Branch Habitat

garden diary-signs of life

2012-01-24T07:21:00.000-08:00

These my friends are signs of life in dead winter garden. The weather has finally caught up with us on the coast dumping rain, little sunshine and very cool nights. This does not bid well for plants but despite the conditions I have some plants still trying to survive. The top photo are the self seeded potatoes on their third round. The next is a pea shoot that must have been a fallen pea from the fall planting, lettuce, and last is broccoli. The end of next month marks the start of another growing season and sadly our last one here in Northern California. I hope the garden gods are listening and make this next season a prolific one.

chicken chronicles - egg binding

2012-01-21T16:24:00.000-08:00

This poor gal had a chicken emergency last week, with an egg bound in the vent that did not contain an egg but a mess of shell and poop. With gloves on and armed with warm water I gave her a good soak and waited to pull remaining items from her bum. It could have only been 24 hours but she had a bulging red underbelly. She still had an appetite and attitude so only time would tell if she would kick the bucket or not. The feathers fell out of the bulging area but within a day the feathers where coming back along with regular droppings. The redness was going down along with the size. Here she is a week later and still no eggs with shells but better than dead. Here is official advice on how to handle this situation:

"An egg travels down the oviduct, pointed end first. When it gets to the urogenital chamber of the cloaca, it turns end for end so it will come out large end first. Sometimes an egg gets stuck. The egg may be too large (for example, if a pullet lays unusually large eggs), or a disease may cause the oviduct to swell or its muscles to become partially paralyzed. The stuck egg then causes future eggs to accumulate behind it, distending the hen's abdomen. Unless you can get things moving again, the hen will die.

Lubricate a forefinger with mineral oil or KY Jelly and insert it into the vent. With your other hand push gently against the hen's abdomen to force the egg toward the vent. If you can see the egg, but it is too big to pass through the vent, puncture the shell and remove it in pieces (with great care not to let a sharp shard injure the hen). Rinse the cloaca with hydrogen peroxide.
If the egg was stuck in the cloaca too long, cloacal tissue may protrude through the vent. In that case, protect the hen from cannibalism by isolating her until her muscle tone is back to normal."

first waves

2012-01-19T08:57:00.000-08:00

Little B had his first try at riding waves on one of Big B's boards. Monterey is a very different surf and provided a great winter environment for his birthday waves. He caught one and felt sooo proud. He is such a little dude!

earthbound organic farm

2012-01-17T15:07:00.000-08:00

Over the weekend my Little B celebrated his 5th Birthday, and to do something special we trucked it on down to Monterey. We took in the sights including the original farm property of now Corporate Organic Earthbound Organic located in Carmel Valley. It was a great place to have kiddos play and the farm stand is more general store than stand. It has lots of yummy and expensive goodies along with a small kitchen featuring panini's and a salad bar. They also have a u-pick herb garden, and an out of season kitchen garden. I would say take a look if you in the area and visit but it lacks any magic that was once there.

2012 hopefuls

2012-01-11T04:00:00.000-08:00

Loving on this image via here. Do you have any New Year resolutions? I am hoping for a happy, healthy and prosperous new year over all but have a few resolutions to achieve.

1. Organize and print photos from the past two years.

2. After organizing said photos making baby photo books for both boys as keepsakes.

3. Getting back into yoga.

new year

2012-01-10T15:43:00.000-08:00

We are back from our michigan holiday and getting into our old routines. It was nice to see family and friends but it was also nice to say goodbye to winter and feel the sunshine once again. Hope I did loose too many of you with the short break and hope to share more this year that may strike your fancy.

season's greetings!

2011-12-23T08:39:00.000-08:00

Have a safe and yummy holiday weekend!

holiday music round-up

2011-12-15T17:39:00.000-08:00

I would like to share a few favorites from our Christmas music collection. Some are low key around the house jams and others and good for sharing with friends.

1. Hey It's Christmas

2. A Very She & Him Christmas

3. Christmas with the Rat Pack

4. This Warm December (Fav)

5. The Hotel Cafe Presents Winter Songs

6. Bob Dylan's Christmas In The Heart

holiday inspiration

2011-12-08T11:15:00.001-08:00

I am sharing a few of my favorites pinned to my merriment board found here. What's your favorite?

kitchen soundtrack

2011-12-05T14:44:00.001-08:00

Lately its been bake, bake, bake and shop, shop, shop. This mix is on repeat in the kitchen and the kiddos dig it too, thanks to Kate at Wit&delight. She curated this mix and shares it for free at this link. The count down continues for us with traveling and our first Christmas with the kiddos in Michigan. I may be sparse these days but will share some interesting projects and travel logs. Cheers!

Image: Kate Arends

kiddo holiday gift guide

2011-11-29T04:00:00.000-08:00

If you are anything like me you have already started your holiday shopping and hopefully purchased homemade or made some of your own toys to gift. Many of the items on my below list are supporting artists and craftsman or eco-friendly. Please shop wisely this holiday season and click the links for more info. Cheers!

1. Polar Bear Tote

2. Nature Paint Kit

3. Wooden Pirate Ship

4. Bandit Foxes

5. Stella and Henry Calendar

6. Personal Car Play Mat

7. Ballerina Doll Jess

8. Sandwich Defender

9. Mr. Rabbit Paper Doll

10. Eco Star Crayons

11. Little Owl Lost Book

12. Muji New York City Blocks

holiday cards-design files

2011-11-28T04:00:00.000-08:00

I was so excited to see my cards had arrived from minted.com just in time last week to get started on nailing down addresses. Its the only part I don't like about sending stationary this time of year. I think the design looks great along with my two dudes. I hope to get these out soon!

free craft- cut outs

2011-11-25T04:00:00.000-08:00

You can download this cut-out from Small magazine issue 19 for free. Just print on sturdy card stock and cut out items. My picture is not the actual size of the original and is best used from the link.

thanks

2011-11-24T16:35:00.001-08:00

plastic free food storage

2011-11-24T04:00:00.000-08:00

Inspired by lots of turkey day left-overs here is a practical guide for almost all fruits and veggies using no plastic. The Berkeley Farmers Market has put together a huge list of ways to store produce without plastic. The market went plastic-free last year and is doing everything it can to encourage customers to not only bring their own bags and containers but to skip the plastic when they get home as well. The information is listed below. And here is a printable PDF version of the flyer, HowTo Store Fruits and Vegetables: Tips and tricks to extend the life of your produce without plastic (PDF).

HOW TO STORE VEGETABLES WITHOUT PLASTIC

Always remove any tight bands from your vegetables or at least loosen them to allow them to breath.

