4 February 2012, by gj
I wanted to follow up on the movie review with some information that I’ve gathered.
When I first mentioned this idea to SaveTheWorld she responded “Vegetables have protein?”
Of course we know that shell beans do, but what other veggies and how much?
whats in your fridge
While the video suggests eating 5% or less of your protein from plant foods- that information wasn’t as specific as what Mandolin and I needed to start meal planning.
So I did a little research- and was quite surprised!
Q: How much protein do I need?
A: Adults need about 50 grams (-10% for women, + 10 % for men) per day.
That would mean they are suggesting you consume about 47.5 grams of protein from plants, and only 2.5 grams from animals.
Hmm…Stay with me here…this is doable. 
Keep in mind you can eat more than 50 grams of protein. But that will be more calories, and you still need to keep that ratio if you are looking for disease prevention or reversal.
So I proceeded to find out how many grams of protein -and how many calories, to help keep it in perspective- are in a few typical food items.
The amounts are all based on a 4-ounce raw portion.
Note that rice and quinoa will double in volume, as will dry beans- and other items will shrink.
Also know that I’m not a dietician (I just play one on TV). 
I used the Nutritional Analysis Tool to get these numbers:
Animal Based Foods
~Milk, 1% Fat: 4 g – 48 calories
~Mozzarella, whole milk: 22 g – 319 calories
~Colby: 27 g – 447 calories
~Eggs (2 large): 12.4 g – 150 calories
~Tuna: 29 g – 131.5 calories
~Orange Roughy Fish: 16.7 g – 143 calories
~Pink Salmon: 22.5 g – 131.5 calories
~Chicken: 24 g – 168 calories
~Pork: 19 g – 298 calories
~Beef: 20 g – 299 calories
Vegetable & Grain Based Foods
~Spinach: 3.3 g -25 calories
~Broccoli: 3.4 g – 32 calories (cauliflower similar)
~Shell Beans, Dry: 24g – 388 calories (remember this is measured raw, not cooked or canned)
~Potatoes: 3 g -66 calories
~Sweet potatoes: 2 g -119 calories
~Corn: 11 g – 414 calories
~Quinoa: 15 g – 424 calories
~Spinach Pasta: 13 g – 308 calories
~Wild Rice: 16.7 g – 404 calories
limit the eggs, relish the taters
So, what does this all mean?
It would mean really limiting your intake of animal products.
For us, we were doing this anyway- or so we thought.
I would think nothing of eating an egg & cheese sandwich with a glass of milk for breakfast.
Or of having an entire 5.5 oz can of tuna on lettuce for lunch- of course, with another glass of milk.
Instead, on this menu I think I would save up all my animal protein grams and thoroughly enjoy one really great (reasonably portioned) meal on the weekend.
During the week we will be coming up with recipes worth making.
think veggie
A friend of mine told me about this video a few weeks ago.
In the first two weeks of changing what she ate (which also wasn’t all that bad) she lost 6 pounds.
The next week when I saw her she looked younger, her skin was bright and she seemed to have much more energy.
It reminded me of a story from 19 years ago, when we were in the restaurant business and I was a vegetarian.
A customer stopped me one afternoon-
“I’ll bet you’re a vegetarian.” he said.
“Yes, but how did you know?”
“I can see it in your skin, and in the energy level you move with.”
He was right.
eat to live
Now I am currently on a low dose med for high blood pressure.
Mandolin and I are teetering (I’m closer to the edge) of needing to take cholesterol meds as well.
Diabetes runs in both our families.
We don’t want to go there- to a shoebox full of ‘his ans hers’ medications.
So we’re going here instead, together.
And we’ll show you every step we take.
Even if you don’t go to this extent, please beware of fast foods and processed foods.
And if you’re serious about your health and that of your family, consider watching the movie.
Pink Bean Recipe
Categories: eat it, film reviews, gardening people, places & things, you are what you eat
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3 February 2012, by gj
plants and power tools - gotta love it
As a child I vividly remember watching one evening as the fairies danced and played on top of the tall grasses in the fields near our house.
I have no idea where the memory comes from- a dream perhaps, or a book- but the memory remains.
seeds for planting and for decorating
So when I heard about ‘Fairy Gardens’ recently I was immediately intrigued.
The folklore goes that if a Fairy takes up residence in your garden, your plants will benefit.
So- how do you attract a Fairy or two?
Simple- give them a place to live.
I'd be happy to live here!
So this is my first Fairy House.
Over the remaining Fridays this month you’ll learn more about Fairy Gardens from a few guest authors.
a nice thatched roof and windows for a little light
Oh- but hold the phone!
