Earthly Eating

Getting locally grown and in-season food in the winter months can be slim-o-none, but it doesn’t have to be that way. I know what you are thinking, how is this possible to get out-of-season produce that hasn’t been flown or traveled from thousands of miles away? Easy. Long before the time where you could walk into a grocery store and pick up a kiwi in the middle of October, farmers and others with the knowledge would dry summer fruits to use in the winter when food was not so available. Dried fruits are available all year and can keep for up to 12 months or more when sealed and stored in a refrigerator. It has a concentrated dose of nutrients that are similar to the ones found in fresh fruits such as, fiber, iron, calcium and potassium. Some of the vitamin C is lost when the drying process of the fruit has begun. cup of dried apricots pack more than five times as much of the sugar as an equal volume of the fresh fruits quality.

If you have a year-round farmers’ market, ask if the seller dries their own produce and fruits. Natural-foods stores and farm stands are a lace to find dried fruits, but most commercially dried fruit is treated with sulphur dioxide to help preserve the fruit’s original and natural looking color. So stay way from those.

You can pretty much add dried fruits to anything you like. Adding some thinly sliced dried nectarines, dried cherries, dried currants, dried apricots, or even dried figs to salads, oat meals, and stews and cooked meats, such as roast or turkey at holidays to add a special and tasteful pop to the dish.

Try this dried fruits recipe:
Fruit and Honey Compote
Serves: 4 to 6

1 1/2 cups dried apricot halves
1/2 cup dried pear halves
1/4 cup dried cherries
1/4 cup currants
Zest of 1 lemon
1 cinnamon stick
3 tbs. honey
1 cup orange juice

1. Cover the apricots, pears and cherries with warm water and soak for 4 hours or overnight.

2. Drain and transfer the fruit to a 2-quart baking dish with the currants, lemon zest and cinnamon stick.

3. Mix the honey with the orange juice and pour over the fruits.

4. Cover and bake at 375°F for 20 minutes. Remove the cover and bake another 15 minutes. Serve warm or even at room temperature.
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Earthly Eating Recipe

Savory Ribbons with Creamy Sauce
Serves: 4

1 package noodle saffron ribbons
2 tbs. extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, pressed
1 med. red bell pepper, diced
1 cup vegetable broth
1/4 cup unbleached white flour
2 cups soymilk unsweetened
1 tsp. mirin
1 tsp. sea salt
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced into thin half-sliced
2 tbs. fresh parsley, minced

Cooke the pasta as the package directs. Drain and set them aside. To make the sauce, heat the oil in a medium skillet and sauté the garlic and peppers for 1 minute. Combine flour, vegetable broth and soymilk. Mix to dissolve the flour. Slowly add the soymilk mixture to the skillet, whisking constantly until the sauce thickens, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the mirin, salt and pepper. Simmer 1 minute. Turn off the heat, add the avocado and gently toss in the pasta. Garnish with parsley and serve.

Happy Eating!

Recipe #1: Oat and Cranberry Scone Mix
Makes: 2 batches of 6 scones each

1 cup quick cooking oats, uncooked
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup dried cranberries

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Spread oats in a 13″ by 9″ baking pan. Bake oats 8 to 10 minutes or until toasted, stirring occasionally. Cool in pan on wire rack.

2. In a large bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir to mix well, breaking up any lumps of brown sugar with fingers. Stir in oats and cranberries. Divide mix in half. Store each half in a tightly covered container at room temperature for up to 1 month.

To prepare the scones: For each bath: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease 1 cookie sheet. Turn 1 container scone mix into a large bowl. In a medium bowl, with fork, beat 1 large egg; remove 1 tbs. beaten egg and reserve to brush on scones before baking. To egg remaining in the bowl, add 5 tbs. melted butter or margarine, 1/3 cup milk, and 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract; beat with a fork until well blended. Pour over scone mix and stir with a spoon until the dry ingredients are just moistened. Let the dough stand for 5 minutes. Scrape dough onto prepared cookie sheet; pat to 6-inch round. With floured knife, cut round into 6 wedges, do not separate wedges. Brush with reserved egg. Bake 16 to 18 minutes or until golden brown and toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve warm, or transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Recipe #2: Toasted Almond & Cherry Chocolate Bark
Makes: About 1 1/2 pounds of bark

3/4 cup natural almonds, toasted and chopped
3/4 cup dried tart cherries
12 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
8 ounces white chocolate, chopped

1. In a small bowl, combine almonds and cherries, ser aside.

2. In 2-quart saucepan, melt semisweet chocolate over low heat, stirring. In a 1-quart saucepan, melt white chocolate over low heat, stirring. Remove saucepan from heat.

3. Stir half of the almond mixture into semisweet chocolate. On a large cooking sheet, spread semisweet chocolate mixture to about 1/4-inch thickness. Drop white chocolate by tbs. onto semisweet chocolate mixture. With the tip of a knife, swirl chocolates together for marbled look. Sprinkle with remaining almond mixture.

4. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm. Break bark into pieces. Store in refrigerator for up to 1 month.

Recipe #3: Hazelnut and Fruit Granola
Makes: About 10 cups of granola

1/2 cup honey
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
4 cups sweetened flaked coconut
1 cup sliced almonds
1 cup hazelnuts, chopped
1 cup dried tart cherries
1 cup dried Cali Myrna figs, stems removed, chopped
1 cup dried apricots, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 300°F. In a large bowl, whisk honey, oil, vanilla, and cinnamon until well blended.

2. Add oats, coconut, and nuts to honey mixture; stir until coated. Divide mixture between two 151/2″ by 101/2″ jelly-roll pans; spread evenly.

3. Bake oat mixture 45 to 50 minutes or until golden brown, stirring twice during baking. Cool completely in pans on a wire rack.

