Since moving to our 5 acre mini-homestead we are constantly learning about “nature’s bounty”, from the obvious – chestnuts and walnuts falling from the trees, to the more obscure – dandelion, chickweed and plaintain, for instance. I have bought dandelion tea previously, it’s very good for digestion. Now I just make my own. I’ve also…
Ancient Grains
We’ve all heard of them – who could miss them? But who actually uses them, other than buying cereal/bars touting their containment? Amaranth. Spelt. Bulgar. Chia seeds. Farro. Quinoa. Millet. Sorghum. Teff. Freekeh. Kamut. This is not an extensive list, but covers most of the main players. Part of the problem of making such a…
Dem Old Bones
Ok, so we all know that chicken soup – homemade, of course – is purported to have great health benefits, particularly for colds and flu, but have you ever stopped to wonder WHY? Answer – BONE BROTH! The University of Nebraska Medical Center conducted a study to find out exactly what was in bone broth…
Ginger – the wonder spice
So last week I succumbed, finally-after about 2 years deliberation, and bought a juicer. They are smaller and less expensive now than they were two years ago, plus I now have room to actually store one. I keep reading recipes which involve juicing something or other as part or all of it, so I was…
Preserving herbs, simply
Of course the absolute best way to preserve herbs is to grow them yourself and keep them indoors, that way you can pretty much have fresh ones all year round and only ever pick what you need. However, if you’re like me and not particularly green fingered (though I am improving:-) you will sometimes be…
What to do with too many leafy greens..
We are just not a big salad eating family. Or rather, I should say, we are not a big leaf eating family. I like lettuce and spinach and arugula on occasion, but I just don’t eat enough of it to eat a whole lettuce or the huge box of organic spinach (shown in the picture)…
The wonders of peppermint
Peppermint extract and peppermint oil (Link for UK peeps!) are used both in baking and in multiple household everyday items to flavor and fragrance a variety of things from cookies and hot chocolate to soap, toothpaste, and mouthwashes. Peppermint is a sterile, hyrbid plant that’s made up of a blend of watermint and spearmint. First known to be…
To Juice or not to Juice…
The concept of juicing – making a pure juice drink from single or mixed fruits and vegetables has plenty of similarities to smoothies, but there are also some notable differences. All fruits and vegetables are packed with nutrients – vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants that are always best when taken in their raw, pure form. Our…
