Why do they put thing in our food that is not good for use???

It is good to be informed.

I know I didn't know any of this.

There is a lot to say about organic meat, eggs, milk and cheese if you choice to eat it.

It is actually healthy for you.

Generally most foods are full of growth hormones, antibiotics and other things (you can look this up for yourself, it is informing and interesting).

Myself I'm allergic to antibiotics and they say they travel into our food.  Also growth hormones.  There are numerous studies and information out there mostly what it does to our children but also to all of us long term.

I am not saying to change a thing you're doing, I'm just saying to inform yourself and know there are so many choices out there for you.

If we buy organic the prices go down.  If we buy locally we save so much money and waste and in turn help out in so many other area's.

If we're not informed it is hard to change things, but if we are informed most of us would change the way we eat and shop in a heart beat.  So that is all I'm saying and putting it out there : )


Found this very interesting.

Ractopamine - Approved for use in Canada, ractopamine is a chemical used to make pigs grow more quickly as they approach slaughter. Consequently, levels of the chemical have little time to be processed and can remain at high levels in the eventual product. Ractopamine poses particular danger to those with heart conditions. The product has already been banned by more than 100 countries.(Credit: thekevinchang's Flickr photostream)


I think I came up with a pretty good alternative to a meat patty.  Hope you will try it and tell me if you think it would work for hamburgers or meat balls for spaghetti.  The family seemed to love em.




Meaty Brown Rice Balls

 I found that if I made brown rice and froze it it worked the best for this recipe.  It seemed to soften the rice and appeared a bit more like hamburger or pork.  So if you have left over brown rice freeze it for later use for this recipe.

PUT ALL INGREDIENTS IN A LARGE BOWL

3 cups of thawed brown rice

1 1/2 c of finely diced white onions ( you can use 3 large bunch of green onions for a different taste)

1 cut or 250 ml of ground pecans, or walnuts, or almonds (whatever nut you like)

1/3 soya sauce

1 tablespoon of pepper

STIR AND LET THIS SIT FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES.

4 eggs cracked into the mixture.  Stir in well.  Let sit for another 5 minutes.

Start with 1 cup of whole wheat flour to make a consistency that you can manage to make balls.  Don't use too much or it will be dry.

Let the mixture sit for a few minute and see if it needs more flour.

If it does add a little at a time until desired consistency.

HERE ARE A FEW PICTURE TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA WHAT IT SHOULD LOOK LIKE




so you can see how it should stick to the spoon



THIS IS WHAT IT SHOULD LIKE  (hamburger consistency)

So when your rice paste is the right consistency place 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive in a good heavy frying pan.

Let the oil heat up and then turn down to medium. 

Spoon you mixed into the frying pan.  You and make them rounded for spaghetti and meat balls.  Or you can use more paste and squeeze them down a bit to make more like a hamburger or in just a oval ball to eat with potatoes and mashed potato's and mushroom gravy.

Cook about 2 minutes a side.  Watch careful to adjust your heat.  You can keep turning them until they are the colour you like.

For spaghetti you can cool then down and throw them into the sauce when it is ready.  Don't over cook the balls as they are already cooked... just heat them up.

For Hamburgers use them right away on FRESH whole wheat hamburger buns with slices of avocado, tomatoes, lettuce and whatever pleases you ....

Here are a few pictures to display how good it looks.

EAT AND ENJOY!!

COOKED KALE!

I find kale a nice deviation from spinach.  It is a collard green (this means it is in the cabbage family)  It has so many health benefits that you should try to eat it regularly.

I hope someone will try this and tell me what they think.

It lowers cholesterol, it produces bile that helps digest food more easily (when it is steamed or boiled).
There have been many studies on the benefits of Kale all the way from prevention of certain cancers as the following: bladder,breast, colon, ovary and prostrate. (please look up the information for yourself and in many different places so you are informed by your own investigating)

A suggestion of eating kale 3 times a week at about 1 1/2 cups will help on many levels of health.  Please research for yourself.

I like to slow boil mine for about 10-15 minutes as I like it tender.  Keep the lid of the pot to keep its beautiful green colour.

