Rolled Oats for fall

One of the things I missed the most when I went gluten free was hot oatmeal. Ever since I tried these Uncontaminated Rolled oats without any obvious symptoms, I have been loving my hot morning cereal! Today I added a bit of coconut, some milled flax seeds, dried cranberries, a touch of agave syrup (for sweetening) and some fresh blueberries from my trip to the farmers market. I cooked my rolled oats according to the package directions, added the cranberries in the last minute and then poured them in a bowl and mixed them with the flax and coconut. A little almond milk on top and I have tons of energy for the day!

Pad Thai -alicious

Another Cooks Illustrated recipe! it's delicious. I highly recommend the website and the magazine. We have been fans for years. Since I am gluten free I was unable to add some chopped Thai salted preserved radish as every brand I could find had soy sauce in it (most soy sauce contains gluten). We happen to live in a city with excellent Asian food markets. If you don't, you could probably order the unusual items on line and then make it once they arrived.



Ingredients:

2 Tbsp Tamarind paste or Tamarind concentrate
3/4 cup boiling water
3 Tbsp gluten free fish sauce
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
3 Tbsp sucanat (or sugar if you can't find sucanat)
3/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
4 Tbsp. peanut oil
8 ounces dried rice stick noodles
2 large eggs
1/4 tsp. salt
12 ounces medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 cloves garlic, minced fine
1 med. shallot, minced fine
2 Tbsp dried shrimp, chopped fine
6 Tbsp chopped roasted unsalted peanuts
3 cups bean sprouts
5 medium green onions, green part only, sliced thin
fresh cilantro leaves for garnish
lime wedges for serving

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, add boiling water to the Tamarind paste or concentrate. (if you have dry paste with seeds and fiber you will want to press it through a fine strainer once you have re hydrated it. Our Tamarind paste was packed in water and already strained). Stir in Fish sauce, rice vinegar, sucanat, cayenne pepper and 2 Tbsp oil. set aside.

2. Cover Rice sticks with hot tap water in a large bowl, soak until softened, pliable and limp but not yet fully tender. (20 minutes). Drain noodles and set aside. Beat the eggs and 1/8 tsp. salt in a small bowl and set aside.

3. Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat until just starting to smoke (2 minutes). Add the shrimp and sprinkle with remaining salt, cook tossing once in a while, until shrimp are opaque and slightly browned on edges (3 minutes), transfer to plate and set aside.

4. While skillet is off heat, add the remaining oil to the skillet & swirl to coat. add garlic, & diced shallot, set skillet over med. heat and cook for 1 1/2 minutes, add eggs to the skillet and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until just scrambled (20 seconds). Add noodles & dried shrimp to eggs, toss to combine. Pour the fish sauce/Tamarind mixture over the noodles, increase heat to high and cook, tossing occasionally until noodles are coated. Add the peanuts, bean sprouts and most of the green onions and the shrimp to the skillet. Cook, tossing frequently until the noodles are tender.

Serve with cilantro and lime wedges as well as a little garnish of green onion and peanuts.

delicious!

for a feast, serve with coconut rice

and green curry

Friday Brain Dump...

ok...there is too much flying around in my head.  I have started too many projects and my sewing room is just a mess.  That said...I did finish one bag today and promptly fell in love with it.  It is Laurel Burch "Felines" with Moda Marbles accent and lining.  

But (brilliant creative thought) I did all the topstitching with variegated thread thinking it would pick up all the great colors in the fabric.  It looks  rather weird to me today.  I need to take a fresh look tomorrow.


Here is the bag....I really want to keep it.  I had just enough fabric left over to do a thingie with it and found I had an old fabric covered button in my box and I got Garth to take it apart  so I could re-use, recycle and up-cycle it!

 
Moving along....today I made hot dog and hamburger buns (thanks EJ).  I have been making bread for years, but it  never occurred to me to go beyond the gooshy-gummy ones from the store.  We don't eat beef, so our soy-mushroom burger will be very happy bedding down in a homemade bun.

I need to get my fall quilt bound and on the bed before long.  This is the most beautiful ufo I have. 


