Stewed Apple & Nettle Soup

These past few days have been great for our annual ritual gathering weeds or more specifically these glorious nettles and dandelions. They are sprouting everywhere and just asking to become part of our journey each spring.

We have collected pots of them usually early in the morning when they are at their best (and so are we!), not only for us to eat in our food but also for the animals. They are great for our laying geese and ducks as well as for our milking goats.

Nettles and dandelions are also chocked full of all the minerals and vitamins needed at the moment for us to gently surge ahead in better health. And when they are young such as this time of year – they taste a little like spinach.

Usually I just make soups and stews with nettles while I add dandelion raw to salads but also stir fry it with onions, garlic and anything else I have on hand here. However like any other vegetables, nettles can be quite versatile and I plan on making a few different dishes with them in the coming days.

Today I made a pot of nettle tea with some fresh nettles – but instead of throwing out the greens afterwards (or giving them to the geese) I added them to my already cooking soup. Nothing need be wasted when it comes to great herbs!

So now I have a pot of vegetable soup that turned into nettle soup….

To make any kind of soup or stew with nettles – pick some first (the tops are enough) wash and cut the leaves off if you want. Add the leaves to your hot water or even a soup already cooked – just boil it a little longer to soften and blanch the nettles.

Once my soup was ready – with vegetables and loads of nettle – I decided to add some flavour for my taste tester with some stewed apples stirred in at the end. The nettles and apples are a perfect combination or sweet and earthy flavours.

Milk, cheese or yogurt works very well here too. No time to get a picture of the soup - it was gone too fast....!

April 

Goats feta cheese hanging to drip out the whey

Festive Cooking... Smoked Fish & Haricot Salad

Yesterday I spent the day experimenting with some holiday dishes that I hope to make during our festive season. I love smoked fish at this time of the year and thought about making some interesting dishes with it.

What I like about smoked fish in particular is that it's so versatile - you can add it to nearly anything and create a lovely new dish each time. Or have it on it's own on a cracker or some bread...simple or dressed up, it is a tasty addition to any meal.

Using some smoked tuna (one of my favourites) I decided to make a warm winter salad with it. Usually this goes with a cold salad, but it was being served to children and it's a cold time of the year. So, warm salad it was....

I soaked some haricot beans overnight and then cooked them in seaweed until soft but not mushy. These were then drained off and let stand for a while. In the meantime I chopped the vegetables; leeks, grated carrots, shallots, garlic, fresh parsley and sautéd them in a little olive oil until soft.

Once the vegetables were done, I added a small amount of ground cumin and pepper to the mixture (but not salt because the smoked fish is salty) and then tossed this together with the beans and seaweed. Already it was looking very tasty.

Next I warmed up the tuna in a skillet with a little oil and then broke it up into smaller pieces. These I placed on top of the bean mixture and served with fresh Rosemary Sea salt bread and butter....

It got rave reviews from my tough taste testers, so I was very pleased with it. You can also make this using fresh salad ingredients such as lettuce, spinach, finely chopped onion and olives. It's a great way to get the goodness of the beans along with the rich flavour of the smoked tuna.

April

Smoked Tuna & Haricot Salad 

Natural Immune Boosters.... A Lifestyle!

Keeping with the theme of staying healthy during these winter months it comes to mind to mention some natural ways to boost our immune systems... Of course this being my blog and all about The Pagan Diet - I would start with fasting as the easiest and best way to boost your entire body.

Right now I am on day 3 of my December detox and I am feeling great. To be honest, other than consistently eating a clean diet, fasting is probably the fastest way to boost your internal systems and the overall function of your entire body.

However, I would have to say your diet would need to be great in general to reap the full benefits - as well as a healthy lifestyle, unlike that being promoted through the airwaves. If you take care of your body, treat it well and do your utmost to remove toxins - your immune system will naturally benefit.

It is also important to detox regularly - thus the mention of fasting, which in my mind is the easiest way to cleanse because you allow your digestive system to virtually shutdown while you clear away old debris. And please don't think - oh, I did that a couple years ago, so I'm good - you are only scratching the surface...

So, as far as immune boosting goes there are a few approaches a person can take - start with food. On the days you are eating, include foods such as garlic, elder berries & blueberries, broccoli, oats, wild fish, sweet potatoes, pumpkins and seaweeds. And Vitamin C rich foods such as kiwi, oranges and parsley.

As well, it is counter productive to eat a lovely meal full of wonderful veggies and fish - then to chase it all down with a bottle of wine and a sugary dessert. If you are going to do this, keep it to a minimum and remember that positives do not outweigh negatives as far as food is concerned. Poisons and toxins win and do damage every time...