This is First Friday- which means a give-away.
oh I see she's been collecting marbles
How abut a few plants-or perhaps some furniture?
Better yet- a surprise!
ooops- she's missed a few
Just leave a comment here. If it’s your first time, I’ll just need to approve it before it shows up.
I’ll let the online randomizer choose two names on Monday- and they will each receive a package to help them get going on a Fairy Garden of their own.
Fairies in the garden? Oh yeah, I’ve seen them.
Making Gourd Bowls and Planters
Wake Up! with guest Jayne Locas
Categories: garden projects, gardening people, places & things, keeping up with the joneses, odds and ends
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31 January 2012, by gj
“The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will interest her or his patients in the care of the human frame, in a proper diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease.” ~Thomas Edison
you are what you eat
‘About 40% of Americans are obese…and about half of all Americans are on some form of medication.’
Can you imagine preventing or reversing Diabetes, High Cholesterol, High Blood Pressure- and even treating Infertility with just simple diet changes?
We know what we are supposed to do- but we continue to NOT do it.
And yet we are surprised when our cholesterol is high or we need meds for our blood pressure.
This is an extremely simple movie about the studies- done separately but at the same time- of two Doctors; and the results they and other Docs have seen.
They don’t tell you to become a Vegan- or even to give up meat.
Just to limit it. Get rid of the processed stuff. Eat plants mostly.
Why do diets in other countries that are high in carbs but low in animal fats lead to low incidences of diabetes?
They answer that and similar questions.
If you are at risk for any of these conditions- including some cancers- you just may want to check this movie out.
Do you Eat to Live or Live to Eat?
Is it easier to pick up a Bacon Double Cheeseburger than to exercise- heck yes!
But is it easier to recover from a heart attack than to prevent one- heck no!
I think the hard part is finding recipes, making changes that you and your family can deal with.
Especially if, like many kids, the food choices (at school) are limited.
Last Saturday, this was my food intake:
Breakfast- a slice of whole grain bread with blackberry jam, skim milk
Lunch (out)- scallops wrapped in bacon, baked Brie with fresh fruit, Spaten Draft
Dinner- Ham Steak with Mustard-Green beans
Most weeks, I only eat meat maybe twice- but this kind of meat throughout the day is very common in America.
So I would highly recommend you watch this film, especially if you or a family member has or is at risk for any of these conditions.
And Mandolin and I- as we are heading away from a high animal product intake to a low one- will do our best to provide recipes.
If you already are eating like this and would be willing to share to help others- please contact me!
In the meantime, here are a few links to help you live healthier:
Get the Film
Sample Recipes
Let me just ask you this- If, God forbid- you were diagnosed tomorrow with a disease that just changing your diet could reverse- would you?
Don’t wait for that diagnosis… you mean too much to me and others.
Categories: film reviews
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29 January 2012, by gj
Leeks are in the onion family but have a sweeter taste.
They take a long time to grow- anywhere from 100-140 days, but can be started indoors or purchased as plants.
make a hole and drop one in
Since my seed-starting area is limited (for now…I have plans ) I purchase plants.
To transplant, in mid-spring just poke holes about 6 inches deep- I use to use a pencil for this, then got back-smart and bought a cheap 4 ft. dowel to do the job.
Then just drop the transplant in and walk away.
Rain water will naturally fill in the holes over time.
If you want more of the white part than just 6 inches, you can ‘hill up’ by placing leaves around the stem of the leek. Too much work for me and my large garden!
ready to harvest mid-October
Leeks can take some frost and store well in the fridge or root cellar.
They can also be roasted- mmm!
Botanical name: Allium porrum
Companions: Since they are related to onions, they’ll grow well together.
They also do well with the brassicas, carrots, lettuce and most crops- but they’re not too fond of peas and beans.
Harvest: One leek per transplant
Categories: grow it, onions & garlic
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28 January 2012, by gj
Please read the first post here.
Here is the diagram again, so you don’t need to refer back to it:
the info is all there
Potatoes and onions will be planted in the third set of 4×4 ft.
Potatoes:The circles refer to 4 components of old plastic compost bins. Here is one assembled:
2-section compost bin
In these I will plant the taters, covering them as they grow.
The larger (bottom) sections have a removable panel, so we can ‘grapple’ some ‘new’ potatoes for early eating.
You can also use garbage canes cut in half, or just plant directly in the soil.
I’ll be planting one dozen potato starts/eyes.
Yield is about 4-8 potatoes per start, enough for us well into the winter.