I made the blocks for this quilt a year ago at our annual retreat in Truckee.  Now, it is together, quilted and ready to for me to bind it.  Only took a year to pull it together!  


We are leaving on Monday morning for this year's retreat.  Kay cannot come, so there will be Elly, Irene, Susan, Carol and me....makes five post-menopausal women having a sleep over for four days!  That kind of fun will keep us young. 

Crabmeat Mousseline for Sole: 9.25.09

2 lbs scallops
4 eggs
2 1/2 oz chervil
1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp salt
2 cups cream
2 lbs crabmeat
fresh ground white pepper to taste

- in food processor puree scallops, eggs, chervil & salt
- with machine running drizzle in cream until fully incorporated
- remove to a mixing bowl and fold in crabmeat
- cook a small amount and taste; season with white pepper
- set aside to chill at least one hour

Lobster Butter for Hollandaise: 9.25.09

15 ea lobster bodies, carapaces removed and discarded, bodies chopped
4 oz oil
8 oz tawny port
6 oz cognac
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp salt
2 pods star anise
8 lbs plugra

- in a heavy saucepan lightly brown the lobster bodies in the oil over medium high heat
- turn off heat and add port, cognac and tomato paste; deglaze and stir thoroughly
- add remaining ingredients; turn heat to low and allow to steep 2 hours; strain

Nachos for dinner!

My husband "Kencent" was reading Cooks Illustrated again. There was a story called Nachos Done Right, he HAD to have nachos! I happily went along. I bought myself some lactose free mozzarella to use. It might still be too much dairy (my tummy will hurt) but what the heck, you only live once.
Here is the recipe with our changes-

spicy beef topping- (replace this part with heated refried black beans if you are vegetarian)

2 tsp. cold pressed canola oil
1 small onion, chopped fine
1 large garlic clove , minced
1 Tbsp chili powder
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. coriander
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 pound lean, grass fed ground beef

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a med. skillet over med heat until hot, add onion and cook until softened, stirring occasionally. Add garlic, spices and salt, cook, stirring constantly for a minute. Add ground beef and break up with wooden spoon, stirring until beef is no longer pink (5 minutes or so). take off heat and set aside



Cheesy Nachos with Guacamole, salsa and spicy beef

1/2 bag of quality white corn tortilla chips
150 grams of lactose free, organic mozzarella cheese
2 jalapeño chiles, sliced thin
2 green onions, sliced thin
1 recipe fresh guacamole- (see below)
1 recipe quick salsa- (see below)

Directions:

1. preheat oven to 400°

2. Spread the chips in an even layer on tin foil layered on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle evenly with cheese, beef and the jalapeño peppers. Bake for 7-10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted. Remove from oven and sprinkle with green onions. Serve with salsa and guacamole- (see below)

Guacamole

Ingredients:
2 small ripe avocados
1 Tbsp minced red onion
1 garlic clove, minced fine
1/2 jalapeño chile, minced
2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped fine
salt to taste
1/2 lime, juice of

Directions for guacamole-

1. Halve 1 avocado, remove pit and scoop the flesh into a medium bowl. mash (don't decimate) to combine with onion, salt, garlic, jalapeño, cilantro and salt.

2. Halve the remaining avocado and remove pit, scoop out flesh and dice into fine cubes. add to mashed avocado mixture, sprinkle with lime juice and lightly combine with fork. don't mush it all up! salt to taste.


Salsa-

Ingredients:

1/2 jalapeño chile minced fine
1/4 red onion, peeled, and minced very fine (as if you were a human food processor let's say)
1 clove garlic, minced very fine
2 Tbsp cilantro, chopped fine
salt, to taste
fresh ground pepper, to taste
1/2 lime, juice of
2 small ripe tomatoes, chopped very fine, (try to keep the juice that comes out of them as well.)

