Over the last week he has been busy trying to perfect the creation of chocolate mousse and I believe he may of done it!!  I had a small bowl and it melted in my mouth.  It is our current dessert feature at Kits – rush down before it all disappears!

Wout’s Chocolate mousse for 4 persons

I’ve been studying this desert feature for the last two weeks. The amount of recipes and procedures were immense and sometimes controversial. The main issue is the use of eggs. And that is a personal preference. I just think if we were able to use raw eggs for the last 2 centuries, than we would be more than able to use them nowadays. Fresh eggs have a shiny yolk that is firm and round. If you are not sure about the freshness, just fry it up for breakfast instead.

The ingredients we used for this desert special:

140 gram of dark chocolate (callebaut coverture)

25 gram Butter

60 gram egg yolk

30 gram powder sugar

375 ml Cream

pinch of salt

And we flavor the cream with something. It can be orange juice or espresso, or Liquor. We used some grand marnier for this one, but dark rum or cognac are nice as well.

Now just a short thing about the chocolate. What is really important is that you know that you cannot substitute the dark chocolate with a white or milk one, without changing the weight of the other ingredients. The fat content is different so the result can be off.  Always buy more then you have too. For the simple reason that somebody will definitely will snack from it. After weighing, cover and chain it if you must.

Now we begin:

First we weigh everything out and have it ready to use.

We melt the chocolate with the butter au bain-marie. That means in a metal bowl that seals on top of a pot with simmering water. Keep track of the temperature. It should not exceed 35 Celsius. Use a spatula to stir it so once in a while

While the chocolate is melting we beat up the egg with the sugar until its pale. We whip up the cream with salt and the flavor of our choice. You should be able to turn the bowl around without the cream falling out. Otherwise you will have to clean your kitchen floor and start again whipping up that cream. Use a cold and clean metal bowl and whisk (or stand mixer). If the utensils are a bit greasy, you can whisk very hard and it would be a great exercise, but it will not really set.

Time to combine everything together. 

Add the egg mixture with the chocolate. Keep it in the bain-marie for a little bit to bind the chocolate and egg more. Remove the bowl from the heat and add ¼ of the cream. Mix it up well. Add the remaining cream and fold it in. That means we use a spatula and gently mix everything together.

To finish everything up we let the kids or roommate clean the kitchen. We wash our hands and put our pointing finger in the bowl of the chocolate goody and taste our divine creation. Now it is time to drink a small glass of grand marnier for a job well done!

We could fill the mousse in glasses or other kind of forms. Just google that and see how other people serve their chocolate mousse. Important is that it should be cooled for about 6 hours prior using. Maybe I should have told you that in the beginning. Oh well now you have a desert for tomorrow night.

Enjoy!

Speaking of leaves, continue to make good use of them as they drift down from boulevard or yard trees. They are a free, local and sustainable source of valuable organic material and trace elements.

Leaf compost can be part of your own homemade potting soil as well, so we can leave peat in peat bogs where it belongs, making a home for  thousands of species of plants and animals.

You need a large heavy-duty plastic garbage bag, a rake, and something to poke holes:

1)    poke a dozen holes around the sides and bottom of the garbage bag.

2)    Rake leaves, place them in the bag. Add whenever you are in the mood to rake.

3)    When the bag is nearly full but you can still squeeze the top shut and tie it off, add some water.

4)    Shake the bag vigorously, then tie it with a couple of strong twist ties.

In one year or less, the leaves will transform themselves into beautiful, useable mulch which you can use on your garden.

MORE THINGS TO DO WITH LEAVES:

Use leaves to half-fill (or more) large containers in which you’ll plant bulbs, evergreens, etc. Use lots and lots of leaves, pack tightly. You only need about six inches of soil for bulbs, maybe a bit more for other plants depending on the size of the root ball. The leaves will very slowly and gradually decompose. Plant bulbs a little deeper than you would in the ground.

Even smaller containers can have a few inches of deciduous leaves in the bottom, especially if you’re planting bulbs. Fig leaves, for example. This is a fantastic thing to do with kids –and as you know, kids love to cut things – dullish scissors work fine with leaves.

Create an impromptu spring display in problematic rocky or tree-rooty areas: pile on a thick layer of leaves. Add a layer of topsoil, then lay bulbs in drifts – a way to make it look natural is to throw them down, then plant them where they landed. Cover with more leaves and a few more inches of soil. Firm soil, water well.

Keep a pile or bag of leaves near your compost so you can layer with kitchen waste

Layer leaves on perennial beds for insulation, making a leaf ‘down duvet’ for garden beds.

Top-dress tender, recently-planted herbs like rosemary and lavender with a covering of leaves if very cold weather is expected.
Plant garlic now through mid-November.  Choose a sunny area with rich soil, and remember your garlic will occupy that space for nine months or so. Plant the biggest cloves – eat the smaller ones – don’t peel them!

Cover each clove with 8 cm (3 in.) of soil, pointy side up, and about 16 cm (6 “) apart in rows 12 – 18” apart. Imported garlic from China will not grow properly in our climate and may have been treated with growth inhibitors to prevent sprouting.  For a very long article see:  www.ediblecommunities.com/vancouver/Gardening/sharon-hanna.htm

Lightly pile cedar boughs on areas planted with garlic; ditto broad beans, bulbs too, to dissuade critters like cats, squirrels. Squirrels dislike areas strewn with human hair – visit your local barber shop. It worked for me last year when the little bratty squirrels were eating my barely opened tulips in the front yard – they stopped after hair was applied.