Can be frozen whole, baked, as fries, au gratin, or mashed; dehydrated, canned and held fresh.
Onions will be planted all around the compost-turned-tater bins.
At 4 inches apart, I expect to have sufficient room for 300 onions- enough for roasting and fresh eating into the following spring-
at that point any remaining onions will be replanted.
Onions can also be canned, but the only way we liked them was as a jam.
These sections will be succession planted with fall brassicas, kale, mache and other greens, and beets.
At the ends of these sections, we’ll be planting melons and sweet potatoes to grow up a trellis.
This is something new this year- except that these plants have on occasion done it themselves in the main garden.
Melons are placed in used onion bags or similar supports that are tied to the trellis, thus taking the pressure of supporting the weight off the vines.
We’re looking at 4 vines in each section for a total of 8.
Melons can be eaten fresh, cubed and frozen, or canned as a juice (cantaloupe).
slips
Sweet Potatoes will also be trellised in 2 of the sections.
Plant ‘slips’ 3 inches apart. I planned on 20 slips but I’ll probably plant more, I just love them!
Sweet Potatoes store well if handled carefully. These will last us well into the following spring.
The fourth sections are more of the carrots, tomatoes, and basil.
Mmmm!
The last sections start by growing peas and cucumbers up a trellis.
Peas can be planted early in spring, at 2 inches apart and will produce enough for our needs.
Peas do well frozen, and can also be canned or dehydrated.
A succession crop of Brussel Sprouts will follow.
Seeds planted 12 inches apart produce a nice amount of sprouts on 8 plants.
Brussel sprouts taste sweeter after some frost and store well in cold holding.
The remainder of these two beds will contain 4 each of Broccoli, Cabbage and Cauliflower, as well as 6 Kohlrabi per bed.
All of these hold well in cold storage. Broccoli and Cauliflower likewise freeze well.
The Cabbage will be made into Spiced Red Cabbage and canned, and into fresh sauerkraut.
These sections will be succession planted with spinach and chard.
The last two sections will provide us with a ton of pickles and relish, by trellising a dozen different Cucumbers.
We will also be planting 20 seeds each of Sweet Corn and Popping Corn at about 6 inches apart.
Tucked in between the rows will be some Dry Shell Beans, and one each Zucchini and Yellow Summer Squash.
These beds will be succession planted with Garlic, Turnips and Rutabagas.
So that’s the plan-
and as we go I’ll post more about how we are building the beds, which will include a system that makes rotating crops easy to do, and well as some simple season extenders.
Oh and I almost forgot, there will be overhead areas for hanging pots of cherry tomatoes, nasturtiums, some herbs and other flowers.
And my favorite- the front porch area will be lined with sunflowers to attract all those little pollinators this garden is going to need. Wahoozie!
Am I in Gardening Withdrawal?
Hmm…yes, you might say that…
Categories: eat it, grow it, hold it
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27 January 2012, by gj
Recently we had some work done in our front yard, getting rid of a few dead and ‘nuisance’ trees, which opened up a new area in which to garden.
Yahoozie!
tabla rasa
The area is about 30 by 30 feet, the size of a small backyard.
So I thought I would work it as if this were my only garden, as a way to show those with less space what they can get from their yard.
This plan does incorporate inter-cropping and companion planting, as well as some succession planting.
If those terms are new to you, don’t stress it- all the info you need is going to be here.
trying to visualize the beds
We will be building 4 beds- each 20 feet long by 4 feet wide (more on that when we start building them).
You can see by the picture below that I’m planning on 2 of each beds being exactly the same, so if you have less space just cut in half what I’m going to list here for you.
I also planned the beds as if each were a separate 4 x 4 bed, so feel free to eliminate any section from your plans.
the info is all there
Because we have a problem with squirrels eating our tomatoes, those beds will be surrounded by ‘cages’- more details as we build those, but the screening they will be made with will allow for some veggies to grow up, also getting more actual square footage.
Here’s what we can expect from this garden plan:
Pole Beans- trellised to shade the greens and lettuces, plant about 40 seeds 2-3 inches apart, yield: enough to eat fresh as well as can or freeze
Lettuce and Assorted Greens- scattered seeds, eat the thinnings small and continue to harvest as needed, yield: enough for fresh eating until it gets too hot. Succession plant Fall cabbages or root veggies.
Winter Squashes: plant 2 seeds together 12 inches apart, thin to about 8 plants, trellis. Yield: Enough for fresh eating well into the winter, freezes well for soups and pies.
