Lower Cholesterol Naturally?

There are many herbal products that claim to reduce cholesterol. For a reality check on some of these go to:
http://cholesterol.about.com/lw/Health-Medicine/Alternative-treatments/Can-Supplements-Improve-Cholesterol-Levels-.htm. The news based on actual research findings is limited. Currently, I would bet on fish oil and a high fiber diet as the most effective natural options. Correlational studies, particularly when comparing Japan to other developed countries, suggest green tea may contribute to lowering cholesterol. The traditional Japanese diet, however, is overall much healthier than the average American diet, so the causal link to green tea and lower cholesterol is not apparent, though certainly suggestive of a positive relationship.

There currently seems to be no entirely side effect-free quick fixes. I lowered my cholesterol gradually by significantly increasing exercise and natural fiber into my diet (I make a super-healthy quick breakfast bread that is packed with generous quantities of wheat germ, wheat bran, and flaxseed meal), and reducing red meat consumption. Eating lots of fresh vegetables and fruits daily is, of course, an important part of any health regime.

Protect Produce from Evening Diners

Lost a lovely cabbage to this guy last night. Today in L.A. you can find raccoons almost anywhere. I've heard they're traveling in storm drains and turning up all over the city.

The best deterrant for my garden so far is netting and floating row covers, secured carefully and thoroughly with clothes pins. What they can't see or access, they won't eat. All else is fair game and once they've discovered your food source, they'll likely come back, as will skunks, squirrels, and all other suburbanized and urbanized critters.

Alternatives for High Blood Pressure

No medical claims made here, but simply a report on what happened to me. After several side effect-laden tries at my doctor's prescriptions for high blood pressure several years ago, I searched for natural alternatives and found two that worked: Pycnogenol (made from French Maritime Bark; only grown in France, though widely available) and fresh olive tree leaf tea, long a Mediterranean solution.

Pycnogenol really worked me (for more on it, go to http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/patient-pycnogenol.html). Along with exercise, a healthy diet, modest weight loss, and stress reduction, I now have perfect blood pressure. Today, I only use olive leaf tea, which is rich in additional benefits, such as antioxidants, immune system support, and caffeine-free energy. One interesting website to read about olive leaf tea is: http://www.olivus.com/yahoo.htm (there are many others, so do the research).

Grow your own olive tree in a corner of your garden! Prune regularly to keep size in check. Consider growing frutiing varieties if you want to preserve your own olives. Or, a non-bearing tree will work just as well for the tea. I keep mine to semi-darf size, as I do with all of my fruit trees so that I still have enough sun for the vegetable in my boxes.

Take your blood pressure regularly to monitor whether these alternatives work for you and do not go off prescription medications suddenly or without telling your doctor. Everyone responds differently to both prescriptions and natural alternatives. I'm just sharing these to suggest there are possible options IF you can also change your lifestyle.

A Fall Reflection

As winter comes and the pace of gardening slows, I allow my mind to reminisce; to reflect upon all of the beautiful places and the dearly loved people--young, old, since passed--that have become a part of my life. Thanks to heaven for them.

I treasure all of the good times shared outdoors and when I'm a little lonely I silently say: See you in the mountains where the fresh wind blows, the green flow of river soothes, and the carpeted path along the brook lifts the soul back to endless childhood. See you there!

Time to Empty Composter into Veggie Boxes

The vegetable boxes have been cleaned of old plant material and it's time for temperate climate home farmers to fill those boxes with the compost we've been making from our garden and kitchen waste. This free, rich, loamy soil is the best!

The next step is to mix this compost into the soil. I do this with my small Troy Built rototiller (my favorite one I've owned, and I've gone through four). See it at:  http://www.troybilt.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_10001_14102_91354_54974_-1. I will also sprinkle in a modest amount of cottonseed meal and rock potash to ensure nutrients are incorporated into the soil early.

Slow Farming During the Holidays!

