In the Garden: Laying Down Roots

Did you know that you can grow some veggies from the root ends that we usually discard? In the photo above I have planted garlic, celery and romaine lettuce. Last year I grew ginger this way as well.

After you've used the bulk of the vegetable, bury the root end into the soil. Keep it watered, and wait for the magic.

What can I plant?

You can plant anything that has root ends or eyes. Among these are;

• Lettuce (I used Romaine, but I'm sure you can try other kinds)
• Celery
• Carrots
• Garlic
• Onions
• Ginger
• Potatoes
• Shallots
• Beets
• Rutabagas
• Turnips

Root vegetables need to be completely buried like potatoes and turnips, while the more leafy things like celery or lettuce, only the roots need to be protected by soil.

You can also try planting seeds from other things.

• Stone fruits (Cherries, peaches, apricots...)
• Apples
• Grapes
• Avocados

Experiment and see what will grow for you. Many fruits grow on trees, so you'll want to transplant it to a larger space if starting them in a pot. However, you can find many variety of fruits and veggies that are bred for planter life.

Have you done things like this? What have you planted? Tell me about it.

How To: Make your own Kefir!

*NOTE: I will be adding photos to this post during my next batch, so it won't always be empty.*

These instructions are what I follow. I got them from the farm I buy my raw milk from. There are other instructions to be found on the net. They are all very similar to this. What I like about the instructions from "The Family Cow" farm is that it is very 1, 2, 3 -- very step by step which is how I like it. It's a list. I LOVE LISTS!

What you will need:

• Jar or Crock (We prefer a stoneware crock)
• Real Kefir Grains
• Raw Milk (Preferably from Certified Organic Jersey! :) )
• Cloth or towel
• Colander or strainer (holes should be about 1/16th in diameter)
• Bowl
• Wooden spoon or spatula

To start the process:

1. Place the entire contents of "Kefir Starter Grains" into the crock or jar.
2. Pour 1 quart of milk over grains. (Keep down 1" or so from rim as milk will expand)
3. Cover with a cloth or towel to keep flies/dirt out but still let oxygen in.
4. Let sit at room temperature for 24 hours to culture. Do not set in sunlight.
5. Stir cultured Kefir to break up the thickness to make it easier to strain. Do not be alarmed at the curdled look of the kefir. Curds are a perfectly normal part of cheese, yogurt, and kefir making.
6. Set the colander on top of the bowl and pour the kefir into it. Use the spoon to help the kefir through. Do not rinse the grains after you strain them. In fact, it would be better to leave a few curds with them.
7. Return the grains to the fermentation crock to be ready for the next batch. After several batches, you'll notice that you have more grains than you started with. When you have 1 cup or more, you may start culturing 1/2 a gallon at a time... or, find a friend who wants some kefir grains. *NOTE: I WILL LET YOU KNOW WHEN I HAVE SOME READY FOR THOSE THAT WANT THEM, AS THEY BECOME AVAILABLE*
8. Place the freshly strained Kefir in the refrigerator to chill.
9. Puree your choice of fruit (frozen is best) in a food processor or blender. Then add the chilled kefir along with sugar, maple syrup. (I PREFER HONEY) or other sweetener to suit your taste. It is totally up to you to decide how sweet you like it or what flavors to add. We enjoy banana, peach, strawberry, blueberry, nectarine, orange, apricot or even a blend of several. Your imagination is the limit.

Kefir Smoothie - Honey, Banana and Strawberry. I used the food processor.

(Mothers, try freezing cool pops with Kefir instead of kool-aid. Your children will love them!... or freeze a pan of kefir and then process the frozen Kefir with frozen fruit, and a little extra sugar. (It tastes almost exactly like sherbet.)

To start the next batch: Place the grains in the fermentation jar, refill it with milk and repeat the whole process.

To take a short break from kefir making: Place the grains in a small container, cover with milk, cover container with a paper towel or cloth secured by a rubber band, and refrigerate. The cold temperatures will only allow a very slow fermentation. Important: Change the milk every week so the probiotic bacteria do not starve. The first batch or so will take longer than 24 hours to ferment til the grains get revived from their dormancy.

