Saturday, June 9, 2012
Don't Leave!
You are on the right blog. After over a year, we thought it was time to give a face lift to the blog...new look...same content. More to come. :-)
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Recipe Roundup
Well, my peach cobbler did not come out as planned. The topping was cake like which got mushy with the peach juice. I have not had time to make the Blackberry pie yet, so no verdict on it yet. Right now, I am overwhelmed with cabbage. We have been getting our CSA box every week, and doing really well with it; except for the cabbage. I made gluten free bierocks, cole slaw, have added cabbage to every salad, and even made fish tacos with cabbage, and I still have 2 ginormous heads of cabbage in the fridge which probably weigh 10 pounds total.
So, I have been on the quest for cabbage recipes, and it has been leading me to mashed potato like recipes. I may make bubble and squeak. I also find this recipe, which I can substitute Diya for the parmesan, and make it:
Pureed Cauliflower and Cabbage with Green Onions and Parmesan
(Makes 4-6 side dish servings, recipe created by Kalyn)
1/2 large head green cabbage, core cut out and cabbage chopped
1 1/2 T olive oil
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
1/2 large head cauliflower, core cut out and cauliflower chopped
1/2 cup finely sliced green onions (scallions)
2 cups chicken stock (or more as needed to cover the vegetables in the pot)
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (plus more to sprinkle on top for serving if desired)
Ingredients:
1 rounded cup of fresh, grated zucchini (I partially peel my zukes, in stripes)
1 cup sorghum flour
1/2 cup tapioca starch (sometimes called tapioca flour)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup light olive oil or coconut oil
1 teaspoon fresh lemon or lime juice
2 free-range organic egg whites, beaten or egg replacer (1/4 cup liquid)
1/4 cup coconut milk
Option:
1/3 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
Cook time: 1 hour
Yield: 1 9-inch loaf
Read more: http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/2010/08/zucchini-bread.html#ixzz1x3rfYLOE
So, I have been on the quest for cabbage recipes, and it has been leading me to mashed potato like recipes. I may make bubble and squeak. I also find this recipe, which I can substitute Diya for the parmesan, and make it:
Pureed Cauliflower and Cabbage with Green Onions and Parmesan
(Makes 4-6 side dish servings, recipe created by Kalyn)
1/2 large head green cabbage, core cut out and cabbage chopped
1 1/2 T olive oil
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
1/2 large head cauliflower, core cut out and cauliflower chopped
1/2 cup finely sliced green onions (scallions)
2 cups chicken stock (or more as needed to cover the vegetables in the pot)
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (plus more to sprinkle on top for serving if desired)
Heat olive oil in large heavy pot, add
chopped cabbage, season with salt and fresh ground black pepper, and
saute cabbage over medium-low heat until it's cooked through and
starting to brown, about 15 minutes. Stir it every once in a while so
it doesn't get overly brown in some parts. Add sliced green onions and
cook about 5 minutes more, until onions are softened.
Add chopped cauliflower, pour over
enough chicken stock to cover the vegetables, and simmer until the
cauliflower is very soft, probably close to 30 minutes at a low simmer.
Mash the ingredients together with a potato masher. You can keep the coarse texture this produces if you prefer, or use an immersion blender or food processor to puree into a finer texture. (Be careful with the hot liquid if you use a food processor.)
Turn heat back on under the mashed or pureed vegetable mixture in the pan and cook an additional 5-10 minutes on medium heat, or until most of the liquid has evaporated. Then stir in the finely grated Parmesan cheese, 2 T at a time so the cheese is well-combined in the mixture. Serve hot, with additional Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top if desired.
Mash the ingredients together with a potato masher. You can keep the coarse texture this produces if you prefer, or use an immersion blender or food processor to puree into a finer texture. (Be careful with the hot liquid if you use a food processor.)
