We’re going to garden this year!

We’ve just decided to stay where we are, and to put in a reasonably-sized garden for our produce needs. After reading up on what pesticides do to one’s body, and how incredibly not nutritious non-organic foods are, I’m looking into organic seeds, companion planting, and plants to attract beneficial insects like ladybugs and parasitic wasps. Just to give you an idea, non-organic spinach not only has pesticides and herbicides and synthetic fertilizers, but it contains less than ten grams of iron per serving, while organic spinach is free of all those immune-system damaging chemicals and has over two hundred grams of iron per serving. So . . . it’s not just that organic is chemical free, it’s full of the minerals and other nutrients that our Father in Heaven put there for us to fuel our bodies.

Traditionally (non-organically) farmed crops are grown on soil which is used in a rather hydroponic manner. It’s a place for the plants to anchor themselves, and take up water. Other than that, and possibly an annual plowing in of stubble from that year’s crop, not much attention is paid to it. Organically grown crops are grown in soil that is tended, amended, and fed. Organic matter is added in large amounts to ensure bountiful crops, which in turn assures high nutritive content foods.

I had an interesting experience last Saturday. I went to a church meeting for the women in my congregation, which included a lunch provided by the church. The meetings were wonderful, with a tremendous speaker who shared his expertise and experience as a Christian family counselor who works with LDS Family Services. I was ravenous by the time the meetings were over, having had little breakfast. I had the forethought to bring my supplements with me, and dutifully took them with my meal. It was a well-balanced and reasonably healthy meal, by American standards. (Roast beef, a white rice casserole with mushrooms, dinner rolls and green salad.) I managed to get a good helping of a beautiful green salad with mixed lettuces and dried friut and nuts, topped with poppy seed dressing. The strange thing was, even after I had eaten to the point that my stomach was feeling quite full, my hunger wasn’t abated. When I reached home, with my stomach still reasonably full, all I wanted was a tall green drink . . . or maybe six. I knew I had eaten plenty of calories, but the nutrition just wasn’t there. We occasionally eat meat from a local butcher shop who raises their own grass-fed chemical-free herd, but I haven’t had write rice in months . . . and I buy organic salad greens whenever I can.

Now I’ll be sure to buy even more organics . . . I’ll end up buying less, and eating less, that way!

Oh, but back to gardening–it’s much cheaper than buying organic, and I can’t wait to see what I can coax out of the two dumptruck loads of beautiful black soil that we had delivered late last summer.

And now, I’m off to check on dinner.
Grow on!

 

Three Summertime Dinners

In token of my usually-favorite job as Mom, here are a few new-to-me, easy, healthy dinners for anyonne who cares. )

Thai Scallops

1/4 pkg. Thai Kitchen red curry paste
1 can coconut milk
1 can navy beans, drained
3 med. potatoes, cubed
1 zucchini, sliced (quarter it first if it’s huge)
1 yellow squash, sliced
6 large, dry-packed scallops (chemical free, and the BEST tasting)

In a wide, shallow saucepan, (or a deep 10″ skillet), soften & whisk curry paste in a little coconut milk over medium heat. Add remaining coconut milk and whisk together.

Add navy beans and mash well.

Add potatoes and simmer ’til mostly done.

Add scallops and simmer ’til cooked through. (If the scallops are still frozen when you reach this point, it doesn’t really matter. Just toss ‘em in, and cook them slowly until done. I usually cut them in half partway through cooking when I put them in frozen, to make sure they’re not raw inside.)

Add zucchini and squash and cook until tender.

Serve over egg noodles or your favorite rice (both brown basmati or Jasmine rice work wonderfully). A side dish of Korean Bean Sprouts or Japanese cucumbers (the kind they serve with miso) is good with this.

Source: Andalee’s own.

Cajun Popcorn

2 T. butter
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/4 t. thyme
1/4 t. black pepper
1/2 t. hot pepper sauce
Popped popcorn — at least two quarts. (The more popcorn you use, the milder this will be.)

Combine all seasonings except hot sauce in a sauce pan and heat gently until butter is melted and the herbs have infused. Add hot sauce, and drizzle over popped corn. Toss to coat.

My note: I’m going to try to find a hot sauce made with raw apple cider vinegar–or one with very little vinegar. I tried this with Cholula hot sauce, and the distilled vinegar taste was way too strong for me. You could also try substituting a scant 1/4 or 1/8 teaspoon cayenne powder for the hot sauce if you want to avoid the vinegar all together. Just watch out–you’ll get some really hot corn that way! Oh, and the butter is important–it keeps the hot sauce from making the popcorn soggy. Don’t skimp on it. )

Serve with your favorite fruit smoothie for an easy (and fast!) summertime meal.

Source: Adapted from the Cajun Popcorn recipe found at www.pepperfool.com

Black Bean & Pineapple Quesadillas

1 can black beans, rinsed & drained
8 oz. crushed pineapple
6 T. salsa (drained, if necessary)
2-3 T. chopped fresh cilantro (You can use 1-2 T. dry, but it doesn’t taste as good.)
8, eight inch tortillas
1 cup shredded cheese (or more, if you feel like it–I always use more)

Combine first four ingredients, and mix well. (A bowl usually helps. ) Spread about 1/2 cup of the black bean mixture on each of four tortillas, and top with 1/4 c. cheese. Top with another tortilla.

Heat in a toaster oven until cheese melts, or cook over med-high heat for 1-2 minutes on each side until the cheese gives up.

Cut each into six pieces (or do like we do, and just pick them up in one piece and go for it).

Source: Adapted from www.Dole.com