New friends in my kitchen & a most colorful breakfast,
Dear Grazers,
I have made two new friends and they live in my refrigerator:
Flax Oil and
Omega Swirl
Flax oil is a great basic oil for salad dressings or anything you want to add a little nutty toasted flavor to, with all the benefits of flax. The Omega Swirl, is a really neat product that combines various fish oils and natural flavors to provide a fish-oil supplement that doesn't taste like an old tuna can. Walnuts and almonds are a great source of healthy fats and Omega-3, however I am allergic to nuts so this product is a sweet replacement for me to use...and bonus: it comes in flavors like Key Lime Pie!
OMEGA-3s are essential for mental health, memory, brain function and fighting disease. Flax and fish oils are also important for digestive function and nutrient absorption..basically they keep us happy, thinking and moving...in multiple senses of the word.
I have been using them in salad dressings, soups, and on a spoon direct route to my mouth.
This morning, I added them to my most colorful breakfast of the year:
Blue Cornmeal Grits with Fresh Fruit and Flax
I have made two new friends and they live in my refrigerator:
Flax Oil and
Omega Swirl
Flax oil is a great basic oil for salad dressings or anything you want to add a little nutty toasted flavor to, with all the benefits of flax. The Omega Swirl, is a really neat product that combines various fish oils and natural flavors to provide a fish-oil supplement that doesn't taste like an old tuna can. Walnuts and almonds are a great source of healthy fats and Omega-3, however I am allergic to nuts so this product is a sweet replacement for me to use...and bonus: it comes in flavors like Key Lime Pie!
OMEGA-3s are essential for mental health, memory, brain function and fighting disease. Flax and fish oils are also important for digestive function and nutrient absorption..basically they keep us happy, thinking and moving...in multiple senses of the word.
I have been using them in salad dressings, soups, and on a spoon direct route to my mouth.
This morning, I added them to my most colorful breakfast of the year:
Blue Cornmeal Grits with Fresh Fruit and Flax
Fresh fruit and raw whole goats milk...mmmm three cheers for simple food. And a sunrise that is worth celebrating.
I like to sit on my red stool in my kitchen while the sun comes in across the stove. My breakfast is so many colors this morning, I could go to bed before the sunsets and still have had a vibrant day.
This is why we should eat fruit in the morning. It makes things look better.
Last night the goats got loose. Dinner did not happen until they were all back in the fence, and it came out of a can and onto the stove at 11:30 pm.
That was dinner, so this is breakfast:
~Fresh Fruit, and Warm grits
~Whole milk, and Omega-3s
*The red stool in the best spot in the kitchen.
*Sunshine spilling across the stove.
This is why we should eat fruit in the morning. It makes things look better.
Last night the goats got loose. Dinner did not happen until they were all back in the fence, and it came out of a can and onto the stove at 11:30 pm.
That was dinner, so this is breakfast:
~Fresh Fruit, and Warm grits
~Whole milk, and Omega-3s
*The red stool in the best spot in the kitchen.
*Sunshine spilling across the stove.
Bread and Rocks
Dear Grazers,
Bread and Rocks; I love both of these things. And when you love something you have a tendency to look at it closely. Except in the case of a bad boy friend, wherein you look closely but some how you still don't see...
But in the case of Rocks and Bread, I see clearly...and I like what I see.
I think it is remarkable how the patterns in fresh baked bread mimic the patterns of a rock face. The lines, curves and cracks are seemingly random, but we understand that in fact they could be no other way.
Bread and Rocks; I love both of these things. And when you love something you have a tendency to look at it closely. Except in the case of a bad boy friend, wherein you look closely but some how you still don't see...
But in the case of Rocks and Bread, I see clearly...and I like what I see.
I think it is remarkable how the patterns in fresh baked bread mimic the patterns of a rock face. The lines, curves and cracks are seemingly random, but we understand that in fact they could be no other way.
I learned to make a new kind of bread this weekend. Instead of letting the dough rise in one big ol' ball, you make several small discs of dough, fold them, and stack them in the bread pan to let them rise over night.
Then you bake the bread in two phases: First you bake it in the bread pan. Second, your turn it out of the pan and finish baking it on a flat baking sheet. When you turn it out of it's pan, it has the has a patterning just so reminiscent of a rocky cliff!
The cracks in a crusty loaf of bread and the cracks of a rock climb. One the great mirrors of life.
The baker and the climber must take special care with her hands. They are essential in the craft of both.
Dan, try not to look like such a bad ass ok?
Welcoming the flock with a pasta dinner:
Pasta with sorrel, chive blossoms and goat milk Gouda
Dear Grazers,
We welcomed three new goats to the flock yesterday. They are big beautiful boys! Angora goats, who I will raise to sheer their mohair for fiber adventures!
We spent the day preparing their up-cycled goat kingdom for them: I say this because most of their set-up is from recycled materials.