Directions for salsa-

1. Stir to combine all finely chopped ingredients, add the lime juice and season to taste.

Golden Raisins for Sole: 9.25.09

1 qt golden raisins
1 1/2 cups turbinado sugar
1/2 cup dry mustard
1 tsp turmeric
2 qts water
1 cup amontillado sherry

- combine all ingredients in a heavy saucepan
- bring to a boil and simmer ten minutes, whisking to dissolve dry ingredients
- chill overnight

Milled Fresh Tomatoes for Crabcake: 9.25.09

Pio Angelini's tomatoes as needed, peeled, seeded & chopped
salt as needed
sugar as needed
olive oil as needed
xanthan gum as needed

- 1 day in advance, season tomatoes liberally with salt and conservatively with sugar, tossing to coat; set aside 4 hours
- per 1 qt chopped tomatoes, toss with 3/4 cup olive oil; set aside overnight
- thoroughly pass through food mill and remove to double boiler
- heat to 115 degrees and gently whisk in 1/4 tsp xanthan gum per 1 qt puree
- remove from heat and chill

Salsa Verde for Celery Salad: Crabcake 9.25.09

2 cups firmly packed parsley leaves, minced
3/4 cup packed mix of chervil, tarragon & chives, minced
4 Tbsp rinsed capers, minced
1/4 cup minced shallot
2 Tbsp microplaned lemon zest
4 anchovies, rinsed and minced
1 Tbsp dijon mustard
salt and pepper
2 cups olive oil
2 tbsp red vine winegar

- thoroughly combine all ingredients

I Heart Flikr

A friend sends me an email saying :  "That is a great picture of the Halloween Wristlet on your Blog.  Nothing new to read though." 

Well...I beg to differ.....There I was over on the my Flikr site and found a way to get things onto my blog from from there.  No dragging photos, no retyping, no cut 'n paste.  That was a very cool event for me!  

Speaking of my Flikr Site (see shameless link above), I have received two sales from people who were on flikr, saw my work, then tracked it down and now it is theirs.  

I heard from Renee....

"I want..I want...how do i get this?! i don't see this on your esty site... i love dia de los muertos stuff and this is super awesome with the purple inside too! love these both!"

Then just now...the Beez Pleez bag sold.  I am awsome sorry to wrap it up and mail it off, but the buyer will love it just like I did.  I came 'this close' to claiming it for my own.  Then the email comes....


 "I totally just zipped to your etsy shop and snagged this!! I am soooo excited!! I make handbags but this is excellent and so worth the price! Job well done. :))"

And whaddya know, one gift for Renee and one sale to a cool lady in Georgia whose blog I am now following.  Until recently I never got the power of flikr.....It is easy to use and fun to belong to their groups.  Linda from Fabric Place found the same bag and sent a complimentary email (that bag was made with her fabric). 

I can upload pictures of my work and see other people's efforts. 

I have also listed some of my bags and wristlets on  ArtFire .  

eeek!...as we speak I just sold another Day of the Dead wristlet to a gal in Rochester, New York.  I wonder what the chances are of ladies in Los Angeles and Rochester ending up dancing in the same bar showing off their wristlets.   There is one more left....do you hear me Alaska? 

 

Halloween Wristlet!

Halloween Wristlet!,
originally uploaded by SquareBag.

Hey...hello.....here I am .....over on my flickr site adding some pictures and found a thingie that says "blog this." I clicked it and whadda you know I can enter info on my blog from other places. Stand back...you will never know where I am coming from next.

By the way, I am making a selection of Haloween and Day of the Dead wristlets for those parties you all will be atending.

I forgot what I was going to say....

Let me put it this way:  I just sat down to blog about the exciting event of the day when Garth stomps by on the way to basement for the second time.  Seems that the first time he went down, he got there and forgot why he was there.  Now he has to go back for whatever important item wasn't sticking in his brain.

Sooooo, I set off to type...and ....you know what happened don't you?  Of course you do!  Swiss cheese brain!  I have no idea what I was going to say.  

I just remembered what it was......

My shop on etsy (this is a link...) is not getting the hits I want.  Four sales in about 30 days?  Ichhh!  Appparently that is not bad since I don't have a following yet and didn't know one end from the other about selling online. Since I just discovered there are 174,867 sellers each one with a shopfull of goodies...I surely do feel insignificant.  I have decided to open a second shop over at ArtFire and have listed a few items there...shop has same name The Square Bag Shoppe.