Plant broad beans through mid-November, covering with 8 cm (3 in.) of soil, and enjoy them late May to mid-June! Their fragrant blossoms attract beneficial insects. They also attract aphids, but that’s a good thing because then you can grow nasturtiums.

Happy Fall….

Halibut with Grilled Tomato Sauce

We always find Sharon Hanna’s advise great on what to be doing in our food gardens on a month to month basis and thought we should share it with fellow food growing enthusiasts!  So here it is:

Food Garden

Indoors
Start broccoli, cabbage, leeks, lettuce, parsley, tomatoes, cauliflower.

Peppers are slow to sprout—and not that productive in many BC gardens. If you really want to grow peppers a heated greenhouse is helpful! Seed in the first week of March at the latest. Give them bottom heat and as much light as possible.

Outdoors
We often hear about not digging until “soil can be worked.” What does this mean, exactly? Soil shouldn’t be clumped in muddy clods. A clue: self-sown seedlings of kale, arugula, mache will abound (weeds, too); chives poke up. If it’s been raining heavily, or soil looks and feels waterlogged, wait a week or two.

Some gardeners prefer to interfere minimally with the soil—I am one of those. Creatures have been labouring long hours, layering the soil perfectly, like a lasagna, so I am loathe to plunge a shovel in. There are schools of gardening thought (Ruth Stout, for example) where gardening is done using this “barely scratching the surface” method, usually also piling on the mulch. If you are interested, check out Ruth Stout’s “no dig” method of gardening—also Esther Dean’s and others.

Avoid using fresh manure and unripe compost in veggie gardens, as they will leach nutrients from plants.

Soil is still too cool to plant carrots, chard, or beets. Wait until late April or until soil temperature is over 55F.

When the ground can be worked:

Direct-sow arugula, broad beans, mache, corn salad, kale, broccoli raab (rapini), dandelion greens (not real dandelions, but a type of chicory), Asian greens, radishes.

Peas: soil is still cool, so use inoculant. It increases microbial activity around the seed and allows peas to sprout in cool soil.

Give potatoes an early start: put one or two ‘seed’ potatoes per one-gallon black pot in a lofty slightly acidic soil mix—peat moss (if you use it) mixed with garden soil half and half is fine. Keep these in an unheated greenhouse or on the porch and plant out in April when soil ‘can be worked’!

Read more: http://www.gardenwiseonline.ca/gw/resources/2010/03/03/march-garden-do-list#ixzz1FOIoQgNX

After a field trip to 10,000 Villages for inspiration, the students decided to make eco-products out of recycled paper, and the bead making began! Making beads out of recycled paper is easy and fun: all you need is scissors, non-toxic glue, and colorful recycled paper.

Directions:
1. Cut the paper.
The students in Visions started with isosceles triangles about 4cm x 23 cm. However, beads can be made in many sizes and shapes – have fun experimenting! We have used everything from newspaper to magazines to Kleenex boxes and wallpaper.

2. Roll the paper.
Starting from the wide end, start rolling the paper toward the narrow end. You can do it free form, or use a toothpick, skinny paintbrush handle, knitting needle or pen to wrap the paper around, depending on how big you want the hole in the bead to be.

3. Add glue.
Once you roll about ¾ of the way to the end, add some glue to the inward facing side of the paper. We’ve had good luck with both white glue applied with a paintbrush and gluesticks.

4. Add a protective coating.
Put the beads on a string, or on skewers stuck in Styrofoam to hold them aloft as you apply a protective coating. You can use diluted white glue (very kid and eco-friendly), or varnish or other coating purchased from craft stores.

5. Make something fun!
We haven’t decided yet what to make with out paper beads, but may try keychains or earrings. You can make anything your imagination desires! A quick google search for paper bead images will feed your creativity.

The students are having fun learning about the process of starting an eco-business, but are really looking forward to selling their wares!

Our field chef, Doug, has released his famous recipe for seafood chowder!  I promise it is one of the best chowders you will ever taste.  This recipe was voted as one of the top ten chowders of Vancouver Chefs in the “Ocean Wise Chowder – Chow Down” at the Vancouver Aquarium.  Make sure to buy organic local produce & seafood from sustainable fishing practices to make it extra tasty.

LING COD BOURBON CHOWDER

Cook stirring often, in a large soup pot over medium low heat until beginning to crisp, 10 – 15 minutes.

4 slices double smoked bacon, diced

Add & cook, stirring until soft & tender, 10 – 15 minutes.

2 large onion, diced

1/4 cup butter

Stir in and simmer, 5 minutes:

1 cup fennel

1/2 cup celery, diced

3 bay leaves

2 tbsp bourbon

1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp chilli pepper

salt and pepper to taste

Add: 1 – 1 1/2 lbs Russet potatoes, peeled & diced

3 1/2 cups fish stock

Increase heat to medium-high, bring to a boil then reduce heat to let to simmer. In another medium-sized pot bring to a boil, stirring constantly:

2 cups heavy cream

2 tbsp orange liqueur

dash of bourbon

Reduce heat & simmer.  Remove bay leaves from soup pot. Stir in cream mix & add:

3 1/2 lbs. Ling cod or Ocean Wise white fish

Simmer 10 minutes. Add

2 tbsp chopped parsley

Serve in individual bowls upon 2/3 cup of fresh spinach

Nut Free Granola

Ingredients: 2 cups rolled or steel cut oats (not instant), 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 cup toasted sunflower seeds, 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds, 1/4 cup shredded coconut, 1/4 cup raisins or dried cranberries, 1/2 cup dried apples (I recommend using broken-up apple chips), 1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup honey, brown rice syrup or dark maple syrup

Directions: 1) Toss all ingredients together until evenly coated and then pour out into a baking pan. I use a large roasting pan, as it keeps everything contained. A cookie sheet with a lip also works, but you will have to stir more carefully. 2) Bake at 300 degrees for 30 minutes, turning it with a spatula every ten minutes or so. The granola is finished when it is an even golden brown.