I had a team of wonderful friends come over and help...
*fix the water troth (an old sink)
*make a hay feeder (an old plastic barrel)
*make mineral feeders (old milk jugs w/ cut holes and wire)
*build shelters (old shipping pallets and scrap tin)
*set up the electric fence (...ok I bought this off amazon.com)
So at the days end, when the goats were in their field, given treats and de-wormer, watered and fenced in, then it was time for us to feed ourselves.
I made a big plate of pasta. We ate on the porch with candles stuck in a wine bottle and toasted to the new goats.
Pasta
Pasta with
olive oil, salt, rosemary, chive blossoms, olives and sorrel.
served with chunks of goat's milk Gouda cheese on the side
Sorrel is one of the first greens to come up in the garden and it is perennial! It has a wonderful,bright lemon taste that partners perfectly with the green olives in this pasta. The Gouda cheese on the side is just creamy enough to balance out the whole plate.
Pasta
Work hard.
Serve to friends.
Enjoy.
We welcomed three new goats to the flock yesterday. They are big beautiful boys! Angora goats, who I will raise to sheer their mohair for fiber adventures!
We spent the day preparing their up-cycled goat kingdom for them: I say this because most of their set-up is from recycled materials.
I had a team of wonderful friends come over and help...
*fix the water troth (an old sink)
*make a hay feeder (an old plastic barrel)
*make mineral feeders (old milk jugs w/ cut holes and wire)
*build shelters (old shipping pallets and scrap tin)
*set up the electric fence (...ok I bought this off amazon.com)
So at the days end, when the goats were in their field, given treats and de-wormer, watered and fenced in, then it was time for us to feed ourselves.
I made a big plate of pasta. We ate on the porch with candles stuck in a wine bottle and toasted to the new goats.
Pasta
Pasta with
olive oil, salt, rosemary, chive blossoms, olives and sorrel.
served with chunks of goat's milk Gouda cheese on the side
Sorrel is one of the first greens to come up in the garden and it is perennial! It has a wonderful,bright lemon taste that partners perfectly with the green olives in this pasta. The Gouda cheese on the side is just creamy enough to balance out the whole plate.
Pasta
Work hard.
Serve to friends.
Enjoy.
The Great Crepe Date
Dear Grazers,
In my opinion, a proper brunch should be 40% food and 60% activity. This is why pancakes top the list of all time best brunch foods.
You make a few...chat with friends...flip those cakes...gossip...eat the "test batch"...pile them high with jams, jellies, and syrups, squirt some whipped cream in your mouth and catch up with your best girl friends about current job interviews, art projects, kids soccer games, and love lives...that is a proper brunch.
A good brunch food should also be able to be served in a stack. Think about it, all great brunch stables are stackable.
Hence:
pancakes,
french toast,
bacon,
muffins,
and ...drum roll...Crepes!
Last Saturday will forever be known as The Great Crepe Date, when my good friend Brynn came over, we talked about jobs, music, and men, while eating Crepes for hours.
Our conversation, full of good advice and bad humor. Our plates full of...crepes with
*Boysenberry jam and goat's milk creme' fresh
*Arugula, mushrooms and eggs
*Sliced pears, black pepper, peach preserves and goat's milk creme' fresh
*Just eggs and shooms
*Pears, spicy greens and goat's milk creme' fresh
In my opinion, a proper brunch should be 40% food and 60% activity. This is why pancakes top the list of all time best brunch foods.
You make a few...chat with friends...flip those cakes...gossip...eat the "test batch"...pile them high with jams, jellies, and syrups, squirt some whipped cream in your mouth and catch up with your best girl friends about current job interviews, art projects, kids soccer games, and love lives...that is a proper brunch.
A good brunch food should also be able to be served in a stack. Think about it, all great brunch stables are stackable.
Hence:
pancakes,
french toast,
bacon,
muffins,
and ...drum roll...Crepes!
Last Saturday will forever be known as The Great Crepe Date, when my good friend Brynn came over, we talked about jobs, music, and men, while eating Crepes for hours.
Our conversation, full of good advice and bad humor. Our plates full of...crepes with
*Boysenberry jam and goat's milk creme' fresh
*Arugula, mushrooms and eggs
*Sliced pears, black pepper, peach preserves and goat's milk creme' fresh
*Just eggs and shooms
*Pears, spicy greens and goat's milk creme' fresh
Sweet and Savory Together in Harmony...fresh jams, jellies, fruits, and veggies.
Let the making begin.
May the Circle Be Unbroken...
Pile em up.
The full spread baby.
...could not have said it better myself.
Pickled eggs for peanuts
Dear Grazers,
I have recently found out that I have developed an allergy to nuts.
I came back from working the farms of Australia with a love of goats, experience under my belt and a parasite in my belly! Thats right, a parasite.
Even after the diagnosis and treatment of the parasite, my tummy has not been quite right...almost as if I had developed an allergy to something.
