Not Quite What I was Aiming For

But I think it still counts as progress. My husband was home for dinner yesterday and it was still light out when we finished. So, we took a tour of the side yard where the garden will live some day. Unfortunately he nixed any grand ideas I had for actually beginning that garden this year. But all is not lost.

Along the fence line around the side yard the previous owner had a flower garden. It had been taken over with weeds during the housing transition, most of which we have pulled out.  There are still some plants here and there – three Rose of Sharons and some others we can’t identify. My husband said he would move one of the Rose of Sharons and tasked me to clear the corner where we want the compost. That means I have to identify those things and figure out what to do with them.

In the meantime, there is plenty of space to plant some veggies, where we have cleared the weeds out. So, I have every intention of doing just that this weekend. Now, I just have to decide what to plant.

It’s Time, It’s Time!

Actually, here in Texas, I’m already behind the curve. But I’m just itching to get out there and start digging and planting. So, since I got to go to the library by myself today, I browsed through the gardening books. It’s looking like this will be a “me, myself, and I” project – well, me & the kid – so I felt I needed some help. I’ve never done the from scratch part. Right now, where the garden will be, is lawn, grass. Yeah, I don’t know what to do with that. My husband always does that part. But, since he’s completely consumed with work and March is over this week, I have to get in there and figure out how to get started. I found a nice stack of books that look like they will be helpful.

The one I started looking at this evening is absolutely hilarious. I am literally laughing out loud while I read. It’s The 20 Minute Vegetable Gardener (Gourmet Gardening for the Rest of Us) by Tom Christopher & Marty Asher. Check out the “Pledge of Allegiance” (minus the explanations):

1. The 20-minute gardener makes every minute count by growing high-impact crops.
2. The 20-minute fruit and vegetable gardener gauges success not by the size of the crop but by the amount of pleasure it delivers.
3. The 20-minute fruit or vegetable must offer a significant improvement over the store-bought alternative.
4. Twenty-minute gardeners don’t fight Nature (they know who will win that battle).
5. Twenty-minute gardeners plant in rows only when planning to harvest by tractor.
6. Twenty-minute gardeners nurture their dirt.
7. Twenty-minute gardeners don’t weed. . . they never let weeds into their gardens.
8. The 20-minute gardener never applies anything to his garden that he would be afraid to get on his hands.
9. The 20-minute gardener can do this because she rarely has to confront bugs.
10. The 20-minute gardener recognizes that the hose is his most important gardening tool, and so wields it with the care it deserves.
11. Mellow gardeners grow better-tasting vegetables.

I can’t wait (rubbing hands together in anticipation).

Here’s a list of the other books I checked out that look helpful, but I haven’t begun to read yet:

• Dirt Cheap Gardening – Hundreds of Ways to Save Money in Your Gardenby Rhonda Massingham Hart
• Texas Gardening – Vegetablesby Dr. Sam Cotner
• Gardening with Children by Beth Richardson
• The Budget Gardener – Twice the Garden for Half the Priceby Maureen Gilmer
• An Illustrated Guide to Organic Gardening – How to Garden in Harmony with Nature by the Editors of Sunset Books

One should be able to find similar books in the local library, if not these. Definately look for the 20-minute gardener. That looks to be a fun read, and tremendously helpful to little ‘ol me. While I’m on the subject, I picked up another wonderful book from Paperback Swap on Herb Gardening: Herbal Remedy Gardens – 38 Plans for Your Health & Well-Being by Dorie Byers. So many ideas and so little time (not to mention budget). None-the-less, I hope to be able to report some progress this time next week. Happy digging in your little plot of the world!

Speaking of Thanksgiving . . .

IT’S NEXT WEEK!!!

This happens to me nearly every year. Somehow Thanksgiving manages to sneak up on me and before I know it I’m behind on inviting and planning the menu. Alas, we have gotten the inviting done. Although I’m always concerned that we might have missed someone.

So, now for the menu. Well, I’ve got the green bean casserole covered. And my son grew a couple of pumpkins in the backyard – pumpkin pie. I’ll likely use the recipe from Nourishing Traditions. I think my in-laws are bringing a turkey. Hey, we’re half way there. I think I’ll probably do something with sweet potatoes. I have a Hawaiian recipe I’ve used many times in the past. It calls for sweet potatoes, though, not yams. I wonder if I can find those? I wonder if I can find the recipe? Well, if I do, I’ll post it here.

What are you doing for Thanksgiving dinner?