Peppers, Hot and Sweet: Best to separate them, plant about 9 inches apart, 18 of each will yield enough for fresh eating; freeze or dehydrate sweet peppers; pickle, freeze, make hot sauce or can hot peppers.
Eggplant: 18 inches apart is the recommendation (though I usually plant mine a little closer). Even with that you can get 8 plants. Yield: More than you can eat fresh, but can freeze as Eggplant Parmesan or Eggplant Towers.
Celery: At planting 6 inches apart, you’ll have plenty of room for 6 plants. Yield will be enough to go wild all summer, then dehydrate for soups and other dishes. The leaves can be dehydrated then crushed like you would use Celery Salt.
Carrots love Tomatoes and Tomatoes love Basil- this is the main inter-cropping area.
the inter-cropping bible
Tomatoes: 8 per section, strung up. With 6 sections, this will be a total of 48 Tomatoes, giving us enough to eat fresh all season as well as can Tomato-Basil Soup, V-7 Juice, Salsa and Marinara Sauce- plus freeze some for chili. This will be enough tomatoes for us for at least a year, probably 2.
Note: When I say ‘us’ I refer to my husband and myself, my daughter who will be home all summer and during college breaks, family get-togethers, friends that I share with and what I donate.
Basil: I plant about 6 plants per section (36 total) in between the tomatoes, which improves their flavor and cuts down on weeds. Pinch back to get bushier plants. This will be enough for us for the summer, to freeze to use in cooking, and to make a year’s supply of Pesto Sauce.
Carrots: I will be making carrot ‘seed tapes’ that will allow for a 2 inch spacing between plants. Yield: 24 dozen, enough to eat fresh, dehydrate for soups, freeze and store in cold holding.
Now, I had expected this would just be one post, but then I really wanted to be able to list what kind of harvest you could expect and what you might do with it, and all the succession crops you might plant- and it’s getting a little long.
So I’ll wrap it up in tomorrow’s post (learning how to grow Leeks can wait a week) and I’ll see you then!
Please read more in the Hold It Section on how to store what you grow, and check out our Recipes as well for ways to eat all the wonderful stuff you will be growing!
Part 2 is here.
Categories: eat it, gardening, grow it, hold it
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24 January 2012, by gj
Every garden has its good points and limitations, and growing lemons in my area is unheard of.
Yet, I love lemons- but I’m also trying to get away from buying anything I cannot grow.
So last summer I bumped up my effort by growing 2 kinds of plants with lemon flavor.
My favorite was Lemon Grass, which is an annual plant here- but I was able to dig it up and bring some indoors for the winter.
trying to keep it alive until spring
Yikes! I need to water it- hold on, be right back.
So anyway…
I also grew Lemon Balm.
It’s a wonderful perennial herb in the Mint Family that I had grown years ago, and have enjoyed it in tea and have used it in Sweet Dream Pillows.
But I had never cooked with it before… until I started running into a whole lot of recipes.
Wowzers!
lemon balm mmm!
You can also try Lemon Verbena and Lemon Basil, but the lemon flavor is not as strong.
So although you must have lemons to make Lemon Meringue Pie-
there are other ways to get that lemon flavor even if you live in a cooler climate.
As far as growing a Lemon Tree in my area- I have a few ideas.
How to Grow Lemon Grass, pt. 1
How to Grow Lemon Grass, pt. 2
Lemon Balm Pesto Spaghetti
More Lemon Balm Recipes
Lemon Grass Recipes
Categories: grow it, herbs
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22 January 2012, by gj
there are so many ways to finish a bowl
Other than the obvious difference between a vase and a bowl, there are two others when crafting one from a gourd:
1. You are probably going to want the inside to be much cleaner, and
2. You can go wild decorating the bowl
Prepare your gourd as you did the vase, but make the cut much lower to get a larger opening.
Now if this is just for your own use, and you are going to put a plant in the bowl, the inside does not have to be immaculate.
Otherwise you will need to really get the inner walls clean of any debris left when the flesh dried out.
You can do this by hand with sand paper, but it is much faster if you have some power involved.
This picture shows a small electric sander, and two sanding balls that fit inside an electric drill.
the right tools for the job
However you go about it, be sure to do it outside and wear a mask to prevent inhaling the dust.
Of course, when working with power tools, always wear protective eye covering too.
What you do next really depends on how you plan to use the bowl.
I always waterproof mine no matter what- I wouldn’t want someone to put a plant into the bowl and have the design run down the side when they watered it.
As added protection, I varnish the inside as well.
