Labneh, Herb and Cucumber Tartine.

I haven't tried this recipe, yet. 

But, knock-on-wood, we will eventually be growing almost all of the ingredients for this dish this Summer.

I just finished planting 6 Tomato Plants in new tiny Back-yard and hopefully we will be able to use our own tomatoes for this Tartine. 

Cucumber, Mint and Cilantro has also been planted.

Labneh is just extra-strained Yogurt. As I have mentioned before, I LOVE making and eating our own homemade Greek Yogurt. So we got that base covered.

If I can get my act together and activate the Sourdough Starter, we could potentially even use our own bread. 

Can't wait to try this one out!

Ingredients

2/3 cup Labneh or Homemade Strained Yogurt

2 slices of Sourdough Bread

1/4 Cucumber (sliced thin and then sliced into matchsticks)

8 Mint leaves

1 tbsp Cilantro

4 Cherry Tomatoes (cut into chunks)

Sea Salt

Pepper

Directions

1. Spread Labneh on Sourdough Bread.

2. Sprinkle with Cucumber, Mint and Cilantro.

3. Divide pieces of Tomatoes between 2 portions.

4. Season with Salt and Pepper.


Serves 2



I found this recipe in my new favorite Cookbook...

I keep you updated, when I finally make this dish. Yay, for Summer-time!

I Love My Kombucha, Even If It's Like Having Another Kid.

Okay, I'm being dramatic.

Kombucha isn't quite so bad, as taking care of another kid. But, it's a lot of work. Especially when, I also have some Water Kefir going.

It's been about 6 months since I got my first Kombucha Scoby.

Our Kitchen is super warm, so my Kombucha is ready in about 2 1/2- 3 days (as opposed to 5-7 days, which is the normal time-frame).

We only have a Brita hand-held pitcher, so filtering a gallon of water takes FORVER. Every time I walk in the Kitchen, I add some water to our pitcher.

But, it's worth the work.

I love the taste of home-made Kombucha and much prefer it over store-bought (plus it's so much cheaper to make your own).

It's like a cool, tasty Science Experiment.

I definitely feel much more energetic on the days that I drink my Kombucha. I just have to be careful about how much I drink. I started noticing that I develop a yeast infection, if I drink like 5 cups a day.

Five cups a day? Yeah, the stuff is that good. My 3-year-old frequently requests Kombucha. Papa Bear is a fan, as long as it's still pretty sweet (1 1/2-2 days brewed in our Kitchen). He much prefers Lemon Water Kefir.

My favorite tea to ferment is Organic Imperial Jasmine Dragon Pearls Green Tea. (Affliate link).

When I brew the Jasmine Green Tea, I make sure to also brew Black Tea with it.I adore Numi Organic Tea Aged Earl Grey(Affiliate Link). Just make sure you only brew with organic tea!!!

We got our Scoby from our lovely, lovely neighbor.

Kombucha Kamp is a terrific resource, she will do a much better job than I on explaining all the "how-to's" of brewing Kombucha. You can also purchase Kombucha Scobies from her.

It's good, good stuff.

Have you ever made Kombucha?

An Easy Birthday Banner.

This Birthday Banner took about an hour to make.

I used some twine and strung up the #3 flag I had made out of Kraft Paper. Then I just started tying ribbon to the twine. I alternated lengths and tried to have a variety of thicknesses.

I already had about half of the ribbon from another project. I hung all those ribbon and then I was able to judge what other colors I needed.

I spent about $10 on new ribbon. I couldn't resist adding those fun pom-poms!

I love this project because it didn't take forever. Plus, I can reuse all the ribbon by either untying the ribbons or cutting them off the twine.

Simple, right?

River Farm's Spring Garden Market. April 10-12, 2014.

River Farm is one of my favorite local spots. It is the headquarters for the American Horticultural Society and has the most inspirational Children's Garden I have ever seen.

This Thursday will be the start of their annual Spring Garden Market. Tons of plants, seeds, garden accessories, etc... will all be on sale.

Master Gardeners will also be available to answer any questions.

If you have been bitten by the Gardening Bug and live in the area, you definitely will want to check it out.

Cost to park is $5 for those non-AHS members.


Thurday. 3 pm- 7 pm AHS Members only.

Friday. 9 am- 6 pm. Open to the Public.

Saturday. 9 am- 4 pm.



You can find out more details right here.

I have written about River Farm before here, here and here.

Maple Syrup Rutabaga Mash with Apples, Pears, Ginger and Cardamon.