4. In a large bowl, toss cooled oat mixture with cherries, figs and apricots. Store in a tightly covered container at room temperature up to 1 week. For storage up to 3 weeks, and to keep granola crunchy, spoon oat mixture into 1 container and cherries, figs, and apricots into another. Mix together when ready to use.
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Earthly Eating Daily Recipe

Hot Mocha Mix
Makes: About 4 cups mix or enough to make about 20 cups mocha

1 vanilla bean
1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup instant espresso coffee powder
5 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped

1. Cup vanilla bean crosswise in half, then cut each half lengthwise in half.

2. In a food processor with a knife blade attached, process cocoa, sugar, espresso coffee powder, and chocolates until almost smooth.

3. Stir vanilla-bean pieces into chocolate mixture. Store mix at room temperature in a tightly covered container up to at least 6 months.

To prepare hot mocha: For each serving: In a microwave-safe mug, mix 3 tbs. Hot Mocha Mix (do not include vanilla-bean pieces) with 1 cup milk. Heat in the microwave oven on HIGH 1 1/2 minutes, stirring once halfway through heating until blended and hot.

Happy Eating!

1. Walk 30 minutes a day every day, no matter what-and then call someone.

Walking a half-hour a day decreases the risk of having a heart attack by about 30 percent. Calling someone every day is crucial; that’s the real commitment. Find a person who’s supportive and will not nag but will call if you haven’t called her/him.

2. Know you blood pressure and do whatever it takes to get it down to 115/75.

You blood pressure number may be even more important than your cholesterol. And you can lower it yourself. The best way-getting a little exercise and loosing some belly fat. Why belly fat? The omentum is what hangs over the stomach. The fat that’s stores there feeds the kidney, liver and other vital organs. This fat pushes on the kidney and causes more blood pressure to drive blood through.

3. Eat an ounce of nuts a day.

Nuts raise HDL good cholesterol and decreases inflammation. But they have a heart benefit independent of those too. Nuts have healthy omega 3 fatty acids, healthy protein and some fiber. And this tip is easy to do. Nuts that are raw, fresh and unsalted have the most benefit.

4. Learn your HDL number and do what you can raise it to 50.

For women, some believe a high HDL is more important than a lower HDL. The higher the number, the better (50 is fine). Easy ways you ca increase it, exercise, have one drink a day at the most; eat healthy fats, such as olive oil and canola oil and nuts. Talk to your doctor about niacin, which raises HDL but can have side effects

5. Eat 10 tbs. of tomato sauce a week.

Tomato sauce is loaded with blood-pressure-lowering potassium.

6. Floss you teeth regularly.

Avoiding periodontal disease prevents inflammation in the arteries, which helps you head off hear disease. Most people don’t know that your oral health affects all your arterial health, and that includes blood flow to the heart and sexual organs, and maybe even wrinkles on your skin.

7. Eat no more than 20 grams of saturated fat a day and as little trans fat as possible.

Saturated fat and trans fats lead to inflammation in the arteries. A cinnamon roll may have 7 grams of saturated fat. A 4-ounce slice of roast pork tenderloin has about 4 grams. Trans fats (particularly hydrogenated oils, found in many processed and baked foods, are probably at least as bad as saturated fats, and maybe a little worse.

8. Read label and throw out all food that has sugar in the first five ingredients.

Don’t be fooled by foods that are low in fat but high in sugar. The sugar causes inflammation. And if you eat more sugar than you need, it gets morphed into omentum fat, that dangerous fat around the belly. For a while in the 1990s, many people used “low fat” salad dressings that turned out to be loaded with calorie-laden sugar. And those dressings didn’t contain any good fats like olive oil, which are beneficial. Healthy fats are better than empty sugar calories.

9. Have a glass of wine or beer today.

There may be an anti-inflammatory-effect. But it’s a consistent finding that teetotalers have a higher risk of heart disease than people who drink a little, and people who drink a lot have little heart disease but tend to die of cancer. Any type of alcohol in moderation is good for the arteries.

10. Eat 9 servings of colorful fruits and vegetables a day.

That comes with a lot of fiber, and you shouldn’t increase to that amount all at once. You will adjust and so will your body in 2 to 6 weeks. Make sure you wash fresh produce carefully and thoroughly. There are farmers’ markets all over the country now. If you try fresh locally grown veggies prepared well, you will be amazed at how goof they taste.
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Earthly Eating Recipe

Double Dark-Chocolate and Ginger Biscotti
Makes: 2 1/2 dozen

1 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
3 ounces dark chocolate, coarsely chopped (1/2 cup)
1/4 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt until well combined, set aside. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, beat egg, egg yolk, and sugar until light and fluffy; beat in vanilla and oil until well combined.

3. With the mixer on low, beat in dry ingredients until combined. Fold in walnuts, chocolate, and ginger with a rubber spatula (dough will be stiff).

4. With moistened hands shape the dough into 2 logs, each about 9 inches long and 2 1/2 inches wide. Bake until set on top, about 20 minutes. Cool 10 minutes in pan. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.

5. Transfer logs to a cutting board and, with a serrated knife, cut each log on the diagonal into 16 slices, each 1/2-inch thick. Bake until crisp, about 20 minutes, turning the biscotti over midway through. Cool 5 minutes on a baking sheet, and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Happy Eating!

Small farms don’t have to disappear. As farmers think bigger and bolder, you eat better.

In 1998, the US Department of Agriculture’s National Commission on Small Farms published a landmark report on the importance of small-farms agriculture, and the necessity of both preserving small farms and promoting them for the future. Coming from one of the world’s most pro-globalize farming governments, the report, A Time To Act, was extremely significant. Among the many benefits of small-farm agriculture, it listed:

* Diversity: small farms embody a diversity of ownership, of cropping systems, of landscapes, of biological organization, of culture and traditions.

* Environmental benefits: responsible management of the natural resources of soil, water and wildlife on the 60 per cent of US farms below 180 acres in size produces significant environmental benefits.

