Weekending and Sewing

Happy Tuesday! There was a long weekend here in Canada so today feels like Monday. Our long weekend was lovely and busy. We made our first big purchase in forever, some outdoor furniture. It felt like such a grown up purchase, but we did so enjoy having a little bbq last night and eating outside on the new table and chairs. The photograph above is my favorite way to have salmon. Sea salt and a bit of lemon juice. Let the fillet sit for 10-15 minutes to mellow then bbq.

This week work commences on the quilt. I think I underestimated exactly how much work this project will be, but it is enjoyable. I'm certain I will be proud of the finished project. I keep sidetracking and starting on other small sewing projects for fun.

Recently I made this cute pincushion. I used a pattern from paper.string.cloth it was easy to follow and only took a few minutes to complete.


I also started on a Dresden Plate. I read a few quilting blogs and kept seeing these lovely quilt blocks everywhere. I love the history of sewing. For example the Dresden Plate was popular in America in the 1920's and 1930's when making quilts. I love that people are still making quilts that were made almost 100 years ago. If you are curious about Dresden Plates the tutorial I used is here. I need to remember to take some photographs of mine.

I'm planning on a quiet morning here, perhaps working a bit on my knitting and enjoying a cup of tea. Have a wonderful Tuesday.

Loves!

Breakfast Porridge

Oh the breakfast porridge thing.
I have been a little smitten with it. I thought I would share the exact process (it's very scientific).

For two servings you need,
1 cup whole rolled oats (not ground up oatmeal oats)
2 tbl ground flaxseed (optional)
1 cup water
1 cup milk

Optional toppings,
Raisins
Maple syrup
Yogurt to stir in
A pat of butter
Chopped nuts and fruit
Cinnamon
Vanilla extract

The night before I take a pot with a fitting lid and pour in the one cup of oats. To that I add 2tbl of ground flaxseed and one cup of water. Leave overnight. The next morning the liquid should be absorbed. Add 1 cup of milk and heat on medium high. I simmer this for about 2-3 minutes as I don't like mine very thick. That's it! Enjoy with oodles of toppings. My favorite is raisins and maple syrup. Simple and delicious.

Why soak the oats?
In the book Nourishing Traditions by Mary G. Enig and Sally Fallon there is quite a bit discussion over gluten intolerance and soaking grains. Most people have a hard time digesting gluten. I still haven't figured out if I have an intolerance, I have been considering getting tested. Many people who are gluten intolerant can digest grains that have been soaked. Soaking grains (like the oats in this recipe) makes them much easier on the gut.

Another reason to soak the oats would be that old fashioned rolled outs that generally take awhile to cook up. Soaking them makes them basically an instant food. When I'm groggy and half awake in the morning I love that I can just pop the oat pot on the stove and have it ready instantly. I have also been soaking oats to add into waffle recipes.. mmmm!

In other news my squash plant bloomed. I have a second little bud on the plant too. I've never successfully grown a squash, I think perhaps this may be my year!


My leaf lettuce is also kicking butt. Thankfully we've had some much needed sunshine lately.


Kitty has been enjoying the sun just as much as my baby plants.


Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Good For You Food

Lately I have been thinking a lot about good food, or whole foods. Foods that our grandparents ate. Mainly foods that don't require artificial preservatives, flavorings or colorants. I think eating well is a daily effort, and for the most part we can't be perfect. Without things like blended iced coffee drinks, slushies and the occasional burger with fries I would go crazy - these are my comfort foods. I am enjoying for the most part eating whole foods with as few processed elements as possible (and having an occasional cheat day in there too).

I feel a bit like a pioneer or amazon woman when I make meals all from scratch. The feeling is empowering. I can provide!

Potatoes Gratin from Nourishing Traditions page 409



Balsamic Carrot Salad page 194


Gosh I'm in love with this book. I've mentioned Nourishing Traditions a few times, but I really am in love with it. Nourishing Traditions is a cookbook (including over 600 recipes) as well as an encyclopedia of information on foods. There is a general emphasis within this book on eating as our families did 100 or more years ago - cutting down on the preservatives and artificial junk. The book does not however limit fat, instead it encourages the consumption of milk and cheese and butter! Oh gosh how I love butter. The book also encourages soaking grains (which we are now doing) as well as transitioning to a gluten free diet (which I can't do but we are making some efforts). I have learned so much by reading this book including so much new knowledge about probiotics and kefir grains. I love finding something truly inspiring and relate-able that I can apply to our lives.

I couldn't help but take a photo of my breakfast this morning. It was delicious and lovely.


Breakfast Soaked Oats (Nourishing Traditions) with chopped up dried apricot and ground flax seed with a side of sliced nectarine. Just what I need to start my day.

Have a wonderful day!

