Prevention

The flu virus is making it's rounds in our circle.  It hasn't hit home but our dear friends next door are suffering.  I'm practicing what I know for prevention and trying some new-to-me strategies as well.

Hand washing's a must and there's lots of that going on.  Breakfast was sautéed collards with garlic, walnuts, dried cranberries, a splash of balsamic vinegar and sprinklings of salt and pepper.  Remind me to grow collards in the Potager garden this year.  Thorough hand washing and filling the body with highly nutritious food.  These things I know.

Elderberry syrup is new to me.  I'd hoped to make my own last month but elderberries were nowhere to be found.  Completely sold out.  I interpreted that as confirmation that there's something important and special about the healing power of these berries so prepackaged syrup became the next best choice.  A teaspoon per day for prevention.  That's what the bottle says.  It's super thick and flavorful :: almost like dessert.

And essential oils.  Sigh.  I'm falling in love with essential oils.  So, in addition to good hygiene, densely nutritious food, and elderberry syrup, we've been diffusing and breathing essential oils specific to cold and flu prevention.  Is it working?  So far so good.  And one more thing.  The bedroom window's open just a tad to allow for fresh air exchange.  If the flu hits our home this season it certainly won't be due to lack of effort.

I pieced the backing for my Liberty quilt and am looking forward to sandwiching and quilting.  Be well, friends.

Muffins and Valentines

Carrot spice muffins fresh out of the oven before sunrise this morning. The ladies always appreciate a few goodies made with love.  Healthful and delicious is the goal, and this book never lets me down.

I searched for a grandmother-friendly paper punch but this one didn't quite fit the bill.  No problem. We worked as a team, punching and cutting, gluing and stringing, chatting all the while.  Two weeks to go and we're well on our way to being festive and ready for Valentine's Day.

Mary Katherine's growing flats of pea shoots in the high tunnel this year and we brought a bag of them home in our CSA share.  They were the base to our salad last evening, along with roasted beets (also from the farm), sliced avocado, and a few drizzles of white balsamic vinaigrette. Lucky for us, there's enough for a repeat tonight and I'm thinking a crustless vegetable quiche might be a nice accompaniment.

I'm navigating a relationship with a particularly difficult person (immediate family excluded), and setting boundaries that would have been better set many years ago.  This boundary thing is new to me (I'm a little slow) but, oh, what a beautiful thing it is.  This quote rings so true.

There is little difference in people, but that little difference makes a big difference. The little difference is attitude. The big difference is whether it is positive or negative.
~W. Clement Stone

It Looks Cold Out There

Just a dusting and we're all acting as if it's a full-fledged snow day around here.  The kitties gravitated to the warmest spots in the house, and an unmade bed always seems to be at the top of Butterscotch's list.  I guess I wasn't quick enough with my morning chores.  I'm in snow day mode too.

Mollie's the smaller of our two cats and she seems to have trouble staying warm in wintertime.  Hubby gifted her (Butterscotch got one too) with a heated bed for Christmas and that's exactly where you'll find her at any given moment.  She had no interest until we put it on top of my cutting table.  Given the choice, the girls in this house always choose the sewing room.

Our monthly CSA pickup is scheduled for tomorrow so I emptied the veggie bins to make room for new.  With only a bit of chopping, three mason jars were magically transformed into colorful fermentation vessels.  Now they'll sit at room temperature while the beneficial bacteria do their thing.  This is all new to me, but I must tell you it's very exciting stuff.  I tend to over research before diving into something and there were no exceptions here.  Wild Fermentation, Whole Life Nutrition Kitchen, and Nourishing Traditions are wonderful resources should you feel inclined to learn more.

I Meant to Take Photos

I didn't want to believe it when I learned many folks find the topic of health and nutrition to be a little dry.  Gasp!  How is that possible?  I can't seem to get enough.  And so, I consider myself extremely fortunate to have a few women in my life who share the passion with me.  

I spent last evening chatting, eating, and sharing with one of those women.  She's that special kind of friend that, when in her company, an entire evening feels like only an hour.  The kind of girl that makes all her friends feel like they're the very best friend.  The kind of friend that leaves you with a smile and an extra skip in your step.  The kind of friend who cooks a delicious dinner for you, brings it over, and leaves the leftovers behind!

I meant to take photos but time flew.  Instead you see the aftermath this morning as the sun shines in.  There was no loss for words.  I can assure you of that.  We caught up on favorite blogs, new books, apps that we're enjoying, and all the other chit chat that happens between two friends.  I shared the first batch of candies made with my new silicone mold.  No scary ingredients in those little hearts, just a combination of whole foods that taste absolutely fantastic together.  

My heart and belly are full.

