Garden Friday

Happy Birthday to my dear sweet Faye!

Welcome to Garden Friday!
We are continuing to hunker down for the most part,
and enjoying our garden time every chance we get.
Our neighborhood is displaying these red ribbons
outside of our homes as a symbol of unity
through this difficult time.
Our neighbor across the street actually made them
and distributed them at no cost.
We are grateful for good neighbors.

 Last week we transplanted our strawberries
into this big wash tub.
Covering with straw should help to keep them moist,
as they are big drinkers.
The tub is placed on thick cardboard,
so that any runners can sprawl outwards.

The asparagus is amazing me!
Regardless of the poor clay soil,
it is popping out like nobody's business!
As this is the first year it was planted,
it will remain unpicked and left to go to seed.
Next year we should be able to harvest a bit.

The onions planted in one of the new 3X8 beds started emerging this week.
The welded wire will be removed once the Yukon Gold potatoes come up. 
Snap peas were planted heavily 
all along the arches we put up last year.
A few coffee cans were seeded with
lettuce, kale, spinach and chard.

 I'm trying to get a jump start on the sunflowers,
so I planted a few in the pollinator bed,
as well as around the garden.
One of the goals is to feed the birds,
but I'm hoping there is enough seed left after summer's end
to feed me some sunflower sprouts!

 The welded wire covers seem to be deterring any digging,
which is their intended purpose.
Once planting begins in earnest, it should come in handy.
We are still awaiting the correct parts for our drip system.
It's been a lesson in patience, but we hope to wrap it up soon.

 The oregano that was on the property when we bought it,
comes back each year with no prompting from me.
What a delightful gift to us.
I'd like to make more of an effort to dry it,
so that I can stop buying it at the grocery store.

 A few new birdhouses were added to the garden area this week.
I'm thinking, more birds, less bugs in the garden.
We'll see!
A friend also recommended getting a bat house
to help with mosquito control.
I can do that!

 I've always thought that alyssum was an annual,
but it's been coming back on its own.
It's one of my favorite delicate blooms to use as a border,
and I really should use it more in the veggie garden area.
Smells divine too!

The irises are wowing us with drama!
This is the first time since they were transplanted
that they've bloomed.
Worth the wait, wouldn't you agree?

I know I'm a Yankee,

but I love me some dogwood trees!

They compliment the tulips we have coming up

on the west side of our driveway.

Sometimes when I'm walking the property,

I see so many areas that need additions,

but time only allows for so much.

Gardening is always a work in progress.

dogwood blossoms

Here's hoping you have some garden projects
to keep you happily busy at home.
Bee well...

Sweet Potato Planks

Sweet potatoes are one of the easiest crops to grow.
Just look at last year's bed overflowing with vines.
They are heat lovers and require very little care,
yet they produce not only edible leaves,
but one of the tastiest treats ever put on a plate.

These spuds are high in vitamin A,
contain B6, Vitamin C and a host of minerals
as well as fiber and absolutely no fat.
They are highly digestible, easy to acquire
and will do a great job of filling your belly.
Another asset this veg has is that it stores well for months,
so you can always have them on hand.

I discovered this recipe on Downshiftology,
one of my favorite cooking vlogs.
Lisa calls it sweet potato toast and uses a mandolin to slice it,
but a standard chef's knife does just fine.
It's such a simple idea and takes even less time
than sweet potato fries.
In a mere 15 minutes,
you can be enjoying these sweet treats.

Sweet Potato Planks
1 large sweet potato (cut into thick planks)
olive oil
salt
cinnamon
Other options:
honey
maple syrup

Place planks on parchment-lined cookie sheet.
Add seasonings, being sure to turn planks over
to distribute the seasonings.
Place in a 400 degree oven for 10 minutes,
then turn over and bake for another 5-10 minutes.
Enjoy!

How I Cut Processed Sugar Out of My Diet

sugar-free truffles

I've always been a label reader.
With a history of vegetarianism and whole foods,
I've continued to tweak my diet as I've gotten older.
It seems that your dietary needs change as you age,
(what doesn't?),
and so a bit of honing every once in a while can be advantageous.

Through everyday observation,
it occurred to me that most folks don't read labels,
and just trust that whatever they are eating is healthy enough,
with the exception of desserts.
I think my sweet momma helped me along
by always feeding us scratch-cooked meals
(Lord, that woman could cook!),
and very infrequent desserts.

Unfortunately, unless you are vigilant about those labels,
you will find processed sugar in everything from bread to soup to salad dressings.
With a long-standing bent on nutrition,
label reading is second nature to me.
With the discovery of our son C's multiple food sensitivities,
it's just a downright necessity.
I have taught him to look for as few ingredients as possible
when choosing snack or prepared foods.
He is also becoming better at spotting the ingredients
that are out-and-out no-nos for him.
 

banana walnut muffins

The thing is, we have total control over what we buy.
When our money is spent on products that agree with our beliefs,
eventually, the companies will get a clue and create better quality.
There have been occasions when I have written to food corporations,
to let them know how pleased I was with something.
We are especially grateful to those companies
that provide allergy-friendly options with clean ingredients.
I've always gotten a reply stating how appreciative they are
to hear positive feedback from a customer.

raw brownies

This drastic change in my processed sugar intake
was prompted by an elimination diet
that my naturopath suggested.
The goal for me was to determine what was causing
all of these strange, new-to-me symptoms
and figure out a path toward better health.
For six weeks, there was a long list of taboo foods,
some of which made up my favorites (like coffee).
I stuck it out and got some answers,
and then slowly reintroduced each offensive food.
I feel like I'm in a good place right now with my diet,
and know a lot more than when I began.

sugar-free peanut butter cookies

 I never really started out thinking I would cut sugar
completely out of my diet.
I mean, that seems so drastic!
I didn't see myself as one of those people!
But the longer I followed this regime,
the easier it got.
With the access to the internet,
it's been such an easy process.

