Kitchen Tip Tuesday: Washing produce healthfully

This morning I went shopping...in my backyard.

I took two bowls outside and found that I have missed most of the blackberries, many are dried on the vine, but many were pick-able, so I did.

I found a few strawberries too.


I picked peas, snow peas and lettuce. Is there anything better than a fresh, crisp snow pea? If you don't know the answer to that, you've got to plant some next year.

As I was doing this, I started a little pile of weeds and grass to take to the chickens.

I just love the chickens. When I went over to their pen, they all came over and started their friendly peeping sound. They turn their head sideways and look at me, wondering what treat I have brought them.

I spotted two little adorable eggs that they had layed. A gift in return for the weeds and berry stems perhaps?



Just look at those eggs. Aren't they beautiful?

You can't get those at Safeway!





And just so you know, here's a behind the scenes shot. Wherever I am, Jack is usually right behind me watching. Remember when I made the soft butter spread? He was there.

He's learned a lot by watching me ;o)

FINALLY, to the kitchen tip. You thought I'd forgotten didn't you?

I didn't.

When I brought the berries in they had many hitchhikers, mainly small ants.

I always squirt a liberal amount of drops of Grapefruit Seed Extract (GSE) on my berries and then cover with water and let them sit. This kills the tiny bugs that don't escape up the side of the bowl.

GSE can be purchased at most health food stores.

1. GSE is a broad spectrum antimicrobial. This means that it has the ability to fight a number of different types of bacteria, viruses, fungi and other microbes.
2. GSE is nontoxic to animals and humans, even pregnant women and children.
3. GSE poses very little threat to the beneficial bacteria (lactobacillus and bifidobacterium) in the intestines and urogenital tract.
4. GSE has antifungal applications for athlete's foot, dandruff and nail fungus. For nail fungus mix one-half ounce GSE to five ounces of alcohol or vodka, apply on or under nails with eyedropper two or three times a day.
5. GSE has antiviral properties. You can fight a the flu, a cold, cold sores and warts with it.

If you want to know more, you can read about many other benefits of GSE here.

Rinse well and enjoy!

For more Kitchen tips, visit Tammy's Recipes.

A taste of home

I thought since you can't be here, I could at least show you around a bit.

First and foremost is the constant supply of chocolate chip cookies. Is there anything better? Ice cream and that...nothing better.




That's what I'm dealing with here.






Here is Jack on the front porch.

I found this big bumble bee on this brilliant cosmos flower in the front yard.



My mom and I took the kids in the back behind the house to climb a big myrtlewood tree. They love it. It's the original play structure!

Here is the back yard that I grew up in. Acres and acres to ride horses, hold salamanders and catch polywogs and frogs. We used to play hide and seek with motorcycles and three wheelers. This is where my Mom grew up too. There is a lot of history here.

I've never seen all these thistles as beautiful, especially when I was younger and had to face them with a mere hoe, but through my lens today they look nice.

Stopping for a little snack, nice little apples. My horse, Sashay, used to back her bum up against that branch that is leaning and bump, bump, bump to shake the tree and knock down apples for herself and her brother, Dynamite. Or was it Dynamite who did the work? Sis?

I did happen upon a library book sale today as I ran into town for batteries. I was eating up all the great books I found.

There were so many and at 50 cents each that was one temptation I could say a hearty YES to.

And just to set your mind at ease I haven't had a single one.

On location

We are having a fine time on vacation at my parents. Jack is the new sentry on guard here. He and Dandy the cat have yet to make friends, however.




I am resolute in my low-carb eating plan, but they haven't made it easy for me. How does homemade pineapple ice cream sound?

Just look at it...

I'm sure it looks better than it tastes.

The kids have enjoyed going on many fair rides...

...petting cute babies...

...and eating fair food.

We went to the river one day

and getting rest when we can.

Wish you were here, I'll write more later.

Fighting the weeds

We have morning glory in our garden area. If you aren't familiar with morning glory it is awfully invasive.

It has taken over a big portion of our garden. No surprise as it gets watered regularly with the tripod sprinkler, just because it's in the right place. I finally decided to cover it. I realize this isn't a long term solution but I just wanted to slow them down until I figure out a better plan.

Earlier in the season I was working on putting down some sort of weed block, I tried newspapers but it really takes ALOT of newspapers. I finally bought some weed paper and it doesn't go very far either and adds up financially at $10-20 a roll.

We had a bunch of cardboard boxes available since we broke down the chicken brooders and I thought they would make great weed paper and free too! I also used the empty feed bags.

I covered it all with straw to hold everything in place from the wind and to make it look a little prettier.

Jack was pretty excited about the money we saved.

For more Works for me Wednesday tips, go check out Rocks in my dryer.

One minute miracle muffin

I am so excited to share this recipe with you. This recipe can be used by people with allergies, celiac disease, diabetics, low carbers and anyone who wants something more substantial than just a piece of toast for breakfast. The basis of the recipe is flax meal! Go here to see how I make my flax meal quick and easy.