Turn heat back on under the mashed or pureed vegetable mixture in the pan and cook an additional 5-10 minutes on medium heat, or until most of the liquid has evaporated. Then stir in the finely grated Parmesan cheese, 2 T at a time so the cheese is well-combined in the mixture. Serve hot, with additional Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top if desired.
In addition to the Blackberry pie recipe from last week, I think it is also Zucchini bread time---especially since there are currently 4 zucchini's in my fridge. This is the zucchini bread recipe that I am going to give a go. I'll report back soon.
Gluten-Free Goddess Zucchini Bread Recipe
You can make this lovely gluten-free zucchini bread with or without
eggs. And it's dairy-free. Its delicate flavor comes from a secret
ingredient. Coconut milk.
Preheat your oven to 350ºF. (You know all about checking the oven's temperature
, now, right?) Line the bottom of a 9-inch loaf pan
with a piece of parchment paper. Lightly oil it.
, now, right?) Line the bottom of a 9-inch loaf pan with a piece of parchment paper. Lightly oil it. Ingredients:
1 rounded cup of fresh, grated zucchini (I partially peel my zukes, in stripes)
1 cup sorghum flour
1/2 cup tapioca starch (sometimes called tapioca flour)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup light olive oil or coconut oil
1 teaspoon fresh lemon or lime juice
2 free-range organic egg whites, beaten or egg replacer (1/4 cup liquid)
1/4 cup coconut milk
Option:
1/3 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
Instructions:
Press the grated zucchini with a paper towel to remove as much moisture as you can. After pressing, fluff with a fork (I learned this tip from 101 Cookbooks). Set aside.
Press the grated zucchini with a paper towel to remove as much moisture as you can. After pressing, fluff with a fork (I learned this tip from 101 Cookbooks). Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sorghum flour, tapioca
starch, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, sea salt, and cinnamon.
Add in the brown sugar.
Add the oil, lemon juice, egg whites or egg replacer, and the coconut
milk. Beat to combine and continue to beat on medium high until the
batter is smooth- about two minutes.
Add in almost all of the shredded zucchini (I save out a few shreds to
decorate the top of the loaf) and stir by hand to combine. If you are
adding nuts, stir them in to distribute.
Scoop and scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan and using a silicone spatula
, even out the top.
, even out the top.
Add a few shredded zucchini strands to the top.
Bake in the center of a preheated oven until the top is golden and firm,
yet gives a bit when lightly touched. It should feel slightly springy.
This may take anywhere from 50 to 60 minutes. It took 55 minutes for my
zucchini bread to bake. Test with a thin sharp knife or a wooden pick-
either should emerge with no crumbs or batter.
Yield: 1 9-inch loaf
Read more: http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/2010/08/zucchini-bread.html#ixzz1x3rfYLOE
Saturday, June 2, 2012
Georgia Peaches and Tennessee Blackberries
Early Summer is HERE! Today we went to Hendersonville Produce and stocked up on Organic Georgia peaches for only $1.59 pound and local organic Blackberries--$5.00/quart.
We sat on the deck and roasted our Avalon Acres sausage over the fire pit and ate a full quart of Blackberries to go along with it. The dogs had a full day of play (though Susie is way too over-wound up, and having a hard time settling down tonight).
For our relaxation, we sat out by the pond and threw a line in. We have several enormous bass in the pond, and we know we have to catch some to keep the eco-system in the pond balanced. After about 30 minutes we caught this big guy, who we named "One-Eyed Jack" on account of him only having one eye. We were fully prepared. Joel had brought out a flat stone and his hatchet. I had a scaler and filet knife. I found a good recipe for a gluten free fish fry. However, with 'ole Jack in front of us we just couldn't do it. We put Jack in a bucket of water to try to emotionally prepare ourselves to give him a swift end, but after much deliberation, we returned him to the waters from whence he came more or less unharmed.
So, with Jack safe, Susie finally resting, and lots of good fruit in the kitchen, I picked out some recipes for some baking tomorrow.