...Well I had! After I landed myself in the ER with gastrointestinal antifascist shock about a month ago, it has become clear that I have an intolerance to peanuts, and perhaps all nuts. I am now in the "trial phase" of cutting out all peanuts and tree nuts from my diet. That means, no almonds, no peanuts, no soy, no walnuts or pine nuts, and no "processed in a peanut facility".
So my "hippie-card" has been officially revoked now that I can't eat nuts, seeds or tofu! But I have another issue: because I am on the move so often, it is not practical to rely purely on meat for protein, but with no nuts, seeds or soy, getting quick, simple protein can be hard.
So what came first, the chicken or the egg?
Well thats a good place to start...pickled eggs!
Hardboiled eggs are a great protein source and pickled in beat juice they turn pink and last longer...what more could a girl ask for?
TRY THIS:
***Beet Pickled
***Curry Pickled
***Dill Pickled
I have recently found out that I have developed an allergy to nuts.
I came back from working the farms of Australia with a love of goats, experience under my belt and a parasite in my belly! Thats right, a parasite.
Even after the diagnosis and treatment of the parasite, my tummy has not been quite right...almost as if I had developed an allergy to something.
...Well I had! After I landed myself in the ER with gastrointestinal antifascist shock about a month ago, it has become clear that I have an intolerance to peanuts, and perhaps all nuts. I am now in the "trial phase" of cutting out all peanuts and tree nuts from my diet. That means, no almonds, no peanuts, no soy, no walnuts or pine nuts, and no "processed in a peanut facility".
So my "hippie-card" has been officially revoked now that I can't eat nuts, seeds or tofu! But I have another issue: because I am on the move so often, it is not practical to rely purely on meat for protein, but with no nuts, seeds or soy, getting quick, simple protein can be hard.
So what came first, the chicken or the egg?
Well thats a good place to start...pickled eggs!
Hardboiled eggs are a great protein source and pickled in beat juice they turn pink and last longer...what more could a girl ask for?
TRY THIS:
***Beet Pickled
***Curry Pickled
***Dill Pickled
Soup and Cheese: A Symbiotic Relationship
As soon as I separated the curds, I poured the whey into the other pot and started making soup.
Dear Grazers,
They say in a good relationship, there is give and take...we help each other, give support...bla bla bla years of family therapy put to use.
But really, the best example I have seen of this in a long while, is homemade Soup and Cheese.
Last weekend, I made cheese, and as I separated the curds from the whey, I used the whey to make a wholesome soup that I canned and froze to have for the following weeks.
The whey adds good protein and a tartness to the soup. I offset the sour taste with Cardamom spice.
Soup and Cheese, helping each other be the best versions of themselves.
They say in a good relationship, there is give and take...we help each other, give support...bla bla bla years of family therapy put to use.
But really, the best example I have seen of this in a long while, is homemade Soup and Cheese.
Last weekend, I made cheese, and as I separated the curds from the whey, I used the whey to make a wholesome soup that I canned and froze to have for the following weeks.
The whey adds good protein and a tartness to the soup. I offset the sour taste with Cardamom spice.
Soup and Cheese, helping each other be the best versions of themselves.
Jars of cheese and soup, working together in harmony
Go Green! Grow Wild!
photo by Marlyn McClendon
Dear Grazers,
It is time to tap into your inner goat, tis the season of
wild growing greens and greenhouse glory! Wild edible plants are popping up all over the hillsides, perfect fuel for a day of rock climbing! I started my day with:
wild dandelion greens and fried eggs.
I woke up the next morning and prepared: a salad of greens, orange slices, black pepper and goat cheese to share with friends.
It is time to tap into your inner goat, tis the season of
wild growing greens and greenhouse glory! Wild edible plants are popping up all over the hillsides, perfect fuel for a day of rock climbing! I started my day with:
wild dandelion greens and fried eggs.
I woke up the next morning and prepared: a salad of greens, orange slices, black pepper and goat cheese to share with friends.
Climbing by the Meadow river, Dan looks at home like a goat on the roam. Greens really do bring out the best in all of us.
Grazers Tip:
If you find the wild greens bitter, I suggest this salad dressing that is so easy, it is really more of a "drizzle" than a "dressing".
STEP ONE: Drizzle honey over your greens
STEP TWO: Drizzle balsamic vinegar over that
STEP THREE: Crack pepper&salt over the top and mix it all up!
If you find the wild greens bitter, I suggest this salad dressing that is so easy, it is really more of a "drizzle" than a "dressing".
STEP ONE: Drizzle honey over your greens
STEP TWO: Drizzle balsamic vinegar over that
STEP THREE: Crack pepper&salt over the top and mix it all up!
Goats climb up, but greens grow low
Photo by Marlyn McClendon
Oatmeal, just the thing
photo by: Marlyn McClendon
It is perhaps because it is spring time, and yet the early mornings waking to milk the goats are still frosted, that lately hot oatmeal has been just the thing.
