Wild at Heart Farmgirl: The Harvest...

Granola

I got this recipe years ago from a dear friend...It's much better for you than supermarket cereal!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Toast in oven for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes:
18 cups THICK ROLLED OATS (health food store

On low burner heat:
2 cups honey
2 cups olive oil
3 tsp. vanilla

Add honey mixture and the following ingredients to oats:
2 cups chopped almonds
2 cups walnuts or pecans
2 cups coconut
2 cups wheat germ
2 cups powdered milk

Stir until thoroughly coated and bake 15 minutes again stirring every 5 minutes until granola is lightly browned.
Let cool slightly and fill into two gallon jars. Freeze while slightly warm.

Note: Toasting the nuts and coconut makes it really yummy.

Add raisens, craisens or dried fruit AFTER it's been baked.

Another note: I buy my oatmeal from Nature's Touch Food Coop in bulk. It's excellant organic thick rolled oats from the Pacific Northwest and I would be glad to order some for you or split a bag.

A Mary Jane Day...

Today was definately a "Mary Jane Day". After putting on a pot of beans, myself and my long time friend took a long hike in the back forty, walked through my disasterous garden talking pruning and studying greenhouse locations, fluffed the wormbin, talked winter greens and off she went with a couple of loafs of sourdough bread.

Not long after, she called reminding me the local berry farm was offering to sell their dormant plants for $1.oo a piece if you wanted to spend the time to dig them up! Down to the berry farm we went and together dug up 40 olallieberry vines (how do you spell that)...The almond trees and mustard were blooming, the sky was full of clouds and trying to rain and the earth just smelled so sweet. It was a good day.

Eating Healthier...

Several of you have expressed a desire to eat healthier but say they are not quite sure how to begin. Here's some ideas to get started. I am not the expert...I used to live on a diet of Pepsi and Taco Bell...seriously!!! If you begin by making the following changes it will make huge improvements in your health. Start by substituting empty processed ingredients for whole nutritious food.... and yes.... cook from scratch!
...whole wheat (or other grains) flour for white flour...
...brown rice for white rice...
...raw honey, turbinado, or brown sugar for white sugar ...
...homemade granola, oat groats or quinoa for boxed cereals...
...sprouted or whole grain breads or REAL sourdough for bread... (someday grind your own flour)...
...Costco refrigerated uncooked tortillas for store bought (Ever looked at all the words you can't spell on the back of a pack of tortillas???)

Home cooked legumes & beans instead of in a can...

Healthy fats (olive, coconut, grapeseed) for hydrogenated fats...
Iced herbal teas or water for sodas (especially avoid diet sodas)

Salads with torn baby greens (swiss chard, kale, turnip & beet greens, mustards, bok choy, broccolli raab or rapini, cabbage etc. for lettuces...

Throw on some edible flowers like nastursiums, violets & calendula and your have a delicious vitamen enriched salad.

Always choose fresh local fruits & vegies whenever possible...

In other words...eat REAL FOOD!

...Shut Eye Pass Lookout Tower

Recently we hiked up to the top of the world... a lookout tower on top of the Sierra Nevada mountains. We had been camping in the Sierra's at Mammoth Pools... a family tradition. My son-in-law trucked us back into the mountains for miles and miles... packed my granddaughter in her backpack...stuffed some Cliff Bars into my rugged little grandson's pocket and off we went... we climbed up that crazy slippery mountain and finally made it to the top. After exploring the lookout we sat down on the top of the world to eat our lunch.

Ready for Soup!

Last year I started dehydrating my garden surplus... zucchini, yellow squash, red peppers, celery, cherry tomatoes, whatever there was...I'd sprinkle them with garlic powder and sea salt, sometimes herb seasoning and maybe even a little parmesan cheese. When they were done I'd throw them all in the same glass jar. In the winter I'd just grab a couple handfuls and throw them into a big pot of soup! Delicious and really easy!!! Great way to use up the garden surplus... or food in the refrigerator you can't use fast enough!

Artisian Sourdough Bread Making...

Sourdough bread is the best but it sure can be a challenge starting a "mother" from scratch. Inspired by an article in a past issue of "Mary Jane's Farm", I started my own "true sourdough" with bread and water only and it has taken me on quite a scientific journey. (I think I must have flunked science)

My biggest lesson was learning not to use water from the tap...chlorine will kill the good for you bacteria in the starter, so unless you have well water you may have to buy spring or distilled water! The other lesson was to be using 100% organic flour, what does that say about the flour we purchase from the store shelves. If there's not enough good things in it it won't make sourdough.

I would be glad to share some to get you going on your own. And... if you are wheat intolerant or simply want to cut down on the amount of wheat in your diet you can substitute spelt or other grains for the wheat! To learn more you can go to http://www.breadthemaryjaneway.blogspot.com/

..with a Rodeo...

While the girls were riding through the riverbed from Atascadero to Templeton as part of the Toys for Tots ride, the rest of us decided to take the little ones on a hike through the riverbed "exploring". We ended up stumbling upon a thrown rider who probably was suffering from a concussion.... the men in our family being firefighters crawled up the steep bank to help the lady out and called 911. My hubby attempted to calm the horse down but had very little success.... in fact... I think I saw him airborne a couple times! It was quite the rodeo!

The Adventurers...

Nicknamed "Intrepid Explorer , my son cannot seem to get enough adventure. Enter into our lives, my son-in-law. Now there are two of them. I guess that's a blessing.

From solo motorcycle trips to Alaska, remote back country of Death Valley, remote back country of Big Sur, remote backcountry of Pozo, actually....remote back country of wherever he goes...Rather than sound redundant, just know that it is always in the remote back country. So...thank you son-in-law for sharing his passion and at least accompanying him part of the time.

Their favorite seems to be Death Valley... out in the middle of no-where. Oh...and did I mention these adventures all take place on some type of motorcycle or dirt bike? In all types of weather...rain AND snow. My hair is graying.

Needless to say I have spent many nights trusting for their protection. Sometimes they are lucky to have made it home. "Thank you Lord for the gift that is in them but always bring them home safe."

Mama's Chicken Soup...

Chicken in a pot with enough water to cover it well

2 cups celery & leaves

2 cups onions

2 cups carrots

2 tsp. sea salt or real salt

2 bay leaves

2 cups greens (kale, chard, collard greens, etc.) - optional

2 cups okra sliced thin, dried or frozen - optional

1 cup noodles or rice - optional

2 Tbsp. chicken broth seasoning

1 tsp. thyme (dried) - if using fresh use more

1/2 tsp. black pepper

Wash chicken well adding all ingredients except optional items and cook slowly until chicken is tender (about 2 hours). Remove chicken and debone. Put 1/2 chicken back into pot and use for rest for something else or leave it all in.

Add any of the optional ingredients you like. It's delicious with all of them but pay attention to the amount of broth you have going as you want a good ratio of vegies to broth!

Best Ever Salsa...

Can't take credit for it..... given to me by Julie Tarango a long time ago.... it's EAST and simply the best ever...

1 diced large red onion

1/2 bunch cilantro

3 - 4 14 oz. cans diced tomatoes

8 - 10 Herdez canned jalapeno peppers

Garlic Powder, salt & pepper

The canned tomatoes keep the flavor better.... I like to use the ones with diced green chili's if I have them.... I use the Herdez jalapenos with carrots and include the carrots too... you can whisk it in a blender for smaller consistency. It's easy to make when your camping! And you can make it in the winter! (I hate store bought tomatoes) Thanks Julie!

Wild at Heart Farmgirl

Monday, February 6, 2012

The Harvest...

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