First, I am going to make a grain free peach cobbler trying out this recipe which I modified just a little bit from the original:
Ingredients:
Filling:
8 peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced thin
1/4 cup coconut sugar
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
Crust:
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup almond flour
1 tsp honey
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
4 1/2 tsp coconut oil
6 egg whites
Prepare filling and put in baking dish. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare crust by mixing together flours and coconut oil and put in freezer. Whip egg whites until frothy. Add egg whites to flour mix, and mix in remaining ingredients. Crumble crust over filling. Return baking dish to oven and bake for 20 minutes. Serve alone or with Vanilla Ice Cream or So Delicious Coconut Milk Ice Cream.
Also, a Blackberry pie with this recipe:
For the crust:
While processor is running, add 6 tablespoons cold water quickly into the feed tube. Pulse two more times and work dough into a ball; divide in two.
Roll dough out into a circle; keep it between two sheets of parchment paper so you don’t have to add any extra flour or worry about sticking. Since the traditional method of rolling the dough onto the rolling pin doesn’t work well with GF dough, you can transfer the crust into the pan with one layer of parchment paper still on.
In a separate bowl, mix berries with sugar, flour, and lemon peel. Mix gently until flour is absorbed. Pour into prepared crust.
Roll out top crust between parchment paper and cover pie, tuck in and crimp edges. Add several slits on top for venting.
For extra browning, brush on almond milk and sprinkle with sugar. Cover edges with foil, or a handy edge cover as shown below. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 25 minutes; remove foil. If you’re using a edge cover, you can leave it on as desired.
Bake for another 25-30 minutes, until filling starts to bubble through the crust, and done!
Cool for at least 2 hours on a wire rack. If you cut this pie warm, the filling will ooze out.
Let it set until the bottom of the pan is cool, and if you have the patience, let it cool overnight in the fridge.
We sat on the deck and roasted our Avalon Acres sausage over the fire pit and ate a full quart of Blackberries to go along with it. The dogs had a full day of play (though Susie is way too over-wound up, and having a hard time settling down tonight).
For our relaxation, we sat out by the pond and threw a line in. We have several enormous bass in the pond, and we know we have to catch some to keep the eco-system in the pond balanced. After about 30 minutes we caught this big guy, who we named "One-Eyed Jack" on account of him only having one eye. We were fully prepared. Joel had brought out a flat stone and his hatchet. I had a scaler and filet knife. I found a good recipe for a gluten free fish fry. However, with 'ole Jack in front of us we just couldn't do it. We put Jack in a bucket of water to try to emotionally prepare ourselves to give him a swift end, but after much deliberation, we returned him to the waters from whence he came more or less unharmed.
So, with Jack safe, Susie finally resting, and lots of good fruit in the kitchen, I picked out some recipes for some baking tomorrow.
First, I am going to make a grain free peach cobbler trying out this recipe which I modified just a little bit from the original:
Ingredients:
Filling:
8 peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced thin
1/4 cup coconut sugar
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
Crust:
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup almond flour
1 tsp honey
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
4 1/2 tsp coconut oil
6 egg whites
Prepare filling and put in baking dish. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare crust by mixing together flours and coconut oil and put in freezer. Whip egg whites until frothy. Add egg whites to flour mix, and mix in remaining ingredients. Crumble crust over filling. Return baking dish to oven and bake for 20 minutes. Serve alone or with Vanilla Ice Cream or So Delicious Coconut Milk Ice Cream.
Also, a Blackberry pie with this recipe:
For the crust:
- 1/2 cup brown rice flour
- 1/2 cup sorghum flour
- 1/4 cup tapioca flour
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 2/3 cup Earth balance buttery sticks or coconut oil
- 6 tablespoons cold water
- 5 cups fresh blackberries
- 3/4 to 1 cup coconut sugar
- 1/3 cup sorghum flour
- 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel/zest or lemon juice
While processor is running, add 6 tablespoons cold water quickly into the feed tube. Pulse two more times and work dough into a ball; divide in two.