Is there anything more comforting than warm oats, fruit and honey with a splash of cold milk?
This morning I had:
Fresh Strawberries, goat cheese and honey oatmeal
Yesterday was:
Chocolate oatmeal and chi tea
Is there anything more comforting than warm oats, fruit and honey with a splash of cold milk?
This morning I had:
Fresh Strawberries, goat cheese and honey oatmeal
Yesterday was:
Chocolate oatmeal and chi tea
Photo by: Marlyn McClendon
The Humble Broccoli Casserole
Dear Grazers,
The humble broccoli casserole, perhaps made it's debut like many of us at a church picnic, and then was pushed aside when the flashier covered dishes arrived: Jell-O Salad, Deviled Eggs...is it because they have catchier names?...prettier friends?...a better figure? What ever the reasoning for it's downfall, Broccoli Casserole, I am here to say, I don't believe the rumors and
I salute you!
But, lets be transparent shall we, like a good processed cheese product.
The Broccoli Casserole does have some room for improvement. So here is how I did it, and did it better:
The Broccoli Casserole does have some room for improvement. So here is how I did it, and did it better:
I used beautiful sliced parsnips instead of potatoes, because that's what I happen to have around and I like the sweet-almost carrot like taste of this terrific tuber!
I layered all the ingredients
and coated happily with olive oil, salt and pepper.
I layered all the ingredients
and coated happily with olive oil, salt and pepper.
Layers:
-Parsnips
-Goat cheese
-Spinach
-Broccoli
-Cottage cheese
-Parsnips
-Happy olive oil, salt and pepper
-Parsnips
-Goat cheese
-Spinach
-Broccoli
-Cottage cheese
-Parsnips
-Happy olive oil, salt and pepper
Baked at 350 for about 30 mins, and wha-la!
Crispy on the top and cheesy in the middle.
Now that's classy.
(Jell-O salad set aside)!
Crispy on the top and cheesy in the middle.
Now that's classy.
(Jell-O salad set aside)!
This is a wonderful table of warm food to sit down to, after a long day's work. Thank you Broccoli Casserole~ thank you.
Half Marathon: Potato Fuel
Dear Grazers,
Last weekend, some friends of mine who are also closely related to mountain goats ran a half marathon the trails and hills of Babcock State Park, West Virginia. The race is notoriously hilly, gaining more than 700 feet in elevation in the last 4 mils of total up hill. The race is fittingly called "The Gristmill Grinder".
A friend of mine, much older and wiser, told me in a curmudgeonly tone, "I don't like to waste my money, do you? So don't buy any of those artificial sugar energy-shots , the best thing to eat to get your calories and fuel for a run is an overcooked baked potato".
So, my friend Laurie...this ones' for you!
Last weekend, some friends of mine who are also closely related to mountain goats ran a half marathon the trails and hills of Babcock State Park, West Virginia. The race is notoriously hilly, gaining more than 700 feet in elevation in the last 4 mils of total up hill. The race is fittingly called "The Gristmill Grinder".
A friend of mine, much older and wiser, told me in a curmudgeonly tone, "I don't like to waste my money, do you? So don't buy any of those artificial sugar energy-shots , the best thing to eat to get your calories and fuel for a run is an overcooked baked potato".
So, my friend Laurie...this ones' for you!
Cheese Boards and Blue Jeans:
Turkish Apricots, buttermilk cheese, green apples and maple syrup,
Warm, salty and sweet
Dear Grazers,
I am not sure what culture is responsible for the invention of "The fruit and Cheese Board", but I must have some of their genes in my jeans, I could live on fruit and cheese spreads.
This morning I put on my blue jeans and fixed a cup of tea with milk, and a cutting board of cheese and baked fruit. This is how I like to get set for a good day of work: milking goats, planting seeds and eventually going to my "inside job" at the library. Ah, but there is something so good, when you know inside your belly is warm baked fruit slices and homemade cheese....I believe "comforting" is the word. And I must admit eating slices of cheese and fruit in the morning does make me feel awfully European and Cultured.
I am not sure what culture is responsible for the invention of "The fruit and Cheese Board", but I must have some of their genes in my jeans, I could live on fruit and cheese spreads.
This morning I put on my blue jeans and fixed a cup of tea with milk, and a cutting board of cheese and baked fruit. This is how I like to get set for a good day of work: milking goats, planting seeds and eventually going to my "inside job" at the library. Ah, but there is something so good, when you know inside your belly is warm baked fruit slices and homemade cheese....I believe "comforting" is the word. And I must admit eating slices of cheese and fruit in the morning does make me feel awfully European and Cultured.
Black pepper mozzarella, green apples and olives
Cultured...just like this cheese board!
Lets Throw a Hand-Pie Party!
Dear Grazers, Your Invited!
Hand-pies...
