Allergies Be Gone, the Lovely Way

You know how people say to eat honey, or take bee pollen, to combat spring allergies? I have a theory, based on my own humble experience: eat the flowers themselves and you can make your allergies calm down.

My favorite edible spring flower is forsythia. And we have them in abundance here. Slightly sweet and mildly bitter, I use them in any dish where I might otherwise use something like sage. Omelettes, green salads, apple salads.

But mostly, I just love eating things that are so beautiful. Yellow upon yellow, this floral cheese omelette is a personal favorite.

Regarding how to find the best forsythia, my kids gave me a little tip the other day. I can't vouch for its accuracy. But they say the flowers which are in the sun grow sweeter. Sounds like a parable for life.


Forsythia Omelette photo, by L.L. Barkat.

Wordless Wednesday: Eggthenticity

The dark orange centers of these beautiful eggs speak of their authenticity. True free-range eggs boast this lovely color. And they have less cholesterol and more nutrients too.


Free-Range Egg photo, by L.L. Barkat.

Sun Promises

I've always loved the sun. I love to watch it rise and set. I cherish quiet moments when it shines gently on my face. Now, in the mornings, when I go to my secret place, I marvel when it pours into the the little "woods."

Surely, the sun is a symbol of hope for me, as it has been for countless other generations. It expresses the provision of God in its consistency. It reminds me of this wonderful verse in Psalm 145...

The LORD upholds all who are falling,
and raises up all who are bowed down.
The eyes of all look to you,
and you give them their food in due season.
You open your hand, satisfying the desire
of every living thing. vss 14-16

Yes, God provides for each season, in due time. And this is something else I've been learning. Today I discovered, for instance, that I can eat my forsythia blossoms. This is the season for it. He has provided.


Sunshine Breakfast



Mix all:

- apple, cut in chunks
- 1/4 of a lemon, squeezed over apples
- sprinkle of sea salt
- maple syrup to taste
- few sprinkles cinnamon
- sprouted, dehydrated, spiced buckwheat; or granola
- raw pecans
- forsythia blossoms
- sprinkle of dandelion greens


Raw Buckwheat



- Soak about 1 and 1/2 cups hull-less buckwheat about 6 hours. Drain into colander.
- Let sprout about two days.
- Add a few pours of honey, and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, and a bit of sea salt, cloves, allspice.
- Dehydrate at 115 degrees until dry (about six hours).

This is an "earthy" food. Not for frosted flakes lovers, trust me.


About buckwheat: source of protein and iron; soothing to the digestive tract; contains rutin which reduces blood pressure, promotes circulation, heals capillaries, and neutralizes radiation and X-rays; increases glucose tolerance, decreases cholesterol.

About apples: high in malic and tartaric acid which resists bacteria and yeast in digesitve tract; contain pectin which removes cholesterol, radiation, and toxic metals from the body; may prevent tooth decay; prevent blood sugar swings.

Sunset photo, food photos by L.L. Barkat.

Wordless Wednesday: Lotion

I keep my empty olive oil bottles next to the sink. A few little drops of the leftovers makes a wonderful, natural, safe hand lotion. No plastic bottles to feel guilty over when the last bit is really gone.


Photo by L.L. Barkat.

Wilderness and Swimming Zeepies

microscopic organisms


Christianne's Wilderness thoughts got me musing about the resilience of life.

Take the swimming zeepies, for instance. (That's what my daughter calls microscopic organisms.) Many of these little fellows will not die if their water dries up. They just enter a different mode of existence that can withstand extreme temperatures and total drought, until conditions change again.

In this altered existence, they will sometimes be carried by the wind, to new places, with new climates. Here, they open up, emerge into life again, and go on. Even if it takes a century.

As people, we may not have a century to make it through our wildernesses, but I believe that we too have remarkable resilience when we wait upon God. And He reminds us with tender loving care, "waters shall break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; the burning sand shall become a pool...And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with singing... sorrow and sighing shall flee away." (Isaiah 35:6, 10)

If you're in a wilderness today, here's some healthy comfort food to take along, while you wait for the wind and for the rain...


Potato and Broccoli Casserole



Saute lightly:

- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 head broccoli, chopped
- 1/2 tsp fennel seed
- salt & pepper


Parboil 8 minutes, or until almost cooked:

- 4 to 5 potatoes, sliced about 1/4" thick


Layer in baking dish:

- pour olive oil
- potatoes, salt & peppered
- broccoli mix
- potatoes, salt & peppered
- pour olive oil


Bake all until tender, about 30 minutes covered. Top with grated cheddar if desired and bake until melted. Serve with Provencal Lentil Salad and crusty whole-grain bread laced with olive oil.


Provencal Lentil Salad



Boil 20-30 minutes, or until tender:

- 1 cup brown (green) lentils


Add & mix:

- carrot, chopped small
- a bit of scallion or onion, chopped fine
- small handful sage or parsley, chopped fine
- a few good pours olive oil
- a few small pours brown rice vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
- salt & pepper to taste

About Lentils and Potatoes.

