of grass juices.  You have probably heard of wheatgrass juice, the very concentrated green liquid often consumed straight up like a shot, or mixed into smoothies.  Wheatgrass juice is believed to help cleanse the lymph system, restore balance in the body, help remove toxic metals from the cells, and restore vitality.  In addition to wheat, many people grow and juice other grains like spelt, rye, and barley.

The best way to juice grasses are with a hand-cranked or automatic wheat grass juicer that acts as a press that slowly extracts the juice from each blade of grass.  Using a wheat grass juicer is preferable because it does not destroy the enzymes with high speed.  Grasses are grown exactly the same way as greens, but must be consumed and juiced immediately, or very shortly after harvesting.

SPRING IS HERE!

Happy Spring Equinox!  After a long winter of hibernating and gestating, I am so glad spring is here.  To celebrate the first day of spring, the sun shone brightly and I cleaned my house.  Nothing says spring like a little spring cleaning.  Oh, and nothing says spring like fresh local spinach at the Farmer's Market.  I can't tell you how excited I was to see that.  To top off my excitement about the spinach, I was delighted to see it being sold in bulk, so no plastic bag!  Woo hoo.  I filled a paper bag and have been happily consuming spinach at every meal thus far.  Spinach in my crepes this morning, spinach in my tomato salad last night, spinach salad for supper tonight......mmmmmmmm spring.  Oh, I also came home from the market with some local, pesticide free, greenhouse tomatoes yesterday too.  I can't wait to see what else is in store at the market next week.  But until then, I am content to still eat winter squash.  It shined tonight next to our Equinox feast of Lemon Chicken and Spinach Salad.  That is the beauty of spring.  Just as the days are still sometimes gray and cold, the sun still feels that much warmer.  The gradual shift from winter to summer is what spring is all about, and so our diet should reflect this too.  The slow emergence of spring's bounty mingles beautifully with the last few remains of fall's harvest.

SPINACH SALAD with a Yogurt Pear Vinaigrette

1/2 pound local organic spinach, washed and torn

1 organic carrot, grated

a sprinkle of organic sunflower seeds

3 Tbsp organic whole milk yogurt

2 Tbsp e.v olive oil

1 Tbsp organic pear cider vinegar

1/2 Tbsp local honey

sea salt and pepper

Method:  Whisk the yogurt, oil, vinegar, honey, sea salt, and pepper in a bowl.  Drizzle it on salad.  Serve.

GREEK LEMON CHICKEN

4 organic chicken thighs

1 clove organic garlic, minced

juice of half an organic lemon

3 Tbsp e.v olive oil

1 Tbsp dried organic oregano

sea salt and pepper

Method:  Preheat oven to 375*.  Marinate chicken pieces in the lemon juice, olive oil, and oregano in the fridge for 2-4 hours.  When ready to cook, sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Drain the chicken from the marinade and cook in the oven for about 30 minutes or until juices run clear and skin is browned.

BABIES AND BACON

I really miss my blog.  It has been so long since I've posted any new recipes and updates on my life.  But we've been a little busy baking a baby.  And he's here!  Welcome Jude, we just want to eat you up.  As you can imagine, life is a little hectic here at times with two wee ones to take care of.  We are slowly getting into a rhythm, but sadly making exciting food is last on the list of things to do.  We've been finding ourselves eating leftovers for a few days actually, so I've spared you the details of those fancy meals.  The other day I managed to fry up some bacon, slather a couple of croissants with dijon, melt cheese and slice apple for some lunch sandwiches, which I then had to eat with a crying baby in a sling as I dropped croissant flakes all over him as I ate standing up.  I didn't even have a chance to change the lens on my camera to get a good picture.......I am going to share it with you nonetheless....

  

GRANOLA

I can't believe I haven't shared this recipe for granola with you yet.  I've been making this recipe for many, many years, and I never seem to get tired of it.  I mean, it is a good idea to take a break from eating it, I like to rotate what I eat for breakfast.  Most granola recipes only use sweeteners and oils for wetting agents, which I find result in a granola that gets kind of burnt and doesn't stick together in chunks at all.  This one uses water or fruit juice to moisten the oats which results in the odd crunchy cluster.  This may sound strange, but one of my favorite ways of eating this cereal is with rice milk poured all over it, grated apple and blueberries.  I let it sit for about an hour, which makes it all nice and soft.  It is also great in yogurt with berries and apple as well.

