Got Milk?

This used to be the scene on dinner tables all across America a generation ago, but lately not so much. And what a shame we don't get milk like that anymore. My sister gave me this bottle recently and I scrubbed it out and we used it on the table last night. The family loved it. My girls have always consumed a lot of milk. In fact I've encouraged them to drink whole milk instead of lowfat milk, soda, diet soda, or juice.

I think America's aversion to anything with fat in it is a huge part of the weight problem here. Listen up folks: when the food manufacturers take the fat out of foods, they substitute sugars/carbohydrates and THAT is what is making America fat. So never consume anything that says DIET, LOWFAT, NONFAT, or LITE. Just go back to the foods your grandparents or great grandparents ate: whole, simple, lots of veggies, and non-processed, and you will be much healthier. And thinner. And your family will thank you.

Anywhoo......we all got a kick out of the old milk bottle, and it certainly looks better than that plastic thingie, so we are going to use it all the time Amongst The Oaks. Thanks sister!

An Apple a Day

An apple a day keeps the doctor away.



I got these apples at the Farmer's Market. We have one a few blocks away on Thursdays and Sundays. It's great fun to go there with my Cath Kidston bags, and get lots of fresh fruits and vegies. We sometimes see someone we know too. Last time we saw an old neighbor and had a nice chat. Also last weekend we saw the cutest couple who'd ridden their bicycles. They were tucking their produce into the bicycle's basket which was decorated with sunflowers. I just had to stop and tell them how cute that looked. It reminded me of something one would see in Europe.



So go to the Farmer's Market, get some fresh produce, look stylish with your cloth bags whilst saving the earth, chat with some friends, and be healthy.

Fiscal, Physical. and Global Fitness

I've been thinking about Tara's Blog a lot lately and I've come up with some ideas to help attain not only Fiscal and Physical Fitness, but Global Fitness as well. These aren't great huge ideas, but maybe if we all did them, it would help a bit.

1 - COOK AT HOME

We all know fast food isn't good for us, but did you ever total up how much you spend on it? If you're like most Americans, it's probably quite a lot. Imagine how much more food you could buy at the grocery store with that same amount of money. And if you stay out of the center aisles (that's where all the processed stuff is) it would be far fresher and healthier too. And since you can shop for groceries once or twice a week, think of the petrol you'll save by not driving out every evening for take away. And, you won't serve your food on styrofoam and plastic that wastes resources and pollutes our planet.

2 - RIDE YOUR BIKE INSTEAD OF DRIVING

I know this one is going to be harder, heck I can't manage it, but maybe you can. Now wait, come to think of it, I rode my bike to the store once for a gallon of milk so maybe I can do this one. Again: exercise, saving gas, no pollution.

3- PLANT A VEGETABLE GARDEN

Not only will you expend energy preparing the site and maintaining the garden, but you will enjoy fresh, healthy veggies and save money at the store. And, since you will be growing yours organically (you will be organic, won't you?) you will help the planet by now spewing chemicals all around.

4- TAKE THE STAIRS

A generation ago everyone took the elevator because it was modern and cool. Heck, sometimes it was impossible to even find the stairs, but lately I've noticed architects are putting the stairs in more prominent locations. I like that. I'm sure taking the stairs burns lots of calories, just ask my calves after a few flights. I can't figure how this on will help your wallet, but I'm sure it will help the planet because it would save energy if we all did it.

5-DRY YOUR LAUNDRY ON A CLOTHESLINE

Not only will you burn calories doing this, but you'll save money and electricity, and your clothes will smell divine.

Now I want you to take all that money you've saved and pay off your credit card debt, because credit card debt is bad, bad, bad. I paid off Teen2's wisdom teeth last month and I feel deliciously light and free. (Name the movie.) That's all the great ideas I can think of right now, but I'll bet you can come up with some. Who has another neat idea for shaping up, saving money, and helping our planet?

Elderflower Cordial

It's been hot, hot, hot here lately. I'm looking out on my fried roses right now wondering what happened to spring. Usually it doesn't get this hot until July, but I hear we have some cooler weather headed our way. Thank goodness!

This heat reminds me of the summer of 2006 when we were in Cornwall and Devon. They were suffering through a hot spell and their gardens were wilted just like mine is now. One day after visiting Eden Center and sweating our way through the bio domes, I returned to the cousins' home "wrung out". Dear Ann knew just what I needed: an elderflower cordial. I'd never even heard of one, but I took her advice and it was wonderful.

So after cutting all that wood the other day, I found my treasured bottle that Ann had given me and had one. It was just as wonderful as I'd remembered. Cold and refreshing on the top, slightly sweet in the middle, and deliciously tasty and aromatic at the end. "Ideal to quench the thirst after a hard day's work." Thanks Ann, and Chuck too. Now if I can just find an online source, I'll be a happy little woodcutter.

Bread

I've been reading Michael Pollan's book In Defense of Food. Here is his basic premise: Eat humble (non-processed) foods without additives or preservatives. Eat mainly vegetables. And not too much.
He also says we shouldn't eat anything with more than five ingredients and we shouldn't eat food with ingredients we can't pronounce. Hmmmm. That pretty well eliminates this bread I've been eating for 30 years.

Because it's got more than five ingredients and has some I can't pronounce.

So whilst shopping with these ideas floating through my head I picked up some whole wheat flour and yeast. Way back in the dark ages when we lived on our boat and couldn't get good bread I used to make our bread. I remembered that it wasn't difficult but just required a little baby sitting. I dug around in the recipe box and actually found my old recipe card.


So I whipped up a batch and set it to rise.


Wow, look at that! I guess I kind of forgot to check on it. But no big deal, I just punched it down, divided it into three loaves, kneaded and shaped two loaves and plopped them into the pans.

Then I took one loaf and stretched it out flat, covered it with cinnamon and brown sugar and rolled it up before putting it in the pan.

After another rising and baking look what we ended up with. I'd almost forgotten how much fun it is to make bread. Now, does it have five, six, or seven ingredients? I know you have to count whole wheat flour, salt and oil, but do you count the honey and molasses as one or two, and do you count the yeast and water?

However you count it, I'm sure it's better for us than the other stuff. And it's delicious too.