In a previous post, I claimed the home farm need never be idle in Southern California (or in Hawaii, in the case of fellow blogger, my daughter, Debbie). Well, I did not take into account that this lone home farmer needs to take a break and concentrate on the holidays! And there are all those research papers this professor must read and undergrads to test. For all of these reasons, my garden has had a timeout.

Between rainfalls today, I wandered between my vegetable boxes and enjoyed finding little treats to take into the house, such as the last of the cherry tomatoes, a few bush beans, cilantro, lettuce, and a basketful of Chayote.

The fall colors all around me and the dark, moist soil with scattered leaves patterned intricately upon it, cause me to feel I ought to let the place rest a while. I think I'll just go inside and cozy  up and read Julia Childs' tomes and Alice Waters' wondrous recipes and dream about the vegetables I'll grow for the table come early spring.

Meanwhile, Hanalie Bay Deb is planning and readying her first-ever garden plot, which her husband is creating for her as a Christmas present. It will be exciting to hear how this all goes. She has ambitious plans to put out summer vegetables now. She can do that in her part of the world.

Roasted Tomatillo and Ancho Chili-Marinated Chicken with Homemade Organic Tortillas, by my daughter, Debbie

I got the basic idea for this recipe from Rick Bayless' book, "Salsas that Cook." The marinade was actually a salsa recipe that called for dried guajillo chilis which I could not get so I switched it to dried ancho chilies. I didn't really like it as a salsa so I marinated some chicken in it and it was fabulous. Then I tried it with beef and shrimp. Also yummy, especially when paired with an organic homemade tortilla, some goat cheese and a little avo. Enjoy!

Marinade (makes 4 cups):

4 dried ancho chilies (about 2 oz.)
2 lbs tomatillos
1 small white onion sliced into separated rings
8 garlic cloves
1/2 cup water
1 tbs. salt
2 tsp. sugar
vegetable oil for roasting chilies

Preheat broiler.
Pull the stems out of the dried chilies, tear open and remove seeds.
Roast chilies in skillet with hot vegetable oil. They will turn a tanished color after about 30 seconds.
Lay tomatillos on baking sheet or broiler pan and set pan about 4 inches below broiler.
Roast until they are softened and have black splotches.
Flip them over with tongs and roast the other side.
Turn oven down to 425 and put onion and garlic on baking sheet. Roast until golden, a little wilted and charred slightly on the edges (about 15 minutes).
In a food processor combine tomatillos, the juice from the baking sheet and the chilies. Process until you have a smooth puree. Then add in the garlic and onion and pulse until they are finely chopped. Add salt and sugar to taste (start with 1 tsp.).

Chicken (4 boneless organic chicken breasts):

Now you have your marinade. I used 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast which I marinaded for a couple of hours in a baking dish. A little lime squeezed on top of the chicken is a nice added flavor. Then preheat the oven to 350. Scrape the marinade off the chicken back into the baking dish used to marinate. Next, brown the chicken in a skillet (2 minutes each side until light golden brown). I put the chicken back in the baking dish with the marinade, covered the dish and baked the chicken until it was cooked through. It does not take long, maybe 7-10 minutes. Doing the chicken this way keeps it from drying out as chicken breast so easily do. Let the chicken cool and chop it up for tacos with a garnish of chopped cilantro.

Tortillas:

2 cups masa
1 cup water

I found some organic white masa by a company called Gold Mine Natural Food. If you don't care if it's organic you can use the Maseca brand masa harina. I don't have a tortilla press yet so I just used a skillet with a completely flat bottom and a plastic bag.

Mix 2 cups of masa with 1 cup of water. Mix with your hand until a ball of dough is formed. You may need a little more water however the dough should not be too sticky. Put the dough in a bowl, cover and let stand for 15 minutes. Then break it into 12-14 pieces and form balls out of each piece. Put between 2 pieces of plastic and flatten the ball with your pan or tortilla press.

