Asparagus Tamales ~ Fresh, Local, & In Season

It's asparagus time of year again and I've been enjoying it.  I think I've eaten steamed asparagus spears at least twice a week for the last month.  My favorited grilling it just until it turns bright green.

I made tacos with grilled asparagus with black rice, roasted red peppers, avocado, and Daiya Cheese, in hand made corn/flour tortillas.

We're planning a trip to southern Oregon pretty soon and as I planned our drive around some of my favorite farmer's markets and produce stops, I remembered the asparagus tamales a Mexican woman sells at the Salem farmer's market.  She sells frozen tamales by the dozen, but I've never bought that many as it's a two hour drive and no matter how I kept them on the way home, they'd have to be cooked an eaten as soon as we got home.  I thought I'd try it myself.  It's been a long time since I made tamales.  They're a bit labor intensive, so I don't make them very often.  This is a simple recipe, but including all the prep, it took me four hours from start to finish.  I washed a lot of asparagus so I could put mostly the nice tips in the tamales.  I steamed the rest of the asparagus and mixed it with some of the chiles I roasted and some spelt berries and some pineapple.  That made a great salad, cold or warm for my lunches this week.

I don't usually use a recipe for tamales, but I thought I'd look around for some vegan ideas and I'd like to share, so I need some measurements..  I found a recipe I liked pretty well, changing just a few things as I went along. I made the filling with a little more chilies than in the recipe.  I had some dried Pasillo peppers I soaked in filtered water until they were soft and easy to use.  I strained the seeds and bits out of the chili water and used that as a liquid while sautéing the peppers and onions.  I also used fresh jalapeño peppers and one large sweet red pepper I roasted, peeled, seeded. The cheese sauce called for vegetable broth powder and that's something I just don't have in my kitchen so I thought a little light miso might be nice.  I've used that in a number of vegan cheese sauces.  It worked out just fine.

Traditional tamales are prepared with lard, which is technically dairy-free, though certainly not vegan and not exactly healthy. These dairy-free cheese and jalepeno tamales are lard-free, vegan tamales that can be filled with many different kinds of fillings, from beans to veggies to sweet potatoes, and they are so much fun to serve!

I used dairy-free cream cheese in this recipe, but if this is not available, dairy-free soy margarine or even all-vegetable dairy-free shortening will work as well.

I doubled this recipe and ended up with about thirty tamales, half went into the freezer for a quick meal later.

Vegan Tamales

by Ashley Skabar

Makes 12 tamales

Ingredients:

• For the Tamales:
• 14 large dried corn husks
• 1 8-ounce tub dairy free cream cheese
• 3 cups masa harina
• 1 3/4 cups warm vegetable stock
  
  For the Filling:
• 1 T. olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
• 2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 jalepenos, finely chopped and seeded (I also added a a couple Pasillo peppers I had around)
• 3 T. finely chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/2 t. salt
• I added about three large fresh Asparagus Tips, 1 inch sliced, to each one - I put the asparagus in raw as it will steam plenty with the tamales.
  
  For the Dairy-free Cheese Sauce:
• 2 cups plain dairy-free soymilk or almond milk
• 1/4 cup Tahini
• 2/3 cup nutritional yeast
• 2 t. turmeric
• 1/2 cup vegetable broth powder (I used about 1-2 TB light miso paste)
• 1 T. prepared mustard
• salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation:

1. Place the corn husks in a large bowl. Fill with water to cover, then place a plate or pan on top of the husks to submerge them for 1 hour.

2. Meanwhile, make the masa dough. In a medium-large mixing bowl using an electric hand mixer, beat the dairy-free cream cheese on medium speed for about 1 minute, or until aerated and fluffy. Add the masa harina and stock gradually, beating until well combined. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour.

3. Meanwhile, make the filling. In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil, adding the onion and garlic once hot. Cook for about 4 minutes, stirring often, until the onions are soft. Add the jalepenos, cilantro and salt, and cook for about 2 minutes more, or until the onions are translucent. Remove from heat and set aside.

4. Make the dairy-free cheese sauce. In a small sauce pan over medium-low heat, heat the soy milk and tahini. When just warm, add the nutritional yeast and turmeric, stirring until well combined, followed by the vegetable broth powder, stirring well until dissolved. Add the prepared mustard and cook until desired consistency. Salt and pepper to taste.

