Organic Granny

You know how young children can announce after playing with a random kid fot five minutes at the playground that they have a "new friend"? Today my husband and I had a discussion about having a walk somewhere.  We settled on going to the pier/marina in Comox.  While today was sunny and still relatively hot  it was also hazy with the miasma from the wildfires in the Okanagan and elsewhere.  The smoke and mackerel clouds took.the edge off the sun's persistent burning pounding of the past several days.   So, after wedging our car into the last of the parking spaces near the kiddie playground, we headed over to the pier.   As we walked alongside the chain link fence bordering the road that eventually forms a 4-way stop, we see a lone dog walking at a brisk pace towards us.  She had a sweet Border Collie face, but registered no interest in our concerned inquiries as to where her person  was etc.  Indeed, she trotted purposefully through the small opening between us and continu

I am very grateful to have a bounty of berries and other fruit to store away for winter meals. I must admit that these apples (above) are not a big thrill. They mature early-- in the July heatwave-- and are a fave with the tent-butterflies, wasps, bunnies, deer and crows. I also hear they attract bears. The fruit goes punky on the tree and falls off.  BUT if I take them in and process them (as in juice for breakfast, apple chunks in freezer bags and canned apple butter) we surely enjoy the results and soon overlook the minor hardships.   This recipe for apple butter is tasty and healthy-- I didn't add any sweetener just 3 teaspoons of cinnamon and a 1/2 teaspoon of ginger powder. Use it in oatmeal, vegan yogurt, on muffins, toast and bagels. Yummy and smooth as silk.   Ingredients :   Apples (however many you need to fill your crockpot or Instant Pot.  I filled a pint-sized mason jar (2 cups) and had enough for a small fridge storage bowl and some sample butter for the yogurt

  Blue Heaven Frozen Pie We are soooo blessed in having a bounty of organic blueberries growing on a U-Pick farm just a short drive from us. Last night we dropped in and picked 12 pounds of the yummies. Before they go into the freezer I thought it would be nice to make us a pie. The following is an adaptation of a recipe by Rhonda J. Malkmus who originates most of the recipes on the " Hallelujah Acres " site. This is a nutritious treat (if you don't have allergies to nuts, that is)with just a little sweetener (raw honey and dates) and a smidge of salt,  no  dairy, eggs or gluten. Refreshing and delicious! Ingredients: The Raw Crust: 1 cup Sunflower Seeds 1 cup Walnuts 1 cup Dates ¼ tsp. vanilla teaspoon Celtic Sea Salt Blueberry-Banana Pie Filling 5 cups Blueberries 2 Bananas ¼ cup Virgin Coconut Oil (solid not liquid) ¼ cup Raw Honey Directions Pie Crust Recipe Directions In food processor using “S” blade, process sunflower seeds, walnuts, vanilla and salt until pea size

      If you are lucky enough to have some spinach growing , this is an elegant little flavorful salad that you could expand for a potluck or a picnic or a light supper. I like a variety of textures myself and that is provided here! *2 regular-sized  Oranges , peeled and cut into rounds *1 large handful of tender  Romaine  lettuce leaves *1 large handful of tender  Spinach  leaves *1/2 C.  Green Grapes *1/2 C.  Green Onions *1 C. soaked and chopped  Almonds >>Tear lettuce and add in grapes cut in-half, almonds and oranges. You can use the following blended dressing if you wish: *2/3 C.  Olive Oil *1/4 C.  Raw Honey *1/3 C.  Fresh Orange Juice *3 T.  Fresh Lemon Juice *1 tsp.  Dry Mustard  (optional) --This was adapted from a recipe by Dana Hathaway in  Recipes for Life from God's Garden  by Rhonda J. Malkmus.