Friday

THE KITCHEN ISLAND

I LOVE HUGE KITCHEN ISLANDS!!!
If there were ever one thing in my kitchen I would want above ALL else, 
it would be a big huge square or rectangle kitchen island!
I'm addicted to playing with food, & I believe a person
can never have too much counter space!
:)




Wednesday

Squash & More Squash!

On my "other" blog,  www.onehappyhomemaker.blogspot.com  I posted several ideas for using up all that zucchini that's coming out your ears.  But what about all the squash???

Currently, I have 4 zucchini & 13 yellow squash.  That is not even from my garden!  That's just from my friendly neighbor who loves to share!  Look at this!!!  :)

Well, I've wondered about something, & I found out today, that you can use yellow squash just as  you would zucchini in breads, cakes, brownies, lasagna, casserole, soup, etc!  The taste is so similar, that no one will be able to tell the difference!

Yay for me!  (And you, of course!)  All that squash is going to the dehydrator in slices & shreds, & I'll have a TON of it ready whenever I decide to bake!  Do you have any awesomely yummy zucchini/squash recipes?  If so, please leave a comment & share!

Monday

Organic vs. Non Organic?



What's the difference, & why does it matter?  Or DOES it?

OK - Yes, our family still eats mostly non-organic food.  But only because it is still more expensive, and there is not as much food choice at the grocery store.  However...
Prices ARE coming down as more people are opting to return to the organic way of life, & the selection is definitely better than it was a few years ago.  And if non-organic bananas are .59/lb versus organic bananas at .89/lb - I usually go for the organic.  It's not *THAT* much more expensive, and definitely worth my family's health. 


For those of you who don't understand what "organic" means & tend to turn your nose up at the term,  here is the plain and simple definition from Wikipedia:

Organic foods are foods that are produced using methods that do not involve modern synthetic inputs such as synthetic pesticides and chemical fertilizers, do not contain genetically modified organisms, and are not processed using irradiation, industrial solvents, or chemical food additives.[1]
For the vast majority of human history, agriculture can be described as "organic"; only during the 20th century was a large supply of new synthetic chemicals introduced to the food supply.


(((And this includes hormone & additive induced meats)))


Check this out :
  • Organic farms do not consume or release synthetic pesticides into the environment—some of which have the potential to harm soil, water and local terrestrial and aquatic wildlife.
  • Organic farms are better than conventional farms at sustaining diverse ecosystems, i.e., populations of plants and insects, as well as animals.
  • When calculated per unit area, organic farms use less energy and produce less waste, e.g., waste such as packaging materials for chemicals.
Now, if you actually read that,  you saw that organic is simply 'all natural'...  THE WAY GOD PUT IT ON THE EARTH, IN ITS ORIGINAL FORM,  WITHOUT ALL THE NASTY JUNK, as that good ol' definition listed.  Yuck!!!  Is it any wonder why there are so many growing illnesses/conditions, & people just don't feel good so often anymore?  Your body is a temple.  Remember that?  I'm pretty sure God wants our bodies to be as healthy as possible, so that it's in optimal condition for housing our wonderful spirits! 

Did you know that if you simply grow a garden in your back yard & don't use pesticides, chemical fertilizers, etc...  (& use seeds that haven't previously been grown with that junk)... that you've just grown an ORGANIC garden!?  Surprise, surprise!

Over the past 3 years, my family has made the change to almost all whole foods.  There's been a big change in how we all feel, since we did.  All organic is coming for us, as we are able.  I want my family to eat these beautiful foods as they were intended, by God, in their original natural form, & our bodies & minds will be healthier & thank us for it.   I'm determined!  :)

Do you have to do this too?  No.  Of course not.  It's your choice, obviously.  But as Martha Stewart says.....  "It's a Good Thing!"  

More on this subject later...  But for now, here's a chart for you to take a look at!


CLICK THE CHART TO MAKE IT LARGER