Busy in the Kitchen

I’ve had a lot going on in the kitchen, lately, along with the rest of life. I’ve got a stack of recipes I’ve been wanting to post. We’ve been eating pretty good. Since the almonds I mentioned in the last post, I’ve managed to prepare some whey and cream cheese. Once I had my whey I pickled some cucumbers and okra. I also made some mayonnaise. I’ve really been pushing myself the last couple of weeks to, at the minimum, plan out my dinners for the week before going grocery shopping. And, I’ve been utilizing more recipes from the Nourishing Traditions book, as well as the discussingNT Yahoo group.

Now there’s a worthwhile email group. They have been so helpful. When I have a question, I scan the files and search the messages. If I don’t find the answer, then I post my question. It is so helpful to have all those more experienced folks to query. I would strongly encourage anyone interested in healthy food to check out that group. If you haven’t yet read Sally Fallon’s book, Nourishing Traditions, get that first. Then go to the group. You’ll learn tons from both.

Anyway, I seem to be doing much better with dinner. Now to tackle breakfast and lunch. We just used up the last boxed cereal I plan to ever buy. I found a couple of recipes to make my own cereal on the discussingNT group. I made one yesterday and it turned out pretty good. Now I’m set to try the other. I’ve also reintroduced oatmeal. We went a long while without having that tasty breakfast. What I need are some things I can have ready, with little preparation in the morning for G, as he’s leaving around 6:15.

Lunch can be taken care of many days with leftovers from dinner. I’m working on having good choices around for when that does not apply. Weekends are actually more of a challenge with B’s soccer games on Saturday and worship activities on Sunday. G suggested having a brunch ready for when we get home on Saturday (games in the morning). Things like egg casseroles, fruit salads, etc. I’ll have to work on that. For Sunday, I’m planning things that I can prepare the night before or that morning for the crock-pot or oven, or leftovers form the week. We’ll have our big meal mid-day (afternoon), then a snack later in the evening after returning from evening activities.

It’s so great to have all this coming together. I’m loving the farmers market. We don’t lack for fresh vegetables right now. It runs May through November. I’m also amazed at the products available in our local grocery stores – even Walmart. But our HEB is the best. I haven’t had to drive the nearly 10 miles to Whole Foods for a couple of months now.

That’s my update for September. Now, back to the kitchen.

Progress?

I had picked up some raw almonds and actually got around to soaking them and baking them in a warm oven for 24 hours to make Crispy Almonds (Nourishing Traditions recipe). It’s not much, but having those almonds in the pantry ready to snack or use in a recipe feels like progress. I actually used some tonight in some veggies.

And that’s not all. I have been doing some research on what resources are around here and am finding some. I found a local farmer’s market and went out this week. And there I found a source for grass-fed beef! Yes! I ordered a variety pack to pick up next week so we can try them out. I am also on a waiting list for fresh, minimally processed, milk from a grass-fed dairy! They may be able to take me on as early as next month. Yeeha!

These are small steps, indeed. But steps they are – and in the right direction. It makes me feel that I might actually pull off that revolution in the kitchen I’ve been striving for. I have some budget work to do, as well, to see if I can utilize an organic produce service that delivers. How cool would that be? All this has the wheels turning in my head, and plans are starting to develop. Let the revolution begin!

Hanging in There

All my plans for planning had to take a back seat while we moved to a new community. I’m still surrounded by boxes in some rooms here. But I’m very slowly starting to etch out a routine in our new home and community. That’s tough with a 4 yo and a soldier who’s been in and out (more out than in lately).

On my other blog I just posted about getting homeschool planning done and putting some chores on a schedule. Once I get that nailed down and settled into a routine, the meals come next. Boy do we need to get back on track with the food! Aaack! Then I have to figure out when to squeeze in some Pilates. It doesn’t look like we’ll get to the garden this year. Watch for that next year.

All that to say that I’m still here and hanging in there. I’m working my way back to this blog and some healthy living.

Going Unplugged

Beginning tomorrow, April 23rd, I’m turning off the TV and limiting my blog/email time to one hour per day. You can see posts about this on my other blog. I  just wanted to let folks know that if I don’t get posts done or respond to comments, that’s why. It’s not too late to decide to go unplugged, yourself, for a week. Check out the bloggers’ challenge by Mom Unplugged. Here are some links regarding TV turn-off week:

• TV Turn-off Network
• TV Facts & Figures
• Ad Busters
• Facts, FAQs, and a list of alternative activities
• Crayola Activities

When do we start?

