First planting this spring!!

Peas Please!!!!

The weekend was chilly but that didn't stop us from our first planting!
Here you can see our test of my burlap sack planting method. I'll be trying this out with several veggies this spring.
Charlotte did great with casting the peas to plant and was an expert at pushing them into the soil, her little fingers perfectly suited to the task!
These are set on our upper patio right outside of our kitchen. This space will be for Charlotte's Garden where she will be able to interact and engage with the growth however she wishes.

A busy February so far...

I just wanted to check in and make a few notes of what I have been up to.Here are a few of my recent endeavors I hope to write about in the future:

I have been busy in the kitchen revamping and refining a few of my recipes. I think I finally have my Saag sauce is finally to our liking, the balances of spices has hit its mark.

I also have been working on my own veggie based soup stock, this experiment is a direct result from my enlightenment about better than bullion and the MSG it contains. I have been basing the stock on the waste pulp from my juicer. There are several soups I have made using this stock. I also have frozen a few batches and will report on how it holds up over time.

Most of the work in the kitchen has leaned towards Paleolithic diet, and is all gluten free. C is GF and I for the most part follow that also, however I am finishing of a few things from the freezer that don't meet the mark.

Oh, yeah I made sushi for the first time! I don't think write on it but it was a fun experiment.

Out of the kitchen, I have been headed out to a two new grocery stores, sourcing local veggies, produce, meat and hard to find ingredients. 

One is "H-Mart" off of Route 40 West. The second is Richardson's Farm East of Baltimore. Both have many things to offer, and on each trip I discover something new! 

So far winter here has been mild here in Baltimore, I have had some time to clear out space in the yard and begun the planning of my gardens. I did have good success with container gardening last year and look forward to working with raised beds. 

Til next time, stay healthy!

Hidden enemies of the healthy cooking lifestyle.

I cook a lot, it is far to say I prepare about 95% of what I consume. I am always been diligent in adding only what is needed, avoiding any ingredients that might cause allergic reactions in dinner guest, and should a guest prefer a RAW food diet or be Vegan, Veg, or have other restrictions I can accommodate the request (a heads-up with the RSVP is appreciated). Still most of my time in the kitchen is spent only taking care of the two of us and Magnolia the dog. In the winter I turn to soups as a major component of our daily dining. On sundays it is common to find me working on several things for the week, and two are normally soup. A short cut I have used sparingly over the ears has been "Better than Bullion", I liked the small packaging in glass, less waste, and less cabinet space taken to store. I'd just add a bit to the existing soup base. Example, my chicken soup I always start with a whole chicken, slow boiled for a few hours, skimming any build up off and cooking the base down after removing the chicken to cool, cut, and later combine. Before the final boil of the soup, I'd plop in maybe a tablespoon of the Better than Bullion. Just enough to ad a little depth and touch of color. I have carried on this way for years.

I should have know better. One of my first post was titled "I don't like using ingredients that have ingredients" Still I looked at the labeling, thought it to be a great alternative to bullion cubes, and bought it at Whole Foods. Then the other day C emails me this link:

http://www.foodrenegade.com/decoding-labels-better-than-bouillon/

The short of it is about decoding labels and has opened my eyes to the way manufacturers can conceal their product under many different labeling guises... With January's chill hanging outside my door I'm going to by in a soup sort of mind for a few more months. I am going to need to find some new techniques to update my recipes. I have a few ideas, searched for some advise, and am testing something this morning in my kitchen. I'll update with what I find works best for me. But first I am going to read more on labeling practices and how to decode the label.

A quick catch up...

I have been quite busy these past few days, doing some pro bono work, rewriting my Federal resumes, and attempting to develop a streamlined resume for non-governmental work. However I wanted to conclude my notes on the three day detox cleanse I have posted about recently.

First of all it doesn't suck! I found it easy to follow and felt satisfied with the smoothies. I never felt lethargic, mentally I was sharp and focused and have no adverse effects to report. Transitioning back to solid/regular foods was easy enough however the first day I felt a little bit off, not sure what to make of it, just a bit tired and not one hundred percent myself. I had hard boiled eggs and a fresh juice of carrots and ginger for breakfast, a huge salad for lunch with some poached salmon... just my basic everyday normal foods. I can't make anything of it except maybe my body was missing the natural high that consuming nutrient packed quickly digestible smoothies gave... C independently verified this finding (she began two days after I did to accommodate her work schedule) , the back to solids day for her also had her felling a bit off.

Anyway, I have to vote the breakfast smoothie the winner for flavor, it also gave me quite a rush in the morning that stayed for a few hours. I dug it! I will keep the breakfast smoothie on rotation for quite sometime, not everyday, but when I am going to be at home working and writing and feel I want to have a extra 'lift' to vigorously approach the day, it was quite a buzz...

Here's Lunch!!

An Update: The Three Day Detox Cleanse

I am on day three, just had my morning smoothie about a half hour ago, and I feel great! C is beginning today and will continue until Monday. I have to say this is not at all a difficult program, I have not felt lethargic or pining for food. My mental focus has been solid and I have felt no adverse affects. I do maintain a balanced diet and did not approach this from the land of cheeseburgers and milkshakes (I do love a good burger, can't recall my last milkshake however...).

I do not think I would have any problem incorporating this into a busy work week, as long as the ingredients are prepared ahead of time, mangos can be tricky in a rush. The "lunch" shake is formidable and I think I was too heavy handed with the kale the first day, however this shake holds up well, could handle the commute, and storage throughout the morning.

One thing that impressed me was the volume of the smoothies. The lunch one (shown above) was about 32 ounces of veggie fruit loaded goodness and had the consistency of gazpacho. Day one it felt like a chore to finish the smoothie, but I did feel full from all of them and the balance of nutrients and calories had me feeling great!