Hot-pockets...handheld love...whatever you want to call them,
they are frozen and freaking good, ready to eat in two shakes of a good goat's tail!
Hand-pies...
Hot-pockets...handheld love...whatever you want to call them,
they are frozen and freaking good, ready to eat in two shakes of a good goat's tail!
Here's the deal:
Goats take time.
It can be hard to find time to make yourself a good meal, when you are working hard and that is the thing you need most...so what's a hard working good grazing gal to do?
ENTER: The Hot-Pocket
A grocery store product of my childhood: Warm pockets of dough and filling, ready to eat from the freezer to the microwave, they are great, but expensive and mostly dough, not allot of filling, and not homegrown.
ENTER: The Homemade Hot-Pocket
Everything there is to love about the childhood version, but made with locally raised meats, eggs, spinach from a friends greenhouse, tomatoes canned from last year's garden, other local veggies, and of course cheese from our lady goats.
Thank you ladies!
Goats take time.
It can be hard to find time to make yourself a good meal, when you are working hard and that is the thing you need most...so what's a hard working good grazing gal to do?
ENTER: The Hot-Pocket
A grocery store product of my childhood: Warm pockets of dough and filling, ready to eat from the freezer to the microwave, they are great, but expensive and mostly dough, not allot of filling, and not homegrown.
ENTER: The Homemade Hot-Pocket
Everything there is to love about the childhood version, but made with locally raised meats, eggs, spinach from a friends greenhouse, tomatoes canned from last year's garden, other local veggies, and of course cheese from our lady goats.
Thank you ladies!
How to throw a hand pie party:
*Invite a few good friends
*Have bottles of bubbly on hand
*Prepare the dough
*Prepare your pots of filling
*Fill your pies,
fold your pies, bakes your pies!
*Freeze your pies!
*Good for you, for you have ready made meals, that will be ready till fill your hungry belly with all the goodness of the your friend's farms with about 15 minuets in the toaster oven.
*Invite a few good friends
*Have bottles of bubbly on hand
*Prepare the dough
*Prepare your pots of filling
*Fill your pies,
fold your pies, bakes your pies!
*Freeze your pies!
*Good for you, for you have ready made meals, that will be ready till fill your hungry belly with all the goodness of the your friend's farms with about 15 minuets in the toaster oven.
That's farm eggs folks
This is Choose-Your-Own Adventure PARTY!
OR...a fill your-own-pocket-party!
So, be inventive, have fun with your filling, here is what we did:
*Italian Venison Sausage
* Italian Chicken
OR...a fill your-own-pocket-party!
So, be inventive, have fun with your filling, here is what we did:
*Italian Venison Sausage
* Italian Chicken
* Corn and Chickpea Lemon Salsa
*Curry Chicken Salad
*Breakfast: Venison
sausage, eggs, goat cheese, greenhouse spinach
Party tip:
Every party needs good friends, plenty of bubbly and a cheese station.
Chilly Spring Time and Warm Soup...I raise my spoon to the hard workers!
Try this recipe for a warm early-spring-soup.
Start the first steps of the soup before your go out, and by the time the chores are done, your belly will be warm.
Start the first steps of the soup before your go out, and by the time the chores are done, your belly will be warm.
Asparagus and Balsamic Baked Sweet Raisin Soup:
-Asparagus
-Lemon Slices
-Balsamic Vinegar
-Raisins
-Salt, Pepper
***Wrap all the above ingredients in tin foil and bake them in the oven at 350 while you do some outside projects, about 35 mins, just long enough for your hands to get cold from the chilly April winds.
-Greek Yogurt
-Milk
-More raisins
***Remove the lemon rinds, puree the asparagus, and balsamic raisins. Add the yogurt and milk ( cow, moo milk, almond, goat...whatever). Puree until super smooth and creamy.
***Add an extra handful of raisins and let them plump in the soup for another hour or so, while you finish your chores for the day.
***Serve with crusty bread, a spoonful of yogurt and extra raisins
-Asparagus
-Lemon Slices
-Balsamic Vinegar
-Raisins
-Salt, Pepper
***Wrap all the above ingredients in tin foil and bake them in the oven at 350 while you do some outside projects, about 35 mins, just long enough for your hands to get cold from the chilly April winds.
-Greek Yogurt
-Milk
-More raisins
***Remove the lemon rinds, puree the asparagus, and balsamic raisins. Add the yogurt and milk ( cow, moo milk, almond, goat...whatever). Puree until super smooth and creamy.
***Add an extra handful of raisins and let them plump in the soup for another hour or so, while you finish your chores for the day.
***Serve with crusty bread, a spoonful of yogurt and extra raisins
Asparagus, Balsamic Baked Sweet Raisin Soup
Dear Grazers,
There are days when I am just sure that I live in the land of milk and honey: These are usually days when I move the dairy goats from one spot of ground to another, then make plans to build honey bee hive boxes. These are also the days when I remember all the bounty that grows wild in this beautiful place, I am so lucky to call home.