5. Assemble the tamales. Tear 2 of the corn husks lengthwise (with the grain) into 12 strips and set aside. Drain the remaining corn husks and pat them dry. Place one of the corn husks on a dry work surface. Place about 1/4 cup of the masa harina mixture in the center of the corn husk, pressing the mixture into a rectangle and leaving about a 1- 1 1/2 inch border on the sides. Place 2 T. of the vegetable mixture onto the center of the masa rectangle, followed by about 2-3 T. of the dairy-free cheese sauce. Bring the "long sides" of the corn husk together without folding them over. Tuck in the ends of the cornhusk, then continue to fold the long sides of the husk around the tamale. Using one of the corn husk strips, tie the tamale to secure. Repeat with the remaining corn husks and batter.

 6. Cook the tamales. Fill a stockpot with a steamer insert with water so that it is just about 1/2 inch below the basket. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium. Place the tamales upright in the steamer basket, cover, and steam for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, or until the batter is firm and easily comes away from the corn husk. Remove from heat and let the tamales stand for about 10 minutes before serving. Serve with salsa, dairy-free cheese sauce or just as they are!

 I added a little tomatillo sauce, some of the dairy free cheese sauce, grilled asparagus, and a pineapple and mango salad.

Weekend Ramblings and Lots of Pie

Had a very nice time out at Rachel & Damon's place last Sunday. As usual, it was a refreshing break.  As we got a little out of town and around the winding road, we were greeted by the sun.  So glad we ventured out that way, it was raining when we left our neck of the woods.  We have to drive along the Columbia river to get there and took the opportunity for some photo practice on the way out and the way back.  We were only gone the afternoon and evening and managed to take something like 200 photos in that time period. I practiced my skills with Rachel's birdhouses. I love the sculpture-esc way she's arranged them on this old piece of nature's artwork.  Birdhouses she made with her nieces and nephews when they were small.  A project I would have liked enjoyed participating.

As always, we had a great meal, with plenty of fresh ingredients.  Rachel made a great vegetable and shrimp stir fry and some of her honey bread.  I brought a spelt berry salad and a big raw vegetable salad.  Her neighbor had delivered some fresh pea soup made with the peas from her garden last summer.  I had also made the cherry rhubarb Pie.  Rachel made her berry pie.  And I took another try at the banana cream pie.  The first time I didn't even get a whole piece.  It disappeared so fast. Even though all of our pies with low on sugar, it was a good thing dinner was full of fresh vegetables.  It felt like we so when we've had too much Thanksgiving dinner when we left.

Stir Fry, Peas Soup, Spelt Berry Salad

Spelt Berry Salad

Vegan Banana Cream Pie

They also has a little brood of baby Australorp hens, who provided lots of delightful entertainment.  This one is the only one left after the others were returned to their little home.  She was telling us all about it. There was quite the conversation going on here.

Happy May Day! Is it Really Spring Now?

I've been slacking on my blogging for the last two weeks.  Time to catch up.  Funny how once I start the procrastination in motion with something, it gets harder to get back in the habit.  I haven't been doing too many culinary treats out of the ordinary lately so I'm not too behind on recipes.  I've been sticking to our fruits in the morning, raw salads, and beans, with a few steamed veggies thrown in now & then.  I've also been anxiously waiting for the change from cooking to gardening.  It's been the wettest and coldest April, I've heard, in about 50 years.  This is the second spring in two years, we haven't seen sunshine in April.  But today the sun is shining and we're going out to work in the garden while we can.  It's supposed to be 70º today, I sure hope so.  It will bring some joy all over town. We'll  hear the sound of lawn mowers, motorcycles, and the outdoor toys as people come outside to play.  We've done a pretty good job of tackling the weeds and decayed plants.  The artichokes are coming back strong and many herbs made it through the winter.  I picked enough oregano yesterday to make a few quarts of oregano oil.
 
I took a stroll through the farmer's market yesterday and picked up a yellow Mystic Spirit dahlia, a couple Spanish Lavender plants, some rosemary, some fuchsia starts, Italian parsley, and a couple purple daisies. We managed to get most of it planted outside yesterday.  The fuchsia starts are for my deck.  I take pride in starting with tiny little seedlings and diligently trimming them daily until I have a full blooming fuchsia with beautiful big blooms.

