Just after the winter solstice, we enjoyed a walk along a branch of the Anacostia River near our home on an unexpectedly warm afternoon. Here are a few photos from the walk.
Bounty from this year's garden including winter squash, bell and jalapeno peppers, heirloom tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant, raspberries, ground cherries, Asian, green and wax string beans
Winter has settled in here. It seems as though the start of summer was such a short time ago, Somehow life just got in the way so I'm only now posting my wrap up for this year's summer garden. People often ask how much our garden really produces. My answers have varied from - enough tomatoes so I don't have to buy tomato sauce until May or enough frozen pesto to get us until the first basil harvest the next year, but I didn't really know for sure. So this year, I decided to keep track of the weight of the harvest. We found a nice vintage scale and general store weight sets after my digital kitchen scale gave out after about a month. Here are the totals for the 2014 summer garden harvest,
An antique store find
Summer 2014 harvest (in pounds)
Basil,
sweet
1.40
Ground cherry
3.20
Potatoes
8.00
Basil, Thai
0.05
Kale
1.00
Raspberries
7.54
Blackberries
0.27
Lettuce
0.68
Rhubarb
1.29
Broccoli
1.20
Mint
1.23
Soy beans
4.50
Carrots
0.53
Melon
35.86
Squash
32.27
Collards
2.95
Onion
0.95
Stevia
0.23
Eggplant
20.07
Oregano
2.00
Tomatoes
150.87
Garlic and scapes
2.11
Peas
0.73
Zucchini
8.56
Green beans
16.96
Peppers
24.36
Each year I learn a little more about raising an edible garden with the weather and nature making each year a challenge and a surprise. I didn't have as much success with cucumbers and melons this this year after last year's never ending bumper crop, so it was nice to have a break after a diet saturated with everything from cucumber-melon juice to cantaloupe jam. This year, we had an abundance of eggplant and winter squash for me to find creative new ways to use.
Here are some of my favorite photos from this year's garden adventures:
January through September in the garden beds
Garden fun preserving the harvest for the winter
Harvests
In the bed, on the vine and at some colorful harvests
Garden beauties
It was a pleasant journey reviewing this last summer's work on a cold, dreary day. I'm looking forward to getting back into the swing of writing, creating and sharing with you in hopes that you are inspired to explore something new or revisit a forgotten creative endeavor.
"A bird doesn't sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song." ~ Maya Angelou
Chickpea omelet topped with sauteed zucchini, sweet peppers, mushrooms, onions, garlic and tomatoes
It was one of those days that I had an armful of great veggies from the garden, and I wanted something light to take advantage of my harvest. I decided to give a chickpea omelet a try. The chickpea base was a perfect way to showcase some of the best of the garden harvest while providing plenty of protein. It would also taste great topped with your favorite pasta sauce or any leftover veggies you have on hand.
Chickpea omelet
2 cups chickpea flour
2 tablespoons flaxmeal
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1/2
teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 1/2
cup non-dairy milk + 1/2 cup water
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh herbs of your choice (I used thyme and parsley)
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
In a mixing bowl, stir together all the ingredients except the olive oil. Add more water if necessary to make a consistency like pancake batter.
Heat a heavy skillet on medium heat. Add oil and saute onions and garlic until fragrant and the onions are translucent. Pour in the chickpea batter and cook until the top is set. Optionally, If you would like to brown the top, run it under the broiler for a few minutes or flip the omelet onto a plate and slide it back into the pan to brown. To serve, top with your favorite vegetables lightly sauteed in a little olive oil and garlic or a favorite pasta sauce .
Thanks for reading!
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Under the shade of a canopy of trees at the US National Arboretum
This spring, I took a 4-week workshop called Zen Photography that blended mindfulness and the art of photography. Our zen master, Tuan Pham, is an award winning amateur photographer. He used meditation and exercises such as one-eye seeing and relaxed awareness to teach us wise attention so we could look at the world around us with awakened awareness. Our classes included drawing and other creative exercises along with time spent taking photos in the US National Arboretum. Each class ended with a slide show of our best shots from the previous week. The course ended with a family day where everyone got to participate in mindfulness and creative exercises to see what we had been up to. There was a final exhibition of all of our favorite photos taken over the weeks.
The course focused not so much on the technical aspect of taking photographs, but on how we see things and how our thinking minds influence how we see. We were challenged to try things to get out of our comfort level and stretch ourselves. I experimented with taking some photos that were outside of my usual style and was pleasantly surprised by the results.