Note: You can store this granola for approximately 1 week. This is a great breakfast or snack option.  Just add yogurt and fruit.

Guacamole:

Ingredients: 1 avocado (mashed), 1 tomato (chopped), ½ red onion (chopped), Sea salt and pepper (to taste), Juice of ¼ lemon.

Directions

Mix all ingredients together and eat with brown rice chips or tortilla chips, or as a topping for tacos or fajitas.

Spinach Hummus:

Ingredients: 1-2 cloves of garlic (based on preference), 1.5 cups of prepared chickpeas (or 14oz can if necessary), 5tbsp olive oil, 3tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed, 2tbsp tahini (optional), 1cup fresh spinach, Sea Salt (to taste).

Directions: Place all the ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend until creamy and smooth. If you are having trouble blending, add more olive oil. Taste and modify if need be by adding more lemon juice, salt or olive oil.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies:

Ingredients: 2 cups rolled oats, (not instant), 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour, 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt, ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened, 1 cup raw cane sugar, 2 large organic, free range eggs, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 cup dark chocolate chips, 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions: 1) Preheat to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or grease. 2) Whisk oats, whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl and set aside. 3) In a separate bowl, beat butter in with an electric mixer until blended into a paste. Add cane sugar; continue beating until well combined. Beat in egg, then vanilla. Stir in the oat mixture with a wooden spoon until just moistened. Stir in chocolate chips and walnuts. 4) With damp hands, roll 1 tablespoon of the batter into a ball, place it on a prepared baking sheet and flatten. Continue with the remaining batter, spacing the flattened balls 2 inches apart. 5) Bake the cookies until golden brown, about 16 minutes. Cool on the pans for 2 minutes, then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Fruit Kabobs:

Ingredients: An assortment of fruit cut into bite sized cubes (melon, pineapple, strawberry, grapes, banana etc.), Organic, probiotic yogurt, Granola.

Directions: 1) Wash and cut fruit, 2) Spear fruit on skewers, alternating types of fruit evenly     3) Drizzle yogurt on top, 4) Coat in granola

Banana Blueberry or Raspberry Muffins:

Ingredients: 2 -3 bananas, mashed, 4 tbsp butter, softened, ½ cup raw cane sugar, 1 free-range, organic egg, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 cup whole wheat flour, ½ cup white flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 cup raspberries or blueberries, fresh or frozen

Directions: 1) Mash bananas and add butter, and sugar.  Beat well until mixed. 2) Add egg, vanilla and beat again 3) Mix dry ingredients together in a separate bowl 4) Add wet mixture to dry mixture and mix well 5) Add berries and stir gently 6) Spoon the batter into the muffin pan, filling each cup to just below the rim 7) Bake the muffins for ~20 minutes at 350°F, or until a dry tooth-pick check.

Dream Bars:

Crust Ingredients: 1 cup whole wheat or whole spelt flour, ½ cup butter, 2 tbsp cane sugar

Topping Ingredients: 1 cup brown rice syrup, ½ cup of whole rolled oats (uncooked), ½ cup shredded coconut, ½ cup raisins and/or dried cranberries, ½ cup chopped almonds (raw preferably), ¼ cup sunflower seeds, ½ cup dark chocolate, 3 eggs, beaten, 1 tsp vanilla extract.

Directions: 1) Preheat oven to 350° (F) 2) In a small bowl, use a fork to combine the crust ingredients and press the mixture into the bottom of a lightly oiled square or round baking dish.  Bake for 15 minutes 3) Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine all the topping ingredients and mix them well 4) Pour the mixture over the partially baked crust and bake for another 15-20 minutes 5) Allow it to cool completely before cutting into bars.

Baba Ghanouj:

Ingredients: 1 eggplant, cubed and baked, 1/4 cup lemon juice, 1/4 cup tahini (optional), 2 cloves garlic, minced, salt and pepper to taste, 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil.

Directions: Blend all ingredients together in blender or food processor.

Corn or Whole Wheat Tortilla Pizzas:

Ingredients: Whole wheat or corn tortillas, 1 tbsp mild salsa per tortilla, handful of grated cheese per tortilla.

Directions: Assemble tortillas and place on a baking sheet. Bake 350°F until cheese is melted. Broil for 1 minute to finish.

Apple “Sandwiches”:

Ingredients: 1-2 apples cut into rings, nut or seed butter, dark chocolate chips, home-made granola.

Directions: Spread nut or seed butter on one apple ring and place chocolate chips on top of butter. Sprinkle with granola and top with a second apple ring to make a “sandwich.”

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix In A Jar

1 cup flour

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup oats

1/4 cup chocolate chips (Use to fill up any remaining space in jar)

GIFT TAG DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line one baking sheet with parchment paper.