I drain it well (I save the broth and freeze it for my soups I make) and eat it simply with a meal as my vegetable.  I use becel proactiv spread on mine which I love.

                                                                  SIMPLY KALE


cooked kale with Becel Proactiv spread

1.  buy a healthy strong bunch of kale... not limp.

2.  wash thoroughly

3.  cut the kale off the stocks ( I use a paring knife and cut the kale of the stock) and cut into bite size pieces.
     I enjoy my chunky!

4.  fill a big pot with water and boil

5.  put the kale in the boiling water, turn down to a gentle simmering boil for about 10-15 mins

6.  drain very well ( I leave my in a strainer in the sink and squeeze it down with the flat of a wooden spoon)

7.  place into a bowl with Becel Proactiv

EAT AND ENJOY

VEGGIE KALE SOUP with SWEET POTATO FLORETS (it may not look yummy BUT IT IS!)

SWEET POTATO FLORETS


Boil 2 white or red sweet potatoes
when hot mash up with real butter to make a thicker paste
Put potatoes into a pastry bag and make them pretty
press right on to a lightly greased cookie sheet
Put into a preheated oven for about 3 mins
Then broil until golden (about 2 min... keep your eyes on them the whole time as they will burn )

 

Veggie Kale soup with sweet potato floret

and cottage cheese sauce

2 liters of organic vegetable broth (pour into big stock pot)

                                    3 carrots coarsely chopped

                                    2 parsnips coarsely chopped

                                    2 onions coarsely chopped

                                    1 large leek coarsely chopped

                                    2 med potatoes chopped

                                    3 bay leaves

                                    salt and pepper to taste

Cook soup for about 3 hours... a slow simmer.  Cool right down.

1 large bunch of Kale (cut kale off stocks and toss stalks into compost)

Bring a big pot of water to a boil insert kale and boil for about 5 min (do not

put a lid on the kale as it will lose it's pretty colour)

    Drain

When the soup is cooled put a safe amount into the blended with the kale.  I do about 3/4 full.  Blend on low for a few seconds at a time.  You want it still a bit chunky not smooth.  Although I have tried it this way and found it to be quite palatable but I prefer it a bit chunky.

Continue this process until all your soup and kale are blended.

Replace into soup pot and bring to a hot simmer.  Simmer hot for about 15 mins.  Turn off heat source and let sit for about 5 minutes.

                                  Serve up in bowls  EAT AND ENJOY. 

                      I like sweet potato florets with some cottage cheese sauce. 

                                  

                                                                    

1 HOUR VEGGIE SOUP

You can eat this soup after an hour of cooking or you can leave it on for hours for a fuller bodied soup.

1 HOUR VEGGIE SOUP

THROW INTO A LARGE STOCK POT

2  1 litre cartons of organic vegetable stock
2  large potatoes peeled (cut each  into 8 pieces)
2  leaks (that have been cleaned) cut into 1 inch pieces  (remember only the light green and white)
3 large carrots cut into large pieces
3 large parsnips cut into large pieces
3 bay leafs   left whole

Bring to a boil then turn down to a hot simmer (just before boiling). Cover but leave enough open to let steam out.  Stir occasionally.

IN ONE HOUR  EAT AND ENJOY.  Or let light simmer for hours for a hearty broth soup.

Fried Zucchini with apples and onions

This is a comfort food.  Really hits the spot when youre craving sweet.

FRIED ZUCCINNI WITH APPLES AND ONIONS.

3 small zucchini's
1 med apple
1 small onion

Slice all ingredients thinly.
Coat frying pan with olive oil.
Heat pan to medium.
Fry the onions until transparent then throw in the apples and finally the zucchini.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

                          Cook all together for about 3 mins or more if you like.
                                             EAT AND ENJOY.

Veggiedellers (FANTASTIC)

I love the Danish dish 'Frikadeller and I thought: how can I make this vegetarian??? 

