One Of My Experiments~ Dried Beans

This year I am trying real hard to find ways to preserve food with as little use of plastic as I can. So instead of blanching and freezing beans in freezer bags I am trying out drying my beans. After drying them I store them in glass jars.

How I did it...

I picked the beans when they were still immature ( meaning it hasn't started to form bean seeds) and then blanched them for 2 minutes in boiling water. Dried in the dehydrator for 8-14 ( or until dried) hours at 120*F.

*How to use them...

You can throw them into soups or stews or re dehydrate them and use them in other recipes.

*Here is one recipe...

Dried Green Bean Dish

2 cups boiling water

3/4 ths cup dried green beans

2 Tablespoons dried onions, minced

4 slices of turkey bacon, diced

1/2 teaspoon salt

Pour boiling water over green beans and onions in saucepan. Cover and cook over low heat for 45 minutes until plump and tender.

Meanwhile saute' turkey bacon in a small skillet until brown. Add bacon to green beans. Mix lightly and serve.

serves 4 to 6

Drying Zucchini and Recipes

August and September has now been officially titled my MOST busy months of the year. ( it seems to be a pattern now for the last 5 yrs) I am trying to bring in the harvest of zucchini, green beans,greens and hubby is buying peaches to process( along with craft making and getting ready to start school). I have been praying and trying to find plastic free ways to preserve food. One thing that I felt lead to is go back to a very old way and try to dry some of the produce but with a modern twist of a dehydrator. This year I am drying shredded zucchini and sliced zucchini. I will be making some chocolate zucchini bread and a sliced zucchini casserole this winter.

How I did it..

Shredded Zucchini

I shredded the zucchini and then dehydrated it at 125 degrees for about 5-6 hours. Let it cool and store in glass containers till you need it.

Here is a recipe I found HERE.

"zucchini-rhubarb bread".
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Ingredients:

3/4 of a cup of dehydrated shredded zucchini
1/2 of a cup of dried rhubarb
1 1/4 cups of warm water
3 teaspoons of dried egg powder or 3 fresh eggs
1 cup of melted butter
2 cups of sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon of ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger
2 1/2 cups of white flour
1 teaspoon each of baking powder and baking soda
A pinch of salt

Before starting your bread pre-heat your oven to a temperature of 325 degrees. While waiting for the oven to obtain its temperature grease two small 3 by 7 inch bread pans.

In a medium size bowl combine your dehydrated zucchini, the rhubarb and warm water together and hand mix well. Let this mixture sit for approximately 30 minutes.

In another medium bowl beat the eggs well and add the butter, the two cups of sugar, and the vanilla extract. Once again mix well by hand-stirring. It is now time to add the rehydrated zucchini and rhubarb along with some cinnamon, cloves and ginger. Stir the mixture again to combine all the ingredients.

In yet another bowl you will be combining the white flour, baking powder and soda while adding the pinch of salt. After mixing the dry ingredients together you can add it to the egg mixture and continue to blend together by hand. Now divide the batter you have created into the two bread pans. Let the pans rest for about 20 minutes prior to baking in order to allow the flavors to mingle properly.

Bake your bread for one hour and then check it by placing a toothpick into it. If the toothpick comes out clean the bread it done. Remove them from the oven and cool on a wire rack.

There you have it all in a nutshell, an excellent method of preserving your zucchini from your summer garden for homemade wintertime bread.

Dehydrating Zucchini and Making Bread
By Joseph Parish

I will be experimenting with converting my chocolate zucchini bread and will share when I get it all ironed out. [o=

Also here is a recipe for sliced zucchini.

Zucchini Chips

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Dry sliced zucchini at 120 degrees for 12-18 hours

Eat as a snack alone or dip into favorite dip or use in ...

Italian Zucchini Casserole

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serves 4

2 cups boiling water

2 cups dried zucchini

1 medium onion thinly sliced

2 Tablespoons butter

1 cup fresh or canned tomato ( I will be using fresh or roasted sweet peppers)

Salt and pepper

1/2 cup cheese

Pour boiling water over dried zucchini slices. Let Soak 1 to 2 hours. Drain. Cook onion slices in butter or margarine until transparent. Add drained zucchini slices. Cook and stir 5 minutes. Add tomatoes or sweet peppers and season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour into casserole and top with grated cheese.