My 10-month-old is all about feeding herself these days.

And, I am all about Simplifying my life.

So, I try and meals that ALL of us can eat. Preferably something that the baby can pick up with her fingers.

Enter Rutabaga Mash.

I had never cooked with Rutabaga before. But, I picked some up at Baltimore's lovely year-round Farmer's Market.

To make this side-dish that can work as a dessert, I started by peeling and boiling the Rutabagas.

I drained the pot, added some Lemon Water Kefir (or your juice of choice).

I threw in the peeled and cut up Apples, Pears and Ginger and simmered for a 10-15 minutes. Maple Syrup and Cardamom joined everything else.

I drained the liquid until there was only about 1/2 cup left and then mashed everything up. I left some nice smallish pieces for the baby to be able to grab onto.

It's a lovely way to use up any Rutabagas you may still be getting from your CSA.

This will definitely be joining our "Meal Rotation" next Winter.

Pregnant Mamas. On Eating and Making Your Own Greek Yogurt.

I ate A LOT of Greek Yogurt, during both my pregnancies.

If you eat dairy products, it's a terrific way to add more protein to your diet. I would have a cup with my Breakfast, one with Lunch and sometimes as a Snack. That's over 30 grams of protein right there.

I wish I had know how easy it is to "make your own Greek Yogurt."

Seriously, all you do is dump Plain Yogurt into the Greek Yogurt Maker and let it sit over-night.

It's so much better than the commercial kind, especially if you make your own Plain Yogurt first. I really can't believe it took me so long to figure out how incredibly easy it is to make Greek Yogurt.

Head Smack.

I used this tutorial on how to make Yogurt.

I bought this Greek Yogurt Maker. Totally worth the 30 bucks I spent (considering how much Greek Yogurt we still eat around here).

Pure Yumminess.

I promise.

Turning Your Front Yard Into A Garden.

I got Dreams.

Glorious Garden Dreams in the middle of the Winter.

Sigh.

I have been pouring over photos from the lovely book I received for Christmas. "Edible Landscaping With a Permaculture Twist: How To Have Your Yard and Eat It Too."

Michael Judd is a local boy (from Frederick County) who spent many years in Mexico and Nicaragua learning  about and experimenting with Permaculture. He is a genius at turning Yards into low-maintenance Gardens and Orchards. No weeding, no watering (except for in the beginning). Seriously, why Garden any other way?

He's transformed the Gardens at Volt.

You may have heard of that place.

I listened to him speak at the Holistic Family Health Conference in Frederick, last Spring. He's a dynamic speaker. When he mentioned an upcoming book, I was thrilled.

The book didn't disappoint.

Gorgeous photos. Clear directions. And, brilliant ideas.

I am all about digging up that grass and planting useful and beautiful plants.

Even though, I was familiar with a lot of what was in the book, it was great to see more examples of "Herbal Spirals," learn about growing Mushrooms and be given so much information of Uncommon Fruits that grow well in this region.

Judd's section on Rainwater Harvesting, Swales and Rain Gardens may completely change your relationship with your Yard.

I had never heard of a "Hugelkultur" (which is a shame because it's a terrific concept and would have been helpful to know about when my Sister had all these fallen down trees in her Yard).

If you are in Maryland or Northern Virginia, you are in luck. He does 1 1/2 hr-2hr consultations starting at $175 (depending on where you are located). His schedule fills up fast, but now is the perfect time to have him come out and brainstorm with you on how to transform your Yard into a beautiful, edible Landscape.

Early Mother's Day present? Or maybe forget that fancy bouquet and expensive dinner this Valentine's Day? Hmmmm....

We will be moving from one rental house to another this Summer, so planting much is out of the question. But, there are always Mushrooms...

Our Homemade Christmas Calendar

 

December, already?

How did that happen?

This year I figured the Kiddo was old enough to understand an Advent Calendar. Of course, I remember that I wanted to do one the last night of November. Three or so hours later, this is what I had...

Not sure if it's going to survive all that daily handling required. But, it didn't cost any money, so I am pleased. Plus, I really like it's Handmade quality.

I was inspired by the blog Morning Creativity. Happy December! Can't wait to share my ideas for this Month's Theme.

Fermented Green Tomatoes. Gratitude Month.

I've been interested in the "Health Benefits of Fermented Foods" for a long time. Unfortunately, I don't like the taste of Sauerkraut and Kim-chi is way too spicy for me.

But you know what? There are TONS of foods you can ferment.

