OMG. That’s all I can say. Drink it with a river rushing by. But only if you want euphoria.
Recipe of the Day – Orange Mango Lemon Juice
Ingredients;
juice of 2-3 oranges
juice of a lemon
2 mangoes, peeled and cubes
1/2 c. ice cubes, if desired
I sat down with J on a park bench, waiting for the hiking group to get going. And commented on the troubles one of my children is going through. She said, and she always does this in the most non-judgemental-way, ”I believe that every single person comes here with their…mess. Their contracts, karma, intricately complexity of mind and things they have to work out. And that every time we interfere, try to push, or help, in gets in the way of their healing. Unless they ask for it and you’re part of that healing. I don’t know how it is for a mother, with her children. It must be tremendously difficult to let them be on their path without wanting for them.”
Recipe of the Day – Iranian Sweet Potatoes
Place a large sheet pan in the oven and heat to 500°F. Scrub the sweet potatoes. Put in a pot of water and boil until tender. Wait until cool, then peel and mash.
Stir in the other ingredients until combined. Mash well.
Serve the potatoes warm, drizzled with olive oil.
Word of the Day – azafrán – saffron
Tip of the Day – Farideh says the safflower and rose water open the heart and relieve depression!
I was standing on the edge of the pool when the owner came over and took the phone out of my hand. ”Put your phone here,” he said, remembering how i’d come into the Molino Tropical, just to retrieve my phone i’d left there the day before. ”And you’ll put your clothes here, Dorothy, in this locker, from now on, and i’ll give you a key.” Then, while swimming, his helper came with a chair, put it near the pool’s edge, and put my towel and goggles on top. What? What is going on today that everyone is taking care of me? After six months of using their pool. See how we need each other? People.
Recipe of the Day – Berry/Jaboticaba Cordial
ingredients;
2 lbs. jaboticaba or other berries
1 c. water
juice of 1 lemon
1 cinnamon stick
4 cardamom pods
1 c. ice cubes
optional – 6 fresh lemon slices and mint leaves
Directions; Simmer the whole, crushed jaboticaba or other berries in water until the fruit is pulpy about 20 minutes. Add the lemon juice, cinnamon and cardamon pods, then allow to cool.
Strain and add ice, freshly sliced lemon and mint leaves. Chill.
Word of the Day – hechicera – sorceress
Tip of the Day – Berries can ferment pretty quickly, so make and serve the day the guests are coming. Or for yourself on a hot day!
Continue reading “Jaboticaba (Berry) Cordial”
in Iran, New year’s is on the spring equinox. So Farideh invited us to her New year’s party at her gorgeous house and it was fantastic. Farideh says she makes this mix of almond and tahini, because it tastes so much like peanut butter! I made mine into a sauce for roasted vegetables – zucchini and onions and peppers!
Recipe of the Day – Tahini-Almond Sauce2 T. tahini
4 T. almond butter
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 clove fermented garlic, minced
1/2 c. almond milk
3 drops honey stevia
Directions; Mix the tahini, almond butter, and lemon juice in a small bowl. Slowly add the almond milk and stevia and whisk until smooth.
Word of the Day – equinoccio – equinox
Tip of the Day – Serve over roasted vegetables!
The new word being, “up-cycled,” not “re-cycled”. Here are some up-cycled projects my daughter and I make. I started some bowls and owls and boxes, which i am especially happy with to hold my herbs and teas. Now I don’t have to buy jars! You can type “DIY Paper Projects” in your search engine to see how to make your own.
Recipe of the Day –Energy Cookies
Ingredients:
1/4 c. pinenuts
1 1/4 c. whole almonds, skin on
1/4 c. cashews
1/4 c. slivered almonds
1/2 c. pecans
1/2 c. sunflower seeds
1/2 c. pepitas (Pumpkin seeds)
1/4 c. sesame seeds
1/2 c. flax meal
1 c. shredded coconut
1/4 c. dates, soaked
1/2 c. coconut oil
1/2 tsp vanilla powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cardamom
1/4 – 1/2 tsp sea salt or pink Himalayan salt
3 eggs
2 1/4 c. flour of choice
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 c. cacao
optional – cacao nibs, raisins, bananas, strawberries
Pre-heat oven to 150 °C/ 300 °F. Combine all nuts, seeds and spices, with the coconut cream into a large bowl.
Melt the coconut oil in a small pan. Add the dates and syrup and mix well. Pour melted ingredients into nut and seed mix and combine thoroughly. Stir in the baking soda, salt, cacao and vanilla.
Drop into cookie shapes onto a lined baking tray and bake for 20 minutes in this altitude.
Remove from oven and let cool. Transfer to a plate.
Word of the Day – reciclado – recycled/upcycled
Tip of the Day – Great snack food for hikes and traveling!
The other day Marli gave me a bottle of olive oil in trade for my organic bananas. And today, almonds for another set! Both were on my grocery list. I may never have to leave home again to get my groceries!