Empty the contents of the jar into a large bowl. Using a wooden spoon blend the mixture until well combined.

Using your hands work in 1/2 cup softened butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Beat 1 egg with 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1/4 cup milk. Still using your hands or a wooden spoon blend the egg mixture into the dough until well combined.

Teaspoon sized mounds 2 inches apart onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 10 to 14 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned. Place cookies on a rack to finish cooling.

Christmas Morning Cranberry Muffins Recipe

1 cup Flour

1/4 cup Sugar

1 teaspoon Baking powder

1 teaspoon Cinnamon

1/2 cup Cranberries (Use to fill up any remaining space in jar)

GIFT TAG DIRECTIONS
1 Egg – beaten
3/4 cup Orange juice
1/3 cup Butter — melted
1/4 cup Nuts – chopped (optional)

It has been tried & tested by the Grade 6 & 7 at Lord Tennyson School working on our responsible business program – great fun to make & sold really well!

The sugar is very mild exfoliant which does not sting if you have any cuts.

Ingredients:

Small Masonary Jar; Organic Sugar Crystals; Grape Seed Oil; Essential Lavender Oil; Castile Soap

Directions:

1. Fill your masonary jar 3/4 with organic sugar crystals.

2. Slowly add some grape seed oil until it becomes a paste consistency.

3. Add 3 – 5 drops of essential lavender oil.

4. If the consistency gets too oily, add a bit of castile oil.

5. Create a label & tie on with your favorite ribbon

6. Give to someone you love!

Christmas time is the most green-house gas intensive time in North America.  With masses of gift wrapping, excessive travel across the country, eating more food than we need, and buying more gifts than we can afford… what is the outcome?  What is it all for?  Could we still enjoy the happiness and warmth of the holidays without creating so much junk?  Of course you need to ask yourself that question, and find your own ways of reducing your waste this season.
Have you ever seen the story of stuff?  It says that out of all the stuff that is mined, produced, shipped and purchased, only 1% of it is still in use after 6 months!  We are shopping and living our lives in a completely unsustainable way.  If you feel inspired to change this holiday season, then the rest is easy!  Rocky Mountain Education Society has been making eco-gifts with hundreds of kids in Vancouver schools this season, so there is no reason you can’t make them yourself.  A simple gift idea to start us off, using a re-used masonry jar, is a batch of delightful bath salts scented with essential oil.  Stay tuned for more great eco-gift ideas in the weeks to come.   And please share with us your ideas.

BATH SALTS
1.  Fill a masonry jar with Epsom salts (buy from any drug store).
- (optional) Mix in 1/4 part of sea salts – gives more minerals for the soak!
2. Add a teaspoon of lavender flowers (or rose petals or lemon balm herb), to give it a beautiful look (also optional)
3.  Add 5-10 drops of essential oil of your choice.  Relaxation: Lavender and peppermint essential oils.  Rejuvenation: Grapefruit and Bergamot essential oils.  Creativity: Try mixing your own scents.  Don’t mix too many however, and test out the smells before you add them to your bath salts.
4.  Decorate the jar simply by adding a home-made gift tag.

Elyse and I recently tried out some lunch ideas with the grade one and two classes at Tennyson. They tried celery sticks with cream cheese and dried cranberries and veggie wraps in a whole grain tortilla with guacamole, red pepper strips, diced tomatoes and lettuce. The feedback? Delicious!!

Foods to Increase in the Lunch Box:

• Whole grain breads, wraps and/or pitas
• Low sugar snacks – yogurt, fresh fruit, dried fruit, hummus, veggies sticks, brown rice chips, cheese and crackers, unsweetened apple sauce,
• Vegetables – in sandwiches, wraps, or with dip.
• Healthy drinks – water, watered-down juice, smoothies, homemade lemonade, homemade herbal iced tea.
• Homemade baked goods – muffins, cookies, granola bars.

Foods to Decrease in the Lunch Box:

• Refined breads, wraps and/or pitas (white flour)
• Sugary snacks – store-bought granola bars, candy, cookies, some brands of yogurt, pop-tarts, fruit roll-ups, graham crackers, kid’s cereals.
• Foods made with bad fats and oils – deep-fried chips, cookies, crackers or other products made with hydrogenated fats.
• Sugary drinks – fruit juice, pop, iced tea.
• Luncheon Meats – you can buy organic deli meats, however, most conventional sliced meat is highly processed and full of additives and preservatives.
• Store-bought baked goods – packaged muffins, cookies, granola bars (look for multiple sugars listed in the first few ingredients of a list and high fructose corn syrup).

Examples of a Healthy Lunch:

Hummus with veggies for dipping, an apple or orange slices, a home-made oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and veggie wrap (whole grain flour tortilla, avocado slices, diced tomato, shredded cheese, and red pepper strips).

Brown rice chips, celery sticks with pumpkin seed butter or cream cheese and raisins or dried cranberries, a whole grain pita filled with chicken salad or vegetables and cheese, and vanilla yogurt with sliced bananas.

Homemade raspberry-banana muffin, a fruit smoothie, cheese slices with crackers, whole grain spaghetti with tomato sauce and apple chips.

