No one will guess that the mystery ingredient in your muffins is parsnips. The grated raw vegetable adds fibre and moistness and is delicious paired with crystallized ginger and honey. This recipe works equally well with large-flake rolled oats or the quick-cooking (not instant) type.
INGREDIENTS
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 Tbsp finely chopped crystallized ginger
1/2 cup raisins
1 egg
1 cup peeled, grated parsnip (1 medium)
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
DIRECTIONS
Grease muffin cups.
In large bowl, combine flour, rolled oats, baking powder, and salt. Stir in ginger and raisins; set aside.
In medium bowl, lightly beat egg; stir in grated parsnip, milk, honey, and oil until blended. Stir liquid ingredients into dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened. Spoon into muffins cups.
Bake in 400°F oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until firm to the touch. Cool in pan 5 minutes; remove muffins and cool on rack. Store in airtight containers.
Green Earth Organics Inc. is a home and office certified organic grocery and natural product delivery service. We have a wide selection of 100% Certified Organic fruit, vegetables, and other grocery products. We also carry a growing list of environmentally friendly products that make it easier for our customers to tread lighter on our planet. This blog offers exiting information on organic food and healthy eating habits.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Leaves - A Gardener's Best Friend
For many generations, leaves have been one of the most abundant organic resources available to gardeners.
Leaves are 100% organic matter with excellent moisture holding capacity. Using this, they equalize the soil temperature. They also provide excellent nutrient holding capacity, nitrogen fixing bacteria and mycorrhyzal fungi. Leaves provide a wide range of natural 'fertilizers' as they continue to decay into the existing soil.
By gathering the leaves in the Fall and bringing them to your garden, you will increase the fertility, biodiversity and structure of your soil.
Can one overdo it? Hardly. However, your plant material uses up much of this organic matter as nutrients for their own growth, so we need to replenish it regularly. Fortunately, and as Mother Nature would have it, there is a rich abundance of leaves every fall and, best of all, they are free for the taking.
So bring them home, spread them over your garden beds as mulch, or cover empty beds, and let them decay into your soil. In the spring, you can add compost right over top or you can add the leaves to the compost pile.
You may also notice that certain leaves will not decay as rapidly as others. Those will be the thicker waxy leaves. We have found it best to not use those leaves for mulch as a result. Examples of slow decaying leaves are those from Holly plants, Rhododendrons, Viburnum trees, etc.
There may come a day when urban gardeners can eliminate the expense of having the city collect and dispose of the leaves, and we will all reap the rewards of using the richness of leaves as nature intended.
My Living Canvas: We are providing sustainable human powered gardening practices, keeping you and your neighbors at peace naturally. My Living Canvas believes in feeding the soil rather than feeding the plant. Every year before new growth erupts from the ground we add compost to flower beds and lawns. This process provides all the nutrition plants require for a healthy growing season. When breaking down, all the organic matter continues to nourish the soil as well as retain moisture in the ground.
Roberto Gaudet
My Living Canvas Organic Gardening
mylivingcanvas.com
Leaves are 100% organic matter with excellent moisture holding capacity. Using this, they equalize the soil temperature. They also provide excellent nutrient holding capacity, nitrogen fixing bacteria and mycorrhyzal fungi. Leaves provide a wide range of natural 'fertilizers' as they continue to decay into the existing soil.
By gathering the leaves in the Fall and bringing them to your garden, you will increase the fertility, biodiversity and structure of your soil.
Can one overdo it? Hardly. However, your plant material uses up much of this organic matter as nutrients for their own growth, so we need to replenish it regularly. Fortunately, and as Mother Nature would have it, there is a rich abundance of leaves every fall and, best of all, they are free for the taking.
So bring them home, spread them over your garden beds as mulch, or cover empty beds, and let them decay into your soil. In the spring, you can add compost right over top or you can add the leaves to the compost pile.
You may also notice that certain leaves will not decay as rapidly as others. Those will be the thicker waxy leaves. We have found it best to not use those leaves for mulch as a result. Examples of slow decaying leaves are those from Holly plants, Rhododendrons, Viburnum trees, etc.
There may come a day when urban gardeners can eliminate the expense of having the city collect and dispose of the leaves, and we will all reap the rewards of using the richness of leaves as nature intended.
My Living Canvas: We are providing sustainable human powered gardening practices, keeping you and your neighbors at peace naturally. My Living Canvas believes in feeding the soil rather than feeding the plant. Every year before new growth erupts from the ground we add compost to flower beds and lawns. This process provides all the nutrition plants require for a healthy growing season. When breaking down, all the organic matter continues to nourish the soil as well as retain moisture in the ground.Roberto Gaudet
My Living Canvas Organic Gardening
mylivingcanvas.com
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Fennel Soup
INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup butter
5 fennel bulbs, trimmed and quartered
1 L vegetable broth
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the quartered fennel bulbs; cook and stir until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Pour in the broth, and simmer until fennel is tender, about 15 more minutes. Ladle into soup bowls, and season with salt and pepper.
1/4 cup butter
5 fennel bulbs, trimmed and quartered
1 L vegetable broth
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the quartered fennel bulbs; cook and stir until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Pour in the broth, and simmer until fennel is tender, about 15 more minutes. Ladle into soup bowls, and season with salt and pepper.
One Million Acts of Green
From green.cbc.ca:
This season, CBC and The Hour with George Stroumboulopoulos want to mobilize Canadians to do One Million Acts of Green. In partnership with Cisco, the idea behind the campaign is that one small act can make a big difference.
One million acts of green, one act a time.