Here are a few of my favorites:
Reflection - one of my classmates during a moment of stillness before going off to take photos
Water series - reflections in the water
The inside of an iris growing in a neighbor's garden
Close up of the ice cubes in a glass of iced tea
The end - a dog enjoying a rest in the shade at the arboretum
I really enjoyed the course and feel that it helped me view my surroundings in a slightly different way than before. It is being offered again this fall and I've signed up to take it so that I can expand on what I've already learned and to apply it to my photography as well as all my other creative endeavors.
I hope you pause from time to time to take in the scene around you with fresh eyes and enjoy the beauty in the everyday.
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The memory of summer is fading fast here, but there are still warm afternoons where you might want something light for lunch or dinner. These fresh spring rolls come together quickly and can be made with whatever vegetables you like and have on hand.
Spring salad rolls with peanut dipping sauce
Dipping sauce
¼ cup peanut butter or other nut butter
3/4 cup very hot water 1 tablespoon Braggs amino acids or soy sauce 2 teaspoons agave nectar 2 tablespoons lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
2 tablespoons olive oil
chili pepper, ,pepper sauce or chopped fresh hot peppers to taste
1. Stir together the peanut butter and hot water in a small bowl until smooth.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients and whisk until thoroughly combined. Set aside at room temperature while making the rolls.
Salad rolls
makes approximately 12
12 cucumber spears
1 cup grated carrot 1 cup packed mung bean sprouts 1 ripe avocado, sliced lengthwise into 12 even pieces 12 lettuce leaves or 2 cups shredded Napa cabbage
1/2 cup grated radish
¼ c. fresh mint, Thai basil or cilantro, coarsely chopped
tofu strips, plain or marinated in Braggs amino acids or soy sauce, garlic powder and olive oil
12 rice spring roll wrappers
1. Place each ingredient in a separate bowl or plate.
2. Fill a wide, shallow bowl with warm water. Place one spring roll wrapper in the bowl and let it soak until limp, about 5 seconds. Lay the wrapper down flat on your work surface. In the upper center section of the wrapper, place 1 piece of lettuce or small bed of about 2 tablespoons shredded cabbage. You will want to leave at least 1 in. at the bottom of the wrapper uncovered; no need to leave any space at the top. In a compact vertical line, arrange a cucumber spear, avocado slice and tofu strip, small amount (approximately 1 generous tablespoon) of the carrot, bean sprouts and radish plus a sprinkle (approximately 1 teaspoon) of the mint, basil or cilantro.
3. Fold the bottom edge of the wrapper on top of the filling. Then tightly (but gently) pull the left edge of the wrapper over the filling and the folded bottom edge and then fold the right edge of the wrapper over. It may be helpful to put pressure on the filling with your fingertips to make it as compact as possible while rolling. Keeping the filling as compact as possible, roll the filling in the wrapper. Press the edges of the wrapper together to close. Repeat until all 12 spring rolls are assembled.
4. Serve with peanut sauce
Any leftover sauce makes a great salad dressing.
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I have been doing quite a bit of experimenting with vegan baking with some success...and some results that were more suitable to the compost heap. Getting the texture right and enough lift in vegan baked goods seems to be my biggest challenge. I've had my fair share of flops, but I keep working at it to get things just right.
I've been struggling to get a nice fluffy vegan pancake. Substituting flax meal and water for the egg in traditional recipes changes the chemistry and you don't get quite the same rising action. I also tend to put some type of vegetable in just about every dish I make which allows me to reduce or eliminate the oil and add a little more nutrition, but it effects the density and height of my flapjacks as well. I have found a little yeast is a magic ingredient that seems to give just enough extra loft to make my pancakes as fluffy as I like.
These pancakes have zucchini incorporated in the batter
Whole grain pancakes (vegan)
makes about 8 medium pancakes
2 teaspoons dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1 tablespoon raw sugar or other sweetener
1 cups almond (or other non-dairy) milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup flax seed meal
1 cup whole wheat or white whole wheat flour
3/4 cup uncooked rolled oats
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
1/2 cup finely grated zucchini, carrot or raw sweet potato
Vegetable or coconut oil for cooking
Dissolve the yeast and sweetener in the 1/2 cup warm water and let sit to get frothy while you mix the rest of the ingredients. In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients (flax seed meal, flour, oats, baking powder and soda and salt). Stir in the grated vegetable and toss to coat the shreds. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients (yeast mixture, almond milk and vanilla). Mix well, but do not overmix or it will toughen the pancakes. If the batter is too thick, add a little more almond milk. If the batter is too thin, add a bit more flour. Let the batter sit for 10 minutes before cooking.