Fuchsia

 Even though it's early in the season, there are some crafty farmers who have some edibles.  I picked up a nice variety of edible flowers: mustard, turnip, and broccoli.  Those are broccoli flowers in my blog header. Ruth & Mike had some nice spinach and Eva had her herbs and Jerusalem artichokes.  After shopping I took out my camera and went for a walk through the market welcoming the vendors back for the season.




I do have a vegan banana creme pie in the fridge waiting for the cashew coconut creme.  I'll be sure to post some pictures and the recipe once we break into it later on.

Garden Update

We're finally getting some sunny days, not too many, but they are beginning. Friday and Saturday this week were not only dry, but sunny and warm. I managed to get out into the garden both days. Friday I planted carrots, beets, some nasturtiums, and pansies. Saturday was 70º, I wore a shirt with no sleeves and short pants. Woo Who! We both got out there Saturday, Scott weeded around the onions and garlic giving them room to grow. Some of the garlic I planted is elephant garlic and I can see the stalks getting quite thick. I cleared out a mound and planted some slicing cucumbers and a row of delicata squash.

Oregano

Garlic

I'm pretty pleased with the plants that are coming back or still alive from last season. The herbs are rockin', we have lots of oregano, sage, rosemary, and thyme. The artichokes are all showing some life and when I was out there Friday I accidentally dug up some bulbs from the Mystic Spirit Dahlia I have out there. There was some green shooting out the tops of them. I gently put them back in the dirt and said a few encouraging words. I hope they grow. I do like that flower, it added such life to our garden.

Mystic Spirit

The gardening indoors has been going along a bit slow. I have had some disappointments in the germinating department, but that's how it goes. I tried some Stevia seeds this year and none of them germinated.  Too bad too, they are kind of expensive seeds.  But, I did order some seedlings, just in case, which were delivered last week.  I will have my Stevia in the garden this year.  I only grew four plants last year and that provided quite a bit of Stevia for myself and a couple friends. I have some broccoli, cauliflower, fennel, tomatoes, peppers, green onions, and a couple other veggies started. I'll get some corn started in a week or so. I don't want to be too early with the corn this year. I ended up planting it a few times last year. This is the time I get quite anxious and concerned that I won't get everything planted when I want to. It always works out, I'm just impatient.

Kaylee and I decorated some wooden dolls last weekend.  She took them out to the garden with my point and shoot camera and had her own little photo shoot.  I think her pictures came out rather well.  I also bought her a pair of her own gardening gloves this year.  She had a good time trying to move the weeds with the gardening claw. It's much taller than she.

Still Indoors ~ Garden 2011

 I was hoping to get outside this weekend and begin clearing the weeds the rain brought in the garden.  No such luck, it was cold and very rainy today. We did have a couple breaks in the clouds, but it never lasted very long.  I feel like I am in a big holding zone, just waiting for warmth from the sun. There are quite a few plants coming up out there, but it's hard to see most of them right now through the weeds.  I've got some garlic, onions, radishes, peas, lettuce, and herbs growing.

We've had a record breaking raining streak in the pacific northwest. I think, 28 days of continual rain. There was a short break in the afternoon Thursday.  It was warm and clear.  I spent some time playing with our camera in the backyard while we had the sun.  Almost gave me some hope that we would see some spring sunshine this weekend.  I am used to the rain in the northwest, but this time of year I am anxious to get out in the garden and get to work.  I feel like that old Mervyn's commercial where the gal is at the door at 6:00 a.m.on the morning of a big sale, "OPEN, OPEN, OPEN". The seedlings are doing well indoors right now.  Most of these are from the indoor greenhouse, a few of the herbs are out in the garden waking up from the winter, the columbine and artichokes are coming up out there too.




Today was the first day of our farmer's market season.  It's always muddy and a bit rainy the first few weeks.  I welcomed back some of my regular vendors. Right now the most that's available for about a month at the market will be plants, crafts, breads, and locally roasted coffee. There are a few farmers with greenhouses that have some lettuces and greens. I purchased a few things from Eva: a couple rosemary starts, some Jerusalem artichokes, and some kiwis.  I've heard that some people have started growing kiwis in the northwest.  I'm anxious to try hers. I took my camera ready to take some shots at the market, but it began to hail and rain very hard.  I stood under one of the canopies waiting for it to stop, but it just kept coming down. I was pretty drenched by the time I got back to my car. Those photos will have to wait.