Spring time brings so many wild fruits to the surface...onions, ramps, and yes Ancient Wild Asparagus.
Truly, I don't know if it is ancient, but everyone I ask says it "has been here as long as I can remember".
These incredible stalks burst up every year; green, white, and purple.
There are days when I am just sure that I live in the land of milk and honey: These are usually days when I move the dairy goats from one spot of ground to another, then make plans to build honey bee hive boxes. These are also the days when I remember all the bounty that grows wild in this beautiful place, I am so lucky to call home.
Spring time brings so many wild fruits to the surface...onions, ramps, and yes Ancient Wild Asparagus.
Truly, I don't know if it is ancient, but everyone I ask says it "has been here as long as I can remember".
These incredible stalks burst up every year; green, white, and purple.
The stalks are not up just yet, so my ingredients came mostly from the grocery store this time, but when those Easter-egg colored branches pop up, I will be ready with a kick-ass soup recipe and an immersion blender!
Farm chores, warm soup, and the chilly days of early-spring, I raise my spoon to you!
Farm chores, warm soup, and the chilly days of early-spring, I raise my spoon to you!
Dark and Stormy: maple syrup salad dressing for all weather
That's right, it is ok to treat your salad like a stack of pancakes.
In fact, ask your salad, they like it!
Dark and Stormy:
Red wine
Balsamic vinegar
Orange Zest
Maple syrup
Salt and pepper
Light and Sunny:
White wine
Maple syrup
lemon Zest
Salt and pepper
A Chance of Showers
White wine
Maple syrup
Smoked paprika
Red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper
*Try this one with goat cheese and hot pickled peppers!
(Choose your own level of heat, even if there are no rain clouds, your eyes might be watering)!
In fact, ask your salad, they like it!
Dark and Stormy:
Red wine
Balsamic vinegar
Orange Zest
Maple syrup
Salt and pepper
Light and Sunny:
White wine
Maple syrup
lemon Zest
Salt and pepper
A Chance of Showers
White wine
Maple syrup
Smoked paprika
Red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper
*Try this one with goat cheese and hot pickled peppers!
(Choose your own level of heat, even if there are no rain clouds, your eyes might be watering)!
Starting seeds, drinking chocolate
Dear Grazers,
It is time! It is time to take our grazing back into our own hands!
And when I say hands, I mean chipped fingernails and dirt covered hands!
That's right, it is time to plant seeds!
So bust out those old yogurt tubs and potting soil and seed your soul!
Here is a tip:
Place trays of your baby seeds on top of your fridge to keep them nice and warm, and place some kind of lid or plastic covering over top to create a greenhouse effect.
Oh and did I mention that you should drink chocolate milk while you plant your seeds?
Why?
Because chocolate milk is delicious, why do you question beauty?
It is time! It is time to take our grazing back into our own hands!
And when I say hands, I mean chipped fingernails and dirt covered hands!
That's right, it is time to plant seeds!
So bust out those old yogurt tubs and potting soil and seed your soul!
Here is a tip:
Place trays of your baby seeds on top of your fridge to keep them nice and warm, and place some kind of lid or plastic covering over top to create a greenhouse effect.
Oh and did I mention that you should drink chocolate milk while you plant your seeds?
Why?
Because chocolate milk is delicious, why do you question beauty?
Salt Pork
and
Granola
Before driving to the Maple Festival about a week ago, my dear friend Emma came to visit and she brought with her wonderful homemade car snacks for the drive to the festival:
Granola with raisins and honey tea.
Later in the week, I cooked salt pork with sweet potatoes, greens, onions and green apples...and whatever white wine I did not drink, I also put that in the cast iron skillet for Joshua for when he came home the house would smell of sweet pork fat and apples.
Because it is March and he had to drive through the snow: this is how we show our love.
and
Granola
Before driving to the Maple Festival about a week ago, my dear friend Emma came to visit and she brought with her wonderful homemade car snacks for the drive to the festival:
Granola with raisins and honey tea.
Later in the week, I cooked salt pork with sweet potatoes, greens, onions and green apples...and whatever white wine I did not drink, I also put that in the cast iron skillet for Joshua for when he came home the house would smell of sweet pork fat and apples.
Because it is March and he had to drive through the snow: this is how we show our love.
Dear Grazers,
These "carrot coins", are truly worth more than the money in my pockets.
Late last fall, I froze whole rainbow carrots. I took them out of the freezer and sliced them into the juiciest little purple, yellow and orange carrot medallions the month of March has ever seen!
I spilled the coins over fresh salad greens,
Vidalia onion rings,
and chicken salad.
cha-ching!
These "carrot coins", are truly worth more than the money in my pockets.
Late last fall, I froze whole rainbow carrots. I took them out of the freezer and sliced them into the juiciest little purple, yellow and orange carrot medallions the month of March has ever seen!
