Many articles I have been reading lately have been advising us to get back to nature to enhance our inner well being and boost our overall health. If you couldn't think of another reason to put cut flowers in a vase in your home, grow flowers or vegetables in a garden, go for a walk outside, or any of the many other things you can do with and in nature, then just do it to relax!
Everyone in my family loves the outdoors. We sometimes just sit on the front porch (or fall asleep there) and listen to the trees and the birds and feel the wind blow us the sweet and earthy smells of nature.
I love watching our oldest son explore our world--all the bugs, rocks, trees, animals and birds that he discovers on our walks. Now that he can better describe and remember the places we go, I can see and appreciate our wonderful world even more through his eyes and words.
We should be so grateful that we live among such beauty. We should enjoy it, respect it and leave it better than we found it.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Zucchini Bread Recipe
All of my friends are harvesting zucchini from their gardens...we, unfortately, are not. But, I still LOVE zucchini! Enjoy this in-season vegetable on the grill, roasted in the oven (with some garden fresh tomatoes, too!) or in this quickbread.
I altered a Betty Crocker recipe for this one. I often make 3 or more breads at a time…because one cup of zucchini is like 1/3 of a medium large zucchini. I LOVE this bread and it always turns out well…no matter what I substitute…except the sugar (but, I have been known to lessen the amount to ½ or ¾ cups)…the reason it stays moist is because the sugar brings out the juices in the zucchini. I LOVE the lemon zest in here…but, it is optional as are the chocolate chips I add for the kiddies (and me!). This bread freezes very well!
½ c. butter (I sometimes use canola oil)
1 c. sugar
1 c. shredded, unpeeled zucchini
1 egg
¼ t. finely shredded lemon peel
½ c. whole wheat flour*
¼ c. flax seed meal*
¼ c. wheat germ*
½ c. all purpose flour*
1 t. ground cinnamon
½ t. baking soda
¼ t. baking powder
¼ t. salt
¼ t. ground nutmeg
*I vary these amounts based on what I have and how much I am making…always to equal 1 ½ cups.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom and half inch up sides of loaf pan/s (works just as well in an 8x8, too…but, I shorten the cooking time).
In a medium bowl, combine flours, flax seed meal, wheat germ, baking soda, salt, baking powder , nutmeg and cinnamon; set aside.
In another medium bowl, combine zucchini and butter, then add sugar and lemon peel and egg. Combine with dry ingredients. Stir until moistened.
Spoon batter into prepared pan/s. Bake 55-60 minutes (depends on your pan and your oven) until toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely on rack.
I altered a Betty Crocker recipe for this one. I often make 3 or more breads at a time…because one cup of zucchini is like 1/3 of a medium large zucchini. I LOVE this bread and it always turns out well…no matter what I substitute…except the sugar (but, I have been known to lessen the amount to ½ or ¾ cups)…the reason it stays moist is because the sugar brings out the juices in the zucchini. I LOVE the lemon zest in here…but, it is optional as are the chocolate chips I add for the kiddies (and me!). This bread freezes very well!
½ c. butter (I sometimes use canola oil)
1 c. sugar
1 c. shredded, unpeeled zucchini
1 egg
¼ t. finely shredded lemon peel
½ c. whole wheat flour*
¼ c. flax seed meal*
¼ c. wheat germ*
½ c. all purpose flour*
1 t. ground cinnamon
½ t. baking soda
¼ t. baking powder
¼ t. salt
¼ t. ground nutmeg
*I vary these amounts based on what I have and how much I am making…always to equal 1 ½ cups.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom and half inch up sides of loaf pan/s (works just as well in an 8x8, too…but, I shorten the cooking time).
In a medium bowl, combine flours, flax seed meal, wheat germ, baking soda, salt, baking powder , nutmeg and cinnamon; set aside.
In another medium bowl, combine zucchini and butter, then add sugar and lemon peel and egg. Combine with dry ingredients. Stir until moistened.
Spoon batter into prepared pan/s. Bake 55-60 minutes (depends on your pan and your oven) until toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely on rack.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Theory behind consumerism
Did you know in order for my cloth diapers to be effectively absorbent, the detergent has to be clean rinsing (no residue)? So, I use Charlie's Soap, http://www.charliesoap.com/ (at the recommendation of my friends and many cloth diaper websites). Because there is no residue, you DON'T NEED fabric softener in the washer or the dryer (leaving more residue to "soften" what was left of the detergent). I honestly did not know that many other detergents leave a residue. Without the need for fabric softener, there is less to buy.
With two young kids and my growing knowledge of all things green, we have begun using a more natural shampoo (98.6% natural ingredients). The first time I used it, it left my hair so soft, I DID NOT NEED conditioner. Hmmm... I tried it again on another day, same thing. My hair had body and was not left limp with the apparent residue intended to be covered (?) by conditioner. So, now, we can soon stop buying fabric softener and conditioner (after we use up what we have...I really don't like to waste!).
Oddly, these things got me thinking about WHY we are buying ever more stuff...and why we think we NEED it all. Mind you, I am not a conspiracy theorist; but, I can't stop thinking about this.
I believe some things were invented to be able to produce enough to have enough jobs for our growing population. I believe it got out of control (when things seemed to be "working" in the gluttenous '80s and people wanted it to continue) and now the "system" is pulling back the reins. I believe there will be new jobs created for things we KNOW we NEED right now instead of producing things we THINK we WANT.
We need better infrastructure in this country and people to build it...not just our roads and bridges and railways (we are so far behind!); but, also our homes. Homes should be built to last centuries not decades...! I definitely don't have all the answers. This is just my humble theory based on knowing a little and observing a lot.
With two young kids and my growing knowledge of all things green, we have begun using a more natural shampoo (98.6% natural ingredients). The first time I used it, it left my hair so soft, I DID NOT NEED conditioner. Hmmm... I tried it again on another day, same thing. My hair had body and was not left limp with the apparent residue intended to be covered (?) by conditioner. So, now, we can soon stop buying fabric softener and conditioner (after we use up what we have...I really don't like to waste!).
Oddly, these things got me thinking about WHY we are buying ever more stuff...and why we think we NEED it all. Mind you, I am not a conspiracy theorist; but, I can't stop thinking about this.
I believe some things were invented to be able to produce enough to have enough jobs for our growing population. I believe it got out of control (when things seemed to be "working" in the gluttenous '80s and people wanted it to continue) and now the "system" is pulling back the reins. I believe there will be new jobs created for things we KNOW we NEED right now instead of producing things we THINK we WANT.
We need better infrastructure in this country and people to build it...not just our roads and bridges and railways (we are so far behind!); but, also our homes. Homes should be built to last centuries not decades...! I definitely don't have all the answers. This is just my humble theory based on knowing a little and observing a lot.
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