Our Siberian Forest Cat has been missing since Wed 5/27/09. She is medium/long haired, mainly gray, with a white belly and paws, and some cinnamon on her face and front paws. Green eyes. Big bushy tail. Very sweet 11 mo old spayed female. Responds to Kitty.
Please, if you are looking for a cat and someone tries to “rehome” or sell her to you, contact me at 949.232.7047. We miss her a lot and the kids are heart broken!
REWARD offered. Please call day or night with any information you might have.

…no post.

And sadly I am here now to admit that I have fallen off the ‘from scratch cooking’ wagon big time. I haven’t wanted to keep track of our food spending either because I am worried it’s going to be outrageous…. Thing is, for the last 4-5 weeks or so, I have maybe prepared home cooked meals 2 or 3 times. Instead we have eaten out a whole bunch, and I have also made a few runs to Trader Joe’s (my old stomping grounds) for all kinds of tasty snacks, crackers and dips, and an assortment of blue cheeses.

Yes, odd as it may sound, I am having smell aversions that prevent me from cooking, but at the same time, I am craving stinky moldy cheeses!

I think most of my readers know me IRL, so I am sure this is stating the obvious, but I will do it anyway: yes, I am pregnant! I am about 10 weeks along right now, and it looks like the worst of my morning sickness (which was more like an all day queeziness) is finally passing, and I can start cooking and eating like normal again.

I have also been craving fresh fruits and salads like mad. Here are a few really tasty salads that I’ve made recently:

Salad #1
Mix together
* baby spinach
* crumbled Roquefort cheese
* dried sweetened cranberries
* walnuts
Toss with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

******

Salad #2
Mix together
* basil
* baby arugula
* crumbled Israeli sheep’s feta cheese
* sliced tomatoes
Toss with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle freshly ground black pepper and some sea salt on top.

*****

Salad #3
Mix together
* baby arugula
* sliced Israeli sheep’s feta cheese
* cubed watermelon
* mint leaves
Toss with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle freshly ground black pepper on top.

*****

Salad #4
Mix together:
* shredded raw kale
* sliced Pixie tangerines
* sliced sugar snap peas
Toss with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and the juice from 2 additional tangerines. Sprinkle freshly ground black pepper and some sea salt on top.

Just two days ago, I learned about a little girl named Andrea– the daughter of a friend of a friend of a friend of mine in my old mom’s group in CA. Andrea is just 2.5 years old and has spent the last 2 months at the Children’s Hospital in Orange getting chemo therapy for a very rare form of lung cancer. The good news is that the chemo is finally shrinking the tumors. The bad news is that little Andrea still has 8 more months of chemo to go. For the time being, the doctors are talking about sending her home in between chemo rounds. There is much her parents have to do to get the house ready for their immuno-compromised child, and one thing that Andrea really needs is a safe, non-toxic bed.

The family’s friend has been working hard to fundraise for a new, safe bed for Andrea.

You may not know that Portland Green Parenting offers organic and natural, non-toxic, chemical free mattresses, pillows and bedding. We are very proud to work with a company called White Lotus Home. Their natural and organic mattresses are available in standard sizes, but the talented seamstresses and mattress makers at WLH can also be custom make mattresses, cushions and pillows to your specifications. (We recently had our own couch’s conventional foam cushions replaced with custom-made Ultracel, wool and cotton cushions from WLH, and they did a truly amazing job!)

So of course, when I heard of Andrea and her needs, I immediately contacted WLH to see if they would be able to discount a mattress for her. The very next day, they agreed to giving her any mattress of her choice (well, her family’s choice) at a deep discount. They will also donate a chemical free wool pillow of her choosing, and will be shipping everything to her home in California free of charge as well. How awesome is that!

If you would like to help make this purchase a reality, send donations to:
Candace Mezzasalma
14 Corfu
Laguna Niguel, CA 92677
Any questions? Email: candace at uci.edu

I have worked with WLH for a few months now, and they really impresses me in so many ways! Their products are well made, their attention to detail is astounding, their customer service is excellent, and their generosity is touching! So far they have been nothing but a pleasure to deal with! I am really happy to be working with them.

Now… you might be wondering why it is so important to have a chemical free bed anyway?