I spilled the coins over fresh salad greens,
Vidalia onion rings,
and chicken salad.
cha-ching!
Brian made me Blueberry-Birthday-Banana-Bread in a can for my birthday! Here is another recipe for bread in jar http://thenummylittleblog.blogspot.com/2012/07/banana-bread-in-jar.html
It my birthday; So I will only eat food that is made for me!
Breakfast: "Orange eggs and Brown Toast"
Eggs, Paprika, Orange and yellow peppers
and thick slices of brown rice bread
Made by: Dan
Lunch: Hummus sandwich
Lettuce and Hummus,
on blueberry walnut banana bread
Made by: Brian
-chocolate milk and maple syrup-
My CCC YOGA snackpack: Corn chips, carrots, chashews
Dinner:
I don’t know what, but I know it will be out and it will be with wine!
Red wine, Pancakes, Family
Dear Grazers,
Let me correct myself, I am not talking about your average pancakes here, I am talking about traditional, real deal Buckwheat Cakes!
So for starters, it should be noted that Buckwheat, is not actually wheat, it is most closely related to Rhubarb!
That means that as long as you are using real deal Buckwheat (not flour added), then these cakes are gluten-free!
But it can be hard to find the real-stuff out there, unless you have just come from The Highland County Maple Syrup Festival, where they sell Buckwheat by the bag full because it is possibly the most traditional way to indulged in your maple syrup habit.
I have brought a bag full to my fam-damly, whom I am visiting in Kentucky for the weekend in exchange for enjoying all the befits of visiting my family who live in a city: indie coffee shops, ethnic restaurants, micro-brews, great live theatre, and most importantly...family time, pancakes for dinner!
Let me correct myself, I am not talking about your average pancakes here, I am talking about traditional, real deal Buckwheat Cakes!
So for starters, it should be noted that Buckwheat, is not actually wheat, it is most closely related to Rhubarb!
That means that as long as you are using real deal Buckwheat (not flour added), then these cakes are gluten-free!
But it can be hard to find the real-stuff out there, unless you have just come from The Highland County Maple Syrup Festival, where they sell Buckwheat by the bag full because it is possibly the most traditional way to indulged in your maple syrup habit.
I have brought a bag full to my fam-damly, whom I am visiting in Kentucky for the weekend in exchange for enjoying all the befits of visiting my family who live in a city: indie coffee shops, ethnic restaurants, micro-brews, great live theatre, and most importantly...family time, pancakes for dinner!
And this is all you could ask for...ever...
...no really, ever.
With fresh maple syrup and ...
Yes, that is a homemade blueberry sauce.
Savory Yogurt for Breakfast
Dear Grazers,
I have very good news for all yogurt enthusiasts:
*Yogurt does not have to be sweet.
The wonderfully tangy, and thick Greek yogurt can be a welcome change to it's commonly sweet sister. But why stop there, when you can make your yogurt down right savory??
This is what I did:
*Left over lemon oiled tomatoes and wilted spinach
*On top a bowl of tangy Greek yogurt
*Add toasted walnuts and a few blueberries for color, crunch, and a tartness that (trust me here), will perfectly balance out your savory yogurt creation.
Why it's so good:
*Greek yogurt boast about 21 grams of protein to start your day, while tomatoes are one of the best sources of magnesium; vital for converting protein to energy, and supporting muscle health. Blueberries also provide magnesium as well as fiber and antioxidants! And the walnuts pack in those O-mega 3s: a nutrient shown to play a role in our heart health and emotional wellness!
....So don't just eat this breakfast...Savor it!
I have very good news for all yogurt enthusiasts:
*Yogurt does not have to be sweet.
The wonderfully tangy, and thick Greek yogurt can be a welcome change to it's commonly sweet sister. But why stop there, when you can make your yogurt down right savory??
This is what I did:
*Left over lemon oiled tomatoes and wilted spinach
*On top a bowl of tangy Greek yogurt
*Add toasted walnuts and a few blueberries for color, crunch, and a tartness that (trust me here), will perfectly balance out your savory yogurt creation.
Why it's so good:
*Greek yogurt boast about 21 grams of protein to start your day, while tomatoes are one of the best sources of magnesium; vital for converting protein to energy, and supporting muscle health. Blueberries also provide magnesium as well as fiber and antioxidants! And the walnuts pack in those O-mega 3s: a nutrient shown to play a role in our heart health and emotional wellness!
....So don't just eat this breakfast...Savor it!
Dear Grazers,
Early this morning we hit the road with Tupperware containers of yogurt and granola, the only proper way to start a road trip. The ribbon of maple syrup spooning my yogurt was all the more essential, as we were on our way to The Highland County Maple Festival!
My Josh, is from Highland County Virginia; grew up collecting buckets of sugar water for Eagle's Sugar Camp. That might have been what made him so sweet (yes, that was a bad pun, every post needs at least one).