I love encouraging people to grow their own garlic as it isn’t hard to grow & you can grow it almost anywhere – even in containers!  And once you have tasted home grown garlic you will not want to buy supermarket bought garlic ever again – unless under duress!  For the last 2 years I have grown my own garlic which has almost lasted our family a whole year.  This could have only been possible with the helpful guidance of my very wise and wonderful urban garden friend Sharon Hanna.  So in this blog I share some the very best of her wisdom!  Happy garlic growing!  Suzanne (Co-founder of Rocky Mountain Flatbread.)

Choosing the right bulb for planting

Are you going to grow the garlic you buy for three or four heads in a mesh bag for $1.99? Don’t. You shouldn’t even be eating it. One taste of homegrown or fresh organically grown will convince you. After all, you don’t know where that garlic’s been, or worse, whose nightsoil it’s been grown in.

I recommend you begin with organically-grown garlic from B.C. This is easily found at farmer’s markets, fine food stores that stock organic produce & of course Rocky Mountain Flatbread Kits. Select bulbs with large cloves—a larger-sized clove will grow a bigger plant, which ideally will yield a larger bulb. Just like tulip bulbs: the little bitty ones don’t make a big flower. It’s the same with garlic.

Choosing the right place and time

Figure out where you’re going to plant your garlic at this time, paying attention to where the sun is. You’re going to be planting sometime during October which you can stretch to early November. (My garlic-growing friends and I tend to start it as close to October 15 as we can). Earlier is best in terms of your own comfort as the soil is usually more pleasant to work with earlier than later, and garlic needs to have a cold period in the soil in order to produce well.

You’ll need about six inches between cloves (plants). The garlic needs to take in nourishment for nine months from that soil so give it some space. I realize “full sun” in winter is hardly applicable in Vancouver, but do pick the sunniest spot you have in your garden.

Container garlic?

Can you grow garlic in containers? I always thought it didn’t work well and had never had good results. However one of my Gaia students, Will Valley, grew garlic with classes at York House School – one clove per # 3 (aka three gallon) pot. That’s a lot of soil and pot for one clove, but evidently it worked and the garlic was a decent size.

Prepping the soil

Garlic likes well-drained soil. If the area is boggy, if there is moss or frogbit (little fungal-looking growths like on top of plant pots in garden centres sometimes) don’t plant garlic there either. Before planting, add a modest amount of manure, compost, SeaSoil or whatever. You can also top-dress with any of these after you plant your garlic, but don’t worry too much—you’re not making pavlo

How to plant

Make a narrow trench using your hands or a dull instrument (don’t hurt the worms please) about 4” deep in the soil. There is NO need to double-dig or disturb the intricate layers that worms and other critters have been spending lifetimes to create.

There’s also no need to plant the garlic in a straight line if you prefer the ‘drift’ look, or circles. If you do that, allow at least 8” between cloves. It’s important that garlic greens (leaves) have lots of sun.

Disassemble your garlic heads into cloves, do not peel the clove before planting. It’s a little bulb, like a tulip or daffodil bulb and needs that hard papery coat to protect it from what’s going on underneath the soil: critters, dampness, various soil-borne effects. If you find it very difficult

Put the cloves in a bowl, or in your pocket, treating them gently. Don’t peel, I say again. If you’re doing this with kids, it’s very hard for them to resist peeling it – you’ll have to explain why it’s best not to. Tell them it’s like taking off their snowsuit or coat when it’s freezing out … it protects the garlic.

Place the clove, pointy side up (yes – people plant them upside down. It’s hard for the poor garlic to grow around in a circle, which it eventually does) … root side down. Poke it in a bit. Now, poke in the next clove at the suggested distance. If you’re the organized type and you’re planting a few rows, make the rows at least one foot apart.

Cover with a generous two inches of soil, or a scant three inches. It is very important that you now pat down the soil lovingly. Unless rain is predicted, water your garlic lightly, using a gentle mist from a hose, or a watering can with a ‘rose’ (the thing with little holes that screws on the end of the spout). Don’t water with a vengeance or strong stream.

Protect your garlic from wandering paws

If your garden is like mine, you will need to protect your garlic from cats until it begins to grow. You can arrange rose prunings or other thorny, nasty branches in a criss-cross pattern on top of the area. This will both keep the garlic safe from digging critters, and also remind you what you’ve got in there. (This is also a great idea for early spring sowing of things in bare ground which cats love).

Rose-pruning in spring usually coincides with planting, so it all works. You can also use upside down black plastic “flats” that nursery starts come in – they work well to keep critters out, and allow rain to get in. Nurseries always have way too many of them. Weigh these down with rocks if you have skunks, raccoons, or squirrels and you’ve seen them digging.

Remember to label

Important: put a label or stick in next to your future garlic, indicating what you have done; mark the different varieties here or record them somewhere. This is advised if you are over 35, critical if you are over 50, and urgent if you have a tidy mate/partner who likes to dig everything up occasionally.

What happens next

Usually, nothing happens between October 31 and February 14. (Occasionally if it’s warm, the garlic will sprout in November or December – that’s OK.) Mid-February through mid-March, thick grass-like bits will show up. This is known as “emergence” and is a perfect excuse for cooking something with lots of garlic and celebrate. As if we need another reason to drink fabulous red wine and dine on lovely pasta puttanesca, or other garlic-laden treats.

Your garlic will pick up speed and be actively growing by April. I like to feed it a couple of times during this period – kelp, fish fertilizer, anything else good. If the weather gets hot in May as it seems to lately, keep the garlic bed moist but not overly wet. Don’t bother to feed the garlic past mid-June.