To take a long break: Rinse the grains with water and lay them on a paper towel to dry. When they are totally dry, place the grains in a container and store in your kitchen cupboard. They have been known to keep up to 2 or 3 years like this. When you are ready to start again, simply place the grains in milk like you would for a normal batch of kefir. The first batch will take longer than 24 hours to ferment til the grains get fully re-hydrated and revived.

To find Kefir grains near you: http://www.torontoadvisors.com/Kefir/kefir-list.php

If you use an antibacterial soap or something like Clorox to wash the container (WHICH IS NOT A GOOD IDEA) you are using for fermenting, be VERY careful to rinse it well as any residuals will KILL the grains. it is actually NOT necessary to wash your fermentation jar every time. The little bit of kefir left on the inside will help start the next batch.

Happy Kefir Making!

Interesting Study: Google "Health/Kefir"

What is it? :: Kefir

What it is?
It is probably one of the most ancient of all cultured milk products. Simply put, it's cultured milk like yogurt or sour cream. Unlike either it is fermented with it's culture. Cow, goat or sheep's milk is used most often. A culture is added, a SCOBY (Symbiotic Cooperation of Bacteria and Yeast), called Kefir Grains. the SCOBY mass looks like grains.

Kefir is made from gelatinous white or yellow particles called “grains.” This makes kefir unique, as no other milk culture forms grains. These grains contain the bacteria/yeast mixture clumped together with casein (milk proteins) and complex sugars. They look like pieces of coral or small clumps of cauliflower and range from the size of a grain of wheat to that of a hazelnut. Some of the grains have been known to grow in large flat sheets that can be big enough to cover your hand!. The grains ferment the milk, incorporating their friendly organisms to create the cultured product. The grains are then removed with a strainer before consumption of the kefir and added to a new batch of milk.

Brief History of Kefir:
The shepherds of the Caucasus Region carried milk in leather pouches. The noticed that it occasionally fermented into something that was carbonated and tasty. They would hang these bags on their doors, and people walking by would knock the bag, keeping the culture and milk well mixed.

The drink is world wide. As populations spread out, the new smaller groups kept their food culture.

According to http://www.kefir.biz/history.htm

"Amongst the people of the northern slopes of the Caucasian Mountains there is a legend that Mohammed gave kefir grains to the Orthodox people and taught them how to make kefir. The 'Grains of the Prophet’ were guarded jealously since it was believed that they would lose their strength if the grains were given away and the secret of how to use them became common knowledge.

Kefir grains were regarded as part of the family's and tribe's wealth and they were passed on from generation to generation.
So, for centuries the people of the northern Caucasus enjoyed this food without sharing it with anyone else they came into contact with.
Other peoples occasionally heard strange tales of this unusual beverage which was said to have ‘magical’ properties. Marco Polo mentioned kefir in the chronicles of his travels in the East."

There is a much more detailed and thorough history on the site mentioned above.

Chock full o stuffFull of minerals, vitamins and amino acids

• Contains partially digested proteins which can be used by the body easier.
• Contains tryptophan, calcium and magnesium -- keeping you calmer, less stressed and your nervous system healthy.
• Has phosphorus to help our bodies use carbs, fat and proteins to make cells & energy, and for body maintenance.
• B12, B1m Vitamin K, Biotin. -- Aids in the utilization of other B Vitamins like folic acid, pantothenic acid as well as B12.
• Aids in kidney, liver and nervous system health, relief from skin disorders, increased energy.
• Easily digestable
• Cleans intestines
• Beneficial bacteria and yeast
• Balanced, Complete, Wholesome, and Nourishing food
• Promotes immune system health
• Has been used in the treatment of a multitude of disorders including AIDS, CFS, depression and ADHD.
• May help relieve digestive problems and make your inner ecosystem healthier.
• May also help to relieve cravings for unhealthy foods like sweets.

Sounds odd, I know. I did to me to. I mean really, fermented milk? GROSS! But really, it's not. Cheese, yogurt, sour cream, butter milk... Those are all cultured milk products that we use every day. People have been making and using kefir in their own homes, long before refrigeration and sanitation standards. Even now, the health benefits have reached the world over, and into the local super market. You can find cultures as well as premade kefir drinks in your dairy section of most grocery or health food stores.

I found powdered culture at my natural food store, and kefired a whole quart! I wasn't sure of it at first. It was unfamiliar. I threw in a tablespoon of honey and let it warm up a bit. It was fizzy and sweet from the honey, tangy like yogurt, and thick like a smoothie. YUM! 