Signs of Life ~ Garden 2011

Baby Artichokes

It's almost time to get outdoors a little more often and work in the garden.  I am anxious to get started.   We had a short break in the rain yesterday and it's been quiet at work.  I took the opportunity to do a little work outdoors yesterday.  I planted a few more snap peas, some lettuce, and some kale.  I planted some peas in February but haven't seen much action.  We had a very cold snow storm which probably slowed what growth was going on.  There are some signs of life out there though. The herbs are waking up, onions and garlic are standing up straight. I see radishes popping their first leaves out and I saw some signs of life out of the base of the artichokes.  They worried me a little.  It was hard for me to imagine those black dead stalks had any life left in them.

Columbine

Snap Pea

Radishes

Lupine

Rosemary

 

 

Gratitude and Growth

I'm a bit melancholy today.  Part of my son's current journey is over today.  I don't think there are any more charges to be brought against him.  He now has to get through the summer in jail and then get on to rebuilding his life. He's got a much harder path to walk then he had two years ago. He has plead guilty to two more felonies.  This makes six felonies in three counties for a very stupid decision. How the F*!k does a person ever get a job with that many felonies? (Pardon the anger showing please.)  When this all started, my biggest fear was that he would spend six months in jail.  He has now been in five different institutions and pretty much incarcerated for the last two years.  He was 21 when he went away, he will be 24 in March. We've spent a lot of holidays talking with glass in between us.

Today he is officially sentenced to 70 months of correctional custody.  They have suspended 5 years with probation and he will serve another 210 days in county jail.   My very polite son, who had so much promise, has now spent the last two years in some kind of correctional facility.  I chose not to go to the courtroom today. Most of me feels good about that decision. One of the biggest lessons I've learned from this ordeal is that I cannot change anything.  I am reminded that the only thing I can change is how I react to the situation.  Instead of being angry, I can find another way to get through this day. I haven't slept much, I knew that would happen.  Even if I am not there, I am still feeling what is about to happen today. This is not what I had in mind for that cute little baby boy. I don't think I will accomplish anything by going through that fear in the courtroom today.  Instead, I'm taking care of myself. I've taken a vacation day and doing a little pampering and then some preparations for spring. Today the gardening begins, indoors and hopefully a little outdoors.Yes, gardening is cheaper than therapy.

My dear friend Cheryl, who passed away in 2009, would have reminded me that everything does work out.  It doesn't always work out the way we want it, but it does work out.  She'd remind me that getting out of ourselves and helping someone else usually helps us feel a little better. She'd ask me when the last time I did a gratitude list was.  You know, it's been awhile.  'Bout time I think.

I am grateful to be a sober. I only thought about drinking a couple times through this ordeal.  I am grateful for all I've learned that helped me not drink.

I am grateful for my loving husband who shows it every day. Sometimes I haven't been too much fun through this.

I am grateful for my sons and grandchildren.  Although we worry, there's a lot of love.  I've heard we can't appreciate the joy without the pain.  I'll try to be grateful for the pain too.

I am grateful for my beautiful warm home.(Especially the great kitchen I spend most my time creating edible art.) I heard yesterday that cooking was a great distraction.  It's working.  Happiness is taking photos of the great experiments gone right. Oh yeah, then sharing them.

I am grateful we found gardening.  My husband and I share a lot of love when we are in the sunshine and dirt taking care of our babies.

I am grateful for the busy job I have which keeps my mind active and allows for a vacation day when necessary.  My job is never boring and always changing. I usually feel appreciated there too.

I am grateful for the loving friends I have in my life. There is a lot of love in my life.  

I am grateful for the ability to be creative and share that with others. Love sharing art and the love of good food with others.  The potluck is a great new distraction. It's been a blessing to have this in my mind instead of my son's troubles.

Now Cheryl would have me do at least five, there's eight.  On my way to feeling better I think.  I haven't slept as much as I would like.  But that's OK, I get to move at my own pace today.   Another reason to be grateful for vacation days. I'm doing OK, but I don't think I want to interact with too many today. I need some solitude myself.  It's time to get ready for spring.  I am starting the day with a deep muscle massage, then a pedicure, (which also comes with reading time), and then if it's not too wet I am headed out to the garden to start some lettuce, onions, and peas.  If it's raining, I'll get them started here.  I also have some Almond Madeleine dough setting in the fridge, I'll share them with you later. I am looking forward to the day!