Heat a skillet over medium high heat and grease with a little oil. Cook the pancakes on the first side until bubbles appear in the batter, then flip and cook on the other side until golden. Serve with maple syrup and fruit.
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It's nearly the end of summer here in the US. The summer garden is nearing its end so it doesn't need constant tending, so we had planned a family vacation for the beginning of September. However, scheduling conflicts, some wallet draining repairs to our car...life, in general, caused us to change our plans.
I decided to take the time off anyway and indulge in a frugal and creativity filled home retreat of artist dates as taught by Julia Cameron in the Artist's Way. So I could immerse myself in my creative endeavors, I made a schedule to help me focus to get the most of my time. Those who know me, realize that I'm not a sit back and relax kind of gal, so here is a peek at some of my staycation and artist dates wish list.
morning meditation, workout and walk with the dog
fresh pressed juice or smoothie breakfast
email and social media break
morning creative activity
healthy, mostly raw lunch
email and social media break
afternoon creative activity
walk with the dog
mindfully cooking a nourishing dinner
quality time with hubby enjoying our stacks of books and backlog of movies
My wish list of creative activities include:
mixed media artwork for the sketchbook project
blog post writing
recipe development for future blog posts - done while crafting lunches and dinners
canning and preserving the garden harvest
closet and bookshelf editing
thrifting for fall wardrobe additions (done)
dance choreography for fall dance performance season
excursion to a newly opened neighborhood coffee shop for iced tea and writing time
My retreat is shaping up nicely and I'm enjoying bouts of mindful creativity. Here are a few highlights of my activities so far.
Rich berry-chocolate breakfast smoothie
Makes 2 generous servings (vegan and gluten free)
Handful of kale or spinach
A frozen banana or two
About a cup of fresh or frozen berries or additional banana (I used raspberries)
About 1/4 cup cocoa powder (I used dark, raw powder)
2-3 tablespoons nut or seed butter (I used peanut butter)
Coconut water or nut milk (I used coconut water with pulp)
Splash of vanilla extract
Sweetener to taste (agave, maple syrup or a couple of pitted medjool dates)
A generous tablespoon of each maca powder and flax seeds (optional)
Blend all the ingredients in a high speed blender until smooth. Add about a half cup of ice if you like a thick milkshake-like texture. Taste and add or adjust sweetener as desired and blend well.
This vegan sunshine bowl for lunch kept me fueled all afternoon. A bed of lettuce, sweet red pepper, grated beets, tomatoes, avocado, mung bean sprouts, leftover brown rice with pinto beans and pumpkin seeds drizzled with a tahini, orange juice vinaigrette
I may not get to everything on my wish list, but I have plenty to keep me active and engaged in the activities and projects I relish, but don't always get to spend as much time on as I'd like. I think this soul enriching break could become a regularly scheduled event each year.
What would you do on your dream staycation?
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As part of settingmy intentions for 2014, I chose the word expansiveness to guide me through
the year. I created a carefully curated
set of classes and experiences to help me grow this year. One of the opportunities that called to me
was the MainStreetVeganAcademy. I had read Victoria Moran's book, Main
Street Vegan, some time ago and became intrigued when I heard about the associated coaching certification course through a blog
post of a local friend and entrepreneur, Kimberly Wilson. It is a week-long intensive that covers
everything from the history of veganism, nutrition, business start up guidance
to field trips to New York City vegan businesses. It
sounded like just the thing to help me hone my efforts to promote a healthy, earth friendly and creative lifestyle - so I sent in my application and was
delighted to be accepted.
I wasn't exactly sure what to expect, but when the course
outline arrived it was packed with guest speakers from a wide variety of
backgrounds. To name a few, we heard from
cardiologists, a vegan personal chef (and one of my favorite food bloggers), an animal rights lawyer, a social media
guru, a quirky and fun diva nutritionist and a 60-year long vegan PhD who was
as fit at the age of 85 as many I know in their 30s. A powerfully delivered, expletive laced
message by a punk rocker/athlete turned author completely captured our attention. I didn't think I was going to be able to
relate to his story, but we connected through a shared birth year and
somehow seemed to have arrived to be at the same place by completely different paths.