It's only been a week and I can't wait to have my next glass in the morning. I'm not sure if I truly feel a difference to write home about, but it doesn't suck. It's a great thing to have in the morning for the pick me up with your coffee.

By the way, it makes a KILLER smoothie, with some fruit and honey.

References:

http://www.kefir.biz
http://www.kefir.net

Letter to my Readers #2

Good evening, or should I say... morning *yawn* as it's 1:42 am here...

But, I digress...

In this modern day, the term homesteading means more than just growing and making your own cheese. To me my lifestyle, this project and my whole little world is all about doing with what you have, being frugal yet finding joy in the simple things. I also find understanding and learning the classic home arts such as spinning, weaving, cooking, knitting, crochet and the like.

I've always been drawn to Fiber arts and I find that it comes very easy to me to delve into these lost arts. The help me pass my time as well as being able to make a few bucks on the side. With my extra bits I give of my craft to Project Linus and make blankets for children who are ill, who have been traumatized or are in need.

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Whether cooking for only yourself or for others maximizing yield, nutrition and flavor and minimizing spending, especially these days with the economy on the very bottom and the cost of living at a steady increase. With no relief in sight and more and more families and individuals falling on hard times through no fault of their own, learning to make every penny count and stretching it as far as it can go is new to many.

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I'm really just writing down what I'm doing, as I do it. The categories vary depending on what I'm doing that day, or thinking about and researching. Along the way I drop some recipes, how-tos of many types, informational bits, crafting instruction and random letters to you guys.

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I hope you're enjoying what you're seeing so far. I'm always open to your topic suggestions and comments! I consider this a forum for learning, from you as much as from me.

It truly is a journey of love, and passions, all rolled into one cozy little blog ball.

Recipe: Garam Masala

There are hundreds of Garam Masala recipes on the internet and in books. Like most cultures, there is a certain thing that every family has their own recipe for. This is one of those. It's the basic flavoring in Indian cuisine. It literally means warming spice.

This is the recipe that I use, but remember, this merely a guideline. Try it, and once you master this basic one you can start adding yourself into it and make it just they way you like it.

• 4 tbsps coriander seeds
• 1 tbsp cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp black peppercorns
• 1 ½ tsps black cumin seeds (shahjeera)
• 1 ½ tsps dry ginger
• ¾ tsp black cardamom (3-4 large pods approx)
• ¾ tsp cloves
• ¾ tsp cinnamon (2 X 1” pieces)
• ¾ tsp crushed bay leaves

Recipe: Lazy Mattar Paneer

I adore Indian food, and I made Mattar Paneer a few weeks ago. Nothing beats home made anything including my fresh paneer, however, I hadn't had time this week to make any and I had similar bits and bobs in my kitchen but not the "Exact" stuff. So this is what I did.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 large ball of Mozarella (cubed)
• 1/2 C. Basic Pasta Sauce (Ragu Classic works very well)
• 1 Tbsp. Garam Masala (I'll post my recipe for this, but store bought is just fine)
• 1 Tbsp Butter
• 1/4 C. Milk, Cream or Coconut Milk
• 1  bag Frozen Green Peas

Instructions:

1. Melt butter
2. Add peas, stir to coat and to heat through
3. Add sauce, stir.
4. Add Garam Masala, stir.
5. Add Milk, stir.
6. Add cheese, stir until it just starts to melt.
7. Take it off and put into a bowl so the cheese dosen't melt more than it has to.

Notes:

Paneer does not melt. It is a fresh milk cheese, which is similar in flavor to ricotta. So a mild fresh cheese like  Mozz works well, but it can get a bit melty. It's important to take the peas off the heat just as the cheese begins to soften, unless of course that is what you desire, then go melty! Quesco Blano, or Queso Fresco would also be good choices.

Upcycle This: Old Crates

Old packing and apple crates... You'll find them at yard sales, antique places and even on farms. They are versatile and sturdy. I used these crates as planters for my deck at my condo. Line them with landscape fabric, or burlap, or old new papers to fill in the slat spaces and fill them up with your favorite soil mixture. I decided to prop up some of them to give it better drainage.

Turn them on their sides to make stacking shelves. You can even put a piece of plywood or an old door to make a table or desk.

How do you use old crates? Comment below. I love hearing your ideas!