For the herbs that you might want to include in your weekly diet - try growing your own in pots (this can be done year round inside). Some of the best ones are coriander, parsley, basil, rosemary and thyme. But there are many others you can cook with - for instance elder berry mentioned above can be used in a stuffing, and you can make a tea from the flowers. 

As for a list of herbs which strengthen our immune systems some of the best ones to use are echinachea, goldenseal, ginger, turmeric, ginseng, astragalus and of course garlic as already mentioned. You can get some of these into your favourite foods and meals and make a tea with the rest. Start a new habit of having herbal teas in the evening for instance...

I must have been a water fairy in another lifetime because I am so fussy and sensitive about the water I drink. I remember being 8 months pregnant and running out of water while on a training course. I waited until I got home to have a drink - it was that important to me to only drink clean unprocessed water. 

It should be the same for all of us - our bodies are 66% water and this is the number one cleansing agent as well as being the primary ingredient in nearly every function and reaction inside our cells. If you want to boost any part of your health and well-being, drink only clean untreated water. 

Another natural way to boost your immune function and put yourself in a feel good mood is to exercise. Any kind of movement will do, but the ones I like the best for boosting our systems would be Yoga, pilates and dance. Aim for about 60 minutes per day (that's right) for each day that you eat food...

There is a lot to be said for an organized, tidy, low stress home environment and the amount it can potentially contribute to our inner workings. I happen to know that when my home life is lower in stress levels (that's not always easy to achieve) then my body works and feels better. There is the mind connection to all of this as well.

For us here, we don't deliberately go out of our way to avoid the flu (or try to get it either!) but, should it come our way, we would be ready and more then able for it. You could reduce the severity and length of any illness by taking some of these things on board and sticking with them during the winter months. 

April

Porridge with sugar free homemade jam and banana

Root Vegetable Mash

This is such a simple dish - something so mundane and ordinary that many of us probably have forgotten or never even got to realize how delicious and wonderful this type of dish can be. What I am talking about here is root vegetable mash....

I know I have been fasting for 21 days and am now in my final few hours of drinking only herbal teas, water, lemon juice and maple syrup. Yes, perhaps my brain is gearing up now for some solid foods...but this dish is what is on my mind and has been one of my favorites for many years. 

One of the things I like about vegetable mashes is how versatile they are - you can gently cook up nearly any selection of vegetables at any season and create a new dish. You can also add many types  of garnish or herbs to it as well.

At this time of year I really like the taste and flavour of gently roasted carrots with turnip, and am in heaven when they are purple, yellow or white carrots. I would chop them up small enough to cook easily, pour water and olive oil over top then sprinkle loads of thyme, sage and rosemary over them and roast in the oven.

Alternatively they are also very nice steamed on top of the stove, where they cook faster and then mashed simply with butter, salt and pepper. Of course you don't have to use these particular vegetables there are so many to choose from that you might create a different side dish every day of the week.

Yesterday I slow roasted parsnip, beetroot, carrot, pumpkin and shallots for my daughter and the smell was divine. It got me thinking about some of my favourite vegetable dishes - and there are so many to choose from.

You can combine nearly anything as well as cook them in various ways to bring out the best tastes - I like sweet potato mashed with roasted fennel or celeriac. When you add a little butter or cream, some seasonings - the taste is incredible.

But then so are fresh garden peas mashed with roasted caramelized carrots or parsnips - sprinkle with a little mint or oregano. You might also enjoy cooked spinach mashed with roasted garlic and sprinkled with toasted nuts...

Like I said - you can get really creative here and get the absolute most from your vegetables. 

Enjoy!

April

Veggies ready to roast.... slow!

Vegetable Barley Soup with Sage & Ginger

All of this cold wet weather lends itself to warming, nourishing foods - of course the first thing on any agenda would be to cleanse, but once that detox is complete building your body up with some hearty vegetables in soups is a nice way to get back to yourself. 

I like using barley and would make cakes, cookies and breads with barley flour. Of course there is also Barley coffee which is a lovely warming drink especially on a cold winter night such as we have right now. And I love barley grain in a soup or stew.

Barley is a great thickener as well as a filling addition to any meal - it gives an earthy, nutty flavour to the dish and has been used in our foods for thousands of years. It is also easy to use and you don't need to add much.

Yesterday I made Vegetable Barley Soup with Sage & Ginger - this is a combination of tastes and textures that really work well together. And I happen to think that sage is the great underrated herb of all time.

We often only use it in stuffings or for fowl - but it is a very versatile plant and can be used nearly anywhere. I include it in my herbal teas as often as I can and have even made cookies with it - I will do a post on that soon.

To make my soup I started off as usual with the base - seaweed, garlic, onion, leek, salt, pepper, turmeric. I stir-fried the vegetables in a little olive oil then added them into the stockpot with the seaweed. 