Tour stops to: Jivamukti yoga and cafe, Vaute Couture, Dual Spice Store, High Vibe raw health food store
Our class was a group of about 15 students that came from as
far away as Australia,
California and Canada. There were health care professionals,
teachers, lawyers, a flight attendant, a mom wanting to help her child with a
medical challenge and everything in between.
Our 10-12 hour days were packed with thought provoking lectures and discussions, demonstrations, field trips and delicious meals.
We had the opportunity to preview the newly released documentary Cowspiracy and attend The Seed Experience vegan
conference to hear authors, doctors, activists and chefs speak, screen films and hear
from the directors, workout with plant based body builders, sample some of the
healthiest festival foods ever and discover small ecopreneurs and their vegan
wares.
My home for the week - an apartment in an old brownstone in Harlem, being randomly serenaded on the subway, Tommie our walking tour guide and a few classmates waiting for the train, shenanigans with our waiter at a vegan restaurant
I learned a tremendous amount and it will take me awhile to process it all, plus I made
some fantastic new like-minded friends. Although we were inspired by various primary focuses from animal activism, concerns for our health
and that of our planet, armed with our new knowledge, resources and connections, we all are setting out to effect change one step at a time.
Amazing food during the week at the academy
I enjoyed sharing my adventures earning my certification as a Vegan Lifestyle Coach and Educator. I look forward to sharing more of what I learned on my journey in upcoming posts.
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If you enjoy modern day romance novels and you are looking for a great summer read while relaxing on the beach or escaping the summer heat, you will enjoy:
The Right Zip Code: Passion Pleasure and Love on Alaska's Last Frontier by C.B. Stanton
This is pure escapism for the mature reader. From the first word to the last, you'll be transported to the rugged vastness of Alaska to enjoy a love story full of passion and personal discovery while learning some of the history and culture of the United States' largest state. The lead characters have strength, tenderness and imperfections that make the story believable. This book makes you feel as though you are reading a really juicy letter from a good friend.
I have known C.B. since my childhood and am enjoying seeing her fiction writing career take off. As a long-time family friend, I see occasional glimpses from her personal life woven into her stories especially when it comes to time spent around the dinner table. One of the dishes mentioned in the book is a personal favorite of mine. I had collected this recipe from her many years ago and set it aside along with many others from friends and family with the vision of one day writing a cookbook. I dusted off the recipe card and enjoyed adapting this recipe to a vegan friendly lifestyle. Below are both the original and vegan versions.
Green enchilada casserole
Green enchiladas
original recipe courtesy of C.B. Stanton
I only made a few changes to the original recipe so it fits a into a vegan meal menu. The original ingredients are in parentheses.
2 -15 ounce cans or 3 cups cooked pinto, black or kidney beans or lentils, drained and rinsed (1 lb ground beef, browned and seasoned with salt and pepper to taste)
1 small package corn tortillas or 10 homemade ones
1 1/2 - 2 cups garlic cashew cream, recipe below (small can cream of chicken soup)
1 small can chopped green chilies
1 medium onion chopped
up to 2 cups of chopped vegetables like zucchini or summer squash (optional)
1 to 1 1/2 cups grated cheese (vegan or dairy)
Garlic cashew cream
If you have time, soak the cashews in water for up to overnight. If you're like me, you'll be pulling this together last minute so just use the cashews dry or even soak them in warm water while you get the rest of your ingredients for the dish together. Discard soaking water.
1 cup raw cashews (soaked in warm water for 30 minutes or more if you have time)
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/2 teaspoon ground sage
sea salt and pepper to taste
water
In a high speed blender, blend cashews, nutritional yeast and garlic with enough water to make a thick, smooth cream the consistency of thick pancake or cake batter. Salt to taste.
To prepare the casserole
Preheat over to 350 degrees F.
Tear the tortillas into 4-6 pieces each
In a small baking pan coated with olive oil or cooking spray, line the bottom with a layer of torn tortillas.
Place a layer of half the beans over the tortillas
Sprinkle half of the chopped onions, chopped green chilies and optional chopped vegetables over the beans
Pour half of the cashew cream over the chopped vegetables
Add the rest of the tortillas
Continue layering with the rest of the beans, chopped onions, chilies and optional vegetables
Top with the rest of the cashew cream
Sprinkle grated cheese over the top
Bake at 350 degrees F until heated through and the cheese is melted (approximately 30 minutes)
Cool slightly before serving.
Serve with a roasted tomato sauce or salsa on the side.