I’m reading through my blogroll tonight (really should be getting to bed) and read a post by HealthyCookie asking whether you would want to know if you were genetically predisposed towards a particular disease or disorder down the road. It’s a good post. This part really grabbed me:

We shouldn’t wait for the bad things to happen before we notice all the good. So what if you found out you were the carrier of a disease or an illness. It shouldn’t cause you to live your life any differently. Any changes that would be made, should be made now. Today. We mustn’t wait until we get sick to start eating better… until we injure ourselves to start strengthening… until we are completely exhausted to rest. We must decide what is most important and make those things important right now.

Start now. So simple, yet so difficult for many of us. Why is it so hard to squeeze in the stuff we know is good for us, the right things to do, into our lives? That’s a good question. One I was already pondering as I’m reading a book on simple living. This book speaks of making conscious choices in our lives – thinking about what we do  and why we do it – living on purpose. I’ll probably post more on that as I get further into the book. It is good stuff to think about.

For now, I must say good night. Starting now, I’m going to bed to rest.

Pizza Night!

As part of my menu planning, I’ve decided that Friday will be Pizza night. I figured I could make some good, wholesome, pizza, have some folks over, and play some games – stuff we don’t do often enough. I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone that doesn’t like pizza, so that’s a pretty safe bet for inviting folks over.

Last week, I tried this recipe for whole wheat pizza crust. Notice I did not blog about it. But I think I’ll try it again. The dough was supposed to double in size – it did not. So, I don’t know if my yeast was too old or what. Though it wasn’t bad, it wasn’t great, either. And it only made one pizza, so we wound up ordering Dominoes as we had a couple of folks over.

This week, I didn’t invite anyone. I felt I needed some practice with the pizza dough. I decided to modify a recipe from my 1989 Betty Crocker cookbook. By George, it turned out pretty good. My husband must have declared at least three times how good the pizza was. Now that’s an accomplishment. And I didn’t do anything fancy. It was just some Newman’s Own Cabernet Marinara, grated (organic) mozzarella cheese, and some Boars Head pepperoni. I suppose the crust does matter. Here’s what I did:

• 1 package active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 cup unbleached white flour
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon organic sugar (found at Costco!)
• 1 teaspoon sea salt

Dissolve yeast in warm water in 2-quart bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients; beat vigorously 20 strokes (really, I didn’t count). Let rest 5 minutes.

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Divide dough into halves. Pat each half into 11-inch circle on greased cookie sheet or 12-inch pizza pan with floured fingers. Spread sauce over circles (or whatever shape you make), to within 1/4 inch of edge; sprinkle with cheese and toppings of your choice. Bake until cheese is light brown, 15 to 20 minutes.

We’re planning to have company again next week, so I’ll probably use this recipe again. But I am dieing to try the yogurt dough from the Nourishing Traditions cookbook. Now that would be wholesome.

Formulating a Plan

Well, it’s time I quit talking about getting serious and actually get down to business. I’ve been conjuring up an idea of a plan in my head this week. Yesterday I downloaded a weekly meal planner template and hope this evening to get a list going of my favorite recipes. I’m starting with the evening meals, then will work on breakfast and lunch. I also have loads of laundry to work through, so we’ll see how far I get – a little at a time, I suppose.

Along with the pms, I have other nagging health issues, and I’m really getting tired of always feeling sick in some form or another. This week it’s nausea and indigestion getting me down, something that comes on every now and then (no, I’m NOT pregnant!). I’m starting to think that may be something like gall bladder or acid reflux. That’s potentially a whole lot more serious than pms or psoriasis, so I’d better start paying attention to what my body is telling me. You know, 39 is just a couple of months away. Ugh!

In light of all that, these posts on Through the Cooking Glass are very timely: Planning, part 1 and part 2. I certainly needed a little inspiration, not to mention some practical help. Eating well takes work, you know. But it is so worth the effort. I know a few years ago when I was doing a better job of following The Maker’s Diet, I felt much better than I have been lately. My husband and I got a late start as parents and I want to be able to be there for my kid(s), to be able to do for them and have fun with them.

I have a long ways to go before I can completely follow the “Nourishing Traditions” way of eating. I’m so not there with things like juicing and grinding my own grain. But, I’m going to start where I am and do what I can do. So, here I go. I’ll post my results as I go. Maybe it’ll help someone else get started. Hey, I’d love to hear from you if you’re embarking on a similar endeavor.