Next I chopped carrots, sweet potato, turnip and a little pumpkin. These went into the pot along with only 1/3 cup of barley grain. This was brought to a boil and then turned down to simmer gently for about 45 minutes or so.

Once the soup was thickening and nearly cooked I put in 1/2 teaspoon each of ground sage (from my garden) and some ground ginger. Normally I would use fresh grated ginger for this type of soup, but as it was for my little daughter, I went easy on it so it would not be too strong.

Within about 10 minutes the soup was done, I let it sit for another while to cool - and then served it with a thick slice of homemade spelt bread with butter. It smelled and looked lovely!

April

Vegetable Barley Soup with Sage & Ginger 

Meeting Basic Food Needs

One of the many things I have noticed over the years of talking to people about food, is how very many of us out there, have a tendency to eat the exact same things day in and day out. By this I mean, they would have on any given day, all of the same foods over and over again.

I have met people who actually have not varied their diets much over a few years - a daily menu might consist of the same cereal for breakfast, the same snacks at work, the same sandwich for lunch and then go home to a dinner of the same 2 veg and meat with the same type of bread.

If this changes - it does so very little. Perhaps the meat alters from chicken to beef or once in a while some fish. The vegetables might consist of what can be found at the local grocery store - mostly sterile, dry looking things....

The only way to eat for health is to include a good variety of foods. You do not have to be eating fruit flown half way around the world to get it either. There is a good variety of local produce right at our doorsteps - usually by way of the farmers markets.

Most markets have vegetables that would not be normally found in supermarkets - a variety of coloured carrots for instance, several types of kale or farm fresh corn. They might also bring in an abundance of locally produced fruits in season such as strawberries and cheeses to go along with that.

If you find yourself caught in a rut where food is concerned branch out - get out there and seek out new and different vegetables or fruits you haven't had in a while. Then each week throw in something different. Perhaps it's a turnip, some fresh greens, red carrots, beet root and so forth.

The fun part here might be in learning how to cook them, what to eat them with and preparing different dishes for your family. However one of the most important aspects of including an abundance of different foods is that you ensure vitamins, minerals and other nutritional needs are being met for your entire body. 

You can't enjoy good health if you don't supply body, mind and soul with all it needs. 

April 

Lady's Mantle in the garden

Magic in the Garden

I am still working away on my little garden - it has quite a few things growing right now and we have put many hours into keeping the weeds down for both the vegetables and the herbs. It is a project that I love doing and look forward to each day because there are so many rewards.

Not only does a kitchen garden provide you with a few edible plants for your table and some wonderful herbs to improve flavour and taste of your meals, it also has a therapeutic aspect (as well as the healing herbs) to it. And of course, many links to our own shadow self.

What we find growing in our gardens or the types of plants we are drawn to are very important - they are a reflection of who we are, where we have come from and not only where we are going, but how we will get there.

Your garden tells you all. It contains the secrets of your existence on this planet. 

Every single organism is a representation of you. Your being has been here 10 thousand times and persists even when you feel you do not. Your story is told to the trees and the plants, it runs through the water and enters the soil.

The garden is who you are at this moment in time and the person you were and are yet to become. You have brought this garden with you down through the passage of time and birthed it into the land in the here and now of your life.

This kitchen garden is so much more than just a collection of vegetables, herbs, weeds, rocks and stones - it is your essence. The part of you that lives, breathes and communes with the earth - she lives in your garden and she calls out your name.

Today I cleared my garden of a noxious weed that was threatening all my other plants and I have finally unleashed my inner gardener....

Watch out world! 

April 

My garden fairy - blowing bubbles

How Much Further Can I Go?

Over this past week I have been asking myself what more can I do - how much further can I go with our diets to continue to improve things? And I think I have some more ideas coming up to the surface...

Of course, the next venture for us is to get a goat and have our own milk - this is my current project as I learn about how to care for these animals as well as how to make some simple cheeses at home. But, what then? 

The only other real purchase of foods for us now (we buy nothing prepared) would be our vegetables and fruit. For the most part, it would be quite difficult to grow many of these items here in Ireland. And even if they could grow it would be a full time job for a couple of people. 

Or is this what I have come to believe? Might there be a way to grow more of our own food, could I find a way to do this at least on a larger scale then we have at the moment. Hmmm....

When I ask myself how much further I can take this food thing, I start by mulling over my dreams, hopes, goals and wishes for our lives. Or in other words, what else have I been dreaming about when it comes to food?

For me that answer is simple, I want to be self sufficient and produce as much of my own food as possible. And of course that means more, bigger, larger garden and growing more of our own food. 