Roll dough out into a circle; keep it between two sheets of parchment paper so you don’t have to add any extra flour or worry about sticking. Since the traditional method of rolling the dough onto the rolling pin doesn’t work well with GF dough, you can transfer the crust into the pan with one layer of parchment paper still on.
In a separate bowl, mix berries with sugar, flour, and lemon peel. Mix gently until flour is absorbed. Pour into prepared crust.
Roll out top crust between parchment paper and cover pie, tuck in and crimp edges. Add several slits on top for venting.
For extra browning, brush on almond milk and sprinkle with sugar. Cover edges with foil, or a handy edge cover as shown below. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 25 minutes; remove foil. If you’re using a edge cover, you can leave it on as desired.
Bake for another 25-30 minutes, until filling starts to bubble through the crust, and done!
Cool for at least 2 hours on a wire rack. If you cut this pie warm, the filling will ooze out.
Let it set until the bottom of the pan is cool, and if you have the patience, let it cool overnight in the fridge.
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Sleep Tight Little Susie
I would say "wake up" little Susie, but our little Susie has no trouble with that. From 6 am till 10pm she is one happy go-getter. We find her energy level is highest when she is anxious and she does settle when she is not stressed. Like any child though, after vigorous play she can get over stimulated, and needs to be forced to calm down with a little crate time. Tomorrow Susie will go in to be spayed and have her vetting done, but today, we managed to capture her spirit and energy in video:
Monday, May 28, 2012
Memorializing
The three day weekend for Memorial Day could not have come too soon. I met with Lori Elam of Noah's Ark Society on Friday to talk to her about a horse rescue partnership. We are meeting in person in a couple of weeks to talk about it with our group, and get all the details ironed out. In the process, Joel and I brought home a foster dog. Her name is Susie Q and she is a Golden/Border Collie mix who has endless oodles of go go go.
This is little Susie Q:
Unfortunately, Susie is not entirely cat safe, so her stay with us will be a little truncated. We are keeping her and Sebastian separated for now, but Wednesday Susie will probably go in for her spay, and she will finish up her foster time with a different family.
We didn't take any photos, but we also spent a little while fishing in our pond. I caught two bass, but both were too small to keep so we threw them back in. We keep seeing one that is about 18 inches long, but so far, he has evaded the hook.
Today, Joel and I went to the Memorial Day picnic with our church. Joel pondered the state of the environment:
I made gluten free brownies that were so far beyond delicious that the entire tray disappeared in a matter of seconds---and I think I was the only gluten free person there! We then took a moment to pose together, but separately beside the lake:
On the adoption front, we have our home study currently submitted for two children. Tegan is 7 and in Colorado and Hunter is 6 and in Michigan.
This is Tegan's biography that was posted online:
Get ready for Miss Tegan! This loveable and bright schoolgirl is hoping to find her way to a family who is committed to helping her thrive and grow. Tegan is full of energy, and enjoys doing karate, playing golf, going to church and dressing up! This highly sensitive and perceptive little girl absolutely loves being the center of attention. Her imagination is vast and she is happy playing with her dolls by herself during quiet time.
Tegan is excited about first grade, where she hopes to make new friends and show off her reading skills. She benefits from counseling, which will need to continue after placement.
The caseworker prefers a two-parent home. Tegan is at her best when she is the youngest or only child in the family; however, all family types will be considered. This youngster needs consistent structure, patience and repetition, combined with love, laughter and acceptance.
The ideal family for Hunter would be a family that is very active and likes to be on the go. The family will need to provide Hunter with a loving and consistent home in which he can have reliable rules and structure. The adoptive family must be willing to seek out any additional support services that would be beneficial to Hunter’s needs. Hunter would do okay with other siblings, however, he would benefit from being either the youngest or only child in the adoptive home. The family must provide Hunter with guidance, encouragement and consistency to help him achieve his goals.