Artichokes‐ place in an airtight container sealed, with light moisture.
Asparagus‐ place them loosely in a glass or bowl upright with water at room temperature. (Will keep for a week outside the fridge)
Avocados‐ place in a paper bag at room temp. To speed up their ripening‐ place an apple in the bag with them.
Arugula‐ arugula, like lettuce, should not stay wet! Dunk in cold water and spin or lay flat to dry. Place dry arugula in an open container, wrapped with a dry towel to absorb any extra moisture.
Basil‐ is difficult to store well. Basil does not like the cold, or to be wet for that matter. The best method here is an airtight container/jar loosely packed with a small damp piece of paper inside‐left out on a cool counter.
Beans, shelling‐ open container in the fridge, eat ASAP. Some recommend freezing them if not going to eat right away
Beets‐ cut the tops off to keep beets firm, (be sure to keep the greens!)by leaving any top on root vegetables draws moisture from the root, making them loose flavor and firmness. Beets should be washed and kept in and open container with a wet towel on top.
Beet greens‐ place in an airtight container with a little moisture.
Broccoli‐ place in an open container in the fridge or wrap in a damp towel before placing in the fridge.
Broccoli Rabe‐ left in an open container in the crisper, but best used as soon as possible.
Brussels Sprouts‐ If bought on the stalk leave them on that stalk. Put the stalk in the fridge or leave it on a cold place. If they’re bought loose store them in an open container with a damp towel on top.
Cabbage‐ left out on a cool counter is fine up to a week, in the crisper otherwise. Peel off outer leaves if they start to wilt. Cabbage might begin to loose its moisture after a week , so, best used as soon as possible.
Carrots‐ cut the tops off to keep them fresh longer. Place them in closed container with plenty of moisture, either wrapped in a damp towel or dunk them in cold water every couple of days if they’re stored that long.
Cauliflower‐ will last a while in a closed container in the fridge, but they say cauliflower has the best flavor the day it’s bought.
Celery‐ does best when simply places in a cup or bowl of shallow water on the counter.
Celery root/Celeriac‐ wrap the root in a damp towel and place in the crisper.
Corn‐ leave unhusked in an open container if you must, but corn really is best the day it’s picked.
Cucumber‐ wrapped in a moist towel in the fridge. If you’re planning on eating them within a day or two after buying them they should be fine left out in a cool room.
Eggplant‐ does fine left out in a cool room. Don’t wash it, eggplant doesn’t like any extra moisture around its leaves. For longer storage‐ place loose, in the crisper.
Fava beans‐ place in an air tight container.
Fennel‐ if used within a couple days after it’s bought fennel can be left out on the counter, upright in a cup or bowl of water (like celery). If wanting to keep longer than a few days place in the fridge in a closed container with a little water.
Garlic‐ store in a cool, dark, place.
Green garlic‐an airtight container in the fridge or left out for a day or two is fine, best before dried out.
Greens‐ remove any bands, twist ties, etc. most greens must be kept in an air‐tight container with a damp cloth‐ to keep them from drying out. Kale, collards, and chard even do well in a cup of water on the counter or fridge.
Green beans‐ they like humidity, but not wetness. A damp cloth draped over an open or loosely closed container.
Green Tomatoes‐ store in a cool room away from the sun to keep them green and use quickly or they will begin to color.
Herbs- a closed container in the fridge to kept up to a week. Any longer might encourage mold.
Lettuce‐ keep damp in an airtight container in the fridge.
Leeks‐leave in an open container in the crisper wrapped in a damp cloth or in a shallow cup of water on the counter (just so the very bottom of the stem has water).
Okra‐ doesn’t like humidity. So a dry towel in an airtight container. Doesn’t store that well, best eaten quickly after purchase
Onion‐ store in a cool, dark and dry, place‐ good air circulation is best, so don’t stack them.
Parsnips‐an open container in the crisper, or, like a carrot, wrapped in a damp cloth in the fridge.
Potatoes‐ (like garlic and onions) store in cool, dark and dry place, such as, a box in a dark corner of the pantry; a paper bag also works well.
Radicchio‐ place in the fridge in an open container with a damp cloth on top.
Radishes‐ remove the greens (store separately) so they don’t draw out excess moisture from the roots and place them in a open container in the fridge with a wet towel placed on top.
Rhubarb‐wrap in a damp towel and place in an open container in the refrigerator.
Rutabagas‐ in an ideal situation a cool, dark, humid root cellar or a closed container in the crisper to keep their moisture in.
Snap peas‐ refrigerate in an open container
Spinach‐ store loose in an open container in the crisper, cool as soon as possible. Spinach loves to stay cold.
Spring onions‐ Remove any band or tie and place in the crisper.
Summer Squash‐ does fine for a few days if left out on a cool counter, even after cut.
Sweet peppers‐ Only wash them right before you plan on eating them as wetness decreases storage time. Store in a cool room to use in a couple a days, place in the crisper if longer storage needed.
Sweet Potatoes‐ Store in a cool, dark, well‐ventilated place. Never refrigerate‐‐sweet potatoes don’t like the cold.
Tomatoes‐ Never refrigerate. Depending on ripeness, tomatoes can stay for up to two weeks on the counter. To hasten ripeness place in a paper bag with an apple.
Turnips‐ remove the greens (store separately) same as radishes and beets, store them in an open container with a moist cloth.
Winter squash‐store in a cool, dark, well ventilated place. Many growers say winter squashes get sweeter if they’re stored for a week or so before eaten.
Zucchini‐ does fine for a few days if left out on a cool counter, even after cut. Wrap in a cloth and refrigerate for longer storage.

HOW TO STORE FRUIT WITHOUT PLASTIC

Apples‐ store on a cool counter or shelf for up to two weeks. For longer storage in a cardboard box in the fridge.
Citrus‐ store in a cool place, with good airflow, never in an air‐tight container.
Apricots‐ on a cool counter to room temperature or fridge if fully ripe
Cherries‐store in an airtight container. Don’t wash cherries until ready to eat, any added moisture encourages mold.
Berries-Don’t forget, they’re fragile. When storing be careful not to stack too many high, a single layer if possible. A paper bag works well, only wash before you plan on eating them.
Dates‐dryer dates (like Deglet Noor) are fine stored out on the counter in a bowl or the paper bag they were bought in. Moist dates (like Medjool) need a bit of refrigeration if they’re going to be stored over a week, either in cloth or a paper bag‐ as long as it’s porous to keeping the moisture away from the skin of the dates.
Figs‐ Don’t like humidity, so, no closed containers. A paper bag works to absorb excess moisture, but a plate works best in the fridge up to a week un‐stacked.
Melons‐ uncut in a cool dry place, out of the sun up to a couple weeks. Cut melons should be in the fridge, an open container is fine.
Nectarines‐ (similar to apricots) store in the fridge is okay if ripe, but best taken out a day or two before you plan on eating them so they soften to room temperature.
Peaches(and most stone fruit)‐ refrigerate only when fully ripe. More firm fruit will ripen on the counter.
Pears‐ will keep for a few weeks on a cool counter, but fine in a paper bag. To hasten the ripening put an apple in with them.
Persimmon
–Fuyu‐(shorter/pumpkin shaped): store at room temperature.
–Hachiya‐ (longer/pointed end): room temperature until completely mushy. The astringentness of them only subsides when they are completely ripe. To hasten the ripening process place in a paper bag with a few apples for a week, check now and then, but don’t stack‐they get very fragile when really ripe.
Pomegranates‐ keep up to a month stored on a cool counter.
Strawberries‐ Don’t like to be wet. Do best in a paper bag in the fridge for up to a week. Check the bag for moisture every other day.

One question I’m often asked is how to store loose salad greens without plastic. That’s a tough one. I don’t have a great answer. We actually don’t buy loose salad greens very often, opting for heads of lettuce, which are sturdier. Our strategy, if we did buy loose greens, would be to eat them right away and save hardier veggies for later in the week. (You can store chard in a glass of water too, like a bouquet.)

We also don’t freeze veggies and fruits or buy them frozen. We eat what we can get from the farmers market when it’s available, and we don’t expect to have strawberries in December.

I’d love to hear about your produce storage ideas/challenges.

Source: My Plastic-free Life (http://s.tt/12sNh)

Written by:Beth Terry via myplasticfreelife.com

gift giving - preserved lemons

2011-11-23T04:00:00.000-08:00

This gift giving year I am attempting to preserve lemons inspired by this recipe and blog, cooking lessons by Sally P. Vargas. She has beautiful photos and a great recipe to follow. I need to make about 10 jars to gift to family and friends. My plan is to attack this over thanksgiving Break. Here is her recipe:

Preserved lemons

Preserved lemons have a deep, intense lemony flavor that goes in a completely different direction from the zesty sourness you expect from a fresh lemon. You may have seen giant, fancy jars of these with whole lemons in salty brine. Those lemons are almost quartered (the bottom of the ‘flower’ cut stays intact) but practically speaking, you might as well cut them in quarters. The quarters are easier to get into the jars and more importantly, easier to retrieve from the jars as you need them (with a clean fork, never fingers) than the whole lemons. It is helpful to use jars that have “shoulders” so that the lemons stay submerged in liquid. I found a mesh bag of organic lemons at Whole Foods last week—you will be eating the rind, so use organic.

For 3 (pint-size) jars

9 small organic lemons for the jars, plus about 9 more extra lemons for juice

About 1 cup coarse Kosher salt

3 bay leaves

3 sticks of cinnamon

A few whole cloves

1. Scrub the lemons and cut off the stem (pointy) end if it is very prominent. Quarter the lemons.

2. Place a heaping tablespoon of salt in the bottom of each squeaky clean jar. Cram in some lemon quarters to fill the bottom of the jar and sprinkle with a rounded tablespoon of salt. Continue to layer the lemons with the salt. If you want to be fancy, add a bay leaf, a cinnamon stick and a few cloves to each jar. Press down on the lemons so that they release some juice. Eventually they will soften and be easier to press down. By eventually I mean about a week or so. Top off the jar with lemon juice so that the lemons are completely submerged in brine.