Part of me is thinking along the lines of increasing my time in the garden by one hour each day. If I were to start an experiment, where might that one extra hour or about 6-7 hours per week, bring me? Could we then have lots more to show for it or just a little bit?

Perhaps it is time to start this and see where it takes me... back to the garden it is!

I will keep you posted,

April

End of the Week Stew

Tomorrow is market day, the day we buy all our vegetables and fruit for the week. Actually we try to shop as little as we can, producing as much of our own food and growing anything that will grow. That way we have less opportunity to bring home things we do not need. 

So far, we are able to grow all our own herbs, onions, salad leaves, greens, leeks, some carrots, runner beans, peas, and of course we are waiting on a few other little 'crops' to mature. It is the highlight of my day going out into the garden with a basket to see what I can find for our meals.

Today being the end of the week, there is not much left over from our shopping last Saturday - a couple carrots, one leek, sweet potatoes, avocado and onions, garlic and that's about it. When I first looked over the selection, my thought was - we need more vegetables to make a meal.

But then I quickly realized that all I needed was here. Right now I am looking at the meals I have prepared for the day and I am quite pleased with making something from 'nothing'! 

Since I had mung beans soaking for some bean burgers, I took a few beans and put them in a pot with seaweed. To this I added 4 sweet potatoes and one of the carrots all chopped. Then I sautéed garlic and 2 large onions with turmeric, cumin, salt and pepper and this went into the stew.

End of Week Stew cooking 

When the stew was nearly ready I went into the garden, to find French sorrel, chives, Welsh Onion, parsley and some other leaves. I used about a cup all total - chopped up and stirred into the bubbling stew. I only let this cook for another few minutes and then turned it off. It smelled lovely and was rich and thick by now. 

While this was cooking I made some guacamole from the avocado, garlic, lemon, olive oil and fresh parsley. This is one of my favorite snack foods, avocado is so good for your skin, digestion and of course all that raw garlic can't be bad for you either. I usually put extra in mine. LOL

Freshly made guacamole 

I put this together with some crackers and goat's cheese muffins left over from last night and voila! A wonderful meal. 

Homemade crackers and muffins

The rest of the veggies (onion, carrot, leek) will go for our mung bean burgers later tonight and I am off to the garden to gather more greens and herbs for them. Fresh parsley and coriander are always lovely in these burgers. 

Living like this, close to the land, being conscious of our food and taking the time to remain in touch with our bodies brings us back to the basics of what is really important far more then being able to open a tin of soup or order a take away meal. 

Food is life and it feels good to be alive.

Have a healthy day,

April

Mung bean and sweet potato stew 

Saving Seeds - The Harvest Continues

Once you have picked and enjoyed your herbs or any other vegetables, you can allow them to bolt or go to seed for an extra harvest. Each plant is different, however there are enough similarities amongst them making it easy enough to figure out.

For some basic guidelines, when it comes to seed saving, allow the plant to go to flower, then once this flower turns into a seed pod and has dried out somewhat, you can gather the seeds from it. Plants have a variety of means for producing and dispersing seeds, getting to know each one is always an adventure in itself.

I try to wait until the plant appears to have given everything it can to the seeds, it has dried back or a pod has formed and then I will pick them from the plants. Taking them off too early might result in non viable seeds.

There are several different methods of doing this to ensure maximum seed retrieval, one of which is to tie a paper bag over the top of the plant (seed head) then to cut below the bag. The seeds can then be removed or shaken into the bag for storage.

Another way to gather the seeds, is to allow the seed pods to completely dry out and then pick them off by hand. You may be able to do this easily with rocket and salad leaves. Peas and beans can be left on the plant to dry - when brown or near translucent looking, remove them into an envelope.

Today I was picking chive seeds - generally you need to wait until the flower head is dry, the stalk will also dry out, if you look closely there are tiny black seeds in the head. Cut off the seed head into a bag or bowl and then pull out the dry stalk to clean up the plant.

Once in the house, you can roll or shake most of the dry seeds out onto a table. They can then be transferred into an envelope for long term storage. The same with coriander seeds - cut off the dried seeds, then transfer to an envelope.

Coriander seeds ready to be cleaned and sorted

For other fruits such as pumpkin or anything else you may want to save - I have great luck with just drying the seeds out on a paper towel sitting on a window sill for about 3 weeks. The seeds drying now will be saved for next planting season, in envelopes.

Pumpkin seeds drying on window sill

Once you have gotten some seeds into envelopes, there is only the passage of time until you can plant them, however, the most important thing to remember is to keep them absolutely dry. Otherwise they will rot and not be much use when you need them.

Keep up your interest in the garden - lots happening year round!

Have a healthy day,

April

Coriander plants growing in stages