Like Green Tomatoes.

Last week, I picked the last of our Green Tomatoes from the several amazing volunteer Tomato Plants growing in our Compost Heap. Those babies were tough. Those babies were little miracles.

Because you know what? I never watered them. Not once all Summer. 

So, what am I Grateful for today?

Those Volunteer Tomato Plants. Thanks for bearing such lovely fruit for us!

I am hoping my "Fermented Green Tomatoes" will turn out. Supposedly, they will taste a bit like Green Olives. I'll keep you posted.

If you are interested in learning more about the process of Fermenting Green Tomatoes, I read the following posts: this, this and this.

KIVA Revisited.

Every once in awhile, when I think about it, I go back to "KIVA" and check on my loans and make another micro-loan.

KIVA is one of my absolutely favorite organizations (besides Heifer International).

KIVA is a non-profit committed to fighting poverty through empowering people to start and improve their own businesses through micro-loans.

Each borrower shares a brief bio and photo; there are thousands of stories of courageous people trying to better their lives and the lives of their children. Many of them of are women.

To find a borrower, you can look at specific countries or particular sectors like: Agriculture, Education, Food, etc.... You can even use a filter to search for an attribute like: Fair Trade, Green practices, Underfunded areas or Conflict Zones.

Since it's founding in 2005, KIVA has distributed $480 million throughout 72 countries - many of these loans were lent in just $25 increments. They have a 99.03% repayment rate. Pretty amazing stats, right?

You pay through Paypal. It's super easy process. I've been a lender for several years now and highly recommend it to everyone.

It feels good to know that by taking the $25, I might have spent on a toy for my children or eating out, instead I am making a concrete difference in someone's life. That's something I can truly get behind.

Anala's Montessori Corner

 

 

 

Poor kid. She only gets a corner of a Bedroom to claim as her own. But, she doesn't seem to mind. Look at that concentration. Look at those smiles.

 

I think this may be my newest favorite part of our house. Sometimes it pays to be part of a long line of Pack Rats.

I borrowed the sheepskin from my Mama's house.

The mirror I took from the Master Bedroom (which originally came from my Mama's house).

 I bought the child's furniture piece from an auction for $2. My Sissy did a lovely job of painting it. And, I just added the crystal pulls from my favorite vintage store Ginger and Spice in Walkersville, MD. They cost $6 each. I moved the bookcase from one part of the room to this corner.

Since our Family is a bit Bird-crazy right now, I cut out a photography from an Audubon Calendar and put it in a frame I already had.

The "Gobbi Mobile" I made.

I am so loving this "Montessori infant room." (Even if it's just a corner).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is the Mobile that Killed a Baby Bird

 

 

Give me a minute and it will make sense. I promise.

 

Some ideas just don't work. I spent a lot of time and energy trying to make a beautiful "Driftwood Mobile" for Bright Eyes before she was born.

 

We rent our two-Bedroom house. When we moved in this Winter, we knew the girls wouldn't be able to share a Bedroom right off the bat. So one room would be for Nye-Nye (a "Can You See a Little Bear?" Inspired Bedroom). The other would be for the new baby.

 

Nye-Nye was still waking up several times a night in February. That's when Papa Bear took over putting her to sleep and co-sleeping. For the last 2 1/2 glorious months of my pregnancy I slept like a champ. It was amazing.

 

Daddy and His Girl bonded more deeply by developing their own sweet Bedtime Rituals and I wasn't disturbed by the toddler waking up at night. 

 

The Master Bedroom was transformed into Mommy and the Baby's Room. I didn't have the energy to paint the room, so blue it stayed. I was inspired by tree branches and driftwood and agonized over fabric for weeks. (Nesting...you gotta love it).

 

I wanted to use the heirloom cradle that I used as a baby.

 

I came up with a design for a Driftwood Mobile that could hang low enough over a cradle. Hanging the pieces from the ceiling seemed too complicated for me, so I devised an inexpensive way to anchor the pieces of Driftwood in a metal bucket. My solution? Plaster.

 

I filled an inexpensive bucket with plaster and arranged the branches the way I wanted. I let it set over night. I covered the bucket with some of the agonized-over-fabric. And hung the butterflies with fishing line.

 

The only problem?

 

It took up A LOT of room.

 

Actually, there were three problems...it took up a lot of room, it was difficult to get the baby into the cradle without hitting her face with the butterflies and the baby HATED the cradle.

 

So, it was removed.