I have learnt silence from the talkative, toleration from the intolerant, and kindness from the unkind; yet strange, I am ungrateful to these teachers.


Kahlil Gibran

Garden Update

Even though our spring has seemed like the return of fall our garden is moving along.  We harvested some fresh snap peas and radishes this week.   There will be some fresh lettuce and fennel to pick shortly and everything seems pretty happy.  I love how the artichokes are growing, they are very healthy, firm and a deep green. 

Breakfast - Vegan Strawberry Scones

I was thinking about what I will do with my strawberries this weekend.  I wanted to make some jam, which I did.  I made some freezer jam with 3 cups of sucanat for ten cups of crushed berries.  Much less sugar than conventional jam.  But what kind of fun, healthy snack can I come up with?  I thought about strawberry scones and when looking through the vegan recipes that came up when I searched, I hit on this one Strawberry-Coconut Scones.  I didn't make many changes to the recipe;  I used sucanat for sugars, plain coconut milk yogurt, and coconut milk creamer.  These came out very nice, firm, but flaky and moist, thanks to the chunks of strawberries.

 I served them with the strawberry jam I made yesterday, a fresh fruit salad made with:  mango, bananas, kiwi, sliced strawberries, and a handful of coconut shreds.  I also grilled some strips of sesame garlic tempeh marinated in shoyu. 

Balance? in Juneuary?

Yes, it's Juneuary in the Northwest.  I feel like we've seen enough rain to last us until next winter.  We are still wearing sweaters, socks, and long pants to work in mid June.  We have had some sunshine about once a week.  They say this is the longest stretch of rainy weather in spring in 23 years.  I had so hoped to be in my garden more.   The plants are growing, but they are small.  The biggest thing I miss though is the peace I get when I'm out there.

Marty is soon to be released from the prison in Washington and will be transported to another jail in Oregon where he can once again face charges for the same instance and same people.    He has been incarcerated now for the last year and a half.   I fear he has quite a few months or more ahead of him left.  I have seen many courtrooms in the last year and a half, many people who have done much worse have gotten less trouble, from my standpoint anyway.   I don't understand our justice system at all.   I still have problems believing this has happened at all.   I do know what surreal feels like.   We are responsible people, things like this aren't supposed to happen, at least I didn't think so.   I am trying to handle all of this better than I did last year.   This week I am back to screaming inside a bit.  But, I know there are many blessings in my life.   I just have to learn to see them and remember them when I feel bad.

Yesterday I sent my first care package to my son in Afghanistan.  He asked for canned meats and easy meals, the just add water kind, socks, coffee, and foot powder.   They get some vegetables and fruit from local farmers.   Oh my gosh, I filled a box with what I consider "edible food-like substances."   I tried to keep it a little healthy by sending canned salmon, crab, papaya, and applesauce along with the Spam and other cans that had pictures of meat.   But most of the things he asked for I wouldn't buy or eat, but I'm not the one foraging for food in unfriendly places.    He can have what he wants, if I can send it.  He sent me a picture of his cooking facilities and some of their "gardening."  I am pretty sure I wouldn't  like it if these guys came by my garden dressed for battle with loaded rifles. 

Bob's Kitchen

Picking vegetables

And, Fruit shopping, I think this is the closest my sailor gets to water.

The man who helped me at the post office was a jolly character.  He showed me how to fill out the custom papers and handed me a stack of them for the future boxes.   He gave me a whole roll of postal packing tape, and a stack of boxes marked for sending to FPO addresses.  He also went on to proudly tell me about his daughter who just made 3rd class in the Navy, she's deployed, and a son who is about to enter Officer Training School.   Then, he said something that made me feel connected to him and a little relaxed inside, he said his other son was in prison, he had made a stupid decision.  You know that made me smile inside to hear someone else say the same thing I do.  I know how this man feels. He was kind sharing with me even though he was probably just letting it out like I do.   It seems to help to tell others.   If I felt alone yesterday, as I often do in this ordeal, I didn't for that moment.   I thanked him for sharing and told him my other son was also in prison.  He said, "you know, we all have one."   I am so glad I picked that moment to go to the post office, I haven't felt that connected to a stranger like that in a long time.  Somehow that eased the pain just a bit. 