There are so many brilliant resources

from folks who made the journey ahead of me

and were generous enough to share their discoveries.

One of my favorite websites/You Tube channels is

Minimalist Baker.

Dana has a boatload of sugar-free recipes,

(or ones that can be adapted),

that are tantalizing and healthy.

Another great resource is Downshiftology

Lisa has a good variety of menu items,

with a proclivity toward gluten-free and sugar-free.

And Lori, over at My Quiet Kitchen,

has a dynamite collection of yumminess to try.  

My new love, Lily's bars!

For the most part, I use dates, honey or maple syrup

for sweetening the things I make myself.

Often the amount of sweetener is reduced because

I just don't need as much.

My sweet tooth is fully intact, thank you very much,

but I feel much better about the ingredients I'm using.

These Lily's bars, for instance, are quite pricey,

but I am getting what I pay for.

chia pudding

You don't need to wait until you're having symptoms
or do a challenging elimination diet to change your eating.
All that's required is the desire to improve your diet, 
your health, your life for the better.
It does take a bit more planning, research and work.

But aren't you worth it?

Garden Friday

Welcome back to Garden Friday,

where things are starting to get into gear.

It's been a busy week, 

which is just the way I like things.

Being home lends itself to getting tasks crossed off

our to-do list.

With a bit of disappointment,

we had to put our irrigation project on hold.

We were about halfway through it

when we discovered that the tubing that we purchased

was leaking like a sieve.

It seems that the connectors (elbows, t pieces) aren't

compatible with the particular type of poly we have.

We ordered some new components, which should arrive today.

Hopefully, this weekend we will be successful

in setting up the system with no complications.

Fingers crossed!

The first batch of Yukon Gold potatoes got dug up

by something, most likely chipmunks or squirrels.

So a new batch was dried and planted in the same bed.

This time, I covered the bed with welded wire panels.

Whatever I need to do to deter those varmints!

Since I didn't have as many seed potatoes for the second planting,

I added a mess of onions to one side of the 3X8 bed.

Can't wait to see how they do!

The larger of these tubs was used for planting our strawberries.
The smaller one will most likely be filled with flower seeds.
It's been dry for a while, with no rain expected until Tuesday,
so supplemental watering has been needed.

A friend and I rescued two beautiful black snakes.
They were in her well house,
and had gotten entangled in some netting that was kept there.
As these are the best mouse catchers, we wanted to help them if we could.
As I held the critters, (a male and a female), she painstakingly
cut each part of the netting off of the two poor souls.
We set them free in the wooded area just behind me.
Hoping they are well enough to return and do some rodent patrol!

If all goes well with the irrigation project,
I'm hoping to be a plantin' fool this weekend.
It's the perfect time to sow chard, kale, lettuce, peas, spinach,
and so much more.
Flower seeds need to be purchased, as I don't have as many
nasturtium and marigold seeds that I like to place 
in the raised beds.
They encourage pollinators while discouraging pests.
They add even more beauty to the garden to boot!

Hope your spring garden is coming right along!

Chia Seed Pudding

I've been watching a few You Tube cooking channels
to get new ideas for expanding my diet.
I eat mostly gluten-free and vegetarian,
but nothing could keep me from enjoying a beautiful loaf
of homemade bread.
I've also recently given up processed sugar,
instead subbing coconut sugar (which is not processed),
and incorporating dates or honey as a sweetener in baked goods.
My once a month ice cream date with sister
is the only processed sugar in my diet.
 
This recipe hails from the vlog Downshiftology
and you can watch Lisa prep her chia seed puddings here.
This simple dish comes together in literally minutes.

All that's needed is your milk of choice 

(I used unsweetened almond)

and chia seeds.

Two ingredients?

What could be easier!

For each serving of pudding,

add 2 Tablespoons of chia seeds

to 1/2 cup of your choice of milk.

Stir the chia seeds in the milk and then let it sit for 15 minutes.

Once they start to thicken, stir again.

Your sweetener of choice can then be added.

I used maple syrup, but honey or coconut sugar would work well.

(This batch was also dusted with cocoa powder.)

It's amazing to see how quickly the pudding thickens

into a tasty, textured treat.

Choose your topping,
whether you prefer fruit, ginger, nuts, seeds, or spices.
Making individual servings is a great way 
for everyone to customize their dessert.
This pudding can even be kept in the freezer,
so several can be made ahead and savored later.

I'm so grateful to these YouTubers who share
delightful, health-supporting dishes
using simple ingredients and 
 zero 
               junk.