3. Close the jars and let stand at room temperature overnight. The next day, open the jars and press down on the lemons to encourage them to release more juice. Close the jars and tilt them a few times to begin to dissolve the salt. Repeat this routine for about 5 days; then store them in the refrigerator. Top off with more lemon juice as needed. The lemons are ready to use when the rind softens. This will take 3 to 4 weeks.

Note: The most taxing part of this recipe is squeezing the lemons for extra juice. If you have an electric juicer, it will go a lot faster. In any case, use lemons at room-temperature and roll them back and forth vigorously before squeezing them, or zap them in the microwave for about 10 seconds.

Photo and recipe credit: Sally Paisley Vargas

thanskgiving recipe round-up - gluten free

2011-11-22T04:00:00.000-08:00

This year I am trying to keep the peace between a traditional holiday meal and a healthy GF version. B would like the more traditional with "real stuffing", gravy, and other butter loaded fixings. However this is my list of pretty healthy and somewhat traditional sides for an gluten free holiday. There is also a vegetarian and vegan guide to Thanksgiving over at my fav 101cookbooks.com, where you will find some of the listed recipes. Follow the links for tasty recipes.

1. Gluten Free Pumpkin Scones

2. Kale & Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes

3. Vibrant Tasty Green Beans

4. Roasted Pumpkin Salad

5. Gluten Free Stuffing

6. Sage Butter Roasted Turkey

Photos credit to 101cookbooks.com, Elinor Carucci, Crystal Paine

end of season - farmer's market

2011-11-21T04:00:00.000-08:00

The end of Farmer's Market season has arrived and this past Saturday was perfect for the final day. The sun was out , although the winter winds have arrived, and the produce and flowers reflective of the holiday season before us. My favorite thing was the succulent wreaths for sale. I may just pick one up this season even though we will be in Northern Michigan for the Christmas holiday.

holiday card out-takes & herding cats

2011-11-14T04:00:00.000-08:00

I wanted to use the first photo so bad for our annual holiday photo card, but restrained myself and picked nice pictures full of teeth and eyeballs. This seemingly easy tasks not to easy. At times it really is like wrangling cats. Its my new catch phrase when B calls and asks how our day is, my response is "like herding cats". It may be personality or age but my goodness we are busy these days. I took a part time job at Recycled Youth in Arcata and work on Wednesday afternoons to add to the fever. If anyone lives here in the area drop by and pay a visit. I have a whole lot of holiday inspired gluten free and winter wellness posts to share once I get my shit in one sock.

dog days

2011-11-04T20:46:00.000-07:00

Its been a long and exciting week for us. First Meme(grandma) is here to visit and spending time with us over the weekend, the exciting part, and the long part is the illness that settled in just after she arrived. We are still able to have some fun and hoping to get some healthy sun this weekend to rejuvenate our bodies back to health. Happy weekend!

boo

2011-10-31T05:00:00.000-07:00

Today is the much anticipated day of trick or treating for our kiddos. We have a new tradition started last year of the Halloween Witch that takes candy on the doorstep leaving a special something in return. She is set to return again this year only leaving 5 candies behind her. This is also my first year not handing out candy but small "recycled" toys collected to gift to small ghouls. Its all about the tradition for us this time of year and the opportunity to dress and act different is always the best part. Safe Treating!

los bagels

2011-10-28T03:00:00.000-07:00

We have the coolest bagel shop here in Arcata called Los Bagels. Its a stop sometimes for us before school and who would have thunk that they actually have a gluten free bagel and a dairy free spread for us to share with a slammin' cup of coffee. This time of year its decorated for Dia de los Muertos or Day of the Dead. Its just "to die for" with its Catrina's, sugar sculls, marigolds and awesome shrine honoring their dead. November 1&2 are the days celebrated and maybe this year we will pay homage to our loved ones now past. Have a safe and spooky weekend!

leaves

2011-10-25T09:59:00.000-07:00

The leaves are under foot and the sun is staying around. We are starting to dig out our hats and watching the sun reach its slumber earlier in the day. For now we are comfortable in shorts and t-shirts and pretending the berries are still on the bramble and the sea air is mild and not biting. We will see how long we can remain in our fall bliss.

carving - no words monday

2011-10-24T05:00:00.000-07:00

wedding bells-design files

2011-10-20T05:00:00.000-07:00

Just a glimpse of my recent work at minted and you can still sneak over and vote it strikes you just right.

chicken chronicles-first molt

2011-10-19T09:52:00.000-07:00

The ladies have officially started to molt their feathers and have stopped egg production. The daylight has dwindled enough to trigger this annual bird tradition. One of the ladies looks horrible with half her neck feathers gone in a very humorous fashion. There is one of the ladies still putting an egg out once in a while. We feel fortunate these days to open the nest and find a egg surprise on some mornings.

Here is another blog that sites helpful info to care for molting hens, check it out at Backyard Farming: The Urban Homestead.

fall bucket list

2011-10-18T05:00:00.000-07:00

image via:East Atlanta

List of essential fall items to do before its too late:

>>pumpkin patch

>>bake pies from scratch-GF of course

>>collect leaves of amber and red to press

>>pick apples

>>hayride

>>watch birds migrate

>>corn maze

>>trip to Napa for fall harvest

>>watch a U of M football game

>>knit something cozy

>>make a hearty soup

weekending and pumpkins

2011-10-17T10:18:00.000-07:00

We had our annual trip to Christie's Pumpkin Patch with our school friends from the child Development Lab where Little B goes to preschool. It was a fun tractor ride, corn maze, sunflower and giant pumpkin kind of day. The variety this year was awesome and they had lots to chose from. After the pumpkin picking we all meet up for a pizza party, which of course is not good for gluten free dairy free people but the kiddos love a pizza treat now and then.

fall harvest

2011-10-11T14:06:00.000-07:00

Fall Harvest is upon us and the apple's are almost ready to pick in Fieldbrook and the pumpkins are large and in charge in Blue Lake. If you are local now is the time to harvest your beets, beans and corn. My garden is a sorry scene right now and at the end of its seasonal life. We have just a few greens left to make it through the rainy season that is also made an appearance. Good luck local gardeners!

Eden

2011-10-10T10:28:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend I happen to stop in to the store Eden in Arcata for the first time. I love this store and other plant lovers will too. It has a great collection of indoor plants and air plants along with an entire wall of seeds. The over all look and style of the store is lovely and worth a look see if you are in the area.

ice cream in the afternoon

2011-10-07T21:00:00.000-07:00

Ice cream was in order yesterday afternoon when i picked Little B up from school. We headed to Scoop for some delicious treats and to our surprise they had added some new awesomeness to to the store. An artist from Washington crafted the pieces out of wood and they couldn't be more beautiful. We chose the Deep Seeded Farm Strawberry flavor - our favorite local strawberry as pictured above from our recent farm visit and I enjoyed a dairy free mint chocolate.

prawns on rosemary skewers

2011-10-03T05:00:00.000-07:00

I had intended to share this recipe last week but late is better than never, especially this particular recipe. Its quite simple and easy to prepare on a busy school night but the look and flavor are less than a bland weeknight meal. Not only is it a pretty presentation but has a smoky rosemary taste that packs a punch. Here is a loose interpretation of a recipe:

Prawns on Rosemary Skewers

12 large prawns

4 sturdy rosemary twigs

1/4 cup of salt for brine

1 lemon

handful of rosemary leaves

4 tbs of olive oil

Sea kelp seasoning*optional

Prepare brine with cold water, salt, lemon slices & rosemary leaves. Let soak in brine for ideal 3 hours or 1 hour minimum. Soak rosemary twigs in water for 15 minutes for optimal grilling. Once brining is finished simply drain brine and toss prawns in a bowl of olive oil, squeeze of lemon, seasonings and assemble on twigs.