 

I put it outside under our screened-in porch, thinking I could use it for Bright Eyes when we were outside.

 

I walked out one day to find a drowned Baby Bird floating in the bucket. 

 

Do you know how awful I felt?

 

I still get teary-eyed thinking about it. Poor Baby Bird.

 

Talk about a doomed project.

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Current Bucket List

Every time I start a new journal I write down a new "Bucket List."It's interesting to see how it changes every few months, depending on what is interesting me at that moment.

Here are a few things from my Current Bucket List...

1. Walk the Camino
2. Write and finish a Novel
3. Successfully complete National Novel Writing Month
4. Make a Stain-glass window
5. WWOOF on a farm
6. Learn how to make goat cheese
7. Visit India
8. Build a Herbal Spiral
9. Make a Pair of Wedding Rings with Papa Bear
10. Work my way through The 4-Hour Chef
11. Go to Burning Man
12. Spend the night in a Yurt
13. Make a Cob Oven
14. Take my girls to Prince Edward Island (after reading Anne of Green Gables to them)
15. Drive a Model T through Yosemite
16. Take a TRE Workshop
17. Take a Tintype
18. Help build a house
19. Take a class from a Cobbler and make my own shoes
20. Make a quilt
21. Become a certified Yoga Instructor
22. Visit the Buddhist Temple in Poolesville

Ecologia Design Tours June 22nd, 23rd and 29th. Month of Beauty.

 

If you are interested in Sustainability and Local Food and live near Frederick County (Maryland), write down June 22nd, 23rd and 29th from 5-6:30 pm on your calendar.

These are the dates of the tours Michael Judd from Ecologia Design will be giving of his wonderful Homestead near Frederick. His beautifully designed Gardens, require no weeding and almost no watering.

He is interested in re-introducing fruit trees and bushes that thrive in this climate, as well as introducing new edibles like the Hardy Kiwi. You can grow Kiwi in Maryland or Virginia? Who knew?

During the tours, you will learn about creating Food Forests, Herb Spirals, Raised Bed Gardens, Rainwater Harvesting Gardens and how to grow Gourmet Mushrooms among much, much more.

Michael Judd is a dynamic speaker and is doing really great work. (He designed all the gardens at Volt).  He learned a tremendous amount working with indigenous farmers in Central America. His book will be coming out soon...I can't wait.

Tickets are $20 and all proceeds will go to Project Bona Fide, a program Judd started in Nicaragua.

I have written about Ecologia Design before in this post and this one.

Time for Dandelion Cordial

It's time. Dandelions are everywhere. Dandelion Cordial is a fun and tasty way to get some of the healing power from the humble, but mighty Dandelion. Plus, it makes a really nice Hostess gift.

First things first. Make sure you know they are safe to use (make sure no chemicals have been sprayed in the yard and that few dogs ever visit the property).

Usually, I use Brandy to make a cordial, but I've also made some from Rum. Whatever floats your boat.

 

How to Make "Dandelion Cordial"...
 

1. Pick a slew of Dandelion Flowers (make sure it's early in the afternoon, so the dew had already dried but the flowers are still open).

2. Pick a glass jar and fill 1/3 of the jar with sugar (or less if you prefer).

3. Fill the jar almost up to the top with the Dandelion Flowers.

4. Add some sliced organic lemons (I only had access to bottled lemon juice, so that's what I added).

5. Fill to the top with your alcohol of choice (Like I said, I usually use Brandy but I tried Rum before and it worked well).

6. Shake.

7. Let sit for 2 weeks in a dark spot (shaking every day).

8. Pour your cordial (minus the flowers and lemon slices) into a pretty bottle.

9. Enjoy chilled with a slice of lemon or as a nice warm beverage with a little water and honey added to it (which hits the spot if you have a cold and have been having a coughing fit).



Why Dandelion? Dandelion contains loads of vitamins A, B, C and E and is full of phosphorus, calcium and magnesium. It's diuretic properties are very well-known. Some women make Dandelion Leaf Tea a few days before their period to help prevent water retention.


***A reminder….I’m not an MD, so have a chat with yours before taking any herbs or supplements. The info I am providing is for educational purposes only…Thank you! Hope this is helpful!!!

My Driftwood Shelves

 

 

 

 

Here are my two "Driftwood Shelves" FINALLY completed. For the first one, I picked out the "Driftwood" and the scrap of wood from my Step-father's wood shop. My Mama designed the second one and did all the actual attaching and drilling. It's convenient to have a former Cabinet-maker for a Mother. Thanks, Mommy!