Grandmothers

We picked up a few things at our local health food store on Saturday. Other than the CSA, it's where we get most of our groceries these days. Hubby's a bit out of his element there, as he's just beginning to get his feet wet in this arena.  I picked up my Electric Lemonade (Kale, Apple & Lemon) from the cafe, while he went through the checkout line.  In the car he informed me the male cashier said our produce bags look like something his grandmother would have made.  Giggling now.

Nana (my grandmother) and Aunt Clara live in assisted living not too far from our home.  They married brothers many years ago.  Today they find themselves living under the same roof with seventy-some others and a beautiful retriever named Rusty.  Our visit this morning was a short one due to lots of interest in the inauguration that was playing on the big screen television.  Nana (she's the one in red) turned ninety-six last week.

Trying beet kraut for the first time today and really liking it.  It's fermented and packaged by a young couple in our area.  Mustering up the courage to begin making my own.

Crackers and Sunshine

Oh happy day!  The sun's shining.  Hello kitty fur all over the hardwood floor....how long have you been there?

Just like last year, this mild winter's been kind to our two rosemary plants.  I'm wondering if they'll survive until spring.  How wonderful that would be.  I slipped outside to get a few clippings.  It's pretty chilly and the wind's whipping around but it felt so good to be standing in the sunshine.  The kitties liked it too, for a short time on the deck.

These crackers were the highlight of my day.  They're made with almond flour and are bursting with the flavor of fresh rosemary.  I haven't eaten bread or crackers for a very long time so it's going to take a little willpower to pace myself with this plateful of gorgeousness.  Mindful eating, Laura.  Mindful eating.

A Ray or Two

The sun came out today and just like that it was gone again.  A tiny little shadow on the yoga studio wall was enough to elicit excitement.  Yes, yoga studio.  It's the gentle class for now.

There's a chill in the air that makes me want to crawl into bed for the afternoon.  Three pillows, a cozy comforter, an assortment of books, and definitely a cupful of something warm.  The thought is nice but it will have to wait until evening.

The quilt top is finished.  Sixteen different fabrics and sixty-four blocks.  I'm thinking about the backing and how I'd like it to be.  Perhaps soft gray Kona cloth with a sprinkling of Liberty for interest.  Most likely it will find it's home in this room above the fireplace.  There's a quilt there now that needs to be retired.

Dinner last night was scrambled eggs (courtesy of our winter CSA) and a braised kale dish on the side.  Sliced real thin, we hardly knew we were eating one of the most nutritious dark leafy greens on the planet.

Celebrating Autumn

The thermometer reads sixty-four degrees, the windows have been open for days, and I'm wearing a fleece jacket as I write this post.  I look forward to this scenario all summer long.

Our CSA offers pastured chicken and we've been making homemade stock.  This is all new to me as I've been a vegetarian for many years. There's a story behind my dietary shift but I'll save that for another day. Today, I want to tell you about a delicious recipe that just screams Fall.

We've made this stew twice in the past week, using homemade stock. The apples make it special, adding a nice sweet flavor. In the first batch I used Gala apples instead of Granny Smith, and turnips instead of parsnips (just because that's what we had in our CSA bag).  Parsnips would make the stew even sweeter.  I changed the second batch up even more by adding ribbons of spinach (always trying to increase the greens) and some white kidney beans.  Modifications work really well in this recipe and it's a good idea to double if you'd like to enjoy it for days. We've determined this stew to be a keeper.

Also in our CSA share this week were Acorn and Delicata squash.  I prepared the Acorn squash very simply by brushing the cut edges with olive oil and baking (cut side down) in a 350 degree oven for about 40 minutes.  Hubby liked his with butter and I just drizzled a tiny bit of pure maple syrup on mine.

On the menu today is Cranberry-Apricot Delicata Squash, with a few substitutions.  I'll use apples and walnuts instead of apricots and almonds.  Now, I'm on a mission to come up with a healthy version of my mom's Pumpkin Cake.  We just can't celebrate Autumn without it. ;)

What's cooking in your kitchen today?

Veggie Humor

You never know what you might find in that CSA bag.

Eating Local and Loving It

We pick up our share at eight o'clock every Saturday.  This morning, in addition to what was in the milking barn, there were you-pick flowers, cilantro, dill and English shelling peas.  I couldn't resist the cheerful yellow sunflowers.

They have everything ready and waiting :: neatly arranged in bushel baskets and labeled on a chalkboard.  Love that.  We are greeted by Patou, the resident dog and night watchman.  It's a volume share so we choose what we like, as much as we like, until our bag is full.

It's quite an undertaking these two young people have committed to.  I strive to use every bit I take, knowing the hours of hard work that went into producing this beautiful produce.

Straight from the farm, our breakfast was a sautéed zucchini and scallion omelet sprinkled with feta cheese (the only store-bought ingredient) and freshly snipped dill.  Hubby said it was the best omelet he's ever had.