Grill time varies with temperature and settings but ideal would be medium heat and 7 minutes a side. Make sure cooking is complete before consuming and be careful not to over cook the prawns into a rubbery texture. Enjoy over a bed of herbed lettuce and pared with a baked sweet potato.

my list of best gluten free products

2011-09-29T16:18:00.000-07:00

I have compiled a list of gluten free products that we buy and keep on hand at all times. As much a I try to make everything from scratch and eat only whole local foods, its just not practical for our family 100% of the time. Its a goal more than a reality and when you throw two kids and busy lives in the mix we end up buying some processed foods. When you add the gluten free dairy free thing into the picture it can make it very difficult and risky to buy processed or packaged food. Some day I hope to be a homesteader that can source all of our food needs locally and organically but for the time being I will share my list of nutritious sometimes organic gluten free foods or seasonings to make life easier.

1. Tamari Black sesame Crackers by San-J - www.san-j.com

2. Edward & Sons Not Chick'n Vegan Bouillon Cubes - www.edwardandsons.com

3. Udi's Millet-Chia Bread - www.udisglutenfree.com

Right now you can download a $1 off from this website for any of their bread products.

4. Pamela's Baking and Pancake Mix - www.pamelasproducts.com

5. Huy Fong Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce(Red Rooster Sauce) - www.huyfong.com

6. Lilly's Roasted Garlic Hummus - www.lillysfoods.com

7. Applegate Organic Roasted Turkey Breast- www.applegatefarms.com

8. Braggs Liquid Aminos (soy sauce) - www.braggs.com

9. Braggs Sea Kelp Delight seasoning - www.braggs.com

10. Braggs Nutritional Yeast (replaces shredded cheese) - www.braggs.com

11. Miso Mayo Roasted Red Pepper (replaces mayo) - www.misomayo.com

12. Larabar any flavor - www.larabar.com

13. Tinkyada Spinach Brown Rice Pasta - www.tinkyada.com

14. Peas of Mind Veggie Wedges (frozen section) - www.peasofmind.com

first day of fall

2011-09-23T16:40:00.000-07:00

Happy first day of Fall and please enjoy the weekend!

blight fight-garden diary

2011-09-20T14:09:00.000-07:00

Well there you have it. The last of my tomats to be blighted. This was my second year and attempt to growing locally seeded cherry tomatoes and they still did not make it. If they had ripened three weeks earlier i would have pounds on my hands instead i had seven cherry tomatoes. Well, enough of my pity party and moving forward I still have half a garden left to tend before the rain starts. Next year I am growing individual pots of tomats and trimming the leaves early to try round three of growing the red jewels on the coast. Any tips from my local folks?

weekending

2011-09-19T05:00:00.000-07:00

We had a great weekend here on the coast with the North Country Fair and then the Surf for Peace Contest. The weather held out for the fair and the farmer's market looked awesome. We enjoyed some serious people watching and interesting dancing.
My kitchen was dirty all weekend and not do to laziness but do to the abundance of this time of year and a constant project cooking, jamming, pickling or baking. I tried a new zucchini bread recipe found over here by smitten Kitchen and adapted it for GF and it turned out pretty tasty. We picked a bucket more blackberries and jammed about 10 jars. I have a few more recipes to share this week.
Surf Rider's Foundation put on their annual Surf for Peace Competition and we headed to the Jettys to watch this Sunday. It was a blast to see so many Littles on boards. Little B has one more year and hopefully he will want to enter for next years competition. Hopefully you enjoyed your weekend too!

halloween costume round-up

2011-09-14T21:26:00.000-07:00

So call me crazy for thinking of Halloween already but realistically its just little over a month away. Its not that I want be be super organized and ready to go a month in advance but it truly takes all of a month for us to come up with an idea(2) and then make-create our costumes. It would be easier to just head out to target and buy the same costume everyone and their uncle has but even then getting the right size and right costume takes almost as much time and then its not as special and typically a major piece of junk- see last years spider man costume for reference. I have gathered a few ideas to share and tried to be as green as possible with in a very non-green holiday. Many are for inspiration and a few have DIY guides. Not sure what we have chosen yet but the planning is in the works.

1. Kids Luxury Max-$175.00 from Katesy on etsy.com

2. Monkey and Pirate Twins-handmade by Juhon Sonin on flickr.com

3. Grocery Store Dragon and Knight-DIY by marthastewart.com

4. Red Riding Hood and Peter Pan-handmade by Eniko Lori on enikolori.com

5. Super Hero Costumes-DIY on marthastewart.com

6. Glamour Girl Costumes-DIY on marthastewart.com

natural fiber fair

2011-09-12T10:00:00.000-07:00

This was my first year at the Arcata Natural Fiber Fair with little B and friends. The yarn was a rainbow of beauty and local talent is unbelievable. We spent most of our time in the children's area doing projects like learning to weave and felting. The booth was put on by Coastal Grove school and had many other great things for littles to do. There are many creative people in our north coast bubble.

winter garden

2011-09-08T09:23:00.000-07:00

The last of the winter garden was seeded yesterday. I feel pretty good about the potential this winter but only the rains shall dictate the outcome. The veggies planted were as follows:

>>Asian greens
>>varietal lettuce
>>romaine lettuce
>>carrots
>> peas- starts and not seeds
>>radishes

The late summer/fall garden to soon be harvested is:

>>tomatoes (fighting blight)
>>pumpkins
>>corn
>>blue lake beans
>>winter squash
>>purple cabbage
>>beets

I will be putting some of this away but mostly just beets and jams this fall. I am going to try a freezing method instead for tomatoes and corn and the rest will be gobbled up before it goes bad.

weekending

2011-09-06T05:00:00.000-07:00

Hope you all enjoyed the long weekend. I have a love hate relationship with Labor Day weekend. It's almost always a beautiful time of year but signifies the birth of Fall and the death of Summer. Its sort of the last hooray of summer splendor. We tried to do summery types of things like a beach day, a block party and attempt to go on a surf-camping trip. All of my recipes that included the summer bounty where eaten, including some of my own red tomatoes (a near miracle for growing here on the coast).

design files- treasure island music festival

2011-09-05T05:00:00.000-07:00

Some recent design work that I hope goes into sales for the amazing and wonderful Treasure Island Music Festival in October. Fingers crossed! Happy Labor Day!

strawberry rhubarb muffins- gluten free

2011-09-02T08:51:00.000-07:00

These muffins are very delicious and I thought you might think so too. Its been a while since I posted a recipe or Gluten Free goodness so its about time. This is an adaption from glutenfreegirl.com.

Strawberry Rhubarb Muffins -GF

2 cups all-purpose gluten-free flour or mix
1 cup teff flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon guar gum
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
2 eggs
1 cup Coconut milk
1/2 cup rhubarb compote
1 cup raw rhubarb, fine-diced
Turbinado raw sugar for the tops of the muffins

Rhubarb Compote
4 cups diced rhubarb
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons strawberry jam

Prepare compote by heating ingredients in a saucepan on medium heat and allowing sugar to combine and ingredients become soupy. Remove from heat after about 15 minutes and set aside to cool.

Preparing to bake. Preheat the oven to 375°. Grease the muffin tins with canola oil or butter. (we prefer butter.)

Combining the dry ingredients. Combine the AP flour and teff flour. Sift them together into a large bowl. Add the baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, and guar gum. Set aside.

Combining the wet ingredients. Stir together the butter, sugar, and brown sugar. Add 1 egg at a time, stirring well between each egg. Plop in the coconut milk and compote. Combine until they are mixed well.

Finishing the muffins. Add the wet ingredients to the bowl of flours and stir until they are just combined. Stir in the raw rhubarb. Scoop the muffin batter into the tins, slightly above the edge. Sprinkle raw sugar on top.