* Community empowerment: decentralized land ownership tends to produce more, and more equitable, opportunities for rural people. Landowners who rely on local people, business and services are likely to be more responsible.

* Personal connection to food: farmers’ markets, community-supported agriculture and other such schemes bring home to consumers where their food comes from, and what effect its production has on landscape and environment.

* Economic foundations: in many areas of the US, small farms are vital to the economy. (Source: BNET)

Some more thoughts on eating and keeping it local:

Eating local means more for the local economy. According to a study by the New Economics Foundation in London, a dollar spent locally generates twice as much income for the local economy. When businesses are not owned locally, money leaves the community at every transaction.

Locally grown produce is fresher and it just taste better. While produce that is purchased in the supermarket or a big-box store has been in transit or cold-stored for days or weeks, produce that you purchase at your local farmer’s market has often been picked within 24 hours of your purchase. This freshness not only affects the taste of your food, but the nutritional value which declines with time.

Buying local food keeps us in touch with the seasons. By eating with the seasons, we are eating foods when they are at their peak taste, are the most abundant, and the least expensive.
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Earthly Eating Recipe

Pasta E Fagioli Soup
Serves: 6 to 8

1/2 lb. small cut pasta (such as small shell or ditalini)
1 onion
1 clove garlic
2 celery stalks
2 carrots, peeled
4 small tomatoes
2 tbs. olive oil
1 can 28-oz. crushed tomatoes
1 can 15-oz. white beans
6 to 8 cups chicken stock
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Salt and pepper, to taste
Additional Parmesan cheese, to taste

Cook 1/2 lb. of pasta and set aside.

Dice onions, garlic, celery, carrots and fresh tomatoes and set aside.

Put olive oil into a large pot and heat over medium temperature. Once the oil is heated, add onions and cook until transparent.

Add garlic, celery and carrots and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add fresh tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, white beans and 6 cups chicken stock to the pot. Cook over high heat for 15 minutes, or until vegetables are tender and soup has come to a boil.

Use a large measuring cup to carefully add the cooked pasta and 1/3 cup of Parmesan cheese and stir.

Adjust salt and pepper. Add more chicken stock to adjust to desired thickness. Ladle soup into bowls.

Sprinkle additional Parmesan cheese on top.

Happy Eating!

Water Bath Wonders:
Pickles, acidic tomatoes and sweetened chutneys or fruit preserves have a pH level below 4.5 that retards bacterial growth, so they can be canned in a large water bath canner. A water bath canner is nothing more than a large pot with a metal tray or rack that holds glass jars at least a half inch off the bottom. They are not expensive to buy new, and used ones often can be found at thrift stores because not many people do water baths when canning anymore with all the convience on the shelves at the supermarkets.

Canning jars last for decades, so look for them used as well. Each time you reuse a jar, you will conserve all the materials and energy that it would be needed to create a replacement for the one you used. Jars sealed in a water bath canner need no refrigeration and most last for months, some times years. It is also very important to closely follow the recipes and instructions that come with your canning equipment to avoic food contamination.

Crop:

• Cucumber, pickled: Peak season is summer. A salt and/or vinegar bath runes cucumbers into pickles. Add sugar, fruits and other vegetables to make chutneys. May also be frozen.

• Fruit, whole or chopped: Peak season is summer to fall. Any well-washed fruit covered with sugar syrup can be canned this way. Use a pressure canner for sugar-free fruit canning. May also be frozen.

• Fruit preserves, jams and jellies: Peak season is summer to fall. Jams and jellies concentrate the harvest into small containers, plus small jelly jars require only 10 minutes of processing time. May also be frozen.

• Rhubarb: Peak season is early summer. Sweetened rhubarb pie filling is easy to can; add strawberries if you have them on hand. May also be frozen.

• Tomato: Peak season is summer. Tomatoes with added herbs can be canned in a water bath canner, but use a pressure canner when including zucchini, okra or other low-acid vegetables. May also be frozen or dried.

**With all the buzz over human cloning, there was already a puppy cloned in South Korea in 2005. Over at My Friendly Pets, Susan Mead has a full story on the human cloning, as well as the Aprill 2005 dog cloning. Read it here.**
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Earthly Eating Recipe:

Carob Shake
Serves: 2

1 ripe banana, fresh or frozen
1/4 cup blueberries, fresh or frozemn
8 small strawberries, fresh or frozen
1/2 cup water
1 cup organic soy milk
2 teaspoons carob powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons almond butter

Combine all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth and serve.

Happy Eating!

Underground Vegetables:

These foods will keep for two months or more under cold, moist conditions. A root cellar is ideal, or you can bury bozes or barrels underground. If you live in a cold climate but don’t want to dig anything out, you can store many of these crops in an unheated garage or outbuilding. In warm climates where the soil stays above 45 degrees in winter, a second refrigerator may be you best option. Running an extra fridge consumes energy, but not nearly as much as is needed to process, package and shit the crops you would buy otherwise.

Crop:

• Apples: Peak season is late summer. Late maturing tart apples store best. Ideal, temperature range is 30 to 40 degrees with high humidity. Seperate apples from root vegetables because they give off ethylene gas that causes veggies to spoil. They may also be dried or canned.

• Beets: Peak season summer to fall. With tops removed, unwashed beets will keep 3 months or more at 32 to 40 degrees with high humidity. They may also be canned.

• Brussels sprouts: Peak season is fall. Pull up plants, shake soil from roots, and hang upside down in a cool basement. They will keep 3 to 6 weeks at 40 degrees with high humidity. They may also be frozen.

• Cabbage: Peak season is late summer to fall. Plants dug, trimmed and replanted in large pots will keep up to 7 months at 32 to 40 degrees with high humidity. Trimmed heads will keep 3 months. May also be canned.