The truth is, chemical free mattresses are important not just for the sick and allergic, but for all of us. Conventional mattresses are often constructed from petroleum based foams and treated with fire-retardant chemicals, which unfortunately are toxic to humans and the environment. Most people buy and then unsuspectingly sleep on these mattresses, breathing in the toxic chemicals that off gas for months, if not years afterwards. The damage to our bodies can devastating. These chemicals can potentially hurt the central nervous system, internal organs, brain function and more. The toxins can cross the placenta on pregnant mothers and enter the breastmilk of nursing mothers. They have been found in newborn babies’ cord blood. It is so sad and scary that the very place we spend about 8 hours a day sleeping, relaxing, and cuddling our loved ones is actually poisoning our bodies and our babies– sometimes even before they are born!

According to a report released by Environment California Research and Policy Center (ECRPC), one of the most widely used (and widely studied) classes of fire-retardant chemicals used on the surfaces we sleep on are polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), which have been rapidly accumulating in humans, posing potentially significant health risks. PBDEs are similar in makeup to PCBs—their chemical cousins that have been banned for nearly three decades, because they cause immune suppression, endrocrine disruption, cancer, and behavioral problems, among other ill effects. According to the ECRPC report, exposure to PBDEs may be especially harmful to infants and fetuses, with human studies revealing that these compounds accumulate in breast milk. PBDE levels in the breast milk of Americans are reported to be up to 66 times higher than in that of Swedes. In February 2003, the European Union officially banned the use of some varieties of PBDEs in electronics, effective mid-2004, with more bans anticipated.

In addition, as conventional mattress get older, the petroleum based foams begin to break down into dust that gets airborne and pollutes your home. This dust, Semi-Volatile Organic Compounds (SVOCs), get worse with age.

Buying an organic mattress is an important decision and a wise investment in your health as well as the well-being of our planet, and we want to help you select the right mattress for your family!

The WLH beds that I promote through Portland Green Parenting are made from organic or green cotton, natural latex, a water based non-off gassing foam called Ultracel, and are wrapped in wool. Wool is a natural flame retardant, as well as naturally antibacterial. It regulates your body temperature, keeping you warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Latex is naturally mold, mildew and dust mite resistant. These mattresses are comfortable, durable, and most important– they are a safe, healthy choice for you and your family. We have many different styles to choose from, and will happily work with you to find the perfect mattress for your family!

I was browsing Frugal Granola’s blog today, saw her post about 5 Minutes for Mom’s Ultimate Blog Party 2009, and decided to jump on the blogging party band wagon! It’s always fun to get new readers, so welcome to Know Thy Food, and please feel free to make yourself at home!

I’m Rebecca, WAHM to 2 daughters and partner to Dan. I started this blog a bit over a year ago to journal our journey away from grocery stores and convenience foods towards local, farm-direct eating, from scratch cooking, gardening, chicken keeping, and to keep track of the true costs of eating/shopping this way. At the time, I embarked on this adventure a bit hesitantly with the thought of it just being a 1-2 month “experiment” (my way of getting Dan on board), but now, I can honestly say that it has been one of the best decisions I made. Check out this post for some of the advantages I have been enjoying ever since I stopped setting my foot inside a super market.

I am also the organizer of Portland Green Parenting. What started as a small Mom’s Group back in October ‘07 has since grown tremendously into a parenting support community with a multi-vendor food buying club. We now have local sources for close to 100% of our food, most of which is also organic– and we save a lot of money over conventional equivalents even!

I love running Portland Green Parenting, and sharing lots of cool eco-friendly resources with other local families. In addition to organic foods, PGP also offers Earth and family friendly products, including safe, chemical free mattresses; BPA free, reusable stainless steel and organic bamboo food and drink containers; organic cotton toys and clothing, and so much more! In fact, we are hosting a very cool prize for the UBP!

Portland Green Parenting will donate a Surprise Basket containing lots of goodies, including bambu organic bamboo baby utensils, a stainless steel Klean Kanteen sippy cup, organic cotton toys by Under the Nile, and more (valued at $50). And if you happen to live in Portland, we’d love to invite you to join our amazing real life community for the rest of the year for free ($10 value), and make some new friends as well!

To participate in the giveaway, please leave a comment/question (be sure your email address is included), and check back after the party is over to see if you’ve won! Easy!

Bonus entries:

1. Blog about this giveaway, and leave us the link in the comments at Know Thy Food
2. Subscribe to Know Thy Food
3. Tweet about this giveaway on Twitter (be sure to @KnowThyFood)
4. Become a fan of Portland Green Parenting on Facebook

That’s FIVE ways to win!