If you plan on using the bowl as a serving dish, there is a food grade varnish available called “Salad Bowl Finish” just follow the manufacturer’s directions to apply.
clean & with salad bowl finish
Decorate the bowl however you like, and seal your work as well.
Thanksgiving 'roll bowl'
So you can do this as easy as just cutting the bowl, maybe putting in a few drainage holes, and planting a plant- or you could go as intense as these pieces.
These are the gourd books I used, again ranging from simple to artsy.
the basic techniques
going wild
The main thing is to be careful and just enjoy yourself.
Growing gourds
Drying gourds
Categories: gardening people, places & things, gifts from the garden, other
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21 January 2012, by gj
We talked before about Growing Gourds, Drying them and Crafting Birdhouses-
today let’s talk about making vases.
These are also made from the ‘Birdhouse’ or ‘Bottle’ Gourds, you will need one that stands without wobbling.
The first thing to do after the outside of the gourd has been cleaned is to cut the top off.
vases shapes and sizes
How I do this is:
1. use a pencil to draw where you want to cut
2. holding the gourd well, cut- using a regular hand-held saw
-or-
1. make a hole with a sharp knife or drill a hole big enough to get a blade into
2. cut CAREFULLY using a small crafter’s jigsaw- don’t use this method unless you have experience using a hand-held electric saw
Keep in mind that the longer the growing season the gourd has had, the thicker the walls will be.
Thicker is great for birdhouses, but makes cutting gourds more difficult.
You can also buy precleaned and precut gourds- follow the link at the bottom of the post.
Now that your gourd is cut, remove as much of the insides as you can by shaking them out, using a long handled tool such a a meat fork to scrape some out.
If your opening is big enough to get your hand in, just reach in and grab the stuff; or use the highly coveted gourd tool- a spoon- to scrape the sides.
It is not imperative that you get everything when making a vase.
waterproofing a gourd
What is absolute is that you make sure your gourd has no leaks and that you waterproof it.
Place your gourd in a sink and fill with water.
Any leaks will show up in a short amount of time.
If there are no leaks- great!
Continue on by keeping the gourd filled with water for 3 days.
Changing the water every day helps get more of the dusty insides out, but isn’t necessary.
ooop! found one
If you find a leak or multiple leaks, which happens occasionally, it is easy to repair.
Empty the gourd and let it sit a day or so to dry.
paraffin seals gourd leaks
Then melt some paraffin in a double boiler and carefully pour it into the gourd, making sure the leak is covered.
Let set to dry completely, then water-test your gourd again to be sure you got it, and let set filled with water to complete waterproofing it.
Once your gourd is leak free, waterproofed and dry- you are ready to have fun crafting it.
One word of advice passed on to me by me Great Uncle, the Florist-
“A vase should never be prettier than its contents.”
I’ll add more pictures here as I get more vases crafted.
If you make a vase- send me a picture and I’ll post it here!
How to make Bowls.
Welburn Gourd Farm is a great source for thick walled gourds.
Categories: gifts from the garden, grow it, odds and ends
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20 January 2012, by gj
Our gardens provide us with beauty, with food, and with good health-
they can also provide us with ‘items’.
at the Lebanon Farm Market
The list of what plant life can be turned into items is long.
For example, most of us have come into contact with a wooden bowl- did you know they can actually be made out of wood, not just wood-looking plastic?
Probably the most common example of growing items is found with gourds.
ready to hold those pretty flowers
Our American Indians knew the value of this vegetable-
Canteen Gourds were used for carrying water
Dipper Gourds for spoons and other utensils
Birdhouse gourd bottoms were often used as bowls, and as molds for clay bowls
at the Green Dragon Farm Market
Over the course of this upcoming season I hope to be able to introduce you to a few more plants-to-items like this.
For now, I’m going to show you a few gourds turned into birdhouses.
paisley woodburn pattern
I already talked about how to grow birdhouse gourds,
but I also wanted to get a little more specific on how easy it is to refinish one-
or better yet, how much fun.
Gourds are a plant life and very similar to wood when it comes to crafting them.
You can use stains, oil pencils, paints…
decoupage, wood-burn, weave like baskets…
woodburn plus colored oil pencils
…pretty much any way you can finish a wood piece you can finish a gourd.
To me, that’s what makes them so much fun.
You can also take them beyond crafting- and into Art Form.
at Lebanon Picture Frame & Fine Art
Indian woman holding baby
No matter what you choose to do in life-
always remember to have fun.
I sure hope the birds can read.
More on Crafting Gourds
Growing Gourds
Drying Gourds
Categories: garden projects, gifts from the garden, grow it, odds and ends
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