Baking the muffins. Slide the muffin tin into the oven and bake for 12 minutes, then turn the muffin tin 180° to promote even baking. Bake until the tops are golden brown and the muffins feel firm to the touch, about another 10 to 12 minutes. Take them out of the oven.

chicken chronicles-mo's maine chickens

2011-08-30T10:57:00.000-07:00

I wanted to share B's Aunt Mo's chickens and beautiful gardens in Hope Maine. We spent a lot of time in and around this space on vacation and I always love to see how others do their chickens. Pictured is the Summer coop area for her layers but in the rest of the year the chickens get full range. They also raise meat birds and we had a roaster while visiting that was very delicious. I am taking notes on how that all works for our future space where ever that may be. Our yard is just big enough for layers, children, and dogs. Isn't this space beautiful?

beach blanket birthday

2011-08-29T09:56:00.000-07:00

I couldn't have asked for a better low-key day yesterday. The sun did make an appearance but could have come with just a little warmer temps. We spent some time at college cove just the four of us and Little B tried to ride his first wave. He has been practicing paddling all summer and this was his first stand up ride attempt. He had it for a second and then down he went and water up the nose. Not too bad for a four year old.

We left the beach and headed for home to drop the kids and then on to a foodie adventure to Larrupin, a local restaurant that we had not tried. Everyone has said this is the place for local organic food in a culinary marriage. The atmosphere was perfect with lights, the patio jazz, the flowers and trees hugging you in to a cozy intimate space with the pacific just peaking through. The food was very fresh and

C'est très magnifique. I will return to tingle the tastebuds. We left and stopped at Moonstone Beach Grill for a drink and a beautiful orange sunset and on to home for a slice of gluten free carrot cake with coconut cream frosting made by Erin that was perfect!

saturday cooking mix

2011-08-27T09:12:00.000-07:00

One of my very favorite things to do on Saturdays(see Jen no possession) is to cook and listen to music. Here is today's mix, lets listen and cook together! Have a smashing weekend.

birthday wish list

2011-08-26T05:00:00.000-07:00

Here I have compiled some imaginary birthday presents. This weekend is my 33rd birthday and I plan to do absolutely nothing. Realistically I will not get any presents but from my mom and dad, and will probably bake my own gluten free cake( not sure what to bake, any suggestions?). The only thing I ask for this year is a little sunshine and some fresh local food, maybe even picked by the fam and shared together. Last year I had celebratory ambitions which did not come to fruition. This year I am thinking simple and low key. Any people insisting on buying something from above list (just kidding) here are the details from left to right.

>> Toast by Nigel Slater

>> Dr Bronner's Citrus Soap

>> Fruit Calendar from Rifle Paper Co.

>> Tap is Terrific Water Bottle

>> Loose fitting Tunic by Scotch & Soda

>> Gold Herringbone Toms

>> Penmount Canvas Shopper

>> Apple Cast Iron Crock

>> Sunshine

Local Farm

2011-08-24T08:06:00.000-07:00

We have been trying to squeeze every last bit of summer in these last few days before school starts tomorrow. This past weekend we visited the Bayside Park CSA or better known as the Arcata Education Farm. We had been spoiled with space and amazing garden's on our recent trip to Maine and found ourselves a little bored with our postage stamp yard and garden. The Farm was just what we needed to have a lovely afternoon. The farm is situated up in a valley allowing the warmth to bless the veggies. We picked peas, fed the goats orange peels and chased a loose hen. Take a visit if you can, here on the coast.

blackberries

2011-08-16T13:23:00.000-07:00

Blackberry season is upon us and we are lucky enough to have a huge bramble right by our house. It is big enough that I can pick for 8 jams and a few berry crumbles with out even putting a dent in the berry vines. The only downfall is the abuse endured while picking these sweet berries.

fishing

2011-08-15T09:53:00.000-07:00

Little B had his first fishing adventure and caught and released this bass. Papa helped reel in the fish and gave lots of tips for catching the big one. The boys had another day on the ocean fishing for Mackerel with Uncle Charlie and Papa too. They had a fishing derby with their uncle Mike's boat full of cousin's. The story goes that Papa's boat won with 7 fish. Too much fun for Mama!

wildflowers

2011-08-12T11:30:00.000-07:00

Our last day in Maine was spent gathering wildflowers and saying tearful goodbyes. Soon we will be back on the west coast and headed for home. We miss our doggies and cannot wait to see friends!

tidepools

2011-08-11T10:34:00.000-07:00

We hit low tide with the littles the other night for some beach scavenging and creature catching. Mostly all we found where shells but plenty of fun none the less.

lobster boil

2011-08-09T13:16:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Super Papa's 77th birthday party on this trip with a proper lobster boil caught by Uncle Adam and B and shared with about 30 other family members. B and Adam had a killer day fishing and we had pick of the catch. We finished the day with a delicious cake with fresh picked berries and a bonfire. The kids where in hog heaven!

lincolnville beach

2011-08-08T06:34:00.000-07:00

Swimming in the ocean is such a treat for us! The pacific just never gets calm enough for us to safely swim. We spent hours swimming at Lincolnville beach and building sandcastles. The ferry comes and goes every hour providing fresh entertainment each time the littles spotted it. The weather was HOT and not breezy like we are used to, so the cool atlantic provided a nice place dip into to cool down.

blueberries

2011-08-05T06:06:00.000-07:00

Probably the most notorious "Maine" thing is blueberries, which the littles love to snack on and did plenty of snacking on the camp island. The blueberries are small and sweet and very different than the High Bush variety that we pick in Northern California. Many fields are being racked this time of year so this little patch is heavenly and perfect for little fingers.

camp lake st. george

2011-08-04T11:28:00.000-07:00

Beautiful weather has greeted us here in Maine this summer and has allowed many fun adventures. We spent the day at camp the other day at B's family camp. Its a small island on Lake St. George and has everything you would want a camp to have. The littles fished and swam and of course made a fairy house to later destroy.

camden maine farmer's market

2011-08-03T17:36:00.000-07:00

It's been a while but we have been without Internet in a cottage in Hope Maine. The saying around these parts is "Hope is Hip" and it truly is. We have many things to share that we have been up too including a little lobster fishing and boil, foodie eating, and lots of things with family and water. I have a really yummy fish recipe to share that is fit for a beach bonfire. Happy August!

sneak attack

2011-07-22T05:00:00.000-07:00

We had one of "those" days yesterday where it felt somehow I had failed at every parenting tactic and things where just going straight to hell in a hand basket. Then Things really got hairy when I prepared this pan of brownies for dessert for our dinner guests and put them on the stove to cool and then took laundry down to our bedroom. It took all of 15 seconds for the Littles to sneak attack the brownies with a fist/mouth full maneuver. The action fit perfectly with how the day had gone and when I turned the kitchen corner to see their dirty brown smiling teeth, my anger quickly turned to laughter. I was able to salvage about 60% of the brownies after all, and in a sick and twisted way put the day into perspective. A time-out and a discussion reminder about kitchen safety with the stove was promptly issued. I hope this will be the only brownie massacre I witness.

chicken chronicles-giant egg

2011-07-20T05:00:00.000-07:00

One of the ladies laid this giant egg on the full moon a few nights ago. I check the nest every morning and yesterday morn' I could could not believe my eyes. I don't know how to show that the carton cannot close even part of the way. Now what to do with this special egg with full moon powers?

harvest

2011-07-19T10:36:00.000-07:00

For the first time I have successfully grown full sized broccoli and cauliflower. These were giants compared to my past plantings. It seems a miracle but really think it has been the awesome amount of sunshine and great soil. The damp issue of last July has been avoided but not sure if maybe its just been put off until august. We shall see what next month brings.

weekending

2011-07-18T05:00:00.000-07:00

These are some seemingly unrelated pictures but cover most of what we did this weekend.
>>We cut broccoli and summer squash from the garden
>>Planted seeds for fall lettuce
>>Played with friends in the sand
>>Ate berries from our own yard and fresh watermelon
>>Cheered at the Annie & Mary Parade

What did you do this weekend? Post pictures or stories to share.

carrots and clouds

2011-07-12T18:52:00.000-07:00

Since the sun was part time today we spent a good portion of the day planting more carrot seeds and renewing our supply of lettuce. We picked a few carrots ready for dinner tonight and marveled at the size of our broccoli. The only thing I am not sure of is when to harvest these giants. My broccoli is usually much more predictable. Any broccoli tips are welcome!

scenes from the weekend

2011-07-09T18:48:00.000-07:00

taters

2011-07-07T20:02:00.000-07:00

Today was 'tater diggin' day at the Garrigan garbage can garden. These red potatoes where self seeded from two generations ago. Its pretty awesome to do just about no work for these sweet tater's. We would have had more but one of the chickens decided they looked too tasty to pass up. She did a number on the stalks and leaves and they where no longer going to flower. We put down a tarp and emptied the dirt and the Little's dug for tater gold. We ended up with a little over a pound.

river days

2011-07-06T15:23:00.000-07:00

Our days as of late have been on and in the Mad River. These are the days spent on the coast inland just far enough to feel hot and soak up the sun. After a long day of play we pack up our bag and head home (about 7 miles) to feel the cool of the ocean and its blanket of fog.

fried zucchini blossoms

2011-07-05T14:05:00.000-07:00

I hate to waste anything from the garden and saw an opportunity to utilize both the veggie and the flower for a three sister's dish prepared for the Fourth of July. All things came from our backyard and it feels pretty awesome this time of year when we can "grocery shop" from our garden's.