And finally, speaking of all the fabulous prizes over at the UBP, my personal top three picks would be:

* #58 – Kitchen Aid Artisan Stand Mixer provided by Moms Who Think
* #89 — $100 gift card to HomeGoods provided by HG Openhouse
* #USC 66 – $50 gift certificate to the online maternity and baby boutique Madre Gear provided by Madre Gear

If my top three picks are already chosen, I’d love any of the following (in order of preference):
* #103 — A Surprise Box Filled With Goodies ($50 value) provided by Monkey’s Momma
* #118 — $25 Old Navy Gift Card provided by Manic Mother
* #USC 11 – See Kai Run baby/toddler shoes provided by Traveling with Baby and See Kai Run
or anything toddler/preteen/green living/whole foods related since we have a 3 and a 12 year old daughter.

 The party is 20-27 March 2009.

I am slowly cooking my way through our pantry, getting rid of the quite impressive selection of (non-GAPS/SCD/Paleo Diet approved) grains and legumes that I started storing about a year or so ago when I decided I was done with the grocery store (and that I have to figure out what to replace with). Right now, I have a big bowl of all different kinds of beans soaking. I took about a 1/2 cup of almost each kind I had — pinto, kidney, black, white, mung, and black eyed peas — which I hope will make a tasty chili tomorrow, or maybe the day after if I decide to sprout the lot. I also have some Thundering Hooves bacon and Noris grassfed beef defrosting. This should make the meat eaters happy!

I found the original recipe at Kitchen Love, where you can also see some photos of the prep.

Ingredients
2 medium yellow onions (medium dice)
1 green bell pepper (medium dice)
2 serrano chile’s finely minced (keep the seeds for heat)
2-3 cloves garlic (finely minced)
6 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons ground cumin
6 oz can of tomato paste
15 oz can of tomatoes
1/4-1/2 cup water
1lb ground beef
1/2 package of your favorite smoked bacon (cut into 1/4 inch strips)
your choice of mix of beans, soaked and sprouted

Directions
1. In a large dutch oven or heavy bottom pot, render the bacon pieces until they are just a bit crispy around the edges (approx. 5 minutes on medium high heat)
2. Take out the bacon and set on paper towel to absorb excess fat and reserve for later, drain the fat from the pot (I suggest keeping it for some other use later, its mighty tasty)
3. Add the ground beef and brown over medium-high heat, making sure you scrape up all those yummy bacon bits off the bottom of the pot (approx. 5-8 minutes)
4. Add the onions and green peppers and saute until onions are translucent (approx. 4 minutes)
5. Sprinkle the chili powder and cumin mixture over the beef mixture and stir in
6. Add the Serrano chile’s and garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes
7. Add the bacon, tomatoes, and mix of beans to the pot and stir and let simmer until the chili comes back up to temperature
8. Add the can of tomato paste and stir in thoroughly
9. Add the water if you think the chili looks too thick
10. Salt and pepper to taste and let simmer for at least an hour or up to 3 hours (if you can wait that long)

I can’t believe I have forgotten to mention that Portland Green Parenting is now an official box drop site for Sauvie Island Organics — an ultra local, organic farm on Sauvie Island, just 20 mins from the city. This is the farm that we went with last season, and although we were admittedly a bit hesitant in the beginning, when all was said and done we were very pleased that we had joined.

A full share provides weekly vegetables for a family of four. We got lots of beautiful freshly picked, local leafy greens, root veggies, corn, potatoes, squashes, tomatoes, herbs and lots more. If you want to look at what a share might look like, you can view the last two seasons’ bins week by week on the SIO blog. See below for a picture of the bin in mid August, at the height of the season!

By joining, you also get to support sustainable agriculture, help protect the soil, and allow local farmers to earn a living wage. SIO also invites members to fun work parties a couple of times a season, where you can go out to the farm, get your hands dirty and really feel connected to the food your family eats.

To sign up, simply fill out the form located here, mail in your deposit for the 2009 season, and contact me to let me know you have joined. The cost for 30 weeks is $875 + a $45 box drop fee, which is about $30.50/week.

The PGP pick up will be on Tuesdays between 4-8 pm. As a value added service, I am also planning to put together an organic fruit bin that can be picked up on the same day along with your CSA share for an additional fee. More info on this later.

Asparagus season is coming!

I made the previously posted Creamy Asparagus Pasta recipe twice already, but this week I got a tub of Noris ricotta with chives instead of cream, so I am going to try something a little bit different. And speaking of cream, I made the best ever home made Ginger Pecan ice cream twice last week from Nourishing Traditions. Too bad you can’t make ice cream out of chives ricotta cause I am craving some right now!