The key to success is making Google notice you.  There are complicated and techy xls to upload as txt with keywords and tags to get my shop to come up when someone searches for "handmade bags" "wristlets" "shoulder bags", etc.   There are 135,959 bags for sale!  My shop accounts for 14 of them. Good grief, I can't even find myself! So!  I am getting an education.  Etsy and various other friendly folk in the blogosphere,  have suggestions on how to get traffic to your online store.  There is a a fellow who has a tutorial on how to get your items listed on Google via rss feed (whatever that is).  That is today's project....get educated.  I may not be able to remember stuff, but I am not too old to learn.

Vegetable Quiche with Sweet Potato & Goats Milk Yogurt

Ingredients:

For Crust

1 cup sweet potato, peeled and grated
1 1/2 cup, carrots, peeled and grated
1 cup zucchini, peeled and grated
3 cups butternut squash, grated (flesh only)
1 tsp. salt
4 Tbsp butter, melted
3/4 cup almond flour

For Filling

1 cup yellow onion, chopped
4 cups fresh button mushrooms, sliced
3-4 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 Tbsp fresh oregano, chopped
1/2 Tbsp fresh marjoram, chopped
1 Tbsp fresh chives, chopped
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
8 free run eggs, beaten
1/2 avocado
1 cup organic goats milk yogurt
paprika for garnish

Directions:

1. For the crust, peel and grate the sweet potato, carrots, zucchini and squash and place in colander set on top of a bowl. Sprinkle with salt and let sit for at least 10 minutes to drain. Press out any extra moisture and transfer to a large bowl. Add the almond flour, butter and a bit more salt, mix well. Transfer to 2 buttered ceramic quiche bake ware or glass pie pans, and press crust onto the bottom and sides of pans.

2. Preheat oven to 375

3. For the filling. Heat 3-4 Tbsp butter in a large skillet, sauté the onion and mushrooms with the herbs and until tender. Season to taste. Place the mushroom mixture on top of the crusts. Next dollop spoonful dots of yogurt on top of the mushroom mixture. Beat eggs, and then blend with the avocado (in a food processor or blender) until smooth. Pour over the other layers. Dot with butter and brush a little butter onto the edge of the crust. sprinkle with paprika. Bake at 375° for 25-35 minutes or until set. (should come clean when pricked with a fork) Allow to cool before serving.


super delicious with a little Tabasco sauce!

Carried Away: The Etsy Bag Makers Team: Zipper Organizer Tutorial

Carried Away: The Etsy Bag Makers Team: Zipper Organizer Tutorial

Quilting for Linus....

I missed my day to quilt with my Linus group, so I quilted for Linus at home instead.  I have been making quilts for the teenage boys, but today I looked at the seersucker and flannel and got the warm fuzzies to make a baby quilt.

We all want to make the girlie or newborn quilts, but I could not help myself.  So the flannel started flying and off I went...

These are very simple quilts to make, and are so adorable.  I want to run out and borrow someone's baby and wrap it up. 

After I was almost finished, I got the bright idea to try my hand at a tutorial (my first). 

Bearing in mind I decided to do a tutorial for this quilt after I had almost finished, the pics are a little strange, but here 'tis.

You will probably need:

1/2 yard of each fabric plus a little extra for the border, and 1 yard each of the backing flannel and the batting.  Scraps are great or you can get a charm pack of baby prints and make a bunch of quilts. 

1.  Cut squares (I used 5" squares of each fabric) to make a simple four patch using two fabrics.   I like to use soft cotton or, in this case, seersucker.  

2. Sew them together for the top to make whatever size you like, newborn, baby or floor.

3.  Add a border.

4.  Cut backing of some adorable baby flannel print a couple of inches larger than your quilt top and do the same with your batting.

5. At this point I like to sew the backing to the front of the quilt, right sides together with 1/4" inch seam all round the quilt leaving 6 or so inches open for turning.  Then layer as follows:  batting, backing up and quilt top down.  Sew around remembering to leave that open space.  

6.  Turn the whole thing inside out, pin the opening closed, press and whip stitch closed.  Sew around the outside with a scant 1/4".  