• Carrots, or parsnips: Peak season is late summer to fall. Topped roots with leaves snipped off just above the growing crown will keep 3 motnhs or more at 32 to 40 degrees with high humidity. Roots replanted in spring will produce seeds. May also be frozen.

• Onions: Peak season is late summer to fall. Cured pungent onion will keep 6 months or more at 32 to 40 degrees with moderate humidity. Sweet onions store 1 to 2 months.

• Pears: Peak season is fall. Wipe clean, pack in loose paper and store at 29 to 34 degrees with high humidity. Most varieties store less than 3 months. May also be frozen, canned or dried.

• Potatoes: Peak season is summer to fall. Store best at 40 to 45 degrees with high humidity. Varieties will begin sprouting in 3 to 8 months.

• Rutabagas: Peak season is fall. Will keep 2 to 4 months at 32 to 40 degrees with high humidity.

• Sunchokes: Peak season is fall, winter, spring. Will store 2 to 5 months at 32 to 40 degrees with high humidity. Can be left in the ground in Zones 6 to 8.

• Turnips: Peak season is fall. Stretch the fall season with protective cover. Topped roots store 4 motnhs or more at 32 to 40 degrees with high humidity.

**Paul over at 1P Start has the latest on some “Rock Band DLC” downloads that are soon to be released. Read the list here.**
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Earthly Eating Recipe:

Frosted Pumpkin/Chocolate Drop Cookies
Makes about 2 dozen cookies

2 cups butter
2 cups sugar
1-16 ounce can of pumpkin
2 eggs
4 cups flour
2 tsp. pumpkin spice
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1-12 ounce bag of white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375°F. Beat together the butter, sugar, canned pumpkin and eggs. Mix well after adding each egg. Add in flour 1 cup at a time and mix well after each addition. Add pumpkin spice, baking powder, baking soda, and mix well. Finally add the white chocolate chips and mix in. Drop evenly on ungreased baking shett. Bake for 16 minutes or until set. Cool for one minute on a cooling cookie rack.

Frosting:

1 container of cream cheese frosting
1/4 cup packed brown sugar

Combine and drizzle over cookies while they are still warm.

Happy Eating!

Here is a guide to simple seasonal storage, such as canning, freezing, dehydrating and more.

These crops will keep for two to six months at cool room temperatures, and they require no processing, containers or refrigeration. The sweet flavor of these two crops actually immproves under good storage conditions, so you are not settling for less by storing your own. When bringing winter squash home from a farmers market, cradle them in towels to avoid accidental nicks and bruises.

Garlic benefits from cool conditions, but most varieties will keep at room temperature for several months. Do keep nuts out of the reach of rodents though, and freese them after their protective shells have been removed.

• Garlic: Peak season is midsummer. Cure at 70 to 75 degrees for 2 weeks. Optimum storage conditions are 60 to 65 degrees with moderate humidity. These may also be dried.

• Sweet Potatoes: Peak season is late summer to fall. Cure at 80 degrees for 7 to 10 days. After curing, optimum storage conditions are 55 to 60 degrees with high humidity. They may also be frozen.

• Unshelled nuts: Peak season is fall. Dry at 70 to 80 degrees for 4 to 10 days. Optimum storage conditions are 45 to 60 degrees with moderate humidity. They may also be frozen.

• Winter Squash: Peak season late summer to fall. Harvest with stub of stem attached, wipe clean. Optimum storage conditions are 45 to 55 degrees with moderate humidity. May also be frozen.

**Are you wondering what all the energy hype is about and why change hasn’t been made to make it better than it is? Over at Environmental Talk, Mark Jabo talks about how California is helping with the change. Read the whole story here.**
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Earthly Eating Recipe:

Peanut Blossoms
Makes 2 dozen cookies

1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
2 tbs. milk
1 tsp. vannila
1 3/4 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
Chocolate kisses

Preheat oven to 350°F. Cream together the shortening, peanut butter, and sugars. Blend in the egg and incorporate well. Add milk and vanilla and mix well. Add flour one tbs. at a time. Add the baking soda and salt. Shape into 1 1/2 inch balls. Roll into sugar and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for eight minutes. Top with a chocolate kiss. Bake for an aditional two minutes.

Happy Eating!

Although you can add mâche to mixed salads, you will best appreciate the delicate flavor of its tender leaves when it is served as the only green. Sprinkle with a few drops of olive oil, leafy mâche bouquests also make lovely garnishes. Here is some salad recipes to try the next time you are feeling the rabbit-greens need coming onto you. These recipes will give you flavor and healthy options to try that are low-calorie as well.

• Mâche salad with red grapes and port wine vinaigrette: Reduce 1/3 cup port over medium heat. Cool and combine with 2 tablspoons sherry vinegar and 5 tablespoons olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Toss with a big bowl of mâche combines with about 2 cups halved red or purple grapes.

• Mâche salad with roasted beets and walnut vinaigrette: Oven-roast 2 medium beets. Peel, cube and combine while still warm with a vinagrette of 2 tablspoons sherry vinegar, and 2 tablspoons minced shallots. Season with salt and pepper. Toss with a large bowl of mâche and a couple of handfuls of lightly toasted walnuts plus shome chopped chervil.

• Mâche salad with rose vinaigrette: Begin 3 days in advance. Heat 3 cups white wine vinegar to barely a simmer and pour over 2 cups organic rose petals in a ceramic bowl or glass bowl. Make sure the petals are ones that have a lot of fragrance to them. Cover and marinate at room teperature for 3 dats. Stain into a jar or bottle. Dress a bowl of mâche with a vinaigrette of 2 tablespoons rose vinegar and 5 tablespoons olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Finish with a garnish of more of the organic rose petals.