All those years when my son was allergic to everything...we could have had this IF we only knew about it.

I have learned about it because I am eating low carb, trying to lose some weight (always!) but this is such a wonderfully healthy recipe regardless of your carb intake.

Why?




It is grain free, dairy free, low carb and LOADED with fiber (can you say flax meal) yet tasty!

I replaced the Splenda with stevia.

Basically, you put all the ingredients in a bowl, stir and cook in the microwave. Or you can bake in a mug for a more muffin-like shape.

If you have a little pink and orange elf on your counter, ask them to stir.

Make sure and have soft butter ready to spread when it gets out of the toaster. It’s a little tricky to pour the lump out of the bowl. I make sure it is firm on top before I take it out of the microwave. Then dump the bowl upside down on a cutting board. Let it cool for a minute and then carefully slice in half with a bread knife so it can fit in a toaster.

Toast and butter. Butter is a must!

It is surprisingly good and bread-like. I have added some ginger and cloves to make it more gingerbread-ish.

I'd like to make a larger batch and bake it in the oven. Try it and let me know if you make any great alterations of it.

It can also be watered down and made into a pancake.

One Minute Miracle Muffin

1/4 c flax

1 tsp cinnamon

1 egg

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tb coconut oil, melted

1 packet of Splenda or Stevia

Microwave 1 min 30 sec. Slice in half and toast, spread with butter.
2.6 carbs

Can you believe it?! It's definitely not bread, but it really fills the void when eating low carb.

Try it!

Henny Penny

Meet Miss Sally Henny Penny.

She's everyone's favorite around these parts.

Why?

Well, partly because she is the only chicken with her coloring so she stands out, she's gentle and did you notice one more thing?

She has fluffy cheeks.

We have 'thing' for fluffy cheeks. Maybe it's because she reminds us of someone else we know with fluffy cheeks.

Here are the fluffy cheeks in all their glory. Both sets of them.

When she was just a few days old we all loved to hold her. She was very calm and would just sit in your hand. We brought her in the house this day, and I named her Sally Henny Penny.

You know she goes barefoot don't you?

In Beatrix Potter's The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle

Sally Henny-penny,
have you found three pocket-handkins?
But the speckled hen ran
into a barn, clucking-
"I go barefoot, barefoot, barefoot!"

Don't you just want some chicks now?

I never EVER thought I would want to have chickens, or think they would be friendly pets.

But I was wrong.

They are completely wonderful. I have been sitting with them in the evenings, trying to hold various chickens to gentle them and get them used to us. They turn their head sideways and look at you with one eye. They peck at your shoes and if you wear thongs, they will try to peck your painted toenails.

A berry perhaps?

I also love being able to weed the garden of little green shoots of crab grass or other unknown plants now. It makes weeding so much more enjoyable for me because it has a purpose. I'm not weeding, I'm gathering food for my friends.

Food that they are grateful for and run around frantically to get.

I keep a bowl beside my sink and when I slice up an apple I throw the core in, as I sort through the berries, I toss in some yucky ones the kids won't eat. It adds up and by the evening I have a yummy treat for the chickens.

But back to Henny Penny, now she is all grown up and her color has changed some. She is still one of the calmest chickens to hold. I'll have to take some more pictures to show you more of her coloring.

She is an Araucana chicken, she will lay blue/green eggs.

Or maybe she already has.

Roosters for sale

Look at these beautiful big daddys! My son bought 25 layers from our local feed store in the spring in order to start his own egg business. We realized a little while ago that some roosters had snuck into the batch.

Six to be exact!

There just wasn't enough room in town for six sheriffs. Five had to go!




Today he sold the last of them and are they ever going to a great home. They aren't going to be butchered, but will roam free with 40 hens on over 30 acres.

To be honest, it was sad to see them go because they are so beautiful, but my son knew it wouldn't be practical for him to keep them. He's all about the business.



And walking away with a check in his hand helped take the sting out of it for him.

We were asking practically nothing, but this Mom generously paid more. She said they were in great condition and were worth it considering the time and feed that had gone into them.

Thank you! You made a budding entrepreneur's day.

Yummy Tacos

We like to make these simple, yet very delicious tacos. Warm a corn tortilla in a little oil in frying pan (flipping a couple of times) then spoon taco meat and top with onions, cilantro and a squeeze of lime.

What ever you do, DON"T forget the lime!

Delicious!

For more kitchen tips visit Tammy's Recipes.

28 chickens to market

Another batch of chickens were taken to market last weekend.

It's very important to keep them cool on the way. One lady ahead of us had brought her chickens in a box in the back of her car. They had gotten too hot and there were 4 DOAs.

How do you take 28 chickens somewhere?

We finally opted to put them in the back of the truck with this netting over them.

It worked out alright. They all made it home safe and sound.