Lake Champlain Sunrise
When you're trying to make a decision, pay attention to your body.
Do you lean forward or slump down?" Linda, Title Nine Catalog
Paying attention to what your body is saying can help you make better decisions. Go with that "gut" instinct, as it rarely makes mistakes.
Movement Magic
It is the time to get outside again, move, get your energy and blood flowing. Spring and summer give us time to build up our Vitamin D while we move our muscles like magic. (Sitting Kills, Moving Heals!) Get out and walk, bare those arms and legs to the sun. Shade your face, with a hat, for long walks. Find a spot in the back yard and bare as much skin as you dare for 10 - 15 minutes daily. This allows more than your arms and legs to do a 'lil Vitamin D work. Again, shade your face.
Vitamin D Hint for fall and winter: pasture raised pork fat is high in Vitamin D. This is a local source that seems more logical than buying fish oils from thousands of miles away. Pork lard was traditionally used in cooking as well as eating in lard sandwiches (not sure I will try that one!). The lard, from pasture raised pigs, contains reasonable amounts of Vitamin D. My grandmother told stories of "how food was" in the early 1900's, pork and pork fat was a staple in her family, growing up in Churubusco, NY. Perhaps there issome wisdom in traditional eating!
Shall I remind you of this come September?
To find local, pasture raised pork go to: www.gardenshare.org and check out their Local Food Guide. You will find farms all over the North Country offering up yummy produce, honey, maple syrup, meats, eggs, dairy, cheeses, herbs, soaps, and more!
Garden reminder: Pop those flower heads off your rhubarb. This keeps the stalks from getting woody. Tender rhubarb for strawberry season makes for yummy strawberry rhubarb pies and crisps!
Recipe for Whole Grain Butter Pie Crust: single crust recipe, make one crust at a time. I use the food processor to blend whole grain pie crust as a fork or pastry blender just does not work well! This recipe also works well with lard, but (there is always that "but") I only recommend lard from pigs that you know how they were raised: local, naturally fed, no funny stuff!
1 cup whole grain flour (any whole grain will work)
1/4 tsp. unrefined sea salt
1/3 cup pasture raised butter
1-2 tbsp. cold water or milk
Put flour into food processor first. Sprinkle the salt over the flour. Add butter in small chunks, scatter about the pile of flour. Cover and turn on processor while slowly drizzling the water/milk in through the top. When the whole thing balls up and is just rolling around inside the processor, shut it off. Believe me, you will want to, as it seems the machine will jump off the kitchen counter!
Roll out your dough and place in a pie plate. I use a cotton rolling pin sleeve and a cotton pie cloth sprinkled very lightly with flour to make rolling whole grain crust easy.
I bought my sleeve and cloth at Evans and Whites Hardware Store, Potsdam. If they do not have one on the shelves, ask, they will order one for you. It will come in a few days and is well worth the wait and supporting local businesses. It makes the "whole" grain pie crust process a breeze!
Strawberry Rhubarb Filling Martin's strawberries will be ready soon!
2 1/2 cups chopped red rhubarb, fresh
2 1/2 cups de-stemmed, washed and cut strawberries (in larger pieces)
3/4 cup organic sucanat sugar
3 tbsp. whole spelt flour
1/2 tsp. lemon zest
1/2 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
2-3 tsps. vanilla extract
3 tbsp. butter, cubed small
Mix the rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, flour, zest and juice of lemon, dash of cinnamon, and vanilla. Mix well in a large bowl and pour out into crust. Dot the top of the filling with the butter.
Top with second crust. Brush crust with whipped egg white and sprinkle with 1 tbsp. sucanat sugar.
Bake at 350 F for 50-60 minutes until fruit is bubbly.
Enjoy, perhaps with a bit of the Organic Valley, pasture raised, heavy whipping cream from the Potsdam Food Coop or Nature's Storehouse, Canton. I pour this into a pint canning jar, add 1-2 tbsp. maple syrup and 2-3 tsp. vanilla, then shake until it all thickens into whipped cream.
Be Well! Paula