**Is your neighborbood ready for emergencies? Over at Renton, WA blog, Lynn Glessner has the latest on Renton and their up-to-speed Emergency Preparedness Neighborhood Training. Read more about it here.**
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Earthly Eating Recipe:

Homemade Pancakes
Serves: 3 (Making 3 medium-sized pancakes each)

1 egg
1 cup of milk
1 tablespoon cooking oil
2 cups baking mix
Optional: Frozen blueberries or cherries or chunks of peaches or even bananas

In a pint-sized measuring cup, beat together the egg, milk and oil. Add to the baking mix and stir until just moistened. Pour one-half cup at a time onto a hot, oiled griddle to make one medium pancake. If desired, add the furit.

Flip when golden brown or when small bubbles form around the edges of the cake.

Happy Eating!

There is an easy way to eat in sync with the seasons, make a list first of the products available in your region and not the normal harvest times of each one. Here’s some tips to help you get started with the list and ways to preserve the seasonal goodies year around:

• Visit a local farmers market, and while you are there, ask about hard to find produce. They may know producers who sell them when you can’t seem to locate them in the supermarkets.

• Search online for the foods you are hunting for. Start with my favorite Local Harvest, Sustainabletable, or Eat Wild to get you started.

• If you don’t have a chest freezer go get one. You will be able to store so much more foods this way than taking up a lot of room in your refrigerator freezer.

• Get produce specific recipe books to see the many ways you can incorporate the many ways you can use produce. There are books on the market that target everything from tomatoes al the way to eggplant.

• Make out a menu for your family for the entire week. This will help you make meals quick and easy and especially help if you are on a time frame or short on time.

• Ask a local farmers market or even local farmer what he or she has in extra produce left over at the tend of the growing season. Most have so much left over on hand it spoils. They will more than likely thank you for buying it in the long run. (Source: Mother Earth News 2007)

**Need some help putting a spin on your otherwise boring plain ole’ biscuits. How about different flavors and shapes? Over at Food History, Gillian Polack has some history behind the biscuit and some ideas to help you make them pop.**
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Earthly Eating Recipe:

Strawberry Granola Parfait
Serves: 6

1 1/2 cup low-fat ricotta
1/4 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt
4-5 tsp. strawberry jam (depending on desired sweetness)
1 tsp. grated orange zest
1-1 1/4 lbs. strawberries, trimmed
1 1/2 cup granola
Fresh mint, for a garnish

1. Puree ricotta, yogurt, and jam in a food processor. Stir in orange zest.

2. Reserve 6 small strawberries for garnish; cut remaining strawberries into thick slices

3. Spoon 2 tbs. granola into each glass.

4. Top with 2 tbs. of ricotta mixture and a thick layer of strawberry slices. Repeat with a second layer of granola, ricotta, and strawberries.

5. Top with a whole strawberry, and garnish with a few mint leaves on top. Serve immediately or refrigerate until needed, up to 6 hours.

Happy Eating!

How to get more fiber into your diet easily.

Start your day off with a high-fiber cereal. Look for cerals with at least five grams of fiber per serving and top your bowl with berries, ground flaxseed and walnuts for even more fiber added. With eight grams of fiber per cup, raspberries are a sweet cereal addition no matter what time of day it is.

Here are other ways to incorporate fiber additions to any meal:

• When making meat loaf or a juicy burger for the grill, use oatmeal instead of bread crumbs to boost the total fiber count even more.

• Next time you are serving up a potato beside your steak, don’t leave the skin behind. Potato skins, throughly washed, are a way to get even more fiber. Keep in mind that sweet potatoes usually have a couple more grams than the typical white variety.

• Cup for cup, wild rice has four thimes more fiber than processed white rice does.

• Keep a bag or two of frozen vegetables on hand to add fiber to stir-frys, pasta sauces, and fajitas. Frozen fruits impart sweet creaminess to your post-workout smoothies. And also do keep in mind that produce is flash frozen on site right after being picked, which preserves most of its vitamins and minerals.

• A vegetable salad is already packed with fiber, but to add to it, mix in some fiber-rich items such as sunflower seeds, dried cranberries, avacados and mandarin oranges.

• When you are tossing up a salad, add in some dark leafy greens like kale, and spinach for the nutritional boring iceberg lettuce and you will add an extra gram of fiber and a whole bunch of disease-fighting chemicals to the mix.

• Take your time when you grocery show and read the food labels carefully to find high fiber choices. Some food manufacturers are doing their best to make it easy for use to reach our fiber requirements.

• When it comes to bread, crackers, waffles, and other grain products make sure they are 100% whole grain. Doing this will give you a couple of extra graims. If you see “enriched flour” or “wheat flour” as the first ingredient you know you have a product made with mostly white flour.

• Instead of snacking on rice cakes, granola bars, or anything of the sort, try making some homemade trail mix and taking it along. All the nuts anf fruits you add to the mix will give you more than enough fiber in a day.

• Beans and lentils are nature’s perfect foods. Loaded with vitamins and minerals, and fiber too. Even canned beans are a high-fiber food that can easily be tossed into pretty much any dish.

• Give your scrambled eggs some nutritious value by mixing in chopped onion, broccoli, red bell pepper and green onion.

• All-natural nut butters such as almond and hemp butter add a couple grams of fiber to your toast, along with a healthy dose of heart-friendly fats and vitamins like E.

• Supplemts are another great addition to your daily fiber intake. They come in powder-form, pill-form, cracker or cookie-form and even chewable flavored “candy-like”-form. And they taste rather groovy too. (Source: Food for Thought 2007)

**Do you think you are overweight, or could lose a few extra pounds? Over at Encouraging Health, Brick ONeil has some good news and some interesting facts that may help. Read the whole story here.**
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Earthly Eating Recipe:

Carrot and Almond Coleslaw
Serves: 4

1 lb. carrots, shredded
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbs. fresh lemon juice
2 tbs. orange marmalade
1 tbs. prepared horseradish
1/2 cup sliced almonds
Salt and Pepper, to taste

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, orange marmalade and horseradish.