Bake in 350*F oven 25 to 30 minutes, until lightly browned.

Having tons of fun in the Kitchen. [o=

Joining my friend Lori in...

Wedding Cupcakes and Some Family Pictures Pt.2

"Cupcakes and some wedding pics"

Create a free slideshow with Picnik!

I am hoping to post one more slide show after I get some more pictures from my DIL Essie. Till then here is a peek into our week end. [o= Family has gone home and we re cooperating today.

Baking Wedding Cup Cakes Pt. 1

Interrupting this blogging break for a fun slide show. [o= My Sister, 4ds Nicolas, niece Mariah, and I made chocolate cupcakes, carrot cake cupcakes, lemon cupcakes, and banana walnut cupcakes. Tomorrow my DIL, sister, and I will be icing them. Pt. 2 to come!

"Baking Wedding Cupcakes "

Create a free slideshow with Picnik!

Beautiful Apron Giveaway And A Blog Break

I am going to be taking a break from posting till next Tuesday. My MIL is getting married on Saturday and I have my two brothers and sister showing up tomorrow afternoon. So I will be cleaning full steam ahead! And Friday I will be making 200 cupcakes, yes you heard me right I will be making 200 cupcakes with my sister and DIL. If I can I will be popping in around blogland and commenting during my tea breaks and I will update you on my comings and goings next week.

But till then I am going to share a NEAT giveaway @ Joys blog!!!

Over at Artful Homemaking is a wonderful must see apron giveaway! I love her blog and highly encourage you to go visit and enjoy her blog. May you be blessed as you visit her.

Tightwad Tuesday...Making Sprouted Wheat Flour ( and Healthy Wholewheat Pancakes Pt. 2)

If you have been visiting lately you would know that I am on the hunt for incorporating soaked, fermented, and sprouted recipes lately. I finally jumped in and sprouted my own wheat berries and made sprouted wheat flour. If you were to go to the health food store you would pay a lot to buy already sprouted wheat berries. And this is where the savings tip comes in. I found some neat videos to show how to sprout your own wheat for a fraction of the price.

I saw some techniques lately that were a bit more complicated and then I found these videos. Oh they are so easy to implement. I sprouted some of my own wheat berries, dehydrated them in my dehydrator, ground them in my wheat grinder and made some pancakes. ( Part 1 of making healthy pancakes is HERE) They were wonderful! I used the flax seed egg replacement and had the most fluffy and light wholewheat pancakes I had ever had . I also used 1/2 the amount melted butter ( or olive oil) and 1/2 applesauce to replace what it called for oil in the recipe. With all these alterations not only do you have VERY healthy pancakes you have done many ways to decrease what you would have had to pay to make them.

Here is how to make flax seed egg replacement

Oh btw here is my pancake recipe that I use...

Mary's Pancakes ( Non soaked)

2 serving of flax seed egg replacement ...1 Tbsp. ground flax seed to 2-3 Tbsp.s water

2 cup of ground sprouted wholewheat flour

2 tsp. sugar

2 Tbsp baking powder

2 Tbsp.s melted butter or olive oil

2 Tbsp.s applesauce

1-2 two cups milk to desired consistancy ( I personally put in 1/4th the amount of milk and 3/4ths the amount water)

Beat eggs with a fork or whisk till light and fluffy: beat in remaining ingredients just until smooth.

If you try them come back and let me know how they turned out.

I am joining today...

and

and...

My Hope IS Found

It is sooooooooo nice when one of my boys finds a singer or group that has a strong faith in our Lord. And Owl City is one of them. He boldly talked about his faith and is such a wonderful witness to this generation. He has such a wonderful voice too. I hope this blesses you as much as it does me.

It moves so swift'ly

After a few days of getting ready for our friends coming for a visit from the coast and having a ton of fun visiting. I finally got a chance today to try out my birthday swift gift. What do I think? Ohhh it is soooooooo easy and so fun to use. No more sore back, no more awkwardness of trying to wind it with two chairs. It just moves soooooo swift'ly. [o= If you are a knitter and you don't have one... yet. Put it at the top of your wish list. ( I just wished I didn't wait so long to get my swift.)

Joining my friend Lori in...