Here is what we ate:
-Granola and yogurt,
tied up with a ribbon of maple syrup in the car, in Tupperware
-Maple seared Highland County trout and green been,
with the boyfriend's mother. Honestly, is there anything that maple syrup doesn't make better? The salty green beans with the sweet maple syrup and trout...all you could ask for.
-Maple Syrup Ice Cream: One large, two spoons.
-Dinner with old friends:
Spiced Chicken, tomatoes, and quinoa
Dilly Beans,
Squash Pickles,
and red wine
*Home-canned, and climbers (friend's of Josh's became quick friends of mine, as they share my insatiable love of both rock climbing and canned goods).
Early this morning we hit the road with Tupperware containers of yogurt and granola, the only proper way to start a road trip. The ribbon of maple syrup spooning my yogurt was all the more essential, as we were on our way to The Highland County Maple Festival!
My Josh, is from Highland County Virginia; grew up collecting buckets of sugar water for Eagle's Sugar Camp. That might have been what made him so sweet (yes, that was a bad pun, every post needs at least one).
Here is what we ate:
-Granola and yogurt,
tied up with a ribbon of maple syrup in the car, in Tupperware
-Maple seared Highland County trout and green been,
with the boyfriend's mother. Honestly, is there anything that maple syrup doesn't make better? The salty green beans with the sweet maple syrup and trout...all you could ask for.
-Maple Syrup Ice Cream: One large, two spoons.
-Dinner with old friends:
Spiced Chicken, tomatoes, and quinoa
Dilly Beans,
Squash Pickles,
and red wine
*Home-canned, and climbers (friend's of Josh's became quick friends of mine, as they share my insatiable love of both rock climbing and canned goods).
Dear Grazers,
The spring peepers have been heard! These are small frogs that live near ponds in Appalachia. This good news was announced on the radio this morning. The old timers say, that once you hear the peepers 3 times that means, that winter is gone for sure!
This morning we all sat down to decide names for the new baby goats: another sure sign of spring!
We filled our skillet with eggs, rosemary, & sweet potatoes,
then talked of milking, feeding, weaning, and hay numbers.
This was the rest of my graze:
-Rosemary and sweet potato 3 eggs scramble
-Warm radish salad
-yogurt, sunflower seeds, apple slices
-Date night...yes we are willing to drive an hour to the nearest sushi joint. I am prepared to drink sake till those spring peepers sing!
Dear Grazers,
Taking off your cold boots and standing by the fire...
That first sip of hot tea after a cold hike....
When your car heats up and the feeling is restored to your fingers after they have gone numb from climbing on cold winter rocks...
These are some of my favorite hot-cold sensations! Along with cold milk poured over hot oatmeal and warm cooked root vegtables on top of a cold fresh greens salad.
Try this sensation:
Warm Radish Salad:
*Warm radishes cooked until soft and soothing in almond milk and ginger
*On top of fresh greens
*Topped with sunflower seeds and a table spoon of maple syrup or balsamic vineger...savory or sweet, you decide.
Taking off your cold boots and standing by the fire...
That first sip of hot tea after a cold hike....
When your car heats up and the feeling is restored to your fingers after they have gone numb from climbing on cold winter rocks...
These are some of my favorite hot-cold sensations! Along with cold milk poured over hot oatmeal and warm cooked root vegtables on top of a cold fresh greens salad.
Try this sensation:
Warm Radish Salad:
*Warm radishes cooked until soft and soothing in almond milk and ginger
*On top of fresh greens
*Topped with sunflower seeds and a table spoon of maple syrup or balsamic vineger...savory or sweet, you decide.
Dear Grazers,
I woke up this morning to see the snow still falling on this mountain ground out my window. "Calling for 5-6 inches in higher elevations and a South-of-the-Border-Breakfast for the good grazer"...
It's mornings like this that a gal needs something extra warm in her belly:
Mexican Mole Inspired
Chicken and Rice Breakfast Porridge:
-Rice porridge
-Mexican coco powder
-Cinnamon
-Clove
-Cayenne
- 1 Tb Peanut butter
-Raisins
-Shredded chicken
-Milk or cream to pour on top
-A clear window to gaze from, and a warm belly
Dear Grazers,
56 degrees today in the West Viginia Mountains. So Dan and I hit the rocks, and here's what we ate:
*Zucchini and
Tumric Coated Cashew
3 egg Scramble
*Sardines in a can
*Cranberries and crackers
*Peanutbutter banana
*Avocado, blue cheese,
Cranberry Salad w/ honey dressing
A Thermos of lavender tea and a paper cup of french fries!
Tumric Coated Cashew
3 egg Scramble
*Sardines in a can
*Cranberries and crackers
*Peanutbutter banana
*Avocado, blue cheese,
Cranberry Salad w/ honey dressing
A Thermos of lavender tea and a paper cup of french fries!