7.  Quilt or tie as you prefer, be sure to put a label on and give to that Mama-to-be.

Candied Ginger Dressing for Mung Bean Noodles

2 qts water

1 lb candied ginger

4 Tbsp white miso

1 Tbsp candied lemon zest

1 pod star anise

1 Tbsp mustard oil

1/2 tsp xanthan gum

- bring first five ingredients to a simmer and reduce by half

- whisk in mustard oil, then xanthan gum; reduce to sauce consistency; strain and reserve ginger

(makes about 3 1/2 cups)

Always a quilt...

Even in these near 100 degree summer days, there is always a quilt on our bed, every bed.
I have made every quilt and each one has a personality and a memory.  This quilt was made at our mini-group's retreat.  We made one for the Cancer Center's Quilt Auction and one for ourselves.  

We swap fabric.  I can look at this quilt and think "Elly shared this fabric" and "Irene showed me how to square this up" and "Kay helped me pick fabric".........and everyone helped me agonize over block placement!

Missy, gives this quilt (and any other she can curl up on) her approval.  There is something about cats and quilts that go together and bring out the 'ahhhhh' factor in me.

This quilt is "Maggie's" quilt.  It sits on our window seat where she likes to doze.  It doesn't belong anyplace else. 






Here is is unfolded
....all those great Moda fabrics.

The quilt on the left is one of the ones I will have for sale on etsy when I get my act together.  I have three that will be for sale, and I don't know whether to have a separate shop on etsy for them, or to include them with the purses and writstlets.














I have a soft spot for this quilt.  I saw a Feathered Star Quilt at a show in Folsom and fell in love with it.  I knew the only way I would have one would be to make it myself.  What a challenge, but I think it is my best work.

Someday, I will post more about my quilts.  To see more you can go to my Flickr Photostream.  Quilts in my home and some still in progress. The bags and wristlets I make have all been photographed to upload into my shop at etsy. So they are there too.  If you do go...take some time to look at the comments from others and look at their work especially Ann Stewart's page.  Follow the trail from one quilter to another and time just flys by.
See you when you get back!:)

I Can't Fly

After deciding that I couldn't fly on the zip line with the grandkids, I decided to get some work done for the shop ...and make some more wristlets and list them on etsy.   I did pretty well and got three made and several others cut out. 

 



      I discovered this bag pattern over on Sew Spoiled.  Leah gives you permission to make and sell, so I went for it.    This summer.  I whipped one out and carried it on our two week vacation. Hands free shopping, sightseeing, etc.  Sometimes it holds as much as my keys,  camera, glasses, cash and id, the cell phone is pushing it.

Anyway...we sewed most of the afternoon ,feline co-worker, Missy, supervising.

She approved most everything, so it was a good day.

Coconut Curried Beets & Brown Basmati Rice

Fall is coming and I am starting to crave complex curries again. This will take a while to prepare. You will love it. It's amazing. Sweet & Spicy


Ingredients:

5 small beets chopped (about 1 & 1/4 cup or so)
1 Tbsp canned green chillies
1 tsp. Chilli powder
2 red hot chillies, minced fine
1 cup shredded coconut
2- 3 Tbsp coconut milk
1 1/2 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced
1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
1/2 tsp. Cumin seeds

5-7 Tbsp fresh plain goats yogurt

Ingredients for Tempering-

1 tsp. mustard seeds
1/2 tsp. Fenugreek seeds
1 tsp. dried red chillies
3 Tbsp. curry leaves, (ground in mortar and pestle)
salt, to taste
1 Tbsp. ghee


Directions:

1. Cover the beets with about 2 inches of water, add the green chillies, 1 tsp. chili powder and a dash of salt. Bring to a boil, crack lid and cook on med for 30-45 minutes (until beets are soft). Pour out most of the water and mash.

2. While beets are cooking, (using a medium mortar and pestle) grind the mustard seeds, and cumin seeds, add the red chillies, ginger, coconut and coconut milk and grind into a thick paste. This will take a while. Try to get a nice consistent paste. Add a bit more coconut milk if it is so dry that it crumbles. Keep grinding. That's it. It will take you maybe 10-15 minutes.

3. Add the coconut mash mixture to the mashed beets and cook on med. heat in the pot for about 3 minutes stirring constantly.