You can use 1 or 2 nonstick skillets or a 2 burner griddle to cook the tortillas. Turn the stovetop on medium high heat and place tortilla in the pan and bake for about 30 seconds then flip it over and do the other side. I like to have little golden brown spots on both sides. Wrap up tortillas in a towel to keep them warm. Make extra to save for later. They can be steamed or microwaved in a damp kitchen towel later on.

So now you've got your chicken and tortillas. I lay the chopped chicken in the tortilla and top with liliquoi or pepperjack goat cheese, avo and cilantro. Of course you can use any cheese you like. Guacamole is a tasty too rather than just avo. I also often make some homemade black beans in my crockpot to go with this and eat later with the left over tortillas and marinade.

New Plants to Consider for Fall & Winter Source of Vegetables

In temperate climates where extended frosts do not occur, we need not think the vegetable garden must ever entirely go to sleep. Last spring I planted two Chayote (aka Whiskila) seeds (the entire fruit, actually), a vegetable vine widely grown in Mexico and Central America. It is an excellent source of vitamins and produces throughout the cool months of fall and winter in our region. It is a quite undemanding vine, requiring moderately fertile soil and regular watering (though don't overdo it). The fruit is extremely mild, vaguely similar to Zucchini and can substitute for this squash in most recipes. It blends in with essentially anything and provides a fresh vegetable that's easy to grow, store and prepare. The vines will go a little crazy in your garden, but they do not damage other plants and die back each year (or you can cut them back and they'll come again next year). One of my vines is climbing over my large orange tree, but is not overwhelming it. This is my first year of growing Chayote and I have enjoyed them. They have been a good addition to many of my vegetable recipes, particularly some of my old fashioned casseroles and sauteed veggie/chicken combinations.

Go to http://www.rickbayless.com/menu/layout?id=7 to read about Rick Bayless recipes using Chayote. In search box, write Chayote and you'll see a terrific list of ways to use them.

Prepare for Spring Planting Now and Set Out Cool Weather Plants

Fall is not a time for slowing down in the garden (aka the city farm). If you want to enjoy a productive harvest during the winter months and into next year, now is the time to prepare. Here are the steps I take in my six raised beds and numerous large pots around the exterior of my home:

1) Clean up beds of all old plant material. Do NOT put into composter if any plant diseases were experienced during the last year (e.g powdery mildew). Throw them into your green city trash container to get them off the property! Wash your hands after touching them as well.

2) With a shovel, pitch fork, or pick, deeply loosen the soil, taking out weed roots and any other unsavory "residents," such as grubs. The best shovel ever: The sawtooth shovel--a wickedly sharp tool that I've only been able to find online from Gardner's Edge (http://www.gardenersedge.com). It cuts through hard soil amazingly.

3) Generously add homemade compost made out of lawn clippings, and a variety of organic waste from the garden and kitchen. A good website to learn about how to make compost is: http://www.vegweb.com/composting/

4) Test soil to assess nutrient levels and acidity/alkalinity. To do this, buy a soil tester. Do not, however, completely trust the "fertility" function on inexpensive testers. They can over- or under-estimate, which means you can "burn" your plants or under-amend your soil.

Plentiful compost without the need for added amendments is the ultimate in terms of soil conditioning and fertility. Short of that, I recommend organic cottonseed meal, bone meal, and rock potash for sources of soil nutrients. A good basic overview of organic fertilizers can be found at: http://www.the-organic-gardener.com/organic-fertilizer.html

5) Blend soil, compost, and nutrients well, then allow this mixture to "rest." At any given time, one of my six boxes is in this state and after a month's time out, will then become the next planting site.

In Huffington Post on November 11, author, Nicolette Hahn Niman, provides an excellent list of how to consume better quality food in your everyday life.
I have only two comments in response to the article: Eating fresher does not necessarily mean paying more as my daughter, Debbie, points out in her post earlier on this blog. If you're buying at farmer's markets or growing your own, you can save money, at least in California and Hawaii where Debbie and I respectively live. In addition, neither Debbie or myself are vegetarians, though we respect and understand why it is an ethical and healthy lifestyle.

