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| Need an afternoon pick-me-up? Here something to try: @livelearngrow16 |
Sure, ripe summer berries are at their sweetest and juiciest this time of year. And even better, the latest studies show that you can.....
A berry health boost! <Click here to find out how :)
What I Eat On Monday's
15 foods you can regrow from scraps!
I planted a romaine lettuce in my garden and ended up with about 20 different lettuce plants from the seeds that grew from the original plant...all these lettuce plant are now flowering and I will have many more seeds.
I also planted some scallions in a pot in my garden, I use them often.
Crock Pot Bread Baking (Fast Bread in a Slow Cooker)
But, bread in a crock pot? Over the years we have gotten requests from readers to develop a method of baking our dough in a crock pot. I had my doubts, lots of them. I didn’t think the slow cooker could get hot enough, I thought it would take too long, I didn’t think it would bake through or have a nice crust and I resisted trying it. I was so convinced it would be a fail. Oh, how wrong I was. The crock pot does indeed get hot enough, and it takes less time than using your oven, because the rising time is included in the baking. The only thing I got right was the crust, it is very soft and quite pale when it comes out of the slow cooker, but just a few minutes under a broiler and I got a gorgeous loaf. I am a convert and it is just perfect for summer baking when you don’t want to heat up your oven. You could even amaze your friends at work by baking a loaf under your desk! Check with your crock-pot’s manufacturer before trying this, since some model’s instructions specify that the pot has to be at least partially filled with liquid to avoid safety or durability problems. And never bake in a crock-pot unattended. KEEP READINGLentil Tacos
This Mexican dish is so savory, you'll never miss the meat.
Published 11/03/2006
1 cup onions, diced
1/4 cup celery, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup brown lentils, dry
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 cup water or vegetable broth
3 tablespoons dried black currants or raisins, minced
1 cup salsa, plus additional for topping
8 6-inch corn tortillas
shredded lettuce
chopped tomatoes
shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
In a large frying pan over medium heat, sauted onions, celery, and garlic in the olive oil for five minutes or until vegetables are soft. Stir in the lentils, chili powder, cumin, and oregano. Cook for one minute. Add the broth and raisins. Cover and cook for 20 minutes, or until the lentils are tender (add more water or broth as needed). Remove the lid and cook an additional 10 minutes (until lentils are thick), stirring often. Fold in the salsa. Wrap the tortillas in a damp white cotton towel and microwave on high for one minute. Spoon the lentil mixture among the tortillas. Top with lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese.
Serves four.
Calories: 390
Fat: 6 g
Carbs: 69 g
Protein: 18 g
1/4 cup celery, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup brown lentils, dry
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 cup water or vegetable broth
3 tablespoons dried black currants or raisins, minced
1 cup salsa, plus additional for topping
8 6-inch corn tortillas
shredded lettuce
chopped tomatoes
shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
In a large frying pan over medium heat, sauted onions, celery, and garlic in the olive oil for five minutes or until vegetables are soft. Stir in the lentils, chili powder, cumin, and oregano. Cook for one minute. Add the broth and raisins. Cover and cook for 20 minutes, or until the lentils are tender (add more water or broth as needed). Remove the lid and cook an additional 10 minutes (until lentils are thick), stirring often. Fold in the salsa. Wrap the tortillas in a damp white cotton towel and microwave on high for one minute. Spoon the lentil mixture among the tortillas. Top with lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese.
Serves four.
Calories: 390
Fat: 6 g
Carbs: 69 g
Protein: 18 g
Raw Milk Debate - February 16, 2012
Harvard Food Law Society hosted a debate on the legal, nutritional, and safety aspects of raw milk. For more information about the Food Law ...
Urban Gardening Ideas
Start an organic garden—even in a small space
As a fellow apartment dweller, I understand the urge (okay, the need) to have a vegetable garden. Luckily for us, vegetables have only three basic requirements: light, soil, and water. And they don't have to be planted in the ground—they grow great in containers.
You have to start by finding a spot for your pots that gets six to eight hours of sunlight a day and has access to water. I grow my veggies on the roof and in window boxes, but patios, doorways, sidewalks, and even roof eaves (for hanging baskets) can house a few containers. Most landlords are happy that tenants actually want to improve the property, but it's a good idea to get your container garden okayed before you start planting.
In general, shallow-rooted plants, such as lettuce, spinach, radishes, and most herbs, need only 6 to 8 inches of soil depth to grow well, while deeper-rooted plants, such as tomatoes and squash, need 12 inches of soil. Terra-cotta pots, wooden boxes, and even 5-gallon buckets make great containers. Just make sure your containers have drainage holes, are not translucent or opaque (sunlight will fry plants' roots), and are big enough to support the plants growing in them. Fill your containers with a well-draining potting mix (topsoil will compact in containers) that has some compost or an organic granulated fertilizer mixed in.
Almost all vegetables grow well in containers, but choosing the right variety helps. 'Window Box Roma' tomato, for instance, stays a size that's manageable for pots, and 'Tumbler' tomato vines spill nicely out of hanging baskets. Beans, peas, and even squash can be grown up trellises set into a larger container. Try the compact 'Sunburst' yellow scalloped squash and 'Spacemiser' zucchini. 'Miniature White' cucumbers have small vines and unusual white fruit. Carrots such as the heirloom 'Oxheart' and the miniature 'Kinko' grow to only 4 to 6 inches long. There are a ton of resources on container gardening, but the two that I turn to most are The Bountiful Container, by Rose Marie Nichols McGee and Maggie Stuckey (Workman, 2002); and Lasagna Gardening for Small Spaces, by Patricia Lanza (Rodale, 2002). Both of these books have great information on soil, plant varieties, and plant combinations.
If you want to actually sink your hands (and your plants) into the earth, try community gardening. You share a plot of land, as well as advice and friendship, with other urban gardeners. You happen to live in a city with a large and vibrant community garden culture, so there is most likely one in your neighborhood.
http://www.organicgardening.com