Tightwad Tuesday...Making Sprouted Wheat Flour ( and Healthy Wholewheat Pancakes Pt. 2)

If you have been visiting lately you would know that I am on the hunt for incorporating soaked, fermented, and sprouted recipes lately. I finally jumped in and sprouted my own wheat berries and made sprouted wheat flour. If you were to go to the health food store you would pay a lot to buy already sprouted wheat berries. And this is where the savings tip comes in. I found some neat videos to show how to sprout your own wheat for a fraction of the price.

I saw some techniques lately that were a bit more complicated and then I found these videos. Oh they are so easy to implement. I sprouted some of my own wheat berries, dehydrated them in my dehydrator, ground them in my wheat grinder and made some pancakes. ( Part 1 of making healthy pancakes is HERE) They were wonderful! I used the flax seed egg replacement and had the most fluffy and light wholewheat pancakes I had ever had . I also used 1/2 the amount melted butter ( or olive oil) and 1/2 applesauce to replace what it called for oil in the recipe. With all these alterations not only do you have VERY healthy pancakes you have done many ways to decrease what you would have had to pay to make them.

Oh btw here is my pancake recipe that I use...

Mary's Pancakes ( Non soaked)

2 serving of flax seed egg replacement ...1 Tbsp. ground flax seed to 2-3 Tbsp.s water

2 cup of ground sprouted wholewheat flour

2 tsp. sugar

2 Tbsp baking powder

2 Tbsp.s melted butter or olive oil

2 Tbsp.s applesauce

1-2 two cups milk to desired consistancy ( I personally put in 1/4th the amount of milk and 3/4ths the amount water)

Beat eggs with a fork or whisk till light and fluffy: beat in remaining ingredients just until smooth.

If you try them come back and let me know how they turned out.

I am joining today...

and

and...

Balancing Act and Back To the Drawing Board

Idiom Definitions for 'Back to the drawing board'

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If you have to go back to the drawing board, you have to go back to the beginning and start something again.

Well I feel like it has been two big steps forward and one baby step back in loosing my weight. I lost the 10 lbs and gained two back.( I have been holding this weight for a week now) This week I am going to start phase 1 in the Maker's Diet again, I still have 22 lbs to go and I am feeling like I need to do all I can do before my two brothers and sister are show up in 8 days for my MIL's wedding. I just want to look the best I can.

UPDATE:

After talking to a friend on the phone and bringing me back to balance in my mind and heart I will not go back fully to phase 1. I will re-evaluate what and how much I am eating plus stop worrying about how long it will take me to loose the weight. It may take me a long while and I will keep focusing on being healthy in my food and exercise. My body won't drop the pounds like it did when I was younger and I need to not fret about it. Why pray when you can worry, just kidding. Really I need to do the opposite.

For the balancing act ...I am trying to balance burning calories to burn the fat and tone up and at the same time not to drain my adrenals. ( because of my adrenal gland fatigue) I am still finding it hard when I do too much and then I feel very tired and depleted. I can do Leslie Sansone's 3 Mile Walk Away the Pounds but I follow the gal that does the modified exercises in the DVD. I am really somewhere halfway between her and what the others are doing. I like being able to go the full duration of the time ( 47 minutes) that the 3 mile does. The 2 mile workout was too short so the modifications I make for the 3 mile works for me. Balance is such a tricky thing sometimes. Finding out what is enough but not too much. Isn't life just like that in so many ways?

Tightwad Tuesday~ Green Clean Recipes

I have been trying for years to have chemical free cleaning and beauty products and it hasn't been till the last 5 or 6 years did I discover making my own. One I have absolutely loved making is my own liquid laundry soap. But it has only been the last couple of months did I find one that used soap flakes instead of a bar of soap. Why change? Well I read this and it made me really think and I made the change. There is non toxic soap out there that you can use but soap flakes just sound so much easier and so much less cost. I found soap flakes at our local co-op/ health store. I figured making my own laundry soap only costs me around 2-3 cents compared to the no name brand that was costing me 11 cents per load.

*** Plus this ONLY takes about 15 minuets max to make.

Green Cleaning Recipes That give recipes for...

• Liquid Laundry Soap
• Borax Free Liquid Laundry Soap
• Powdered Laundry Soap
• All Purpose Spray
• All Purpose Scour
• All Purpose Powder
• Furniture Polish
• Glass and Mirror Cleaner
• Stainless Steel Cleaner

There are only a few big ways to save money but there are TONS of small ways to save ... that ALL adds up. ( remember drops in a bucket will eventually fill the bucket before you know it!)