Given these to caveats, Niman's article is nevertheless enlightening on the topic of buying food locally. Check it out: :http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nicolette-hahn-niman/avoiding-factory-farm-foo_b_353525.html

MAKE A DATE TO GO TO YOUR LOCAL FAIR NEXT YEAR The pigs in the photo to the right were raised by kids who exhibited them at the Ventura County Fair this last summer. These events remind us of our agricultural heritage and how it is still with us today...even in our own backyards in the city or in small towns around the world.

While at the fair during the summer, I became mesmerized by one of those amazing faire salesmen (they are the masters at what they do!) and purchased a Vita Mix blender. I did NOT have buyer's regret later, though. In this instance, it was a great purchase. I can create fresh, raw veggie and fruit smoothies from any and everything from my city farm, with a little whey protein and flaxseed thrown into the mix. These smoothies are incredibly nutritious and great-tasting! For blending ideas I suggest checking out the Vita Mix web site. There is a bit of an art to combining produce to make your smoothies optimally healthy as well as yummy. It's a clever way to get fresh vegetables into resistant children (and adults). Go to: www.VitaMix.com .

Warning: This blender, though remarkably powerful, is pricey. If you need to use a more affordable blender, that's fine. The major difference between a high-end vs. a low-price blender is the power of its motor; therefore, what and how much it can blend at one time will vary.

Fall and Coastal California Farming

Many people think California weather, particularly in Southern California, simply consists of one long endless summer. Not so! The signs of fall are perhaps subtler, but they're felt, if one takes a moment to experience them. The shortened daylight hours, the crisp coolness of the evening breeze, and the changing colors in many trees in the neighborhood, along with the slow wilting of tomato and zucchini plants, and the return of wintering birds to the feeder, are all signals of the beginning of fall and the slow, persistent drift into months of chilly days and the sleeping garden boxes of winter.

It is a beautiful time of year, though a little sad as well. I already miss the sweaty toil of turning the soil and staring with sweet satisfaction at my peppers, berries, artichokes, peaches, oranges, apricots, potatoes, figs, asparagus, and all of the other fruits of my labor. When I take a peek, though, in my freezers or open the cupboard where all of the full jars are stored, I can smile and feel good again.

Want to Learn More About the Slow Food Lifestyle?

http://www.amazon.com/Slow-Food-Nations-Come-Table/dp/1605298956
 For those looking to find out more about slow foods "Come to the Table" is a great intro into the world of small farms. I wanted to be a farmer by the time I was done with it. At the end of the book there are some suggestions for how to go slow. Start with just a few. Every little bit helps! You might find you're already on the 'slow' track.

 How to go slow:

Buy organic

Avoid genetically modified food

Plant a kitchen garden

Buy local

Eat seasonally

Drink unbottled water

Try making things from scratch

Pack a lunch

Share what you're learning with your kids

Eat together

Talk food politics

Get to know your local farmers

Shop at 'boutique' food stores

Ask your butcher or produce guy for locally grown/raised items

       (maybe they'll bring the in if they don't have them already)

Last but not least, go to your local farmers market.

Have a happy, healthy day!

~Debbie

Learn About the Slow Food Movement

Go to www.slowfood.com/ to read about how people around the world are changing the way they live.

Hello and Welcome From Debbie!

I have never thought of myself as a foodie, but I do love to cook. I always have. I grew up around women who loved to cook. Just like my mom’s Sundays and holidays, mine were often spent at my grandma's or great-grandma's eating meals that took days to prepare and made the whole house smell amazing.

Recently my love of cooking has really become an obsession. After a visit to my mom's for my 40^th, which included lots of dining out at gourmet restaurants, I came back to Kauai and realized I wanted to rededicate myself to my passion for remarkable food. I ordered an array of new cookbooks, plus a few great new pans and decided to learn something.