4. Add the yogurt and heat through on low. If it is too dry, add some water and a little more yogurt. Don't boil it, just heat it.

5. In a frying pan, melt some ghee or oil on med/high. Temper the mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, dried red chillies, curry leaves and salt for a few minutes in the oil. Until it is hot and very fragrant. Add this to your beet mixture, stir it in and you are done.


6. Serve with basmati rice, garnish with lot's of parsley, this is an excellent side dish if you want to serve meat as well.

Grandkids...

 Suzanne, George, Jito, Elio and Isabelle came up for the holiday weekend.   Grampa Garth had a great time with the kids....he has created and area across our road in the trees for the kids complete with treehouse, swing and hamock.  This weekend, he made a slide wire for them.  

He strung a wire between two trees and had a trapeze-like bar hanging from it.  They grab hold at the top, then fly down to the end.

 

It is a good thing we live in the country.....there was a lot of screaming and shreiking.

A fun time for everyone.

Elio's turn to fly.

What's That Smell?

The other day, we noticed this awful smell in the house, since it kept getting worse, Garth cleaned out under the sink, emptied the garbage, ran the disposal, cleaned out the pantry really well.  I mean, our house was clean!  But still the smell.  


Looking out the window we say huge vultures circling the lower half of our property...

upon investigation, a dead deer was discovered. The vultures did their job, now the insects and small creatures will tidy up the carcass.

Isn't he cute?    These have to be the ugliest birds I have ever seen.  Turkey Vultures.



No, I did not drag the deer onto the property just to get the house cleaned, but that does give one pause.

My Sister Nancy's Chocolate Oatmeal "Energy" Bars

um, I was craving these. Don't say you weren't warned. Highly addictive.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup sucanat (or 1/2 cup packed brown sugar if you prefer)
2/3 cup almond butter (any nut butter will work)
1/4 cup agave syrup (corn syrup is in her recipe)
1/2 cup butter - room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla
3 cups uncontaminated rolled oats
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/2 cup dried cranberries (or blueberries or raisins.....)
2 tbs. sesame seeds
1 cup organic dark chocolate chips (less if you prefer more fruit to chocolate ratio. we don't.)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°

2. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and stir well to mix, Pour into a 9x18 baking dish and press down well to an even bar. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned. let cool completely before cutting or even refrigerate for a bit to set.

Tonight's Recipe

Tonight's recipe is- No Recipe! Rather I would like to suggest that you head down to your local farmers market and buy up whatever is locally grown, looks delicious and will be colorful on your plate.

We bought some Bison steaks from the best local producer- Valta Bison, which Ken grilled on high to a delicious medium rare.
We also bought some corn from the Medicine Hat region which we boiled and served with butter, some green beans from the Innisfail area which we steamed, in addition to some new Alberta Potatoes that we tossed in butter & dill from my herb garden. For dessert, it is almost time for mixed berries from BC organic producers.
So simple, it's the best kind of food.
Tomorrow it's fresh spaghetti squash, bison meatballs, and colorful beets. All from Alberta producers.

Kale, Quinoa & Heirloom Tomato Salad

saw these heirloom tomatoes in my local organic store and I bought them in every color! They had some lovely looking organic kale as well so I made this very tasty salad. I plan to bring it hiking tomorrow as it is fabulous cold.

Ingredients:


1 cup Quinoa
2 cups water
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/8 tsp. garlic powder

1 bunch kale, sliced lengthwise to remove hard center stems
1 1/2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

4 or 5 small heirloom tomatoes, quartered
3 green onions, sliced widthwise into fine slices, green and white parts
1 handful fresh basil leaves, chopped fine
1/2 Tbsp fresh oregano leaves, chopped fine
1/2 lemon, juice of (or more to taste)
1 Tbsp. champagne vinegar
1 Tbsp extra virgin Olive oil
salt, to taste
fresh ground pepper, to taste


Directions:

1. Combine the dry quinoa with 2 cups water, Italian seasoning, garlic powder and a pinch of salt in a med pot. Bring to a boil, stir once, put lid on and simmer on low for 14 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat, and let sit for 10 minutes.

2. Heat 1 1/2 Tbsp Olive oil on med heat in a large non stick skillet, add the finely chopped garlic and sauté for half a minute or so. Add your sliced kale and sauté until warmed through and wilted.

