Tylenol and Motrin Recall

This was just passed onto me, in case you haven't received this notice. It's a voluntary recall for some Tylenol and Motrin products. It's good to be aware of what we are putting in ourselves as well as our children's bodies. I am learning this the hard way, as I am now seeing more the damage of the medication I was on during my life, has done to me.

http://www.mcneilproductrecall.com

Quick Tip - Quinoa/Rice

I want to pass along something I learned and utilize EVERYDAY... Right now Quinoa has become a staple in my diet. It's cooked similar to rice. It can take up to 20 minutes to cook on the stove. At times I don't have time to sit around the kitchen to watch it and make sure it doesn't burn. Or I will go off and do something and then forget about it (family members I'm sure can attest to my forgetting food on stove - right Jen:))

Recently I decided to experiment with how I cook it. So I put water on the stove, bring it to a boil, add the quinoa, cover it and turn the heat off. I let it sit, and it cooks perfectly each time. I can then go off and do what I need to, and whenever I come back it's done. I haven't timed it yet to see how long it takes, but at times it seems to almost take the same amount of time to cook as if it was utilizing heat. My dad and I have experimented this cooking method with rice as well. It has worked out great - and helps my dad as well to not burn the rice.

So here's my quick tip to - "Set it and forget it!" with rice and quinoa :)

Slowly it's become a little homestead

Ok, so secretly I would LOVE to turn our home into an small homestead... and it is slowly feeling that way. With a horse next door, and all the cats and kittens that have been perusing our backyard lately. We have been seeing more and more cats in our area. These cats, have been having kittens. They are so cute, yet I know to stay far away. What's great about them, is that we don't have a gopher or rat problem anymore... or really a gecko, and slowly a bird problem..... hmmmm.

I asked my dad today about the possibility of raising lamb. It sounded like we may need to buy more land for that. Perhaps we need to start off small.... chickens.... yet I can't eat chicken...

Here are some pictures of my garden (I feel like these are my kids :) ) It will soon be time to harvest.

My sunflower's are almost in bloom. They are so tall! This is a view from me standing under it.

Spaghetti Squash

Cantaloupe... there are quite a few of these... this crop is taking over the place it feels like

Watermelon are finally starting to grow. Here is a baby one I spotted Saturday morning.

Cucumbers. These are getting to be REALLY big. I have no idea of when to pick them.

Black Bean Brownies

Yesterday, our ward had an Emergency Preparedness Fair. They asked for some of us to make an item that could be taken from food storage. I looked online and found this super easy recipe that was supposedly taken from a Weight Watchers recipe. So for all those out there following the points plan, this is only 2 points per serving. What I learned from this (since I can't eat it), is that you can use black beans in place of oil and eggs in a recipe. Plus it will add more fiber and protein to the snack :)

Black Bean Brownies

1 box brownie mix

1 can (15 oz) black beans

Open the can of black beans, rinse well. Place the beans back back in the can. Add enough water to cover beans. Put in blender or food processor and puree. Add puree to brownie mix, and then bake according to package directions.

You DO NOT add the eggs or oil that the recipe calls for, JUST the black bean puree!

Bake as indicated on the box.

Makes 20 brownies-- 2 Weight Watcher Points each!

There coming!!!

Yesterday in my garden I spied this! I am not sure if it is a cantaloup or a spaghetti squash. I have learned that I can't trust my memory when it comes to remembering what I planted and where. Which will also be exciting, as when the plants come, it will be like Christmas :)

Oh how the garden grows...

My garden has really grown these past few weeks. It's been exciting to watch. This morning, I noticed bees around the summer squash! I was happy to see them doing their job, and choosing my garden to do it :) I can't wait for the harvest season... although I am already starting to think about what my Fall garden will be. There are some great benefits living in Arizona.

Here are the watermelon plants just trying to take over the area. The trellis' will be going up by the weekend :) This will be fun!

Here is the newest edition to my garden. I planted some winter squash, which has grown really fast. There is 4 different varieties planted here. Behind it I am growing Amaranth.

Got Ghee?

A Naturopathic doctor I saw last year introduced me to ghee. This is clarified butter, used in a lot of Ayurveda cooking. What's great about ghee is that it is lactose and casein free. I prefer the taste to butter, as it is a bit sweeter. It also has a very high melting point, and can be used in a variety of cooking. In addition, there are a lot of health benefits from it.

In the book "Healing with Whole Foods" by Paul Pitchford, he says this about Ghee,

"A unique feature of clarified butter (ghee), which is butter with the milk solids removed, is a healing property not found in other saturated fats. According to Ayuvedic teachings, clarified butter enhances the ojas, an essence that governs the tissues of the body and balances the hormones. Ample ojas ensures a strong mind and body, resistance against disease, and is essential for longevity. Clarified butter promotes the healing injuries of gastro-intestinal inflammations such as ulcers and colitis.

The ability of clarified butter to support physical and mental renewal has been substantiated to some degree by science. According to Rudolph Ballentine, M.D., clarified butter contains butyric acid, a fatty acid that has some antiviral and anti-cancer properties, and which raises the level of the antiviral chemical interferon in the body. Butyric acid also has characteristics found to be helpful in the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

Ayureveda also describes clarified butter as one of the finest cooking oils; it increases "digestive fire" and thereby improves assimilation and enhances the nutritional value of foods... Can be used when cooking with high temperatures, especially abaove 320F."

I had been buying ghee at the stores, as someone told me that it was difficult to make. Recently I have been learning how easy it is to make. I made my first batch last Friday. It turned out great! And now it will only cost me 1/2 as much instead of paying for it at the stores. You just need butter and time.

Ghee (recipe adapted from the book "The New Whole Foods Encyclopedia" by Rebecca Wood)

Ingredients

1 pound cultured unsalted organic butter

Place all the ingredients in a saucepan and slowly melt over medium heat. When the butter comes to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered and undisturbed, for about 30 minutes. As the temperature reaches the boiling point of water, the butter's water content vaporizes, foaming and making tiny, sharp crackling noises. It will be ready when the crackling noise stops and the sound becomes a rounder, boiling sound. The foaming almost ceases; the butter turns a lovely, clear golden color and the white sediment (milk proteins and salts) that forms on the bottom turns a light tan color. Immediately remove from the heat since the ghee can easily burn. (If it burns it will begin to foam rapidly again and turn brown instead of golden.) Cool slightly. Pout hot ghee through a stainless steel mesh strainer (or place paper towels or a coffee filter in a colander to help strain it.) When cool, cover tightly. This will stores for 4 months or more at room temperature. Can also be refrigerated - but will become solid (which is what I do anyway). Makes 1 1/2 cups or 13 oz.

Here are some additional sites that have posted pictures on how to do it, and a video:

Pictures: http://blog.asmartmouth.com/2008/10/10/homemade-indian-ghee-if-you-dare/

Video: http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to-ghee-clarified-butter-241324/