Photos by L.L. Barkat.

Sadistic Salad?

I was over at Spiritual Birdwatching and she asked what "they" (a major fast-food chain) put on lettuce that makes it smell funny.

I thought this was a great question, worth answering in a post of my own. Or, more accurately, with a post of my own that quotes Carol Alt's Eating in the Raw...

"Salad greens that are soaked in preservatives such as sulfites to keep them crisp and colorful on the salad bar (or even in the produce section of your supermarket) are raw from the standpoint of cooking. But while they appear fresh for a long time, they simply aren't. It's all show.

They have more in common with a well-made-up embalmed veggie corpse than live, organic raw food. They can cause liver toxicity and elicit severe allergic-like reactions in sensitive people...Substances that were formerly foods but have turned into potential museum exhibits simply are not food." (p.53)

Well, there you have it. Kind of a variation on the "white-washed tombs" Jesus talked about.

And now, here's a not-so-sadistic raw salad you might enjoy...


Red Cabbage & Orange Salad



Mix all & serve:

- 1/3 of a red cabbage, thinly sliced
- 1 carrot, shredded
- 1 to 2 oranges, peeled and cut in chunks
- small dash of raw shoyu or soy sauce
- 1/4 tsp kelp powder
- 1/2 tsp dulse flakes
- handful of raisins
- small handful cilantro or mint, chopped
- a few pours olive oil

Photos by L.L. Barkat.

Chameleon

pssst...can you find the squirrel?


Whenever it snows, my older daughter begins telling everybody what to do. "You can't walk here. Only step there." She wants to preserve the pristine look of gently rolling white.

The other day, as I walked to my secret spot, I understood her urgency in this matter. Every step I took felt like a violation. I so wanted an invisible footprint. Similarly, sometimes, when I lie under the pine tree, I imagine what it would be like to melt into the ivy in total camouflage, with my presence creating only negligible impact.

Of course, this is impossible, both in my yard and in the world in general. For instance, as an American, my "footprint" is rather large compared to what the world can support. As I recall from Radical Simplicity, there are about 4.5 acres for each person alive... that's what it takes to support a life. But the average American footprint is 24 acres. In other words, I am far from being a world chameleon. You might say I'm wearing red neon in the forest.

Still, one way I'm learning to live a little lighter is through my food choices. Some of us do other things like drive a gas-economical car. But food's my thing. It's one small way I'm trying to leave a little snow patch pristine, so to speak.

So here's an earth-light recipe. With the king-of-chameleon as its highlight: tofu. Tofu is bland, yes. That's its star quality. Because it melts into the background, it simply absorbs all the other flavors and showcases them. This makes it a great choice for dishes with rich or spicy flavors.




Tofu Joes

Saute in olive oil 'til light brown:

-onion, chopped


Add & saute briefly:

- 2 garlic, minced
- 1 to 1 1/2 TB chili powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin powder
- 1/4 tsp fennel seed
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- optional dash red pepper flakes


Add & simmer about 10 minutes:

- 2 TB shoyu or soy sauce
- 1 package firm or extra firm tofu, mashed
- 1/2 jar of spaghetti sauce
- 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped

Finish:

- pour of olive oil
- salt & pepper to taste
- chopped cilantro

Serve on wheat buns slathered in olive oil (raw olive oil is always good for us!). Add a side of fried potatoes and something green.

About tofu: HIgh in protein, calcium and iron. Can help control cholesterol.

Squirrel Chameleon photo and Tofu Joes photo by L.L. Barkat.

Of Chickpeas & Chickadees

The authors of Redeeming Creation suggest that knowledge is the beginning of committed stewardship. They believe that if we know creation on a "first-name, right-name basis" (recognizing the difference between a chickpea and a chickadee, for instance), we may begin to love it and want to care for it. (p.98)

This reminds me of Jim Merkel's suggestion in Radical Simplicity— to go to the same outdoors secret spot every day for a year, to map the area... learn every plant and animal there... explore the soil...watch the insects...listen to the birds.

In both cases, the idea is to develop a rich and intimate knowledge of the world and its creatures, as a first step to caring.

So maybe you might spend some time outdoors this week (I've been doing this in below-freezing weather and loving it!) And maybe you'll see a chickadee (do they migrate? I don't even know.) In the meantime, I'll take care of bringing you the chickpeas...



Curried Chickpeas

Fry 'til quite brown:
- 1 medium onion

Add & saute quickly:
- a couple of garlic, minced
- about a 1-inch piece of ginger, peeled & minced, or smashed using mortar & pestle
- 3/4 tsp. turmeric
- 1/4 tsp. ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp. curry powder (Shan is a good brand)
- 1/4-1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
- 1/4 tsp. onion seed (Indian name is "calonji")

Add & cook until very thick, like a reduction:

- 1/2 cup diced or pureed tomatoes
- water, about two inches high in pan

Mash above with potato masher, then add & cook about 15-20 min, or 'til thick:

- about 3 or 4 cups canned or cooked chickpeas
- water to cover
- salt & pepper to taste

Finish:
- 1/2 tsp. garam masala
- small handful chopped cilantro
- good pour of olive oil

Serve with sliced cucumbers, yogurt, spicy cabbage, and rice or flatbread.