So, yes, I have whined a bit today and I'm not feeling that great.  But at the same time I am able to see that there is some balance to all of this.   Even if I only see a little, I know that I do learn from the trials I go through.  Gosh, if I don't remember this, my friends, the books I read, and the music I listen to remind me of this all the time.   I shouldn't forget it, but I do.  I am learning to appreciate what I do have and not worry about what I don't have.  I can feel the peace when it comes.  I do have a good life, I'm alive, sober, happily married, employed at a job I love, and there are lots of vegetables growing in my garden soon, if the darn sun would shine.

We do try to find a way to make some fun along this journey.  We took a long time to drive home Sunday from visiting Marty in Aberdeen.  We got so wrapped up in catching the beauty of the sunshine and the coast, on the same day, it took us four hours to drive home.  It should only take two and that's with a stretch stop or two.

As far as we can discern, the sole purpose of human existence is to kindle a light in the darkness of mere being.

Carl Jung, "Memories, Dreams, Reflections", 1962

Strawberry Rhubarb Glaze Pie

What did I do with my strawberries this week?   Many of them did get frozen, but we eat as much as we can while they are in season and fresh.  We'll have strawberries in most of our breakfast smoothies this week.  Then there are the strawberry goodies.  This semi-raw pie is very simple.

I made a strawberry rhubarb glaze with about two cups chopped rhubarb, two cups sliced strawberries, the juice of an orange, and about 1/4 cup raw agave.  I just let them simmer on a medium low heat until they are tender and saucy, about 3-5 minutes at most.  Remove from the heat and add to the fruit sauce 1/4 tablespoon powdered Agar dissolved in a 1/4 cup of boiling water.   I added about a teaspoon of chopped orange zest to the mixture after it was removed from the heat.

For the crust I used one cup raw almonds, seven med jool dates, and a dash of salt.   Soak the almonds in water for an hour or so and pulse them with the dates in the food processor until the mixture can be shaped into a ball.  Sprinkle about 2-3 tablespoons of raw coconut shreds at the bottom of a glass pie pan.   Press the almond and date mixture in the pie pan to form a crust on the bottom and up the sides.

Then I just layered sliced fresh strawberries in the crust and poured the strawberry rhubarb sauce over the strawberries.  I kind of mixed them a little to get the sauce distributed.  This will chill in the refrigerator for about an hour to set.  I garnished it with orange zest and a couple cantaloupe flowers from my garden.

I think I will serve it with some cashew lavender creme sauce.  I'll try to remember to post a picture of a slice when I cut it later.

Celebration Salad

I've seen this salad in many vegan and whole foods cookbooks. It's a pretty simple salad of fresh carrots and beets. What am I celebrating?  The first fresh vegetables of the season and for us in the Pacific Northwest, we are celebrating sunshine today. Nice warm sunshine.

This is the way Chef Al Chase taught me to make Celebration Salad.  I grated four small to medium red beets, one golden beet I had, and four medium carrots.  To those grated vegetables, I added the juice and zest of one orange, a little flax oil, and a little chili oil, about a tablespoon each.  I added some fresh ground Celtic sea salt and a dash of cayenne pepper.  I usually use chopped parsley, but I didn't have any so I used some fresh cilantro from the garden.  Not too much, about a tablespoon and a half.  It will settle and become juicy and flavorful after chilling overnight.  This salad definitely makes me feel like summer is coming.

Black Quinoa Salad with Red Pepper and Bok Choy

Now this is an original recipe.   While browsing through the bulk grains at People's a couple weeks ago, I noticed some black quinoa.   I like black rice, I should probably like this, so I bought some and finally tried it today.   I cooked up a cup and let it sit and cool for a bit.   Then I added chopped red bell pepper, a couple diced cloves of garlic, about a teaspoon of ginger juice, a tablespoon of chili oil, a tablespoon of flax oil, a little lemon juice, shoyu, and a dash of Celtic sea salt and cayenne pepper.   I had about half a head of bok choy from last week's market so I sliced it very thin, kind of a chiffonade.  I also added some chopped parsley and cilantro, both picked in my garden today.  It's has a nice zesty flavor and it's pretty too.  It should be really good tomorrow after sitting in the cooler all night letting all the flavors meld together.