Zucchini, heirloom tomatoes, mint (citrus and pineapple), basil, blackberries, raspberries, string beans (wax, purple, green, Asian long)
It's mid-summer and the garden is in full swing. I gather a little something from the garden almost every day - sometimes for the evening's dinner and sometimes to stockpile for later in the week for preserving. I thought I would share a few of the still life photos of what I've been harvesting.
Italian sweet pepper, string beans (wax, purple, green, Asian long), zucchini, cucumber, eggplant, tomatoes and herbs (thyme, tarragon, basil and mint)
Patty pan squash, Asian melon, tomatoes, string beans (wax purple, green, Asian long), ground cherries and basil
Zucchini, heirloom tomatoes, raspberries, string beans (wax, purple, green, Asian long) and sweet pepper
Thanks for reading!
Look for daily postings of the harvest and garden progress on instagram.
My first garlic braid! Maybe it's not the neatest first attempt, but it was harder than I thought it would be to twist those dry stalks into a braid. It's now decorating the kitchen hanging from the pot rack within easy reach when I'm cooking.
The garlic had a rough time during our exceptionally cold winter this year so the bulbs were on the small side. However, they are still more flavorful and spicy than the standard commercial varieties. I'm looking forward to trying my luck at growing some more next year, Hopefully the weather will be more favorable and the harvest will be larger.
No matter if you get your garlic from your garden or the grocery store, here's an easy way to peel lots of it in a hurry, like when you are making a fresh batch of pesto. It really works! I find that the larger the bowls, the easier it is.
What's the first thing that comes to mind when you think of making something with collard greens? It's probably not egg rolls, but they are a delicious twist on a southern staple and a great way to use an abundant harvest from my garden. These are easy to make and substitute collard greens (or kale if you like) for the usual cabbage. They make a great dish for entertaining and it's a delicious way to add more healthy greens into your diet. These have been popular appetizers when I've served them to guests.
Filling mixture before rolling and finished rolls ready for cooking or freezing for later use.
Collard green egg rolls
makes 16
1 bunch of collard greens (or kale) stems removed and roughly chopped
3 cups mung bean sprouts, rinsed or additional small bunch of greens
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2-3 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 thumb of ginger, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon Thai basil, finely chopped
2 teaspoons olive oil
Bragg's amino acids, soy sauce or tamari
2 teaspoons sesame oil
package of egg roll wrappers
Vegetable oil (canola, olive or peanut) for cooking
Favorite sweet and sour, hot sauce or peanut sauce for dipping
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat
Add in and saute the onion, garlic and ginger until translucent and fragrant
Add in the chopped greens and saute just until limp but still bright green
Toss in the bean sprouts, if using, until thoroughly mixed
Remove from heat and season with Bragg's or soy sauce to taste
Stir in the sesame oil
Cool filling for 15 minutes
Fill and roll the egg roll wrappers according to the package directions
To bake, heat the oven to 375 degrees. Brush the egg rolls with olive or peanut oil and bake turning over after about 20 minutes. Cook for another 10-15 minutes until brown and crisp. To shallow fry, heat about 1/2 inch of cooking oil until hot and cook the egg rolls until crisp and brown without crowding the pan. Drain on absorbent toweling before serving.
Serve with your favorite sweet and sour, hot sauce or peanut sauce for dipping
These can be frozen before cooking on a cookie sheet and stored in a storage bag or container until ready to cook. Cook without thawing or the wrapper will get soggy from the filling.
Thanks for reading!
Collard greens and Thai basil used in this recipe along with a harvest of green, wax, purple and Asian long beans, squash, tomatoes, jalapeno and ground cherries
The harvest is shifting from mostly green to rainbow colors and becoming more plentiful as more things ripen in the garden. Here is a day's harvest from a few days ago:
Raised beds in the front yard growing tomatoes, string beans, soy beans, watermelon, basil, carrots, collards and peppers
We are mid-summer now and the heat is really kicking in making all the summer vegetables go through a growth spurt. The garden is looking a bit like a jungle after lots of rain because of thunderstorms, and it's exciting to see the progress everyday. Soon it will be a challenge to keep up with the harvest, so I am just enjoying the lushness of everything for the moment I hope you enjoy the quick tour.
Strawberry beds and a view of the bamboo poles with Lima bean and Asian long bean vines in the next bed
A bed along the fence with asparagus going to seed, zucchini and patty pan squash, cantaloupe and a few sunflowers peeking over the edge. The peas had been growing on the frames in the back, but soon the melons and squash will be climbing all over them.