Scape removal

At some point in July, your garlic plants will be quite tall, and a “scape” – a French-horn or gooseneck-shaped rounded stalk – will emanate from the centre of each plant, and begin to twine and twirl. This appendage, if allowed to remain on the plant, will eventually form a flower, and then seeds. While the scape is still tender, I recommend you cut it off and enjoy it in stir fries or other dishes, or in a fantastic torrid pesto. Whirl it with lime juice, freshly grated parmigiano, and olive oil. Savour it on bruschetta, pasta, or on slabs of toasted bread, topped with roasted anything. It is delicious and will give you foul garlic breath!

Scape-removal is controversial. (And, where does the term “scapegoat” come from?) Some garlic growers swear by removing them, others say it doesn’t make too much of a difference. Again – the scientist in you may want to leave a few scapes on and remove a few, then compare bulb size. The rationale for removing them is that the energy will go into forming the bulb, rather than the seed-head.

When to harvest

You’ll start to notice some of the lily-like leaves of the garlic turning yellowish by sometime in late June or early July. This is a natural process. Rather than water the garlic thinking there is something wrong with it, don’t. This is the time to withhold water; in fact it’s a good idea to stop watering your garlic completely.

Observe your garlic closely. When the third strappy leaf has turned yellow, it is time to harvest. It’s ok to wait until the fourth leaf yellows but don’t wait too long. The leaves correspond to layers of wrapping on the garlic bulb, and if left too long in the ground the garlic will open up like a lotus flower, splitting it’s casing. The more compact and solid the bulbs are, the longer they’ll keep.

How to harvest

To harvest, gently loosen soil around the area using a small garden fork or space. Pulling is not recommended as this often breaks the bulb from the stem. Using your hands, lift out the bulbs and marvel at how nature works. Your little cloves have turned into shiny, redolent heads of garlic. Don’t wash them—just knock a bit of the soil off. It will brush off easily later on. If the weather is nice (sometimes it isn’t), you can leave the garlic right “on the field,” as they do in Gilroy, California, garlic-growing capital of the US, or perhaps even the world as we know it. If it’s more typical Vancouver weather (sunny, rainy, cloudy, humid and/or hailing), place your garlic in a dry place to “cure.” That is, let it sit and dry rather slowly. If you have grown softneck garlic like Kiev or Sicilian Gold, you will now be able to braid your garlic. Most garlic grown in B.C. is hardneck.

I sometimes use a wooden clothes-drying rack for this stage, and leave it on an airy porch. Be careful if it gets too hot – don’t allow direct hot sunlight on the garlic or it will cook. In about two weeks you can cut the leaves off, leaving a couple of inches of stem. Trim the roots too leaving about half an inch.

Storing your garlic

Store your garlic in a cool, dry place. Darkness is good too. Don’t put garlic in the fridge. If you store it well, it should last until February or March – some varieties keep better than others – Evans, for example, is a very long keeper. There are other varieties – Persian Star, Korean, Yugoslavian Red, Music(a), Purple Ontario, Red Russian (often huge)….the list goes on.

Read more: http://www.gardenwiseonline.ca/gw/blogs/sharon-hanna/2009/10/29/how-grow-garlic#ixzz11DyH2xoc

Apples contain a long list of phytonutrients that function as antioxidants and support our heart health and prevent free-radical damage. To take full advantage of these powerful plant nutrients, leave the skin on your apples! Apples also contain a high percentage of fibre, both soluble and insoluble, and combination that both keeps us regular and lowers LDL (the “bad” cholesterol). Many studies have suggested that apples are specifically preventative of certain types of cancer, including breast, colon and lung. In fact, apples have stood out amongst other fruits when it comes to general support of lung function and lung health. For those of you with asthma or related symptoms, this fruit can have some protective functions.

Despite these amazing properties, there is a down-side to apples. When grown non-organically, farmers spray 25 types of pesticides on growing apples, making them the most heavily sprayed factory farmed fruit in North America. The good news is there’s a simple solution: buy organic apples. There you have it, you can have your apple and eat it too.

What’s your favourite type of apple? If you’re not sure, visit this year’s apple festival at UBC and choose from over 60 varieties http://www.ubcbotanicalgarden.org/events/applefest.php.

If there is one fruit that epitomizes the glowing orange orb of summer for me it is the peach.  This is as heady a hit of summer’s sweet heat as you might ever want to for an autumnal accompaniment to everything from grilled chops to roasted fowl.  Makes a great chicken salad base or just spread it on toast.

The scotch small wonders and brings this chutney together from start to finish, but is entirely optional upon temperance.  You might similarly steep the peaches in Earl Grey and make it your own as it the Earl of Ginger Peach Chutney.  Really, you just might.

I prefer the scotch, especially as a friend just delivered to my door and it is a favourite in the kitchen and glass alike. The first dram be dedicated to him and the second to another a friend of mine who takes Indian food to heart and has shared his table and malt with me in equal spirit.  This is a dude-dedicated chutney for certain, yet should appeal equally to the ladies…so long as they like it hot and salty, a wee bit sour and a as sweet as they come at heart.