2. While shicking slowly ass the olive oil, to emulsify the mixture. Add the carrots and the sliced almonds, season to taste.

Happy Eating!

Sangria Fruit Cups
Serves: 8

1 cup orange juice
1 pkg. (4 servings size) strawberry flavor gelatin
1 pkg. (4 servings size) lemon flavor gelatin
1 1/2 cups cold water
1 cup pitted fresh sweet cherries, halved
1 cup quartered strawberries (about 8 of them)
1 cup sliced peeled nectarines (about 1)
1 cup thawed whipped topping

Bring orange juice to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the dry gelatin mixes in a medium bowl, stir at least 2 minutes until gelatin is completely dissolved into the orange juice. Stir in cold water.

Spoon fruit into 8 clear cups. Pour gelatin mixture over the fruits. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or until firm. Top with whipped topping just before serving.

Fruit Tart:
Serves: 8

1 refrigerated ready-to-use pie crust (1/2 of 15-oz. pkg.)
4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) crem cheese, softened
3 cups sliced plums (about 3)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tbsp. flour
1 tsp. cinnamon sugar (3/4 tsp granulated sugar and 1/4 tsp. cinnamon)
1 cup thawed whipped topping

Preheat oven to 450°F. Place pie crust in a greased 10-inch pie plate. Carefully spread cream cheese in a 6-inch circle in the center of the crust. Set asode.

Toss the plums with the sugar and flour; spoon over cream cheese. Gently fold the edges of the crust about 2 inches over the plums, leaving the center of the plums uncovered. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar evenly over the tarts.

Bake 25 minutes or until crust is golden brown and fruit juices are bubbly. Cool slightly before lifting out of pie plate. Cut into slices, top with whipped topping.

Fruit Pie:
Serves: 12

1 refrigerated ready-to-use pie crust (1/2 of 15-oz. pkg.)
1 tsp. cinnamon sugar (3/4 tsp. sugar and 1/4 tsp. cinnamon)
1 1/4 cups half-and-half
1 pkg. (4 serving size_ vanilla flavor instant pudding
1 cup thawed whipped topping
1 1/2 cups fresh peach slices ( about 1 large)
1/2 cup blueberries
1/2 cup raspberries

Preheat oven to 450°F. Unroll pie crust onto baking sheet; sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned; cool completely.

Meanwhile, pour half and half into medium bowl. Add dry pudding mix. Beat with a wire whisk for 2 minutes or until well blended. Gently stir in whipped topping; cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Spread pudding mixture over crust just before serving; top with the fruits. Cut into slices and serve.

**Over at Jennifer Aniston Watch, Erin highlights “Jen’s 2007 career highlights”. She covers everything from Jennifer winning the People’s Choice Award for Favorite Female Movie Star, to her appearing on Dirt with Courtney Cox. Read the whole story here. And while you are over there, wish Erin a Happy New Year too. **
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Earthly Eating Recipe

Cookies and Fudge Ice Cream Cake
Serves: 12

1/2 cup fudge ice cream topping, warmed
1 tub (8 oz.) whipped topping, thawed, and divided
1 pkg. (4 servings size) chocolate flavor instant pudding
8 chocolate sandwich cookies
12 vanilla ice cream sandwiches

Pour the fudge topping into a medium sized bowl. Stir in 1 cup of the whipped topping with a wire whisk until its well blended. Add the dry pudding mix. Stir for 2 minutes or until well incorporated. The consistency of the fudge topping can vary depending on what brand you use. If your fidge mixture is too thick to spread easily, stir in 1/4 cup of milk.

Chop the chocolate cookies roughly into chunks. They don’t have to be the same size. Stir into the pudding mixture. Arrange 4 of the ice cream sandwiches, side by side of a 24×12 inch pieces of foil. Top with half of the pudding mixture. Repeat the layers. Top with pudding mixture with the remaining 4 ice cream sandwiches. The layers create a stripped effect inside the cake.

Frost the top and sides with the remaining whipped topping. Bring up the foil sides. Double fold the top and the ends to looselt seal the packet. Freeze at least 4 hours before serving. Let stand at room temperature to soften slightly before serving. Store leftover dessert in the freezer.

Happy Eating!

Have you head or read anything about the Brazilian fruit açaí. Ever wonder what it is? Grown in the Amazon, açaí tastes like a combination of rich dark chocolate and blackberries. This nutritious berry has antioxidants and essential fatty acids. It has been said its healing properties are some of the greatest and have been used in the Amazoine for centuries.

Due to its delicate texture and nature, whole açaí are unavailable in the United States. Instead, flash frozen pulp, which provides the same nutrients and great flavor as fresh, is available year round in your grocer’s freezer. The fruit comes into season September through January.

With ten times the amount of antioxidants found in grapes, açaí berries are a rich source of disease fighting anthocyanins, which are the antioxidants that give purple foods their color. They also provide protein, fiber and essential omega fatty acids.

You can add the fruit to smoothies and juice blends. Or make traditional açaí bowls with a purée of açaí pulp, banans and apple juice topped with granola. Look for açaí pulp in the grocer’s freezer Try a brand called Sambazon.

**Heather Scoville has the Seven Ages of Rock over at Watching VH1. Read her whole story here.**
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Earthly Eating Recipe- Count Down To Christmas Recipe Of Sweets

Ginger Drizzle Cookies
Serves: Makes 3 dozen cookies

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole-wheat flour
2 tbs. ground flaxseed
2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
1 large egg
1/4 cup molasses

1. Whisk the all-purpose flour, whole wheat four, ground flaxseed, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon and salt in a bowl.

2. In a seperate bowl, combine the sugar and canola oil and beat on medium speed until well blended, about 1 minute. Add the gg and molasses and continue to beat until smooth, about 1 minute.