This is little Susie Q:
Unfortunately, Susie is not entirely cat safe, so her stay with us will be a little truncated. We are keeping her and Sebastian separated for now, but Wednesday Susie will probably go in for her spay, and she will finish up her foster time with a different family.
We didn't take any photos, but we also spent a little while fishing in our pond. I caught two bass, but both were too small to keep so we threw them back in. We keep seeing one that is about 18 inches long, but so far, he has evaded the hook.
Today, Joel and I went to the Memorial Day picnic with our church. Joel pondered the state of the environment:
I made gluten free brownies that were so far beyond delicious that the entire tray disappeared in a matter of seconds---and I think I was the only gluten free person there! We then took a moment to pose together, but separately beside the lake:
On the adoption front, we have our home study currently submitted for two children. Tegan is 7 and in Colorado and Hunter is 6 and in Michigan.
Tegan
This is Tegan's biography that was posted online:
Get ready for Miss Tegan! This loveable and bright schoolgirl is hoping to find her way to a family who is committed to helping her thrive and grow. Tegan is full of energy, and enjoys doing karate, playing golf, going to church and dressing up! This highly sensitive and perceptive little girl absolutely loves being the center of attention. Her imagination is vast and she is happy playing with her dolls by herself during quiet time.
Tegan is excited about first grade, where she hopes to make new friends and show off her reading skills. She benefits from counseling, which will need to continue after placement.
The caseworker prefers a two-parent home. Tegan is at her best when she is the youngest or only child in the family; however, all family types will be considered. This youngster needs consistent structure, patience and repetition, combined with love, laughter and acceptance.
Hunter
This is Hunter's biography:
Hunter is a very active young boy. He is a ball of energy that needs to
be moving all the time. Hunter describes himself as “a happy kid.” His
favorite meal is pizza with chocolate milk. Hunter likes to play sports
like soccer and t-ball. When he grows up he says he would like to be a
farmer.
The ideal family for Hunter would be a family that is very active and likes to be on the go. The family will need to provide Hunter with a loving and consistent home in which he can have reliable rules and structure. The adoptive family must be willing to seek out any additional support services that would be beneficial to Hunter’s needs. Hunter would do okay with other siblings, however, he would benefit from being either the youngest or only child in the adoptive home. The family must provide Hunter with guidance, encouragement and consistency to help him achieve his goals.
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Fun For All
It is amazing how busy we have been. The guest room is really coming together to be ready for the child we will hopefully one day adopt. The bathroom in the hall is done. Our bathroom is done and we have moved upstairs. We have spent hours working on homework, horse chores, and even found plenty of time for play. So, to put some of it in photos:
We are loving Molly and Lady and making sure that they get more attention, not less with all of our hustle and bustle.
We adopted Checkers, who has become Joel's favorite cookie monster, and a reliable riding companion for me:
We took in our first, born in the wild, Mustang foster horse, Addie:
......who promptly became best friend's with Checkers (they are practically twins!):
Unfortunately, Jewel lost her baby, but she is much healthier and happy now, so we feel that it was for the best. We still get to enjoy a little filly, since Evangeline and her baby, Aurora are fostering with us. Little Aurora's antics keep us smiling, and her panelled paddock keep her safe and out of trouble:
Sebastian hasn't been overlooked either. We gave him a bath over the weekend, so he is not quite ready for his close up right now. Baths are not his favorite thing.
We are loving Molly and Lady and making sure that they get more attention, not less with all of our hustle and bustle.