Recipe

Ingredients A:

7 cups            ripe local peaches, peeled*, slice 1/2”

1 1/2 tsp        Smoked Sea Salt

2 oz.               Glenmorangie Nectar d’Or (or balanced Speyside)

* Tip: Peeling the Peach: Don’t dicker with the paring knife to peel a peach.  Get a medium-large pot of water on the boil.  Make a small X incision at the base of each peach and pop into the boiling water for about 30 seconds.  Remove the peaches with tongs and gently place them in the cold water bath to cool.   Remove from bath, peel back from incision and voila – perfectly peeled peaches with the mess and waste.

Combine peaches, sea salt and scotch in a bowl to marinate covered for about an hour in the fridge.  Drain and reserve a 1/2 cup of the ‘marinade’ before chilling the remainder of the peachy ambrosia for later or sharing on the spot.  Though it seems a blasphemous to some, the reserved spirit/juice mix makes for the perfect splash of summer in a wintery scotch cocktail.

Ingredients B:

1 1/2 cups     cider vinegar (or white vinegar for milder flavour/colour)

1 1/2 cups     organic cane sugar

1/2 cup           reserved Scotch peach marinade

1 cup              raisins

4 cloves         fresh garlic, chopped

2 Tbsp            fresh ginger, thin strips

1/2 cup           onion, diced

3                      limes, zest and juice

1 Tbsp            ground ginger

1/2 tsp            red pepper chili flakes (or chipotle flakes)

1/2 tsp            paprika

1/2 tsp            nutmeg

1/2 cup           crystallized ginger (or dried peach/mango/apricot)

Bring the cider vinegar, sugar, the reserved marinade, raisins, garlic and fresh ginger to a boil before adding the drained peaches.  Return to a boil before reducing to simmer for 15 minutes.  At this point you can add in everything else to cook through for anywhere from another 30 to 45 minutes depending on the consistency of the chutney you are after. Allow for some thickening to occur in the cooling process, but think thickly coated spoon versus peach soup for optimum results.

Seal in jars as clean as you can get ‘em (hot soapy water and a pop in the oven for the neat freaks) and share with friends for using immediately or freezing for up to three months.

Recipe tried and tested by Jason McRobbie

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Pastry for double crust pie
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
4 cups rhubarb, sliced into 1/2″ pieces
2 cups sliced strawberries

Preheat oven to 425ºF.

Combine sugar, brown sugar, flour, cornstarch, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl. Stir in rhubarb and strawberries. Mix well and spoon mixture into pastry lined pie plate. Lay top layer of pastry over the pie and seal the edges.

Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350ºF and bake for 45 to 50 minutes more until pastry is golden and the filling is bubbling.

Source: http://www.cookingnook.com/strawberry-rhubarb-pie.html

Here is another pie idea for our pie auction on Tuesday August 31st – raising money for Pakistan.  Happy baking everyone.

Ingredients

• 1 (1 pound) sweet potato
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust

Directions

1. Boil sweet potato whole in skin for 40 to 50 minutes, or until done. Run cold water over the sweet potato, and remove the skin.
2. Break apart sweet potato in a bowl. Add butter, and mix well with mixer. Stir in sugar, milk, eggs, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until mixture is smooth. Pour filling into an unbaked pie crust.
3. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 55 to 60 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Pie will puff up like a souffle, and then will sink down as it cools.

Source: http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/sweet-potato-pie-i/Detail.aspx

Seven more days until our “Pie auction” Tuesday, August 31st – 5.00 pm onwards.

I thought I would throw out a few ideas for delicious pie recipes for people stuck for what pie to make for our auction.  Happy pie making!

This is a great recipe for an apple and blackberry recipe – especially if you have apples growing in your garden and blackberries in your neighbourhood!

Ingredients

• 1 pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie
• 5 cups thinly sliced, peeled cooking apples
• 1 pint fresh blackberries, rinsed and drained
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon water or milk
• Additional sugar

Directions

1. Place bottom pastry in a 9-in. pie plate; top with a thin layer of apples. Combine blackberries and remaining apples in a large bowl; sprinkle with lemon juice. Add sugar and cornstarch and toss gently. Spoon into pie shell; dot with butter. Top with a lattice crust; seal edges. Combine egg and water or milk; brush over lattice top and pie edges. Bake at 375 degrees F for 50 minutes or until filling is bubbly and apples are tender. Sprinkle with additional sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Source: http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/blackberry-apple-pie/Detail.aspx

• Beans and nuts (particularly almonds, Brazil nuts, and walnuts)
• Greens, especially broccoli, collards, chard, kale, parsley, watercress, spinach, and dandelion greens.
• Okra
• Sesame seeds and tahini
• Soup made from a bone broth (be sure to add 1 tsp of apple cider vinegar to draw the calcium out of bones to make it available in the broth)
• Seaweeds (particularly Wakame, Kombu and Hiziki)

For kids with dairy sensitivities or signs that an allergy is in a beginning stage, consider switching to goat’s milk dairy products. Goat’s milk is much closer to mother’s milk and has a significantly smaller chain of lactose then cow’s milk, making it easier for the body to breakdown, absorb and assimilate.