Ginger Pecan Ice Cream
Ingredients
3 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup maple syrup
3 egg yolks
1 tbsp vanilla
1 tbsp arrowroot powder
1 tbsp ginger powder
1 cup crushed pecans

Preparation
Whisk together, add to ice cream maker and process for about 20-25 mins (or per manufacturer’s directions). Eat immediately or freeze for later.

Penne with Ricotta and Asparagus
Ingredients
Salt
1 1/4 pound thick asparagus, woody ends trimmed
1 lb penne pasta
1 clove garlic, peeled and mashed
15 oz ricotta cheese
2 Tbsp olive oil
2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Nutmeg

Preparation
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. (You will cook both the asparagus and the pasta in the same pot of water.) Add a couple teaspoons of salt. Have an ice bath ready. Add the asparagus and cook until tender but firm, about 4 minutes. Remove the asparagus with tongs and place in the ice bath to stop the cooking. Cut the asparagus into 1/8-inch diagonal slices, leaving the tips intact.

Bring the water back to a boil and add the penne pasta.

While the penne is cooking, rub the inside of a large serving bowl with the mashed garlic. Discard the garlic. Add the ricotta, olive oil, and 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water. Mix together in the bowl. When the pasta is done, drain it, reserving some of the cooking water. Add the penne to the ricotta mixture. Fold in the asparagus and half of the Parmesan cheese. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and several dashes of nutmeg. Add some of the reserved pasta water if needed.

Serves 4-8, depending on whether or not this is the main course. Serve with remaining grated Parmesan cheese in a separate bowl for sprinkling.

Can I just brag for a second? I made the best potato leek soup I have ever had in my life! And, added bonus, all the main ingredients (NW leek, NW potato, Thundering Hooves bacon, and Noris cream) are completely local and in season!

Ingredients

Directions
Place bay leaves, peppercorns and thyme together in a cotton tea/infusion bag.

Using a sharp knife, halve the white part of the leek lengthwise and rinse well under cold running water to rid the leek of any sand. Slice thinly crosswise and set aside.

In a large soup pot over medium heat, melt the butter and add the bacon. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is very soft and has rendered most of its fat. Add the chopped leeks and cook until wilted, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and bring to a boil. Add stock, potatoes, salt and tea bag (tie it to the pot’s handle so it doesn’t disappear), and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are falling apart and the soup is very flavorful.

Remove the tea bag and puree the soup with a hand blender. Stir in the heavy cream and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. Serve immediately, with some of the snipped chives sprinkled over the top of each bowl of soup.

We’ve pretty much all been sick around here for about a week or so with a nasty sinus cold. I’ve not had much of an appetite nor a desire to cook much of anything, but I think we are finally starting to get better because today suddenly food sounded good again. Peering into the depths of my fridge, I have a lovely bunch of tender asparagus and a pint of Noris cream, so I think I will throw together lunch for my 2 sick girls and me.

Ingredients

1 bunch asparagus
1 pint heavy cream
some grated parmesan
dash nutmeg
a couple cloves garlic
noodles
salt, pepper to taste

Preparation

Wow, I can’t believe I am planning ahead! We have a lot of storage squash from our CSA that I need to use. I think I will make a huge batch of this recipe on Sunday for us for dinner, with enough left over to deliver to 2 of my friends who recently had babies. Right now I am soaking and sprouting the chick peas for some extra nutrients. Yumm!

Ingredients
3/4 cup dried garbanzo beans
2 1/2 lbs squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
3 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large onion, chopped
1 cup lentils
4 cups vegetable broth
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 1/2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon saffron
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/2-1 teaspoon salt (to taste)
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4-1/2 cup chopped roasted unsalted peanuts
1/4-1/2 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
1 lime, cut into 8 wedges

Directions

1. Soak chickpeas in enough cold water to cover them by 2 inches for 6 hours or overnight. Drain and sprout for a few days by rinsing morning and evening until small sprouts appear.
2. Combine the soaked chickpeas, squash, carrots, onion, lentils, broth, tomato paste, ginger, cinnamon, cumin, salt, saffron and pepper in a 6-quart slow cooker.
3. Put on the lid and cook on low until the chickpeas are tender and the lentils have begun to break down, about 5 1/2 to 6 1/2 hours.
4. Stir in lime juice. Season with salt to taste.
5. Serve over rice (white or brown) sprinkled with peanuts, cilantro and lime wedges on the side for diners to add as they wish.