Fried Zucchini Blossoms

8 blossoms

2 egg yolks

1 cup gluten free flour or reg. all purpose

2/3 cup water or beer( depending on tastes and gluten sensitivity)

sea salt and pepper to taste

1 cup sunflower oil or more

Mix egg yolks, flour and water in a dish until consistency is equivalent to mud. Leaving stems on, dip blossoms in mix and fry on high heat in sunflower oil. Use enough oil to cover at least half of the blossom while it cooks. Once the edges brown flip to fry the other side until golden brown all around. Usually about two minutes a side. Serve and eat right away to avoid the blossom from getting soggy.

chicken chronicles-coop make over part 2

2011-06-23T14:20:00.000-07:00

The Ladies finally have some flowers for their window garden. Oregano and marigolds in recycled tea tins fit the bill. I scored this window box at our local thrift store and used it instead of trying to find recycled roof eaves as originally planned.

midsummer's eve

2011-06-22T11:07:00.000-07:00

We celebrated the midsummer's eve last night with a traditional fire and fresh caught local salmon with herbed potatoes and caprese salad. Happy Summer!

poem store

2011-06-21T08:45:00.000-07:00

This year for Father's Day I had the very talented Jacqueline Suskin craft a father/surf inspired poem for B. I do not have permission to publish her words otherwise I would share, but it was very lovely and better than a standard old card. B's not really the poem type but this one was extra special and inspired even the uncreative(B). She is a regular addition to the Arcata Farmer's Market and those looking for her from afar can contact her via her website here.

hot and spicy sesame mango soup

2011-06-20T16:41:00.000-07:00

This is an easy hot and sour soup inspired from several dishes put all into one pot. Here is the recipe:

Hot and Spicy Sesame Mango Soup

6 cups Organic Veggie Stock

2 cloves of garlic

1 tbsp grated fresh ginger

1 chopped pok choy or mini Bok Choy

handful Maifun rice noodles

1 tsp sesame oil

3 tbsp Tamari

1 diced ripe mango

2 tbsp sesame seeds

2 chopped green onions including green

few dashes of red pepper oil

optional- teriyaki tofu

Start with vegetable stock on a boil and add garlic, ginger and pok choy. Turn down to a simmer after about five minutes and stir in sesame oil, 1 tbsp tamari and maifun noodles. Once the noodles are done about 3-5 minutes, pour all into a bowl and set aside. In a another bowl add mango, sesame seeds, green onions, red pepper oil, the rest of the tamari and tofu. Toss together and add to the top of served soup.

garden diary- two week growth

2011-06-17T13:20:00.000-07:00

It seems a lot can happen in two weeks of late May and early June sunshine. Thankfully the Humboldt Fog has held off early this year and although it was a long and wet winter for us here on the north coast it seems the tides have finally turned. One lesson learned this year is not to neglect the quality of your soil. HEALTHY freshly composted soil needs to be added to your crop cycle each planting. I should have known this but cutting back on the budget this year I only refreshed one box instead of both. The quality is remarkable. I did apply a side dressing to the old soil but much more is needed. Oop! won't cut that corner again. For now I will just marvel at the "good" soil growth as pictured.

strawberry & radish summer salad

2011-06-16T11:30:00.000-07:00

There is nothing more fulfilling than making a meal out of food grown completely by your own two hands. Super simple and fresh this salad tastes 100% better than any store bought version. Enjoy your day!

turnip chips

2011-06-15T17:55:00.000-07:00

What do you do when a Friend heads to Europe and gives you her farm share with turnips? Why, make turnip chips of course! Super easy and made in 12 minutes at 450º. Just mix sliced turnips in olive oil, sea salt and paprika in a bowl and roast. I made a batch yesterday that never firmed up but temp. was the culprit. I served the good batch with white bean dip, and the Little's eat it up!

market saturday

2011-06-13T18:46:00.000-07:00

chocolate peanut butter surprise cookie-gluten free

2011-06-09T09:43:00.000-07:00

These cookies are addictive and a once in a while treat and oh so easy to make. Sweet Peas Kitchen has some great recipes but not specific to gluten free or vegan folks. Here is her awesome recipe with the gluten free flour mix. For a vegan version use egg replacer and vegan butter and enjoy the heck out of these treats!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Surprise Cookies
Sweet Pea's Kitchen

1 1/2 cups gluten free flour mix
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar (plus more for rolling)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup creamy peanut butter, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
3/4 cup powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 375º F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together gluten free flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together sugars, butter and 1/4 cup of peanut butter until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and egg, beating to combine. Stir in the flour mixture and stir to combine, blending well. Set aside.

4. In a medium bowl, mix together powdered sugar and remaining 3/4 cup of peanut butter until smooth.

5. Pull off a heaping tablespoon of cookie dough and flatten with your hands. Take about 1 teaspoon of peanut butter mixture and place it in the center of the chocolate dough. Wrap the chocolate dough around the peanut butter center, pressing to seal. Roll the cookie into a ball and roll the cookie in the sugar. Place cookies on the prepared baking sheet 2 inches apart. Using the bottom of a glass, flatten each cookie to about a 1/2 inch thickness.

6. Bake in preheated oven for 7 to 9 minutes. Let stand on the baking sheet for 2 minutes, then remove to a wire rack.

surf picnic

2011-06-08T09:33:00.000-07:00

Since B is on vacation we headed out to Camel Rock to meet up with him at low tide after he surfed the morning light. The tide pools where filled with many things to catch, touch and explore. The Little's where delighted then when a friend meet up with us for a picnic and a fire on the beach.

summer

2011-06-06T14:12:00.000-07:00

Strawberry's beginning to ripen, tomato flowers on the vine, the welcome sunlight at 9:00 PM, I think its just about summer time. Wish I could add warm ocean breezes to the list but that just doesn't happen around here. In fact, its what keeps us a bit cool (60's) all summer long. Camp season is on the horizon and days on the river just ahead. Summer/fall garden is planted! One of my goals is to have a cocktail hour on our front porch on a nice eve with all the veggies and flowers surrounding us with twinkling lights. Anyone interested?

beach bbq

2011-06-01T10:16:00.000-07:00

In spite of the cold and wind we took to the beach yesterday just us as a fam and had a blast. BBQ, kite flying, and wild Sage foraging where the highlights. What kept you busy this holiday weekend?

baked granola

2011-05-31T10:53:00.000-07:00

Here is another great gluten free recipe from this cookbook. We had an interesting holiday weekend and kept busy as well as busy in the kitchen. A little bit of sun joined us and then wind and rain for the rest of the weekend keeping us locked up in doors for the most part. I tried a few new recipes and will share later this week. The garden gods thanked the rain and now for just a little bit more sun.

garden diaries-pots and progress

2011-05-30T10:34:00.000-07:00

The pots are loving life on our south facing full sun porch. After much garden deliberation i decided to plant our raised beds. Our living situation was potentially going to change with the purchase of a new home but it seems we are destined to stay put a bit longer. The pots are about two month ahead of the beds and the perfect spacer for a constant flow of veggies and herbs. We now have the following veggies planted in pots.

