Monday, April 26, 2010

Blueberries


Who doesn’t love Blueberries? And they are so good for you being a great source of vitamin C and K plus manganese and loads of fiber. They do have a high sugar content but the fiber content off-sets that. Since I was 15 I had an unlimited source of blueberries, my family had moved to a house that had many blueberry bushes plus many other yummy fruits and berries. Even when I moved away from home I could always go back and get my fill, my mom froze what could not be eaten in the summer so the supply was year round. When my parents were planing to downsize and move we all feared the lack of blueberries, the thought of buying them was foreign. So I decided to proactive and went out and bought three bushes for my yard, planted them in a not so sunny spot and only got a handful of berries. Last fall I decided to move the plants to a sunnier place and now they are loaded with flowers. I was afraid that they would not produce after being moved but they seem well adjusted and happy. I know that they like an acid soil and since I do not have a pine tree near them I collect pine needles from the trees across the street to help nourish them.

Eating blueberries as a teen I preferred them by the bowl- full but now I also love to add them to pancakes, tarts and sauces. I never make blueberries pies because my mom makes the best and mine could never compete.

If you love blueberries try growing your own, they really are low maintenance and in a few years you will be rewarded deliciously.

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Yes, Pizza can be healthy and delicious!


Everyone loves pizza but not everyone loves all the dripping grease, quality of ingredients, or the high calorie count. By making it at home you can support your health and enjoy a tasty meal. If you have a bread-maker you can make you pizza dough that way, it is not that much more work if make it by hand. If youo have children get them to kneed the dough, they will love it. Then give them their own piece of dough to create a shape like a car or flower or whatever they may want for their own personal pizza. They will then want to decorate it with their choice of veggies and cheese. No kids? Rounds or rectangles are just as yummy because you get to personalize them with your wholesome ingredients for the perfect pizza.


Whole Wheat Veggie Pizza

Dough

¾ cup warm water
2 tsp. yeast
2 tsp. vegetable oil
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup white whole wheat flour
½ tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. granulated garlic
2 tsp. Italian seasoning

Topping

1-2 cup Tomato sauce or pizza sauce
1-2 cup Mozzarella cheese
1 cup of vegetables for example-broccoli, onions, peppers, spinach, mushrooms, olives etc.

In a large bowl add the yeast to the warm water and let sit for 15 minutes. Next add in the oil and 1 cup of flour slowly mixing. Add the seasonings then the rest of the flour. Depending on the humidity you may need to add a little more water or flour, add slowly. Kneed the dough for 5 to 10 minutes or until smooth. Once the dough is well mixed cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place for about one hour. Punch down the dough and kneed slightly until smooth again. This will make one large pizza crust or 2 mediums crusts. Cover your pizza pan with parchment paper to prevent sticking. With a small rolling pin (I use one from a child’s cooking set) slowly roll the dough to the size of your pan. Because of the gluten in the whole wheat flour it will not want to stretch all at once so let it rest half way through the rolling process. When the dough is ready cover it with a thin layer of sauce. Put into a 450° oven for 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven and add another layer of sauce, vegetables, and the cheese. Return to the oven and reduce the heat to 400° cook until all the cheese is melted about 10 minutes. Let the pizza cool slightly before cutting and serving.

(Excerpts from Trish’s Dishes Copy right 2009)

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Don’t Kill the Dandelions!


Have you noticed that the little yellow flowers, known to many as pesty weeds, are just starting to show themselves? This year try to look at dandelions in a different light. Just as many are doing spring cleaning in their homes dandelions can do the same for our bodies. Dandelions are in the category known as bitters because yes, they are bitter to taste but fats and toxins in our bodies do not like that bitterness also and are cleaned out of our blood. Our liver, kidneys, and skin are the bodies major cleaning tools and dandelions help to sharpen those tools and make them work more efficiently. Through-out history all the parts, leaf, flower, and root of the dandelion have been used for medicinal purposes for everything from a spring tonic to jaundice to liver and kidney disorders.

Dandelions also happen to be loaded with vitamins A, C, E, B1, B2, B6 and minerals calcium, iron, potassium, and manganese. The only thing not perfect about this plant is its taste, but with some thought you can eat it without even knowing it. I like the leaves and flowers best in a salad, a little dressing and you will never notice the leaves. The flowers do stand-out but they look nice too as do many other edible flowers I use through-out the summer. Steaming the leaves or adding them into soups, casseroles, or mixing them with other green vegetables is a great way to enjoy the super food. A tea or coffee can be made from the roots. Dandelions can be bought at many produce stores when in season but I prefer to let them grow in my back yard or vegetable garden, some people think I just don’t like to “weed” my garden but they are food to me and now I they are also food for you!