                         SO HERE IT IS and it is fantastic if I do say so myself  : )

VEGGIEDELLERS

3 cups of cooked red lentils
1 cup of very fine chopped onions
3 cloves garlic (minced)
2 eggs slightly beaten (you can leave out the eggs if you like but will make it a harder meatball)
1/4 c milk or soy milk or rice milk  (whatever you prefer)
1/2 c whole grain flour (add more if needed, the mixture has to be pasty)
   ( I will try to explain pasty: you use a tablespoon to scoop up the mixture to make a soft meatball to  be
      placed in a frying pan)
2 teaspoons of salt
1 teaspoon of pepper

Let the mixture rest in the fridge for about 10 mins...more if you have the time.

Put extra virgin Olive Oil in a frying pan.  Heat to hot.  Now use your tablespoon and make the meatballs.  You do this by forming the meatball (which is pasty remember) along the inside of the bowl that has your mixture in it.  Drop into the frying pan.  Continue doing until your pan is full.

LOWER your heat a little and cook about 3 minutes on each side.

EAT RIGHT AWAY   soooo goood.   You can make a mushroom gravy for this with mashed potatoes  or any other dipping sauce you like.

side effect

Down 5 pounds.

Veggie Patties

                                               YUMMY VEGGIE PATTIES

These are so good... tried them on the family and they seemed to love them.  Hope you love them too...  Can't wait to read your comments on them.

I always have cooked brown rice on hand and if you have red cooked lentils on hand this makes the recipe very fast and easy to do.

YUMMY VEGGIE PATTY

 1/2 cup of finely chopped onion   
1 cup finely chopped mushroom
1 1/2 cup cooked lentils               
3/4 cups cooked brown rice       
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds               
                                    2 slices of whole wheat bread crumbs (can be fresh)
   2 eggs slightly beaten                      
                         1/4 whole grain flour to hold mixture together 
                                                  (add a little at a time just till mixture sticks together)
                                          1 tablespoon or to taste MONTREAL CHICKEN SPICE
                                         (use what ever you like bar b cue, chili, Cajun)

Put all the ingredients in a large bowl mix thoroughly.  Let sit for about 10 minutes to let flavours mingle.
Heat a large frying pan with Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Form mixture into fair sized patties (like a burger patty)
Place them in the hot frying pan, turn down to medium heat.
Turn after 5 minutes, repeat on other side.
Keep checking to make sure they are not burning.  Adjust heat accordingly.

                                         ENJOY!!

A look at my pot garden : ) veggies on my deck in pots.

GIANT GREEN PEPPERS, TINY TIM TOMATOES, SQUASH

giant green peppers

This makes cooking clean a lot nicer, having your own ingredients!  Next year more pots and definitely a herb garden.

TINY TIM TOMATOES

recipe

LETTUCE AND BLUEBERRY AVOCADO SALAD

LETTUCE AND BLUEBERRY AVOCADO SALAD

3 cups red butter lettuce and spinach
1 ripe avocado diced
1 small sweet red onion sliced very thin (u can marinade this in evoo and balsamic vinegar and honey if you like)
2 cups of blueberries

Pile lettuce on top put the rest of the ingredients.  Sprinkle with  raw sunflower seeds.

DRESSING (RED WINE BALSAMIC REDUCTION)

1/2 cup EVOO
Zest of one lemon
1 Lemon squeezed
3 cloves of garlic
1/4 cup (or more, to your taste) balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup dry red wine
3 tablespoons of liquid honey
Reduce over heat to thicken (about 20 mins)

Sprinkle dressing (start with 1/4 of the recipe, add to your liking)
Let stand for a few minutes
Toss and enjoy!

recipes.

Here is a couple of new recipes I have made.  I think they are great.  Try them and let me know.

I use as much organically and locally grown fruit and veggies as I can.

avocado raisin and tomato salad

Avocado Raisin and Tomato Salad

1 ripe avocado
5 cherry tomatoes halved
1/4 c organic thompson raisin
1/4 c of slivered almonds

Arrange on a plate.

Dressing
Juice of one lemon
1/4  c Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2T of liquid honey or maple syrup
3 slivered green onions
2 cloves of garlic minced
salt and pepper to taste

Chill before serving.

YUMMY....  I love the salty sweet of this combo.  If you find something that will make it even more interesting share!