Asian greens
Lemon cucumbers
Basil
Kale
Rainbow chard
Watermelon
Peas
Beans
Tomatoes
Broccoli
Purple cabbage
Lettuce
Noir peppers
Dill
Oregano
Chives
Strawberries

design files- babies

2011-05-25T05:00:00.000-07:00

Just wanting to share some of my recent work and future design submissions. Any thoughts? Critiques welcome and if you have a baby shower or announcement in your future look no further. Contact me for pricing and eco-printing is available. Wedding invites too!

black bean and quinoa burgers-vegan and gluten free

2011-05-24T05:00:00.000-07:00

Here is another recipe made in less than 20 minutes. It took me less than five because I used leftover quinoa. All that was done was, open a can of organic black beans(Eden organic preferred-no BPA) and give a good wash. I used a potato masher and mashed up 2/3 of the beans with 1/4 a cup of fresh salsa. I stirred in about two cups of *quinoa and the rest of the beans and shaped them into patties. They where then pan seared with a dot of olive oil for about three minutes a side. I served these up with some roasted pepper miso mayo. Enjoy!

*Quinoa is a grain normally takes about 20 minutes to cook and is cooked exactly like rice. I like mine to be a bit fluffy so a little extra water than called for does the trick.

adventure files-summer days

2011-05-23T05:00:00.000-07:00

Its official, Little B is out for summer break and our routine is all out of sorts. I am gathering a new routine and letting the days happen as they may. Its sort of a "nikki" routine, as the only way to describe it. We have a rough outline of things to do or see for the week and we mostly get to do them. As a laid back person I have never been very good at a prescribed routine. I am not quite half hazard but do not keep a strict schedule either. School schedule using keeps me in check but the summer days are a bit more "lets do this today" than "let me check my schedule". On a whim the other day for some fresh outdoor fun we hiked up to the top of Trinidad Head. Little F hike/ran which drove this mama crazy with all of the steep sides, but we made it to the top and stopped a few times to smell the flowers.

citrus salad

2011-05-13T07:00:00.000-07:00

Super simple and very yummy to eat, a citrus salad is something for picnics and potlucks. The only work is cutting the slices from their rind and chopping up some pistachios. Here's my version:

Citrus Salad

2 grapefruits
3 oranges
4 blood oranges
1 juice of lime
a handful of pistachios
a dot of honey
freshly chopped mint (optional)

Cut each fruit from its rind and then slice them into discs. Mix the juice of lime, honey and mint in a container or bowl and then toss with the rest. Top with chopped pistachios. Enjoy!

homemade dish detergent

2011-05-12T05:00:00.000-07:00

Here is my dishwasher detergent recipe and yes, it does work just as well, if not better.

Homemade Dishwasher Detergent Recipe

1 cup borax
1 cup baking soda
1/2 cup citric acid (I am using 4 packages of lemonade found in the organic juice section of the store or found in bulk at most health food stores)
1/2 cup kosher salt

Fill rinse agent compartment with white vinegar.

(**note** you only need to use 1 rounded tablespoon of this homemade detergent per load. If you feel it necessary… you may use a heaping tablespoon, but I do not.)

hikes

2011-05-11T05:00:00.000-07:00

Adventure on the coast is never far from our door step. This is why I love living here and raising our Little's. We have the coast and all it's glory to take advantage of. Here we are headed down the steps at Camel Rock to do some treasure hunting. Find Treasures we did indeed! A 10 gallon bucket and lots of bull kelp was interesting enough to declare a victory.

super natural cookbook

2011-05-10T05:00:00.000-07:00

Thank you Heidi Swanson of 101 cookbooks for your inspirational cooking. I have things in my pantry today(mung beans to name one) that would never have been had it not been for your website and books. I am still working on Big B but I may have him with this cookbook, "Super Natural Everyday", full of healthy and delicious vegetarian and vegan recipes. My plan is to work through a couple of recipes over the weekend and see if I can change my meat loving spouse into a believer. Wish me luck.

carrot cake scuffins-gluten free

2011-05-09T05:00:00.000-07:00

Healthy Carrot Cake Power Scuffins

by Angela Liddon of Oh She Glows- with gluten free adaptions by me

I call these ‘scuffins’ because they are a hybrid between a scone, cookie, and a muffin! They are packed with nutrients, healthy fats, protein, and fibre and make an excellent power snack when you need a burst of energy. If you like these you should also try my Pumpkin Chia Spelt Scuffins.
Adapted from Pumpkin Chia Spelt Scuffins and Carrot Cake Breakfast Cookies.

1 cup gluten free baking flour mix
1/2 tsp baking power
1/4 tsp fine grain sea salt
1.5 tsp pumpkin pie spice (OR: 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp ginger)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Chia/flax egg: 1 tbsp ground chia seeds + 3 tbsp water OR 1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water, mixed and set aside for 5 mins
1/2 cup gluten free oats
1 cup shredded or grated carrots (approx 2 medium)
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup toasted, chopped walnuts
Coconut, for garnish

Directions: Preheat oven to 350F. In a small bowl, mix the chia/flax egg and set aside. In a large sized bowl whisk together all of the dry ingredients. Using a food processor or grater, process/grate the carrots. In a medium sized bowl mix together the wet ingredients (carrots, vanilla, oil, maple syrup, and chia/flax egg). Add wet to dry and mix until just incorporated. Stir in the walnuts and raisins. Scoop mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or greased with oil. Scoop about 1/4 cup for each Scuffin to make 6 large scuffins. Wet hands and shape into a circle if desired. Sprinkle with coconut. Bake for 25 minutes at 350F. Top with coconut butter for an extra treat!

farmer's market saturday

2011-05-07T15:22:00.000-07:00

homemade laundry soap

2011-05-06T05:00:00.000-07:00

In the spirit of spring cleaning I decided to make my own laundry soap, dish detergent and countertop spray. I will share the recipe for laundry soap in this post. Some may think or ask is it worth all the effort or cost any less than buying the brand name or store name version? My answer in short is not only is this cost effective, really work, and take all of five minutes, but you also know exactly what is in the recipe, especially for those with skin sensativities. This makes a really big batch- equivalent to 100-120 loads. Before I made this recipe I did buy a gallon glass container with a lid for 2.99. My below recipe fills the gallon jar 2/3 full. I used the remaining ingredients for my dish washing detergent. The recipe can be modified to adjust the container(airtight) you plan to store the mix in. Its a 1/1 ratio for the borax and baking soda and grate up to two bars of soap for larger quantities. These items can be found at every grocery store and are very inexpensive to purchase. The Dr. Bronner's was on sale at our local co-op for 2.39 a bar and I decided to jump on the sale. Otherwise, a pure castille soap can be used in its place. I purchased a 4 lb. box of naturally occurring Borax at 3.99 and a 2 lb. box of Baking soda for 1.99. I would buy two of the 2 lbs. boxes of baking soda for a larger batch of laundry soap. I use about an 1/8 of a cup for our front load HE washing machine and it works even better than the "eco" wash I was buying before at 8.99 for 32 washes.

8 cups Borax
8 cups Baking Soda
1 Bar soap (grated)- I used Dr. Bronner's Lavander

that time of year-design files

2011-05-05T09:06:00.000-07:00

So, here's a little preview of what I do other than be a mama and wifery. I am, as some of you know a graphic designer, and operate under the business name of Potluck Design. I love design and always knew my calling. I find time to freelance and am busy through most of the winter. Right now is when all the design websites submit to designers for holiday cards and photo cards. So I have a few submissions this year to minted.com and keep my fingers crossed for a winning pick. After my design are complete I will send a link along. Here is the preview and as usual the designs are licenced and protected under copy right, so please no funny business. Tell me what you think!

well hello there friends

2011-05-02T16:10:00.000-07:00

Lets get acquainted again, shall we? Its been a while from the last time I shared and lots of things have been keeping us busy. I plan on getting back on the horse this week(so to speak) and sharing homemade spring cleaning recipes along with more gluten free goodness. Last week the sun decided to join us again and we headed over to the McKinleyville Family Resource Center to help with the children's garden. I should have been working on my own garden but that's just not as much fun. The boys worked super hard at driving me crazy and we actually may have helped and not hindered the garden effort. We are headed back this Wednesday to get dirty and plant some more veggies. Oh, and thank you for those of you who voted on Facebook for my seaweed spinach salad recipe because it won me a new autographed copy of "The Earthbound Cook". Happy belated May Day!

cucumber aloe and lime elixir

2011-04-26T08:00:00.000-07:00

With Warmer weather soon to make its appearance, this is my summer anticipatory elixir. Its refreshing and cool and a balance off of the warming ginger lemon elixir. Try it!