Recipe of the Day – Coconut Cream Pudding
ingredients-
1 pkg, gelatin or 1/3 c. agar agar
1/3 c. water
1 c. coconut water or nut/seed milk
1 c. coconut cream
1/4 c. coconut sugar
dash vanilla powder or 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
pinch salt
options – berries, cacao
Directions:
Soak gelatin or agar agar (seaweed powder) in water for about 5 minutes. in a pot put in the coconut/seed milk and coconut cream, Add the coconut sugar with the vanilla and salt. Add the sticky gelatin. Turn the heat to medium. When it comes to boil, turn off heat immediately and transfer to a container and let sit.
Word of the Day –aceite de oliva -olive oil
Tip of the Day – You can use chia seeds instead of gelatin or agar agar.
My friend, Joy, brought me back Shea butter from the States, woohoo! Just in time to make my healing salve, but this time with Shea butter, the fat that’s extracted from the nuts of the African shea tree. It’s used for all kinds of skin problems, from dry skin, burns, to wrinkles and eczema. i’m combining it here with calendula and comfrey to ease pain and soothe and heal rough, dry skin, as well as lip sores.
Recipe of the Day -Shea Comfrey-Calendula Butter
Ingredients:
1/2 c. cold pressed olive oil
1 ounce dried herbs: 1/2 ounce calendula and 1/2 ounce comfrey
1/2 c. shea butter
1/2 c. coconut oil
1/3 c. beeswax
1/4 c. cacao butter
3 vitamin E capsules (of at least 400 units)
10 drops Essential Oil (lavender, rose, or jasmine, lemon, or your choice)
1 tsp. mica powder, color of choice, to color the salve. (But you don’t need to.)
Cheesecloth to strain herbs
Directions: Place your herbs into an oven safe dish and pour the olive oil in. Stir and bake in the oven at the lowest possible temperature (200 degrees or less) and bake for 3 hours. This is your infused oil. (Or, you can pour olive oil directly over the herbs in a clean jar and let sit for 6 weeks.)
You know, i was humbled when some guests left and I found a $10 bill hidden under a mat on the coffee table. To help me out, you know? And i was wondering which thing I should use it for. And then, one of my old workers asked me on facebook if he could borrow $10 and work it off for me. Which is 3 hours work here! So I said, yes, and he just sanded and lacquered all my wooden shutters and front door. And while it was drying he weeded and dug around with the 28-year old energy that is truly unstoppable. Isn’t it amazing how money moves around. i feel so humbled, then i feel so honored that someone would ask me for help (and he, young soul, has two little kids!) and then so grateful for…just…everything and everyone.
Recipe of the Day – Jaboticaba Crumble
Ingredients;
1 lb. jaboticaba berries
1 lb cherries, blueberries, black or other berries
4 c. GF cake flour
1 T. honey
Topping;
2 T. GF cake flour
3 T. rolled oats
1 T. honey
2 T. Coconut oil
Mix together 1 lb jaboticabas and other berries, if you like with the cake flour and honey. Place into well-greased ramekins.
For the topping, in a separate bowl mix the cake flour, oats (non instant), honey and oil.
Pour topping over the berries and bake for 20 mins at 200°C until golden brown. Serve with a dollop of banana ice cream and jaboticaba syrup.
Jaboticaba Syrup
Halve about 25 berries and simmer with 1 cup of water in a heavy-base pot for 15 minutes.
Add 2 tbsp honey and 2 tsp grated ginger.
Simmer for another 15 minutes and strain.
Word/Phrase of the Day – me sentía humilde – i felt humbled
Tip of the Day – Make your banana ice cream by freezing a cup of frozen, cut bananas and then blending! That’s it!
Maria and Dennis at the juice Factory have Jaboticaba, the Brazilian grapetree. It’s the seventh year in cultivation here at her and Dennis’ farm in Vilcabamba, which is just now producing fruit. Much like the acai berry, jaboticaba is high in antioxidants, minerals and Vitamin C. Jaboticaba smoothies, starting Friday until they’re gone, $3.75 at the juice Factory
Recipe of the Day – jaboticaba Smoothie
Ingredients :
1 c. jacoticaba syrup
1-2 bananas, frozen
1 c. nut/seed milk
To make the syrup Simmer 1kg whole, crushed jaboticaba fruit in 250ml water until the fruit is pulpy (about 20 minutes). Add the juice of 1 large lemon, plus 1 cinnamon stick, 4 cardamom pods, and allow to cool.
Directions for the smoothie –
Blend all ingredients.
Word/Phrase of the Day – que madrugador – what an early bird
Tip of the Day – Keep the skins, dry them and store in a jar, to add to syrups and cereals for a real boost of beta-carotene. They, the berries are also full of vitamins C, D and E, as well as calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and fructose.
My daughter received these beautiful pheasant feathers as a gift for doing such beautiful photography for a wedding. Can you believe that! Que regalo! What a gift!
Recipe of the Day – Lubee
Ingredients –
Directions;
Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium high heat. Add the onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and continue to sauté for 2 minutes {if you are using meat, it can be added here and sautéed for an addition 4 minutes}.
Word of the Day – pheasant –Faisán
Tip of the Day – You could add mushrooms to the saute mix, and serve with rice, raw crackers, salad pita bread, hummus and nut/seed or plain yogurt.