About Chickpeas: These lovely golden legumes have been shown to lower cholesterol. They contain excellent amounts of protein, fiber, iron (more than any other legume), calcium, and the B vitamins thiamine and niacin.





Spicy Cabbage

Saute 'til soft in small bit of oil:

- 1/4 diced onion


Add & saute 'til limp:

- 1/3 of a green cabbage, chopped
- small sprinkle of mustard seeds

Add & let sit covered a few minutes:

- about 1/3 of a chili pepper, minced (red looks nice, green works though)
- small handful chopped cilantro
- quick pour of olive oil
- about 1 tsp. of sugar
- salt & fresh ground pepper to taste

All photos by L.L. Barkat.

30-Day Meals: Lentil Soup

In a post called Smallness of Scale over on Seedlings, I mentioned that I live with the "boundary" of a 30-day meal plan.

It's quite freeing to do this. I always know what we're eating on any given day. My shopping list is a no-brainer. We eat our favorites again and again, without repeating them too frequently. There's built-in variety, both taste-wise and health-wise. And now I can cook without recipes (after awhile, they become second nature).

Waste is minimized, as meals often use parts of the previous days' meals. For instance, if you double this Lentil Soup recipe today, you can thicken the leftovers tomorrow, add a dash of hot sauce and worcestershire sauce, and use it as a base for Shepherd's Pie. Just add a layer of mashed potatoes, top with a small bit of cheddar, and garnish with olive oil.

The complete meal plan is in the sidebar here on Green Inventions, but the recipes.... well, I need to post some. Others are in the books that are in the Raw and Veggie Book Lists (also in the sidebar).

Here's my first attempt to get the recipes out:

Sausage-Flavored (without the Sausage) Lentil Soup

Saute:
1 good pour olive oil
3 garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
2 sticks celery, diced

Add & saute quickly:
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp fennel seed
1 TB Frontier organic "Bac'uns"

Add & cook 35 min:
2 cups dry brown (green) lentils
1 cup or so tomato puree
water to cover

Add & cook 15 min:
2 potatoes, cut in chunks
2 carrots, sliced

Finish:
good pour soy sauce or liquid aminos
1 TB rice vinegar
salt to taste
fresh ground pepper
pour of olive oil

Cooking times may vary, due to lentil size and age.
Serve with crusty bread. Simple salad. Crisp-fried thin onion slices/mushrooms (makes a great garnish).

About Lentils: These legumes were one of the first crops ever cultivated. At about 18 grams of protein per cup (compared to 15 in a 3 oz. beef patty), lentils hold their own in the health department. They also have an excellent balance of fat and carbohydrates. High in calcium, magnesium, vitamin A, and potassium, they're a great choice for both kids and adults!


Simple Seasonal Salad



I like to buy ingredients in season. They're usually less expensive. After all, who needs to pay $3.50 for a cucumber? (That's the going rate at my local organic produce store.) This salad has escarole, apples, dried cranberries, walnuts, and gorgonzola. Substitute as you like!


Simple Dressing



Delectable food begins with the finest ingredients a cook can find or afford. I like to use these simple ingredients, poured and sprinkled directly over the whole salad, to taste. Olive oil, red wine vinegar, honey, oregano, garlic salt, fresh ground pepper.

Recycle, Reduce, Reuse... Rethink?

Many people who care about creation are into the three R's. Recycle, reduce, reuse. But I find I've had to concentrate on a fourth one... "rethink."

Mostly, I realize that much of my thinking has been molded by advertising and societal views of what is cool, fulfilling, and rewarding. This affects even the simplest areas of life.

Take food, for example. My TV shows a woman using Hamburger Helper (food in a box, which is not good for my family, and is also a source of consumer waste). This woman is smiling because she has made her family happy (so says the commercial). And all this, without stooping to the indignity of creating a meal from scratch (or perhaps wasting "precious" time).

It is a strong message: you can make your family happy without degrading yourself, or without effort.

Is it true? Will food in a box make my family happy and healthy? Have I escaped some kind of drudge work that would suggest I'm less-than-important if I did the work? I'm not saying that I never cook anything out of a box, but I've had to rethink... what is it that truly brings health, happiness, and meaning? Is life really like the commercials say?

If life is not like the commercials say, then maybe convenience is not a primary value, nor effortlessness, nor throwing away the old for the new, nor buying the new to create happiness. And maybe my role in my family is not entertainer, but Guide and Mentor and Nurturer.

Photo by Gail Nadeau. Used with permission.