Farmer's Market, Sunshine, and Gardening

The sun is finally out and the mood was cheery at the farmer's market today.  People are picking up more seedlings to get them in the dirt while we can.  This may be the beginning of our sunny weather, but there is more rain to come.  We generally don't see continual warm weather until after the fourth of July.  There are more edibles showing up at the market and it will get better each week now.

Some of my friends think I probably spend more on my groceries, but I don't think so.   It costs a little more to get the vegetables directly from the farmer sometimes, but all the money goes to the farmer and the fruits and vegetables are usually picked the same day I buy them.  They don't spend a week or more in a truck.  

The strawberries I picked up today are not 100% organic, but they are from a small local farm, just 20 miles away.  Small farms that do use non-organic farming methods, usually farm much closer to organic than a factory farm using less of any herbicides. There are also many farmers farming organically that just can't afford all the testing and paperwork filing involved to become certified organic.

There are many things I can get at the farmer's market too besides vegetables. We have a local coffee grinder, a couple bakers, a local chocolatier, and a goat farmer who sells fresh goat cheese.

Today I spent about $38 and came home with:

A nice large bunch of fresh carrots, I have found ways to use the greens too,
a large bunch of beets with healthy greens,
10 lb of fresh strawberries, picked this morning,
2 lb of fresh asparagus,
1 loaf cracked wheat bread, dairy free, made with whole grain flour, flax seeds, and sesame seeds,
1 loaf of the same cracked wheat bread made with cinnamon and raisins (this is our sweet treat this week), both made by Homer Bread in Longview.
1 small round of garlic cheese bread and a jalapeno cornbread made by at Victorian Acres in Clatskanie,
and two beautiful purple flowering plants for the garden.

The biggest expense was the fresh strawberries. I will buy whatever fruit is in season in quantities every weekend until the end of the season and freeze most of it so we have a continual supply of fresh local fruit into the winter. This year I hope to do some more canning, we'll see. That garden takes up a lot of time.

Speaking of the garden, the sun's out, my husband will be home shortly and it's off for a day outside working our beautiful garden.   Even though it's been cloudy and rainy, very rainy, most days this spring.  There are some plants growing and healthy.  They should enjoy the sun this weekend, I know I do.

This is what the sky looked like yesterday evening in the garden.  

And a happy pepper blossom :-)

The rainbow chard hasn't minded the rain.

Organic Farm Tour

Last Sunday we had a delightful tour of three organic farms sponsored by People's Coop, Alberta Grocery Coop, and Food Front in Portland.  There were about 100 of us on this little field trip, pun intended.  I try to stop in at People's most trips to Portland.   I have been to the Alberta Coop, but not Food Front.  I'll have to visit now that I know they are there, I think they have two stores. 

I love shopping and being a member of the Coop.  I know I am getting the best organic whole food as local as possible.  Being a member I feel like I am contributing to a good thing.  The produce section in People's is beautiful even in the winter.  There are many whole ingredients I used to prepare our meals that are either very hard to get in our little community or are more expensive here.  For example, I can get all the loose teas and herbs I need in bulk so I can buy a little or a lot.  Vanilla beans are usually below $2 a piece.  To buy them here, they are packaged in little glass tubes and become $6 a piece, even at the best whole foods store in town. 

They have me pretty spoiled too.  I went to one of those big box stores with my friend.  I won't even go in their produce cooler, it's all mass manufactured, tasteless, chemical ridden food like substance.   Anyway, I noticed a big bag of organic raw almonds.  We use lots of raw almonds.  I thought to myself, yes, they are a bit cheaper than I pay, but even if they are grown organically and perhaps even in a sustainable farm, I don't think the almonds on the bottom of the bag or even half way down are going to be as fresh as they should be once we get to them.  Nope, I like shopping the bulk food way.  Less packaging, I can buy in any amount I need or my wallet allows, and I know what I am getting.

This is a annual trip for members to give us more of a connection with where our food comes from and who the people are that grow it for us.  Even though it was a rainy spring Sunday, it was a great trip and quite educational.  There were three different farms on our journey, the first was more like a research facility and farm run by a retired college professor, the second a cider house and vineyard, and the third a 100 acre organic vegetable farm.  It was like a very very large garden.  It was great to get to meet the people who grow our food and get a sense of what they are about too.