We adopted Checkers, who has become Joel's favorite cookie monster, and a reliable riding companion for me:
We took in our first, born in the wild, Mustang foster horse, Addie:
......who promptly became best friend's with Checkers (they are practically twins!):
Unfortunately, Jewel lost her baby, but she is much healthier and happy now, so we feel that it was for the best. We still get to enjoy a little filly, since Evangeline and her baby, Aurora are fostering with us. Little Aurora's antics keep us smiling, and her panelled paddock keep her safe and out of trouble:
Sebastian hasn't been overlooked either. We gave him a bath over the weekend, so he is not quite ready for his close up right now. Baths are not his favorite thing.
Saturday morning Douglas came over ride a horse for the first time. His nerves let up after awhile, and he loosened his grip to wave at his Uncle Joel. After dinner that night we went to his house and played Rock Band together as a family. Lots of laughs all around.
Friday, April 27, 2012
Gains and Losses
It has been a whirlwind couple of weeks which has slowed the blog posts. For those that follow my Facebook you will see that I have been vocal about some pending legislation in the state. H.B.3619 would have legalized horse slaughter in TN. The thought mortifies me. When I found that the rescue that I was involved in would not take a position statement on the legislation, and in fact some members were in favor of slaughter, I resigned from all involvement in the rescue. This weekend will be my last in assisting. I will sidebar that there were additional issues for my departure---individuals in the organization were extremely rude to others in the animal welfare movement in our area, and I firmly believe that in these types of matters we all have to work together....the adage of divided we fall could not be more true. My departure spurred the departure of others, and one member preceeded me.
This leads to an exciting gain---we are forming a new rescue. Middle Tennessee Horse Rescue will be formed by our little group of like-minded, hard working people, and we will be taking a firm and direct stance on animal welfare issues---slaughter, soring, Premarin and the other issues in Equine well-being. We are very excited to be starting the new organization from the ground up. We are, of course, seeking volunteers, so if you read this and want to be involved, just let me know.
We did however, have a big loss this week. Jewel, our adopted mare, was pregnant at her time of seizure in October. She was due to deliver at the end of July, but miscarried Wednesday night. The foal was stillborn. Jewel seems to be fine. We are still sad for the loss of the baby who we were making final preparations for. Just this week we had designed her foaling stall and paddock and purchased rubber mats to make it as comfortable as possible. As I write this, I am very sad for Jewel's loss, and the loss of the first foal that we would have had.
In the midst of everything at home and in the periphery, work has been rigorous. I have been extremely busy with the Philippines project and am almost wrapped up on it. I have a meeting in an hour to discuss my next chapter here, and have been told that I will be asked to take a bigger role. Yeah! I love when hard work pays off.
I am hoping for a happy weekend, and even though it will be busy, I am looking for some emotional calming. With so much on my plate, I have been losing sleep at night and not able to let my brain quiet down.
This leads to an exciting gain---we are forming a new rescue. Middle Tennessee Horse Rescue will be formed by our little group of like-minded, hard working people, and we will be taking a firm and direct stance on animal welfare issues---slaughter, soring, Premarin and the other issues in Equine well-being. We are very excited to be starting the new organization from the ground up. We are, of course, seeking volunteers, so if you read this and want to be involved, just let me know.
We did however, have a big loss this week. Jewel, our adopted mare, was pregnant at her time of seizure in October. She was due to deliver at the end of July, but miscarried Wednesday night. The foal was stillborn. Jewel seems to be fine. We are still sad for the loss of the baby who we were making final preparations for. Just this week we had designed her foaling stall and paddock and purchased rubber mats to make it as comfortable as possible. As I write this, I am very sad for Jewel's loss, and the loss of the first foal that we would have had.
In the midst of everything at home and in the periphery, work has been rigorous. I have been extremely busy with the Philippines project and am almost wrapped up on it. I have a meeting in an hour to discuss my next chapter here, and have been told that I will be asked to take a bigger role. Yeah! I love when hard work pays off.
I am hoping for a happy weekend, and even though it will be busy, I am looking for some emotional calming. With so much on my plate, I have been losing sleep at night and not able to let my brain quiet down.
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