3. On low speed, gradually beat in the dry ingredients until just combined.

4. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill until firm, at least 1 hour.

5. Preheat oven to 350°F.

6. Lightly oil or coat two large baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

7. Roll the dough into 1 1/4″ balls and place on a prepared baking sheet, leaving a 2″ space in between.

8. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown.

9. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer tem to a wire rack and cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough.

10. When cookies have cooled completely, drizzle glaze over each cookie in a lattice or squiggle shaped design. For added fun, drizzle your initials, your children’s initials on top of the cookies.

Sugar Glaze:
1 cup confestioners’ sugar
2 1/2 tsp. 1% lowfat milk

1. Place sugar and milk in a bowl and stir until mixed throughly.

2. If the glaze is too thick, add a few drops of milk as needed.

Happy Eating!

1. Add some ginger to your cabinet: It helps aching muscles, upset stomach, as well as nausea. Peel and thinkly slice a 2-inch pice of ginger root and add to a 4 cup glass of boiling water. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes. Strain the gingerroot and add some lemon juice or slice of lemon and honey to taste. Sip wherever you need it. Make some in advance and keep in the refrigerator to have on hand. Keeps for about 2 weeks in the refrigerator and 2-3 months in the freezer.

2. How to cut a mango: A. Lay the fruit on one flat side and slice through lengthwise, as close to the pit of the fruit as possible. Repeat with the flat side of the fruit. B. Cut lengthwise and crosswise inot the flesh of the fruit (but not the skin) on each slice of the mango. C. Press up on the skin of the mango to expose cubes of the flesh and slice cubes into a bowl.

3. Keep a sticky situation under control: Keep a jar lid on some sticky products from sticking together and causing a cementing action on the jar by placing a square, larger than the jar lid, of waxed paper under the lid of the jar before resealing it back together. This expecially helpful with jars of product that are in the fridge, such as jelly or jams.

**”Christina Milan has confirmed that her pal Xtina will be adding a little baby boy to the Bratman household come January,” states Robyn over at the Christina Aguilera blog here at 451 Press. Read the whole story here.**
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Earthly Eating Recipe: (Day 2 of Week Of Sweets)

Cinnamon Snickerdoodles

Cookie Dough:
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 tsp. baking powder
1 stick (4 oz. margarine, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 vanilla soymilk
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Cinnamon Sugar:
1/2 cup sugar
3 tbs. ground cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray.

2. To make the cookie dough: Whisk together flour, cornstarch, and baking powder in a bowl. Beat the margarine in sepearte bowl with an electric mixer until soft. Add sugar, and beat until fluffy. Beat in soymilk and vanilla extract 30 seconds or until smooth. Add flour mixture, and beat 30 seconds or until smooth.

3. To make cinnamon sugar: Combine sugar and cinnamon on a large plate.

4. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll each ball in cinnamon sugar, and place 1 1/2 inch apart on prepared baking sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until cookies look dry on tops and are lightly browned on bottoms. Transfer to wire rack to cool. Store snickerdoodles in an airtight container.

Happy Eating!

Thanksgiving is the day of the year when we eat so much that most of us afterward need a good long nap to feel better. Eating healthy and indluging don’t really go hand and hand on this day either. But, eating reasonably healthfully isn’t a loos cause on this day of thanks. Here’s how to keep in check and not go over-board with eating.

• FOWL: If the choice is between glazed nitrate-cured ham or traditional big bird, opt for the poultry. Although the dark meat has a higher fat content, it’s also richer in iron and zinc, two important minerals most Americans don’t get enough of. A smaller portion will take you farther nutrionally than an equal portion of white meat.

• SIDES: Most of your holiday sides are where the nutrition actions is, at least they’re done right. Winter squash, squash as butternut squash and pumpkin, is loaded with vitamin A as beta-carotene and other antioxidants to help prevent heart disease and cancer. They’re also a good source of potassium and brimming with fiber. Fiber helps prevent a number of cancers while acting as a probotic and feeding the helpful microorganisms in the digestive tract.

• YAMS/SWEET POTATOES: Like the other yellow, orange, and gold root veggies, they have the vitamin A, calcium, potassium, and fiber. But they also are one of the best sources of food energy. Boiled or steamed sweet potatoes and yams are one of the healthiest foods people can eat. The low-heat cooking helps them retain more nutrients and provide the type of carbohydrates most suited for weight management and blood-sugar control.

• THE COLOR RED: Red fruits and vegetables are some of the best sources of vitamins and antioxidants. Berries contain proanthocyanidins that can prevent the adhesion of various bacteria associated with urinary tract infections, gum disease, and stomach ulcers.

• DRIED FRUITS: Look to dried fruits such as dried plums, dried figs, raisins, and dried cherries, for more than iron, zinc and other minerals. They have plenty of calcium, too. And of course, they are loaded with fiber and potassium. You can make pies from most of them, add them to stuffing, sauces, and compotes, or eat them just they way they are with some nuts.

**Toys-R-Us makes a statement about the many recent toy recalls. Read the statement made by a Toys-R-Us spokesperson over at Reviewing Toys. While you are there Eliza Ferree has posted many reviews of other toys, so before you buy read some of her postings to see if the toy is a good buy or not.**
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Earthly Eating Recipe: Day 5 Of Low-Fat Eating

Guilt-Free, Low-Fat, Healthy Snacks For You And Your Family

• Just Vegetables: Dehydrated niblets of corn, carrots, peas, tomatoes, and bell peppers make eating veggies almost as satisfying as eating popcorn. There is nothing added, so all you get is phytochemicals, fiber, and vitamins A and C. Plus a mild, slightly sweet flavor. Find them at natural foods stores everywhere or click here for an online company distribution.

• Dried Fruits: Here is a snack that’s packed with potassium, antioxidants, and fiber. Granted, dried fruit is high in sugar, but that actually makes it a food choice when you need a little pick-me-up. You can munch a cup of dried blackberries and take in just 90 calories and a whopping 9 grams of fiber in them.