Every time I look at my shelves, I smile. I can't wait to make some more!

What Did I Get For Mother's Day?

English: A handful of healthy worms coming out of coffee compost (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

2000 worms.

Yup, Papa Bear bought me 2000 Red Wigglers and a nifty Worm Bin to house all those worms. He's the Best. I couldn't be more excited about my present.

He wanted to get me a fancy-dancy Tablet...but, I'm still a Pen-and-Paper-Kind-of-Woman. And, I've been eyeing the Worm Factory 360 for several years now.

I've made a few attempts at "vermi-composting" throughout the years...all using DIY Worm Bins. It was never much of a success. So, I am thrilled to try out a real-deal Worm Bin.

I can't wait until they arrive and Nye-Nye and I can start on our latest Science Project. I'll keep you updated on our project.

Hope you had a Lovely Mother's Day.

Relay Foods

Simplicity. What's more simple than having your groceries delivered to your front door?

If you live in an area where you can find a Giant grocery store, you have probably heard of Peapod.  Peapod is a "Grocery Delivery Service" that drops off your order straight to your door. My family has used Peapod twice and have been very happy with the service.

But, what I am really excited about is another DC/Northern VA/Baltimore Grocery Delivery service called Relay Foods.

It's the same concept as Peapod but most of the products are LOCAL to MD, PA and VA.  You get the ease of Peapod combined with the knowledge that you are supporting local farmers while getting top-notch fresh food.

During my my seven years in Baltimore, I visited my Farmer's Market every week-end (Baltimore is so lucky to have a terrific year round Farmer's Market).

Now, I live in Northern Virginia and have a kid and it's not so easy.

With Relay Foods, you can either enter your zip code in to see if they do Home Delivery or you can pick-up your groceries once a week at a central location in your area. If you do Home Delivery you have the option to pay $20 for Unlimited Monthly Deliveries or $10 for each individual Delivery. The Unlimited Monthly Delivery is a terrific deal, especially if you are getting groceries at least once a week.

Relay Foods is also available in Charlottesville, VA and the Richmond/Williamsburg area.

I can't wait to try them out!

Growing Power's Will Allen is Coming to Frederick On April 11th

Hoop Houses on Raised Beds (Photo credit: Chiot's Run)

I wrote about Growing Power, way back in January of this year. Growing Power is a 3 acre farm in the middle of Milwaukee that has grown 1 million pounds of organic food using Hoop Houses and a Aquaponics system.

The founder of the organization, Will Allen, is coming to Frederick, MD. He will be giving two free talks on April 11th.

Frederick Reads is sponsoring both readings. The first one will be at FCC at 11 am and the second will be at 7 pm at the Weinberg Center. Two chances to meet this inspirational man who is changing the way we think about Urban Farming. Mark your calendars!

Progress on the New Baby's Bedroom

 

 

 

I started working on the New Baby's Bedroom this weekend. Because we live in a rental house, the blue paint on the wall is staying. I found some pretty fabric called "Midnight Twig" that has several shades of blue in it and looks decent with the wall paint. Theme of the room...trees or more specifically, branches.

 

I am FINALLY getting to try out the whole "painting a fabric chair" thing. I'm using a $3 chair, I bought at an auction. If it's a failure, no loss...I'll just get a slip-cover. Almost finished with the first coat of paint...I'm guessing I will need to do at least 3, probably 4 coats of paint.

 

The first Collaborative Painting I did with my child has been getting some more love. I am starting to like it more (maybe I'll even it get to the point of liking it as much as the Second Collaborative Painting with My Toddler). I think it's almost finished.

 

What kind of mobile am I putting above the cradle? take a wild guess? Yup...you guessed it, one made of a branch. I just have to find the perfect branch. On Saturday, I drew, cut out and painted the butterflies that will be fluttering below the branch. Hopefully, I won't need to make anymore. They were very time-consuming (especially the cutting out part). Very sweet, but very tedious.

 

On Sunday, Papa Bear took our kiddo over to see her Dada and Dadi, so I could have some time to myself and get some work done.

 

I spent two glorious hours walking along the Potomac River. All I could hear was the sound of the tiny waves lapping up on the very tiny beach. I sat on a log in the sunshine. I searched for interesting rocks and shells. I picked up some amazing driftwood. It was the best therapy, ever.

 

And, now I have a perfect piece of driftwood to turn into a shelf in the New Baby's Bedroom. Can't wait to see how it turns out!