Tomato Sauce Love

I love tomato sauce. Most tomato sauces are simple, wholesome and delicious. Tomatoes are one of the few fruits/veggies that retain most of their vitamins and goodness through the canning process. That being said it is still delicious and a treat to occasionally make tomato sauce from scratch. This recipe was inspired by the Chunky Tomato Sauce recipe in Nourishing Traditions.


This recipe makes a double batch which will last two meals in our house. I would say it makes about 6-7 servings.

Ingredients
Tomatoes (I used 7)
Garlic (I used 3 large cloves)
Sea Salt 1 tsp
Pepper 3/4 tsp
4tbl balsamic vinegar
2tsp dried basil
optional, onion or other veggies


Dice.


Mince.


Add.


Throw in everything else and simmer for as long as you like. I went about 30-40 minutes.

The sauce takes a darker color from the balsamic vinegar.


You can serve as is or thin the mixture out a bit. I did this with my immersion blender.


Dinner.


Have a wonderful nourishing start to the week!


P.S. I'm linking up here and here and here.

A Lovely Stew

Last night we dined on homemade stew and corn muffins. It was delicious. It feels so good to make a meal that is nourishing and man pleasing. Do you ever feel proud when you make something delicious from scratch? Maybe proud isn't the right word, but it does certainly feel good.

Here's my man pleasing stew recipe. I started making this a few years ago when we first moved out. It is a wonderful crock pot recipe, however I have even made it in a dutch oven over an open fire. I am not a red meat person by any means so I always add extra potatoes and carrots to fill my bowl.

A Lovely Stew (with some measurements and some estimating)

stewing beef, the best stuff you can find
chicken stock, I used half of a carton of what I had left. Any stock would do nicely in this recipe, especially some homemade stuff.
handful of potatoes, quartered
2 tomatoes chopped roughly
carrots, sliced
1.5 cups of beer
1 pepper minced (you could also throw in an onion)
spices, thyme, dill, sage and parsley
celtic sea salt and pepper

I leave this on about 1o hours on low in my crock pot.

I start with the crock.


Then throw in the pepper. Everything cooks down so much I don't worry about making it pretty.


Now take some beautiful potatoes.


And quarter them.


And throw it all in the crock. Chop up some carrots too. Not sure where my carrot photo got to.


Dice up some tomatoes. They add a lot of goodness and depth to the soup.


Now for the spices. This is my wonderful dill that I dried in my dehydrator recently. I took pictures of the process to post but I have been using my beau's camera lately instead of our older one and I can't seem to get it to work with dill. It refuses to take pictures of dill. Odd, yes, and it is likely something I am doing wrong. So this is the blurry dill.


Beautiful organic Watkins spices.


Now throw some broth into the mix. I used about half a container.


Grab your stewing beef. Ethical beef makes for happy cows!



In goes the beer!


You could also sub red wine for the beer and that would be amazing.

Stir it all together and pop the lid on!


Now wait, awhile..

Mmm..


I scooped some of the carrots, tomatoes and peppers out and pureed them to add a bit more depth to the broth. I think this is why the soup does have almost an orang-y tinge.


Wholesome goodness.

Would you like a corn muffin to go with yours?


Perhaps 3?


Have a wonderful Thursday.

Loves!

Seeding and Baking

Happy long weekend and Victoria Day Canadians!

We had a lovely weekend filled with gardening, baking, barbecuing and sleeping in. It was rejuvenating getting to relax and get lots of things done around the house.

I made this blueberry crisp that was inspired by Nourishing Traditions/WAPF.


Blueberry Crisp

Topping,
3/4 c whole almonds
1 c oats
1/4 c butter
2tbl maple syrup
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 tsp vanilla

In a food processor pulverize the almonds into a coarse meal - then add oats and pulse a few times. Add butter and remaining ingredients and pulse until coarse (I did have to break apart some of the butter lumps by hand)

Filling,
Blueberries
Zest of one lemon
Maple Syrup
Vanilla Extract

In my baking dish I just dumped some blueberries - as many as I could fit. Then sprinkled on lemon zest, vanilla extract and cinnamon. I poured a small amount of maple syrup and stirred everything around. Top your filling with the yummy oat/almond mixture - and bake for an hour. I baked at 375* - half uncovered and half covered.

I spent several hours today in my garden weeding planting some beautiful tomato plants and strawberries. I also seeded cucumber, peas, broccoli, cherry tomato, pumpkin, squash and corn.

These are the strawberry plants in a planter on my lovely wooden benches. I really need to stain the benches, this last winter was hard on them!



This is one of my garden beds. The green plants to the left of the bed are some lovely tomatoes I picked up today at a local nursery. I use rocks as markers in the garden.




I seeded some tomato plants in the plastic garden boxes.

This empty bed will be filled with some potatoes I'm going to plant this week sometime.


I'm also happy to report that my flower garden is looking lovely and full.


I hope you had a lovely weekend! Happy gardening!



P.S.
I'm linking up here


&

Traditional Tuesdays at Cooking Traditional Foods