MAPLE HEMP NUT GRANOLA

(Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall)

8 cups organic rolled oats (I like to use mostly quick oats with some larger flakes thrown into the mix)

1 cup organic raw sunflower seeds

1 ½ cups organic almonds, chopped

1 cup organic hemp nuts

1 cup organic unsweetened shredded coconut

¼ cup organic flax seeds

1 tsp organic cinnamon, ground

½ cup organic vegetable oil

1 cup local maple syrup

½ cup organic brown rice syrup

2 cups water or organic apple juice/cider

Optional: 1 tsp pure organic vanilla exract

½ tsp pure organic almond extract

Optional additions once the cereal is cooked:  organic raisins, cranberries, goji berries, dried apple pieces

Method:  Preheat oven to 300*.  Combine all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.  In a smaller bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients.   Stir the wet ingredients into the dry.  Spread cereal onto two large baking sheets lined with parchment paper and bake in the oven until cereal begins to brown lightly, making sure to stir every 15 minutes or so.  It should take about an hour.  Store in an airtight container, preferably in the refrigerator.

COZY KITCHEN CURRIED LENTIL SOUP

To be honest, I haven't been much inspired to make supper this last leg of my pregnancy journey.  Estimated date of arrival of the new babe is in six days and I find myself lugging myself into the kitchen each night trying to figure out what to make.  Thank goodness my mom is arriving today, I look forward to passing the wooden spoon over to her for a little while.  Hope she doesn't mind!  

     Soup seems to be making an appearance on our menu more often than not these days.  I suppose that might have something to do with me trying to use up what ingredients we already have in the house, coupled with my insistence on only buying what is seasonal.  So we have been eating lots of squash, kale, carrots, and other wintry goods, which just so happen to make good soup too.  We eat a lot of lentil soup around here, but I wasn't much interested in a tomato based soup (all our stews and soups tend to have tomato in them) so opted for a curried lentil variety.  I love eating soups the next day for lunch too.

I had a great photo of this soup on file, but lost a bunch of my photos yesterday when I was trying to clean up my files..........

CURRIED LENTIL SOUP

2 cup organic green lentils

1 cup organic red lentils

1 Tbsp organic coconut oil

1 tsp organic black mustard seeds

1 large organic onion, diced

2 organic bay leaves

3 clove organic garlic, minced

3 Tbsp fresh organic ginger, minced

1 tsp organic cumin, ground

2 tsp organic coriander, ground

1 tsp organic paprika, ground

1/2 tsp organic turmeric, ground

2 organic carrots, chopped

5 leaves organic kale, chopped

2 cups organic butternut squash, cut into small cubes

1 organic rutabaga, cut into small cubes

8-10 cups organic chicken or vegetable stock or water

sea salt and black pepper to taste

Method:  If possible, allow lentils to soak in water overnight with a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar.  Drain and rinse.  Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Saute the onions for a couple of minutes and then add the mustard seeds.  When they pop, add the carrots, squash, rutabaga, ginger, and remaining spices and cook for 5 minutes.  Stir in the garlic, lentils and stock.  Bring to a boil and reduce heat and cook partially covered until the lentils are soft.  Stir in the kale, salt and pepper to taste, and cook until soft, about 10-15 minutes.  

OATMEAL BREAD

Today was a perfect bread baking day.  An overcast January morning, lots of rain, and a big baby belly that just wants to cozy up by the fire and knit.  Although I've been subsisting on lots of delicious homemade sourdough bread the past few months, I often make the rest of the family a few loaves of delicious yeast breads to have on hand in the freezer.  Every now and then I like to make this rich Oatmeal Bread instead of our regular whole wheat loaf.  The gooey molasses adds a deep dark hue to this oatmeal studded bread.  Kind of chewy, and deeply delicious.  The perfect snack on a winter day, smothered in salty butter.  The best part of winter bread baking is setting the bread to rise by the fire while I rock my self into knitting heaven....

OATMEAL BREAD

2 cups organic large flake oatmeal

2 cups boiling water

1/2 cup organic molasses

(1/2 cup coconut sugar - optional - this will make a sweet loaf)

1 Tbsp sea salt

1/2 cup organic butter

1/2 cup lukewarm water

4 tsp instant yeast

5-6 cups organic flour (I used mostly whole wheat with some unbleached white)

Method:  Pour the boiling water over the oats, stir, and then add the molasses (sugar), sea salt, and butter.  Let cool to lukewarm.  Meanwhile, dissolve the yeast in the warm water.  Using a wooden spoon, stir in the flour, a few cups at a time, and then scrape the dough onto a well floured surface, sprinkle it with flour and knead it. Gather the dough together in your hands and push it away from you with your palms. Fold it in half towards you, then turn and turn and repeat pushing, folding, and turning, sprinkling flour on the dough to keep it from sticking, this may take up to a cupful more. Keep kneading for several minutes, until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.

After kneading, put the dough in a large oiled bowl, and flip to coat both sides with oil. Cover the bowl with a pot lid, and place in a warm place (near a woodstove or in a gas oven that has a pilot light).  Let it rise for 1 to 2 hours, or until the dough has doubled. Punch the dough down to remove air bubbles, then divide into 2 parts. Shape each into a loaf and place into a greased loaf pan. Cover each loaf with a large upturned mixing bowl and return to a warm place again to rise the second time. The loaves should double, about 1 hour. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 25 minutes. When bread is golden brown on top and bottom and bread sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom, it is done.