I'm sure that many of Green Earth Organics' members already do a lot of the green acts listed - I know I do - but maybe we can all find one more to add to our positive impact. I'm going to try turning down my water heater and figure out a way to fix the drafts around my old house's back door.
What are you already doing?
What are you going to start doing now?
This season, CBC and The Hour with George Stroumboulopoulos want to mobilize Canadians to do One Million Acts of Green. In partnership with Cisco, the idea behind the campaign is that one small act can make a big difference.
It’s not about overhauling your life; it’s about one act from each individual amassing to a million. It can be as simple as switching to compact fluorescent lightbulbs, starting a recycling program, or walking to work. You can do one act – or you can do all one million! It’s up to you.
Young and old, parents and kids, small towns and big cities, we want to create an exciting grassroots initiative. All you have to do is go to this website and register one act – or more. Our green calculator, designed by GreenNexxus, will determine the impact of those acts on the environment.
We're asking everyone to get involved: schools and universities, cities and communities, business, politicians, and even celebrities. George and The Hour are challenging other CBC programs to go green, including CBC News, Kids’ CBC, Steven & Chris, Living, and CBC Sports. But most of all, YOU.
Together we can make an impact. Together we can make our lives, our communities, and our environment greener.One million acts of green, one act a time.
I'm sure that many of Green Earth Organics' members already do a lot of the green acts listed - I know I do - but maybe we can all find one more to add to our positive impact. I'm going to try turning down my water heater and figure out a way to fix the drafts around my old house's back door.
What are you already doing?
What are you going to start doing now?
Friday, October 17, 2008
Chard and Beet Sautee
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 lbs red beets (about 3 large)
4 lbs chard
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, halved lengthwise, cut thinly crosswise
3/4 cup sliced green onions (about 3)
5 garlic cloves, chopped
2 jalapeno chiles, thinly sliced crosswise with seeds
3 14 1/2-ounce cans diced tomatoes in juice, drained
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp golden raisins
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 5 1/2-ounce log soft fresh goat cheese, crumbled
2 Tbsp pine nuts
DIRECTIONS
Fold chard leaves in half lengthwise and cut stalks away from leaves. Cut leaves coarsely into 1-inch pieces. Slice stalks thinly crosswise. Reserve stalks and leaves separately. Cook chopped leaves in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, about 1 minute. Drain and reserve.
Heat oil in heavy large pot over high heat. Add sliced stalks; sautee until starting to soften, about 8 minutes.
Add onion and next 3 ingredients; sautee 3 minutes. Add drained tomatoes and 1 cup raisins. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until vegetables are soft, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.
Add chard leaves to pot; stir to heat through. Remove from heat; add lime juice and stir to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer chard mixture to large platter. Sprinkle with beets, goat cheese, pine nuts, and remaining 2 tablespoons raisins. Serve warm or at room temperature.
1 1/2 lbs red beets (about 3 large)
4 lbs chard
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, halved lengthwise, cut thinly crosswise
3/4 cup sliced green onions (about 3)
5 garlic cloves, chopped
2 jalapeno chiles, thinly sliced crosswise with seeds
3 14 1/2-ounce cans diced tomatoes in juice, drained
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp golden raisins
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 5 1/2-ounce log soft fresh goat cheese, crumbled
2 Tbsp pine nuts
DIRECTIONS
Fold chard leaves in half lengthwise and cut stalks away from leaves. Cut leaves coarsely into 1-inch pieces. Slice stalks thinly crosswise. Reserve stalks and leaves separately. Cook chopped leaves in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, about 1 minute. Drain and reserve.
Heat oil in heavy large pot over high heat. Add sliced stalks; sautee until starting to soften, about 8 minutes.
Add onion and next 3 ingredients; sautee 3 minutes. Add drained tomatoes and 1 cup raisins. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until vegetables are soft, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.
Add chard leaves to pot; stir to heat through. Remove from heat; add lime juice and stir to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer chard mixture to large platter. Sprinkle with beets, goat cheese, pine nuts, and remaining 2 tablespoons raisins. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Friday, October 3, 2008
BC GREEN GAMES
Science World, in partnership with the Ministry of Education, is pleased to announce BC Green Games. This initiative is designed to motivate action, facilitate sharing and reward the green efforts of schools throughout the province. Please share this program with teachers and students – twenty-four $2000 prizes will be awarded and two “Viewer’s Choice” awards of $1000 will be given out. The prize money will be given directly to winning schools to sustain and support environmental actions projects. In addition, Solar BC will be awarding solar power systems to three of the twenty-six prize-winning schools via a random draw.
BC Green Games is a digital media contest for K-12 students to submit projects that inspire positive changes in school and community behaviour toward promoting protection of the environment, sustainability and stewardship. BCGreenGames.ca will showcase these action-based videos and photo essays. Projects may be done by a single class, by a school club, or by a whole school.
BC Green Games will increase student awareness of environmental issues and their own ability to become local leaders and improve their sustainable practices in everyday life. The initiative also supports teachers to teach environmental sustainability concepts and to develop school communities to be more effective, efficient and environmentally responsible.
Get Involved! Register now: www.bcgreengames.ca
BC Green Games is a digital media contest for K-12 students to submit projects that inspire positive changes in school and community behaviour toward promoting protection of the environment, sustainability and stewardship. BCGreenGames.ca will showcase these action-based videos and photo essays. Projects may be done by a single class, by a school club, or by a whole school.
BC Green Games will increase student awareness of environmental issues and their own ability to become local leaders and improve their sustainable practices in everyday life. The initiative also supports teachers to teach environmental sustainability concepts and to develop school communities to be more effective, efficient and environmentally responsible.
Get Involved! Register now: www.bcgreengames.ca
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