3. In a large ceramic bowl combine the cooled quinoa with the green onions, basil, oregano, Kale and tomatoes. Squeeze the lemon juice over the salad, add the olive oil and champagne vinegar and toss it all up to coat. salt and pepper to taste.

great warm or cold.

Empty Threats..

The heat is still on up here!  Most of the garden looks pretty sad, but in a few weeks we can see what survived, cut it back and get ready for fall planting.  For years I have tried to grow phlox and peonies, and they never make it. This Helebore will come back....just don't look now.

But the phlox and peonies....I am throwing in the trowel for good on those guys.  Can't handle the disappointment.   I gave the backyard 'the word'...."if you don't like it here...out you go! " Oh, the power!  


Actually, you might want to check back here in February or March when it is cold and there is some snow.  I will be tearing through my box of plant and seed catalogs to find the newest and best.  Then there is the Garden Club's
annual plant sale.....we will come home laden with plants.   All the summer rants and raves about how it is the plant's fault for not thriving in 100 degree heat month after month will have been forgotten. sew.  Why I am wasting these perfectly good cool hours blogging is beyond me.  Check out Garden Rant blog.  It is down there on the right in my blog roll.  I wish I knew these gals!





Today, I am going to putter on the deck until it is too hot to breathe, then come in and sew.  Why I am wasting these perfectly good cool hours blogging is beyond me. 

Special Pure Oats, Homemade Granola

I have been completely Gluten free for over a year now. It was simpler to avoid oats altogether up until now. There has been a great deal of research done that shows that (pure uncontaminated) oats do not cause problems for (most) people with celiac disease. For myself, my gluten intolerance can cause a major 3 day migraine (did I mention I have not had one in OVER a year and 2 months?!) Oats are a true health food.

Well so anyhow, I decided to try some oats. I started by purchasing some Pure Oats that are free of any cross-contamination with wheat, barley, rye, tricale, kamut, or spelt during growing, harvesting, transport, storage, mill processing and packaging. Yes, they cost more than bulk oats. I made myself a little hot oatmeal for breakfast. Twice. and then I waited for 72 hours after each consumption. No Migraine! woo hoo! also no apparent digestive problems related to my IBS either. awesome news.

And So I give you the most delicious granola ever. I can say that because it has been sooooo long since I had granola! But honestly it is great. Kencent makes a version for himself with wheat germ and stuff I can't have, but I think my version is extra delicious. Keep it in a well sealed container and it will last for weeks.


Ingredients:

5 cups Pure uncontaminated rolled oats
1 cup raw organic almonds
1 cup raw organic walnuts broken into smaller pieces
1 cup raw organic sesame seeds
2 cups organic shredded coconut
1 cup raw organic sunflower seeds
1 cup organic virgin coconut oil
1 cup organic honey
1/2 cup organic raisins
1/2 cup organic dried cranberries
1/2 cup organic dried wild blueberries
1/2 cup organic dried cherries
salt, to taste

(try to purchase all of these items organic and hopefully you can get them sulphate free)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F

2. In a very large mixing bowl, stir together the oats, almonds, walnuts, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds and coconut.

3. Melt the coconut oil and the honey together in a pot on the stove over medium heat. Stir them together as best as you can (they don't mix well), and pour over the bowl of dry ingredients, stirring constantly until everything is mixed well. Add a little salt (tsp. or 2) and stir in.

4. Pour half of the oat mixture onto a cookie sheet (or pour it into 2 cookie sheets if your oven is large enough. mine is not.) Spread it out evenly and bake it for about 18-20 minutes in the preheated oven. The mixture should be nicely toasted light brown. add 1/2 of the dried fruit, stir to incorporate and set this aside for 10 minutes to cool. Repeat with a second cookie sheet full.

5. Once both of the cookie sheets have cooled for about 10 minutes give them a stir to break up clumps. Wait until the granola is room temperature before storing in airtight containers. Remember to mark the gluten free version! especially if there are folks in the home who insist on making non GF versions. teehee.

it's good. really good. You only need a little to feel full and the granola will energize your day.