Here are some ideas to help your children eat right ... Educate and Exercise your Kids when it comes to “non” food selections in their diet. (A book review) I recently read “Please Mum Don't Supersize Me”, by Richard and Joey Marc, (Rockpool Publishing, 2008), which fits right in with my blog philosophy. I highly recommend this book...
Reasons to consider Organic Chicken
Organic chicken is one of the foods we are looking to buy organically and locally as our family consumes more poultry than any other meat. We located and visited a local organic chicken farm and egg seller recently. It was really good to speak to someone who knows about the chickens and the eggs they...
What does Organic Mean
When it comes to food the word organic can mean many different things to a hundred different people. Oftentimes interpretation depends on which country you are living in. When we go shopping at the local grocery store or farmers market and see a food product labelled “organic” what does this mean? Organic Advertising Food advertisements...
How to Prepare Fresh Rhubarb
We are not big dessert eaters in our home – although I won't say "no" to a slice of mouth-watering New York cheesecake with an Irish coffee once in a while – but we do eat a lot of fresh and stewed fruit with yoghurt and with an abundance of rhubarb in the early spring...
The Challenge of Bears
This has been quite a year for raccoons and deer and as an avid (hobby) gardener one of the largest challenges is living with wild animals. For me, the biggest challenge is bears. We have not had any wild animal encounters the past two years but this year is different. Recently there were three bear(s)...
Keep Deer out of the Vegetable Garden
It's that time of year when we are reminded that depending on where we live, we share our space with many wild animals especially if living in smaller provincial British Columbia cities. While staying in the Kootenays during spring it was quite usual to be walking or driving and see wild animals, especially deer, throughout...
Fresh Organic Eggs - Cage Free
The egg story. Our local corner store and purveyor of “organic free range” eggs had a visit from a representative of the Egg Marketing Board and was informed that they are no longer allowed to sell their organic eggs (i.e. non caged from a local supplier) unless they are approved by the Board. Evidently they...
Time for a Change - So Many Choices
Here are a few ideas you might like to consider before giving up on making some changes to a more wholesome diet and lifestyle for health reasons. Time for a return to a simpler lifestyle ... As stated elsewhere, I am not a purist, but try and change some of our lifetime of habits when...
How to be the Ultimate Frugal Gardener
Gardening is more an addiction than a hobby and there is a financial cost to gardening but here are some great tips I have used (and still use) over the years to save money . . . . Definition of Frugal (ality) : “Practising or marked by economy as in the expenditure of money or...
What is really in the Fast Food Big Mac?
. . . why do we have Big Mac Attacks ? Would it also have anything to do with the natural and artificial flavours, colours, food enhancers, etc used in their food processing ? ... and the child friendly clown recommends ... A group of Australian doctors are lobbying a universally favourite fast food burger...
B.C. Spot Prawns & Fanny Bay Oysters
.... it's the season and there is nothing like fresh spot prawns! A real treat when available. This is another all time favourite when holidaying on the West Coast – the spot prawn season, if open, usually only lasts 6 to 8 weeks each spring. They are sustainable – please see notes. The oysters were...
How to Keep Raccoons out of Compost bins
. . . and the Vegetable Garden, garbage cans and ultimately your house ! In the past we have had the rare occurrence of a black bear in a garden waste compost, squirrels and other rodents tasting our zucchini and ripe tomatoes but this is a first – a very smart raccoon (Procyon lotor) who...
The Old Man The Boy and The Starfish
Many years ago I heard this story, The Starfish Story, and originally thought it was a West Coast Indian folk tale and in the version I heard it was a story of the old man who was throwing the starfish into the sea. It has since become very popular and many versions of the same story...
2 Vegetables & 1 Fruit for your Home Garden
I know ~ they are all vegetables. Or are they ? Three “musts” for your garden this year! No matter how small or large your vegetable garden is, here are three vegetables I highly recommend growing. They will thrive in the corner of your garden (a sunny part) or in a large container. Reasons for Choice...