Cool water-with or without ice

Sliced cucumber

Wedge of lime

2 oz. aloe gel

scenes from the weekend

2011-04-25T05:00:00.000-07:00

best things in life are free -Kit's guest post

2011-04-21T07:48:00.000-07:00

The days I am home with my Little's I jump out of bed thinking about what adventure we can have that day. The area we live has so much to offer in terms of culture, science and nature. As a mama to a 4 1/2 year old and a 1 year old sometimes our backyard can be a tour of many new things but on rainy days it can be stretch for me to find something exciting.

I frequently look at online calendars, parents groups, community classes and the health club but my favorite place to go on a rainy day is the county library. We so easily forget this great resource found in most communities. For us there really is something for everyone. I am not a big reader but love to pile up books on design, cooking, childbirth or crafts. I also always pick up an audio book for my drive to and from work. The children's section has CDs of children's music from all over the world, DVDs and books on every topic. For my children we have always headed for the simple fictional children's stories but in the past few months we have started picking up non-fiction books on places we are planning to travel or history of a topic or holiday.

For me, enjoying the library has come after making a plan for bring two kids under five to somewhere that requires them to be quite and calm. First, I bring I LARGE backpack or market basket. Second, I get my books first, this way the kids are fresh and not asking to go and want to "earn" a CD or DVD when we get to the children's section. Last, I am not picky about what we get. The kids can get anything. Most times I walk out with a large heavy basket.

Here is a picture from our haul today. You will note it included books about Ben Franklin, Poop, Superhero ABC's and Switzerland. It is great to answer to all those questions my 4 1/2 asks... "I am not sure, let's find a book about it at the library."

A few more tips for busy mamas;

Make the library a regular activity. If you go every few weeks you can round up everything to take back and get a whole new basket full.
Use the website to order any books you REALLY want. They will call you and will be waiting at the front desk and you don't need to look for them with the Little's in tow.
Cross check you account online to make sure you turn everything back in. If you avoid late fees, you can do all of this for FREE!
Check out the activities and presentations, I have found many of them to be great for young children.

Seriously some of the best things in life are free.

Kit Meyer

coconut macaroons- gluten and dairy free treat

2011-04-20T16:43:00.000-07:00

I brought these with me to Erin's House last week when they had us over for Dinner (ops, not Diner). If they had a diner in their home that would be pretty cool and serve up the best food around. Any, back on track, these macaroons are the easiest bakery I have ever attempted. Two ingredients and basically no prep not to mention gluten and dairy free. Here is the recipe:

Coconut Macaroons

1 bag of unsweetened shredded coconut

1 cup whole coconut milk

Mix ingredients together, and ball each into 2 inch. rounds. Place on natural parchment on cookies sheets and bake for 12 min. at 350º F. They should turn a golden brown when done. Enjoy!

healthier baking subs

2011-04-19T08:03:00.000-07:00

One thing I am starting to realize with gluten, dairy and refined sugar free is you really can take almost any recipe and make it healthier and tasty. The only thing my taste buds are getting used to is the powerful punch refined sugar gives its baked goods. It's now more of a suggested sweet than a mouthful of sugar. If I want an extra kick I will sprinkle a small amount of brown sugar on top like you see in the above photos. The other day for example I baked this apple cake, and used this recipe and sub out flour with my gluten free flour mix-i prefer Pamela's Gluten Free Flour mix, replaced milk with whole coconut milk (not lite) and used maple syrup and honey in place of sugar. When it comes to the honey it can change the taste of anything based on the type of honey used. When I use orange blossom it gives almost a citrus tang. I am also clarifying my butter(also known as Ghee) before use which cooks the milk proteins down and out. You can always buy Ghee from specialty stores and some grocery stores but be prepared to pay upwards of 10 dinero. Ouch! For the most part this lifestyle is more expensive, but what you are feeding your body is priceless.

dinner with friends- Erin's guest post

2011-04-18T05:00:00.000-07:00

Here are some great recipes from a good friend Erin. She has two Littles almost the same ages as our Littles and she shares a love for putting thoughtful nutritious meals in their bellies. Because B is gone She kindly invited us over to share the table and some post dinner chaos (my Littles where a bit wired). We swim with a group of friends on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The Littles are on their last fumes after a swim night and sometimes I am too. It was nice to have a gracious kitchen break. Thanks Erin! Here is her post.

One of my family’s favorite things to eat is beans. I am often looking for delicious and nutritious ways to flavor them. Having said that, I almost never follow a recipe; I only use them as guides. I use what I have in the refrigerator and pantry and adapt accordingly. On the menu for our dinner with Nikki and the kiddos was Black Bean soup deliciously flavored with ground buffalo and spices and Quinoa with spinach not to forget mixed green salad.

Bean Soup:

6 cups black beans cooked
1-2 large carrots-diced
1 1/2 chopped onion
1 small red bell pepper-diced
3 cloves garlic- diced
1tsp ground garlic
1tsp chili powder
2tsp cumin
2tsp oregano
1tsp thyme
1tsp paprika
Pinch of cayenne
14 oz of diced tomatoes
½ pound ground buffalo
salt to taste

Quinoa:

1 cup organic quinoa rinsed well
1 cup salsa
1 cup water
1 cup fresh spinach, chopped

chicken chronicles -coop make-over

2011-04-13T14:47:00.000-07:00

Photo:Suzanne Forsling

A while back on a sunny morning Little B and I started a coop make-over for the ladies. We went to our local hardware store and debated new colors for the gals. He wanted yellow and I wanted green so we picked a color in between. He did the painting and I did the touch-ups. B was so proud of his work and thought the gals would be so excited for their new home. I do have to say it was nice to sit back and watch my child labor operation. Our final step is to do rain gutter gardens(like the bottom photo) around the box. Rain and a few other things have held us back from this step but looks like we can finish our project this weekend. Now to decide what plants to do? I was thinking succulents but we may do lettuce and herbs on the cheap. Maybe even some kale and chard for the ladies to snack on.

vacation

2011-04-12T16:02:00.000-07:00

Please excuse me while a take a short blog vacation while I become a single parent for a few weeks. B is helping with the Red River Food issue in North Dakota and I am in charge of holding down the fort, including two kids two dogs and a handful of chickens, whew! Challenges are ahead of us but we will find a new groove and thanks to technology, the Little's will see their dad on Skype frequently. When I can I will post something inspiring or useful but I may ask a few friends to post guest posts to keep you informed. Also check our Flickr for picture updates in the near future and my Pinterest is always interesting. Cheers!

super food

2011-04-07T11:20:00.000-07:00

Here I have what I call super food. It is the fastest, healthiest meal that I can come up with. It takes minutes to make and feeds the body with all that it needs. I have been making it for lunch and it gives lots of energy for the rest of the day.

The salad is made with baby spinach, seaweed, garlic, grated ginger, tart apple slices, apple cider vinegar, toasted sesame oil and sesame seeds and Mrs. Braggs. I also added baked tofu for the Little's. My biggest tip with eating seaweed is buy it packed in salt and fresh as possible. Wash the seaweed for at least two minutes to get rid of any remaining salt otherwise this dish will be a bit too salty, had to learn that one myself. The seaweed is very beneficial to those of us on the west coast because it provides a natural barrier to toxins(radiation) in the thyroid and promotes healthy function. I know this sounds a little "end of times" but a healthy thyroid is always beneficial no matter what is happening to our environment and promotes health in many other parts of our body.

The noodles in our house have all been replaced with soba and udon and this dish is udon noodles with toasted sesame oil, Mrs. Bragg's and fresh grated ginger sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds. Easy peasy!

For dessert just some washed organic blueberries and their you have something really fresh, fast and super!