Our first stop was to Sunbow Farm in Corvalis, OR, an organic farm since 1972.  We learned about composting and care of the soil to sustain future crops and protect the earth.  Harry MacCormack is the co-founder of Oregon Tilth.  Oregon Tilth is a nonprofit research and education membership organization dedicated to biologically sound and socially equitable agriculture.  He was happy to tell us of his research with composte, composte tea, and farming while taking care of the soil to keep it resilient.  He is a character, a retired professor and writer, and he's got quite a history.   He's a poet too.  He started the farmer's market at People's and has had a hand in helping others get started.   This farm very much reminded me of The Farm, in Summertown, TN, that I had the opportunity to visit in April.

We had a great vegan lunch prepared by Abbys Table at Wandering Aengus in Salem, OR.  There was a very tasty raw "tuna" salad - a salad of sprouted seeds and nuts with flavors of the sea, lentil salad with parsley and mint.  I am going to try to recreate this salad very soon.  There was a build your own sandwich buffet of great salads, marinated tempeh, roasted tofu, whole grain breads and much more.  It was nice to be with 100 people who didn't mind that lunch was vegan.  I didn't get a picture of lunch, which is surprising, I think I was probably to busy eating anxious to wander around the orchards and vineyards.  There was also some wine and cider tasting.  You have to ask someone else how that was, I don't drink so I didn't partake.   I did however, listen to the trials and tribulations of growing enough good apples to brew the cider.  This was a very pleasant and relaxing stop on our journey.

Wandering Aengus

Our last farm of the day was Mustard Seed Farms in St. Paul, OR.  This looked like a huge garden in my mind.  This farmer produces greens and veggies to coops, wholesalers, and the local community.  He has a different kind of community garden.  Instead of dividing up into plots, he invites the community to come help on the farm for a number of hours each week to contribute to the garden for their seasonal vegetables . 

Technical Difficulties, Strawberries, and Art

I've been down a week, well my PC has anyway.  The modem quit working and we learned to live without the internet.  Strange how we felt cut off from the outside world a little bit not having this little electronic box for a week.  You'd think I'd get enough of the computer at work, but that's mainly spreadsheets. 

A week ago Saturday was a pretty special day for me.  The sun was shining and warm and the first strawberries of the season showed up at the farmer's market.   It's been so rainy here this spring, I was wondering if the strawberries would show up at the farmer's market this month.  June is strawberry season here, most years.  I usually have fifty pounds or more in my freezer before the end of the season.  I've been pretty good about not buying strawberries out of season.   We ran out of them in January this year.  I picked up some Nasturtiums, Marigolds, Purple African Daisies, and some blue potato starts for the garden too.   I got a "great pumpkin" plant for our yard at home.   It's one of those that should grow to 100 pounds or more, this should be fun to watch.   Not sure what I will do with it, but if we get one that size, I do know someone who likes to sculpt them and does it well.  The sun came out for both days of the weekend and I spent a lot of time in the garden.  My knees were dirty most of the weekend.

There was also a little flea market in town, The Spring Fling.   I found a painting that just had to go home with me.   The woman who sold it to me knew the artist, but didn't tell me the name of it.   At my house it shall be "Women on Market Day."   It tells so many stories.  The frame is a little warped, but it's in great condition. Hand painted and it was only $7.

Family and Gifts

Saturday was our visit to the correctional institution. It went as usual, two hour drive through the woods, stopping to stretch now and then and enjoy what time we can. We visit for two hours or so, play scrabble, and try to be pleasant and optimistic about the future. Soon to be released from this institution, my son faces more challenges on this journey. It will be over someday.

We do manage to have a good visit. We are a family and that shows. There's plenty of love there. As we were leaving I noticed another father working hard to hold back his tears. I know what he feels like, I had to turn as I had a problem holding back my own at that moment. We were pretty quiet as we left. We found a park close by where we stop and walk a bit after our visits. It gives us time to change our attitudes before our journey home. This time there were a flock of geese resting on their journey. A two hour drive home and Saturday is pretty much over, but that just means there are less Saturday's to go before my son comes home. I have to find something positive to think about. It's hard, but I do manage.

I played in the kitchen and my husband spent some time working in the yard yesterday.  My husband is very sweet, handles things his own way. He takes his camera and brings me flowers. We do have a beautiful home, lot of love, and a lot to be grateful for.