• Edamame: A traditional snack in Japan, edamame, or blanched soybeans in pids, are becoming increasingly available in the United States. The sweet, nutty-tasting beans are loaded with soy protein, which has been shown to help lower cholesterol. A half cup of chelled beans has 125 calories and 4 grams of fiber. Look for unsalted edamame in the frozen foods section.

• Sliced Raw Vegetables: Make you own mini-party platter with sweet red peppers, baby carrots, celery, and a bit of hummus. The fiber in the veggies and creamy bean dip will fill you up, withgout loading you down with calories.

• Rice Cakes: Whole grains are the prixe here. Diets rich in whole grains ,ay reduce your risk of diabetes and some cancers. Unsalted rice cakes can be cardboardly; if you’re eating them unadorned, opt for ones with a littel salt. Quaker’s Lightly Salted rice cakse are satisfying crunchy and are made with only two ingredients, whole grain brown rice and salt. Two cakes, deliver 70 calories and a scant of 30 milligrams of sodium.
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Lime and Ginger Custards
Serves: 5

1 tsp. lime zest
1/3 cup fresh like juice
1/2 cup cup sugar
4 eggs
1/2 cup 2% milk
1 tsp finely grated ginger

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.

2. Whisk together all the ingredients in a large glass bowl.

3. Place five 4-ounce custard cups in a large baking dish. Fill cups 3/4 of the way from being full with the mixture.

4. Carefully pour hot water into the baking pan until it comes halfway up the sides of the custard cups.

5. Place baking pan in the oven and bake for 30 mintues, or until just about set. The centers should be slightly liquid.

6. Remove pan from the oven and let custard cool in the water bath.

7. Chill and serve.

Happy Eating!

I did a posting on your bodies pH level a few days back. Click here to read that posting. The most through benefit you can give your body and to a healthy heart is to keep your pH level in balance. When the pH level in your body is in check the rest of your body is in check and works as a team to continue to keep you healthy. Once you know what foods tend to be acidic or alkaline, you can make smarter choices on whether you should be dining in or can splurge for a night and dine out. Here is a great guide to help you get on the right path to eating healthier.

° ACIDIC FOODS:

• Vegetables: Cucumber, eggplant, string beans, sauerkraut.

• Fruits: Pineapple, quince, kiwi, kumquat, citrus, berries, apples, apricots.

• Grains: White flour.

• Legumes: Baked beans in a sweet sauce or tomatoe sauce.

• Dairy Foods: Yogurt.

• Animal Products: Dry sausage, beef, pork.

• Sweetness: White sugar.

• Condiments: Vinegar, mayonnaise, pickles.

• Beverages: Colas, wines, juices such as citrus, apple, and tomato.

• Chinese: Sweet an sour soup, deep fried pork in sweet sauce.

• Italian: Green salad with vinigrette dressing, pasta bolognese.

• Mexican: Ceviche, carne asada with refried beans.

° ALKALINE FOODS:

• Vegtables: Mushrooms, cauliflower, corn, broccoli, peas, onions, sweet potatoes, squash, asparagus, carrots, spinach, sweet peas.

• Fruits: Melon, papaya, avocado, dates, figs, persimmons.

• Grains: Whole grains, buckwheat, hominy, millet.

• Legumes: Soybeans, lima beans.

• Dairy Foods: Most cheese, milk, butter.

• Animal Products: Seafood, eggs, duck.

• Sweetness: Maple syrup, brown rice syrup, honey.

• Condiments: Dutch processed chocolate, garlic, hot peppers.

• Beverages: Mineral water, tea, beer.

• Chinese: Egg drop soup, stir-fried vegetables with tofu.

• Italian: Prosciutto and melon, linguine with clam sauce.

• Mexican: Guacamole, chicken mole with stewed beans.

Knowing what is alkaline and what is more acidic will keep your body and health in check. If you feel you are more alkaline then eat more acidic foods, and visa-versa.

**The kids of Kid Nation are getting bored. In the latest episode they all laid down in the road out of borem. I hope this means the audience doesn’t get bored as well. Over at TV Bender, Eliza Ferree talks about how bored the kids are getting. Read the rest of the story by clicking here.**
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Earthly Eating Recipe: Day 4 of Low-Fat Eating

Low-Fat Dieting

Forget flip-flpping with diets, stick with these eight basic principles for a healthy, low-fat diet plan.

1. Replace bad fats with good fats.

2. Use meat sparingly.

3. Learn to love beans, grains and nuts.

4. Eat fish at least twice a week.

5. Load up on greens and veggies.

6. Kick the potato habit.

7. Go for the whole grains.

8. Satisfy your sweet tooth with fruits and try to stay way from refined sugars.
(Source: Health Journal 2006)
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Braised Eggplant with Chickpeas
Serves: 6

2 tbs. olive oil
1 large onion, diced ( about 1 1/2 cups)
6 medium Japanese eggplant, halved lengthwise and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 clove of garlic, minced (about 1 tsp.)
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1 cup marinara sauce
1 tbs. red wine vinegar
1 15-oz. can chickpease, rinsed and drained
2 large mint springs, plus 2 tbs. chopped mint additionally

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-heat. Add onion, and sauté 7 minutes, or until soft. Stir in eggplant, and cook 5 minutes or until beginning to brown. Add garlic, allspice, and cumin, and cook 1 minute more.

2. Stir in marinara sauce, vinegar, and 2/3 cup water, and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer 5 minutes. Removed from heat, and stiry in chickpeas. Season with salt and pepper. Lay mint springs on top of eggplant mixture, cover, and transfer pot to the oven. Cook 45 to 50 minutes, or until eggplant is tender. Remove mint sprigs, and stir in chpped mint. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Happy Eating!