I am joining today...

and

and...

The Story Behind The Ring ( and my next motivator)

As you can see, it is a rose. I am sorry the picture didn't turn out clearer, I sure did try! The neat thing about this Black Hills gold ring is the rose petals are made out of the pink gold (where copper got into the gold), the leaves are made out of the green gold ( where zinc got into the gold) and the band is made out of the yellow gold.

Many years ago ( 21 yrs ago ) my Canadian sweetheart swooped me off my feet and proposed to me. That same year my three best friends were all getting married and I was the last to be engaged. I broke the rule of three times a bridesmaid never a bride. [o= The day I accepted his proposal we went ring shopping of course. I told my sweetie I didn't care how big the diamond was all I wanted was a Black Hills Gold ring. One thing I didn't realize was that up in Canada Black Hills Gold jewelry wasn't common to find, actually you have to special order it. After many hours of looking I told him that there was a VERY pretty set ( and it wasn't that much either) down in my hometown of Kirkland, Washington. [o= The neat thing was by the time he came down, a couple weeks later, we saw it it had gone on 20% off. So that was the end of the hunt.

In the last 7 years I had put on some weight and it was fitting tighter and I never took it off because it hurt. But when I noticed the diamond had fallen out ...I had to take it off. ( No, sadly we never found the diamond. ) I have held off getting the ring refitted because I wanted to get my weight down first. I have lost 10 lbs and I would like to loose another 10 lbs before I get the ring re-sized and get a new diamond set in.

My motivation to loose the next set of 10 lbs is... to get my wedding ring back on my finger. [o= You might be asking if I have been ring-less this last month. No, I put my other Black Hills Gold ring that I had on my other hand on till then. I couldn't bare the thought of not having a ring on my ring finger. I thought that was a good goal with a real good carrot dangling for me. What do you think? [o=

I'll Fly Away

I have loved sharing with you some of my all time favorites. I will probably being singing this on my way to heaven. [o=

Craft Fairs Around The Corner!

It is that time of year and I am starting to feel the stir to gather all I need for my craft fairs and get working. ( one fair in Sept. and one in Nov.) I am ordering supplies and gathering what I have to make my gourd candles ( I personally casted my own molds) , rhubarb and rhubarb raspberry juice, and fudge. And if I can...I will make some beaded work and knitted booties too. I am sorry I couldn't find any pictures of my rhubarb juice but once I do I will post a picture. So if I seem a bit sparse here on my blog please just know that I am busy as a bee and I will post and visit as time allows. Plus I need to get ready for homeschooling the boys, getting the house ready for family showing up for my MIL's wedding at the end of the month and all that entails everyday life and the garden. I am not posting this to say look at me!!! I am just letting you know if I am a bit absent I am a bit occupied. [o=

Here is some pictures of previous years candles and fudge.

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Summer Time Rambling

Yes, summer has finally decided to show its face around here in the west of Canada. We are finally really able to enjoy the quiet local beach. This is one of those beaches that you have to be told of it by one of the locals to know it is there. I love it for this. We get to see friends that we seem to only see at this time of year at the beach and catch up with each other's lives. My men ( hubby and now just 3 boys ( the 4th is my oldest is happily married) ) go swimming as I am VERY happy and content to stick my feet up to the ankles or sit and knit with the cool summer breeze blowing. I am now knitting up my sock yarn slouch hat with the yarn that you might remember looking like .

It took me a good while to untangle my yarn but I finally did it. I still have my socks to get back to but I made a mistake while knitting them and I need to go back and fix them. So what do I do? Start something new, lol. I will get back to them real soon. I am also still waiting for my yarn swift and I can't wait to wind up my other hanks of yarn I got for my birthday. Ohhh btw Debbie I ordered my drop spindle. ((happy dance)) I am now waiting for it to arrive at our local store and I can't wait to try my hand and spinning some of my own yarn. [o= After I master the drop spindle I hope next year to graduate to a spinning wheel.

I want to introduce you to some new residence's on our homestead. They have taken up a home in our apple tree outside our kitchen window in the upper orchard. When I went close to the tree those froze like statues and when I walked away this is what you would see... their mouths wide open for mamma to come back and fill them.

Life is good on the homestead. How is your summer so far?