 It is nearly impossible to completely follow a recipe here on Kauai because it can be difficult to track down ingredients. I always have to modify recipes according to what's available on the island. As for produce, you have to get it at the farmers market or health food store. The vegetables and fruits in the few large markets have little flavor after being picked far too early and then traveling thousands of miles to get here. And, why would anyone ever want to pay for that shipping when locally grown veggies are cheaper!

I always keep a few fresh herbs growing in pots around the house as they can spruce up almost any dish. My husband and son fish most weekends, so I often have to create meals around the weekend catch. Can't have that go to waste! The point is, you have to get creative here based on what you have readily available without sacrificing taste and quality. It's the way most people I know here shop for groceries and prepare their meals.

 One day I was reading a book I purchased about the slow food movement and I thought “this is exactly how my Mom lives. She grows almost everything she eats. She's gotta write about it. Her garden is amazing!” I called her and told her she had to start a blog about “the farm” as we call it. She pointed out to me that I too was a foodie—all of that cooking from scratch, going to the farmers market, shopping at the little boutique health food stores, and eating the fish the boys catch. That's all part of the picture as well.

 Now it is the time to plant my own “farm.” I've asked my husband to give me a garden for Christmas. I think this will be one of those rare presents I’ll cherish forever from him; even a bit more than all the great goodies he’s given me from Barney’s, Saks and Balenciaga!

It’s not always easy to make it to one of the two farmers markets we have each week in Hanalei. In the meantime I'm looking for ways to connect with local farmers. So far I have found a CSA to join and have a lead on a lady who delivers local eggs, bread and goat cheese. My part of this blog is a diary of my cooking and gardening adventures as I commit to increasing the amount of locally grown ingredients I use.

 Now I'm off to figure out what to make with some of the 17 Mahi and 1 Ono my boys brought home yesterday. Most will be given away or sold to friends and neighbors but I'll still be doing fish tacos one night and I'm thinking seared Mahi with creamy roasted peppers, greens, homemade black beans, and homemade tortillas. Sound yummy?

Debbie

You can learn a little about my island by going to: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanalei_Bay

Need to Say "NO" to Big Money Food!

I am completely tired of junk food, contaminated food, mass produced, long distance food, corporate food, slave labor practices that produce food, genetically modified food, food labeling tricks, and food fraud.

As a child, I recall my grandfather always had a little garden plot where he would grow a few vegetables alongside massive fruit trees where we grandkids could climb up into and ruin (fairly regularly) our Sunday best. My mother, recognizing the hopelessness of trying to deter any of us from scrambling around the garden, finally began to take play clothes for our Sunday afternoon visits. Wise woman. My grandfather's harvests were deeply hued, richly flavorful and grown right from his soul. Wonderfully imperfect-looking, multi-colored tomatoes, bulging zucchinis, and green beans of all lengths and widths were savored, along with my grandmother's English-style roasts with potatoes. I can smell the aromas from her kitchen even now.

I want to return to that way of life; not out of nostalgia, but out of a deep sense of yearning for wholesome food that comes out of familiar ground and that has not been treated with chemicals of questionable long-term impact to my health. I want to enjoy a long life and be well and strong while living it. Corporate food cannot provide this.

I have gardened and had a plot of vegetables most of my adult life. But, there have been years I just didn't feel I had the time to tend it and how easy it is to pick up a quick already-prepared, calorie-packed meal rather than grow it and cook it. My health has stumbled from time to time because of the hectic pace I've often had to maintain in order to make a living. It is time, however, to stop, reflect, and resolve to go back to the way it used to be.

I am at the time in my life when I no longer see growing my own food simply as a pleasant, aesthetically appealing past-time. I view it as an imperative--for the sake of my health, my sense of self-sufficiency, and the well-being of the planet, however small my contribution may be. We ALL should strive to grow, buy local, and say "no" to big money fast foods that are killing us as a species on this beautiful dwelling place, earth.