Garden Season 2010: Part 3

It is the time of year where it seems everything scorches.... but the monsoon is rollin' in giving relief to the plants.

Check out the calender for things that can be planted, Some will do better than others.
Some of the better options are [think Indian!] corn, beans, squash and pumpkin, sweet potato, sunflower, and melon.

http://www.urbanfarm.org/Planting_Calendar.pdf

Canned Meat recipes

Canning meat can be done so simply, and then used in recipes, that there is no need to season them.

However, in the interest of overkill, I thought I'd put some ideas on here.

"side notes" FYI:

• Meat not under the fluids in the jar will darken but this does not affect the meat otherwise.
  
• Keep total level of jar's contents below one inch from the top since all liquid boils, and the fat juices (yum) will boil up even higher. (this would potentially prevent the lid from sealing)
• The animal fat we eat is what makes it possible for your body to absorb and use minerals such as calcium and magnesium. High quality animal is important when it comes to the fat!!!- if it is not healthy animal (such as grass fed beef), it may be better to skim the fat and add high quality butter to the meal you use the broth in. Eating Healthy animal fat = healthy human.
• Keep pressure as steady as possible once it has been reached. Fluctuations cause fluids to be drawn out and may prevent lids from sealing (besides the fluid loss and mess,... so just keep an eye on it until you've learned your stove and canner's quirks)
  

Bottled Roast:

• Sterilize jars, fill with roast chunks
• (any meat is easiest to cut when partly frozen, just not so hard that your hands or fingers are struggling and being put in danger,...)
• Add sea salt, black pepper, garlic powder or other garlic and/or onion
  
• Other ideas: mushrooms, sea weed pieces, herbs such as bay leaf, thyme and oregano, cloves, nutmeg.
• clean rim, put on new simmered lids and pressure can at 15 lbs for 90 minutes.
  
• After allowing it to sit and cool completely (24 hours?), shake them up to disperse seasonings throughout before storage.

Bottled stock/broth (made how the chefs and healthy ancestors made it!):

• Save bones and joints and/or skin, any "trash" from your healthy boned chickens or beef.
• Cover the bones with water and add 1-2 tsp vinegar (any) to the water. (stir to disperse) and allow to sit for ~ 1/2 hour - it gets the mineral extraction going.
• Bring to a boil and skim off any foam or 'floaty bits" (usually <>
• Either turn down heat to a low simmer or transfer to a crock pot.
• Add onion, garlic, and any vegetables or seasonings you like in your basic broth. I like bay leaf, a clove, marjoram, coarse black pepper, and herbs such as basil for Chicken, thyme for Beef. I also add sea vegetables. Some like celery, mushrooms.
• Simmer chicken bones for up to 12 hours and beef bones up to a few days (if the bones go soft then you "know you've gotten" the minerals)
• Allow it to cool enough to handle, Strain through a fine strainer so that just the liquid remains
• Funnel into jars, stirring constantly to keep the fat equally throughout.
• Leave MORE than 1 inch headspace since the fat will 'expand' more during cooking.
• wipe rim clean, put on new simmered lids and pressure can at 15 lbs for 20 minutes.
• If any jars do not seal, clean rims and lids and reprocess or refrigerate and use.

Gluten-free Baking

Many people in our civilization are developing gluten intolerance and/or wheat allergies.
Of the possible causes, One MAY include the fact that we have had multiple generations that have been eating the one or two grains without preparing it to neutralize the powers that keep it dormant. Pre-Industrialized people around the world have soaked, sprouted, or fermented their seeds and grains since the book of Genesis! (think 'leavened bread', Sourdough bread and long-soaked beans)

Regardless as to the causes, many people have symptoms from intestinal discomfort or bloating all the way to more serious consequences.
This is a chart from this article found online here... Using cut and paste, all of the following is quoted:

There are many gluten free breads available now, or you can make your own using whole foods with this helpful guide from Deb Gully, a chapter leader in New Zealand.

Gluten holds moisture and binds food, so when you remove this, things start to unravel. This is why it is so important to include a binder when using gluten-free flours so the end result will be successful. It seems to be best to use two or more gluten-free flours together when substituting them for wheat flour. A mixture of gluten-free flours gives a better texture and flavor than just one on its own. When baking it is good to have two grainy or crumbly flours and a binding one. But there are some recipes that will work well with only one flour.

Choose 2 of the crumbly or grainy flours: Amaranth Coconut Corn Rice Millet Notes: 1. Good flavour for cakes, biscuits and pancakes. Always needs a binding flour with it. Needs to be soaked overnight in something acidic, like yoghurt, or lemon juice and water. 2. This is a fairly new flour. You can make your own with dessicated coconut processed in a food processor 3. Cornmeal needs to be soaked in lime water, rather than acids. Corn starch or flour can be blended with cornmeal to make corn breads or muffins. Corn is a common allergen. 4. Some people find brown rice hard to digest. White rice is often used as it's easier to digest and rarely allergenic. It is pure starch and not high in nutrients. Either brown or white is good for thickening gravies, sauces and cream pies. 5. Tends to make breads dry and coarse so don't use more than 1/5 of the flour mixture. NOT RECOMMENDED Quinoa: Quinoa needs thorough rinsing, and at least 8 hours soaking before being cooked.

Add a binding flour: Buckwheat Arrowroot Tapioca flour Potato starch Potato flour Pea or pulse flours Notes: 1. Buckwheat groats can be sprouted, dried and then ground into flour that doesn't need further soaking. But if you use ready bought flour, it will need to be soaked in something acid. Use in small amounts as it has a strong flavor and is sometimes difficult to digest. 2. Easy to digest, and the most nutritious of the white flours as it is not refined. A superior thickener. 3. Imparts the "chew factor," excellent used in small quantities. Also good for coating anything that's going to be fried. Again a refined starch and not high in nutrients. 4. Excellent for baking when used with other flours. It is a good thickening agent for cream soups. A refined starch and not high in nutrients. 5. Potato flour is different from potato starch. 6. Use in small quantities only, as they are better soaked. NOT RECOMMENDED Soy: Many gluten-free recipes use soy, but soy contains high levels of anti-nutrients and is difficult to digest.

And/or use 1-2 of these binders: Egg Guar gum Xantham gum Flaxseed "gel" Sago Notes: 3. Some people react to guar gum, so xantham is better. If still no go, try without it, it will just be a little heavier. 5. Good egg replacer in baking: Simmer 1/4 cup flax seeds in 3/4 cup water for 5-7 mins, till thick. Strain the seeds out in a cheesecloth lined strainer --you'll need to squeeze it. Use 4 tablespoons for 1 egg. For extra lightness, whip the "gel" and fold through at the end of mixing.

Add 1-2 of these for flavor & texture & lower carbs (optional): Ground sesame seeds Ground flaxseed Ground crispy nuts Ground almonds Notes: 1. Makes a nice pizza base, with some flaxseed and beaten eggs. 2. Small amounts are nice in gluten-free bread 4. Many gluten-free recipes use ground almonds, but they are not soaked so the enzyme-inhibitors aren't neutralized. Crispy nuts ground yourself are better. Macadamias and almonds are good for a neutral flavor.

This article appeared in Wise Traditions in Food, Farming and the Healing Arts, the quarterly magazine of the Weston A. Price Foundation, Summer 2006.