In addition to eating food sources with bioavailable calcium, it is also important to limit foods that negatively affect calcium balance in the body. These include:

• Concentrated sugars (including honey)
• Nightshade vegetables (potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, and peppers)
• Citrus fruits and juices
• Vinegar (except apple cider vinegar)

How to Avoid Eating GMO Foods:

The concern regarding GMO foods is increasing rapidly. More and more people are becoming aware of the high rate at which our foods are being genetically engineered and the potential negative impact these foods are having on our health. Many assume that these foods have been extensively tested, leading them to believe that GMO foods are safe. Tested for efficacy, yes; tested for human safety, no. I have heard the introduction of GMO foods be referred to as “the largest experiment to be done on mankind.” We are the guinea pigs! It is very difficult to determine whether you are purchasing and eating GMO foods as there is no labeling required. See below for a list of ways to enhance your consumer awareness to avoid purchasing GMO foods:

• Avoid refined and packaged foods. Besides being poor for your health, they likely contain genetically modified ingredients.
• Buy and eat organically grown foods and locally grown foods whenever possible.
• Download “How to Avoid Genetically Engineered Food: A Greenpeace Shoppers Guide”  http://gmoguide.greenpeace.ca/shoppers_guide.pdf
• Buy products that are labeled “Non-GMO”
• Soy, canola, corn and cotton are the largest GMO crops and should be avoided.
• Involve yourself in the campaign to have GMO foods labeled. Demand from your government that GMO foods are labeled, join an activist organization, write a letter to your local newspaper, become informed and inform others!

• Homemade, nut-free granola with fruit and yogurt
• Whole grain pita pocket stuffed with veggies, cheese and guacamole
• Cut up veggie sticks with spinach hummus for dipping
• Homemade oatmeal chocolate chip cookies
• Pumpkinseed butter and apple butter cracker sandwiches
• Homemade banana blueberry muffins
• Homemade granola bars or “dream bars”
• Brown rice chips with Baba Ghanouj

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup shortening

1/2 cup water

Directions

In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in water until mixture forms a ball. Divide dough in half, and shape into balls. Wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.

Roll out dough on a floured counter. Don’t over work it. Use as directed in pie recipe.

Footnotes

If necessary, use a little less water than called for in recipe.

recipe source: http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/best-ever-pie-crust/Detail.aspx

Place peach or nectarine half on screaming hot grill and char on both sides.

Goat’s Cheese Dressing

2 1/2 oz goat cheese

sea salt

Fresh ground pepper

5 TBSP EVOO

Juice of 1 lemon

1 oz Parmesan Cheese

1 TBSP Walnut Oil

Assembling Your Salad

Toss dressing with frisse or endive and place grilled peaches on top and enjoy!

They chilled as we soaked their feet in lavender foot baths, put on mud masks on their face, gave them salt scrubs for their hands and massaged their feet with coconut oil!

Kids were pleasantly shocked at how easy and cheap it is to make your own natural spa products and they were also unpleasantly shocked to hear that many hair, moisturizer and bath products are loaded with chemicals and petroleum stuff! They also did not realize that their skin absorbs 95% of what what they put on it.

A big thanks to Keri, Manager of Rocky Mountain Soap Co. Vancouver, for providing us with all of the recipes! The kids loved them!

Here are the spa recipes we made – try them out for yourself:

1. Foot Soak

Soak feet in basins of warm water to relax and sooth sore feet.

Instructions: - Sprinkle in the water: - Approx. 1 cup Epsom salt - Approx. 1 tsp lavender flowers (optional) - A few drops of Essential Oil if you want (could add: grapefruit, fir needle, patchouli, & lemongrass)

2. Moisturizer

Massage moisturizer onto freshly soaked feet, can work extra into hands.

Why coconut oil? Cold pressed coconut oil is fabulous because it is very rich in fatty acids, but it absorbs really easily into the skin.

Instructions: – Put a spoonful of coconut oil into a bowl – Add a few drops of essential oil and mix (Sweet orange oil for encouraging new skin cell growth & rejuvenated skin. Lemongrass antibacterial and moisturizing)

3. Face Mister

Instructions: – Pour some water into a spray bottle. – Add whatever essential oils you want. We used 5 drops of lavender and 3 drops of rose essential oils. – Shake it up and then mist face.

4. Sugar Scrub

Exfoliate the hands! Rub sugar scrub all over hands for 15 seconds, and then rinse off under running water. Why sugar scrub? Sugar is very mild on the skin, and if any of you kids have any cuts, the sugar won’t sting at all. When the sugar reacts with water, it creates a mild amount of glycolic acid, which very gently releases and stuck on dead skin.

Instructions: – Add sugar (~ 2 Tbls) to a bowl – Add any light oil (~ 2 Tbls) – can use grape seed, or coconut or olive oil… – If the consistency gets too oily, add a bit of castile soap (100% natural soap). – Add 4-5 drops essential oil your choice. (lavender, or sweet orange). – Just mix together with a fork!

Tools and Materials

An old  cotton T-shirt

Pins

Sewing machine

Medium-size bowl

Water-erasable marking pen

Scissors

T-Shirt Bag How-To

1. Turn T-shirt inside out and pin bottom of the T-shirt along the hem. Using a sewing machine, sew bottom of T-shirt closed. Flip shirt right side out and lay flat on table, making sure all seams are lined up.

2. Place medium-size bowl about half-way over the neck hole. Using a water-erasable marking pen, trace along the edge of the bowl. Cut along the outline, making sure to go through the front and back sides of the shirt, in order to create an opening for the bag that’s larger than what the neck hole allows.

3. Line up the hems on the front and back side of the sleeve and cut, making sure to go through both sides of the shirt. Repeat on the other sleeve.

4.  For decoration get out some fabric paints or markers and decorate

And enjoy as a library bag, shopping bag, swimming bag ….

Source: http://www.marthastewart.com/article/good-thing-t-shirt-bag