How to Make Minestrone Soup
Zucchini is one of the ingredients of this satisfying soup which is a meal in itself with lots leftover to take to work for lunch the next day or is fine to freeze. This Minestrone soup is nutritious and filling and really is so much better for you than out of a can without added...
How to make No Bake Christmas treats
No bake Christmas treats ~ Mum's Chocolate Rum Balls ~ a no-fail no-cook Christmas recipe usually made only once a year ... So Simple Christmas Treats Ingredients 4 oz Butter 4 oz Icing Sugar (about one cup) 2 oz Cocoa (about half a cup) Few drops Vanilla 6 Tablespoons Coconut One Cup combined dates and raisins...
How to make your own Seasonings
Here are some simple seasoning mixes we use on a daily basis and which are easy to make up at home to replace the store bought variety. Mix all the spices together and store in sealed preserving jar. They also make great gifts in small airtight canning jars with a description of contents and date...
What to do ~ Christmas is coming . . .
Christmas is coming. Here are a few timely (green, lean) suggestions for dinners and gifts . . . for a less stressed, happier holiday season. Try to buy . . . Made in “beautiful” B.C. ~ or Canada ~ as much as possible Available local fresh produce for your special meals and gift giving (such...
Time. Like the Wind.
Time and choices . . . . A personal note . . . . If I only had time Only time So much to do If I only had time If I only had time Dreams to pursue If I only had time They'd be mine Time like the wind Those are hurrying by And...
Zucchini Sideline Soup
There is always an abundance of zucchini in the Fall including those which have grown rather large while hiding under the leaves. Here is a way to use those extra large zucchini. When cutting zucchini to be canned – I don't use the fleshy centres (nor seeds) or the ends for canning so this is...
How to Make Nutritious Blueberry Juice
This recipe, was found on a piece of paper in an old cook book and is so simple, it can be used for any soft berry juice, such as wild blackberry, raspberry, etc. Blueberry Juice Ingredients & Directions Ten (10) cups of organic Blueberries (if handpicked should not need to be washed /rinsed) Put berries...
Dad's Favourite Canned Tomatoes
Here is a time tasted recipe made every year from the chemical free tomatoes grown in our home garden. All ingredients used in making up this simple recipe are fresh organic and the taste is superb. Because these canned tomatoes are so easy and taste great they are made every year Canned Tomatoes Ingredients make up about 7 pint...
Is the World Around Us - Healthy & Wise?
The Cancer Connection Where it all began. After surgery and radiation treatment for cancer in the Summer and Fall of 2008 I sent the following email to my children. I do not recall all the sources of this information, but included were links to two film specials that affected me greatly at that time especially...
How to Grow Parsley - Persil
Parsley is such a simple herb to plant from seed, in your garden and in containers for easy picking. Eat powerful parsley to prevent and fight cancers with its antioxidants and flavonoid Apigenin. Parsley Packet Information Champion Curled Seed A delightful garnish with excellent flavor Gres bon gout et fait une belle garniture Sow: in mid...
Do You Know how to Use your Auto Injector?
A Life Saving Exercise Recently I met a lady who has an allergy to bees and as the conversation progressed I came to understand that not only did she not know how to self administer her Epipen in an emergency, she did not know how to open the container, and if in fact it was...
How to use Fresh Rhubarb
Stewed Rhubarb ~ fresh from the Garden. For some rhubarb is an acquired taste, for others not a favourite. Its worth trying a few recipes as they are nutritious, delicious and there are so many ways to use this versatile fruit. This is another one of my all time old time favourites and, again, so easy....
Chemicals on Fruit
We recently purchased bulk oranges from California where grower / producers are required to label fruit which has been treated in any way for shipping. From the label: “Treated to maintain freshness in transport with one or more of the following O-Phenylphenol Tiabendazole Imazalil and coated with food grade natural resins and / or vegetable...
The Beginning - Gardening 101
A First Year Garden Have you always wanted to try vegetable gardening? It has been several years since we have lived in a home with space for a vegetable garden so this year has been a joy! Like many people we have limited space so we turned over two feet of grass along the (the only) non...