In the garden yesterday picking lettuce, chive, parsley, swiss chard, nasturtiums, tomatoes..thinking how I could do the salad a little different .. I think I will do my layered salad !! To my garden mix I added, Grated Carrot, diced bell peppers, diced Celery, diced cucumber and bean sprouts, Spring Onions .. I put on a great play list and started this amazing salad, my diced salad should be done preferably the day before to let all veggie flavours be absorbed !! I layered some lettuce and swiss chard & Nasturtium leafs rolled up and cut , the parsley, a layer of bean sprouts, then carrots, celery and cucumber , bell peppers, chives and a layer of the Spring onions, then a layer of the lettuce, swiss chard and nasturtium leafs, toppings the salad with diced tomatoes, if you like you can add grated cheese to the top of this amazing salad.. then cover with cling film and place in the fridge.. I like to serve this with an oil and vinegar dressing .. The flavours, and textures are amazing , you can use whatever veggies you like, your choice your salad!!
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Rating: 4 out of 5.
I had some good news yesterday the Home Health Nurse said I am fully recovered and signed off from their visits, they are truly amazing ladies, TY for helping me .. I had my last dental appointment for this year..
After Supper David and I played Backgammon in the back yard , we sat chatting until we had to put on the lights, it was such a relaxing evening , during these stressful time a crazy world and the Covid 19 Virus, it is important to have a healthy body and mind.. Eat to live and not Live to eat..
Nasturtium Plant is a Foodies delight , at least mine!! Our garden is like a jungle LOL We have been eating lots of Salads , With Nasturtium leaves, parsley, Swiss Chard, Chives, tomatoes and lettuce, when I want a salads I go our to our garden and pick it all fresh. The mix of leafy greens flavour is incredible.. Did you know Nasturtium leaves and capers and petals of the Nasturtium plant are packed with nutrition, containing high levels of vitamin C. It has the ability to improve the immune system, tackling sore throats, coughs, and colds, as well as bacterial and fungal infections. Use to cook withAll part of the plant are edible; in the world of edible annual flowers, Nasturtiums are truly one of the tastiest and easiest to grow.
This info I researched and found on line it is very interesting.. The Flowers have a mild peppery taste are great for adding character and colour to dishes. Freeze into ice cubes to create a pretty addition for summery drinks. added to raw apple cider vinegar to make a peppery nasturtium vinegar or chopped and mixed with softened butter to make nasturtium butter. The recipe on here is actually pretty tasty Stuffed Nasturtium Leaves with Rice and Veggies or meat A take off of the greek Stuffed Vine Leaves .. There are lots of edible Plants
These rolls made from edible nasturtium leaves are great at room temperature, so can be excellent as a make-ahead dish for picnics or potlucks. I serve them at home as an appetizer or as part of the meal.
Ingredients
Filling
3 cups cooked short grain rice, (may substitute grains or other types of rice, or any combination)
1 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 cup chopped tomato, (fresh or canned/drained)
1/2 pound lean ground beef or lamb, (optional)
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley or mint
1/2 cup chopped nasturtium flowers
1-1/2 T. capers
1 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. lemon juice
For preparation
20-25 fresh nasturtium leaves – stem trimmed close to the leaf
3/4 cup vegetable broth, or chicken broth
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350F.
Wash the nasturtium leaves gently and set them aside.
Making the filling
Make the rice according to package directions and let it cool slightly before starting.
Place the cooked rice in a large bowl – you’ll be adding the rest of the filling ingredients to the rice.
Sauté the onions and garlic in the olive oil until softened but not browned, then add the chopped tomato and cook on medium heat for 3-5 minutes. Add this mixture to the rice and combine.
Place the ground beef in the pan in which you cooked the onion/garlic/tomato mixture, and cook on medium heat, chopping as you go to get a fine crumbled burger.
Once the burger is completely cooked, add it to the rice mixture, and combine.
Now stir in the remaining ingredients – toasted pine nuts, chopped parsley, chopped nasturtium flowers, and capers. Taste, adjust with salt and pepper if needed.
Making the stuffed nasturtium leaves
Place one of the nasturtium leaves on your work surface, stem side down.(I like to use a large plate for this.) Put a teaspoon or more of the mixture in the center of the leaf, then carefully fold the two sides partially over the rice and roll tightly towards the top of the leaf, ending with the edge tucked underneath.
Repeat with all the leaves and pack tightly in one layer with the seam of the leaf down (so they don’t unroll), into a glass or ceramic baking dish.
Pour chicken broth over the stuffed nasturtium leaves.
Cover the dish tightly and bake on the center rack of your oven for 45 minutes. Check to make sure the rolls are not drying out about halfway through cooking. If they are, spoon some hot broth over them. (Don’t spoon cold broth into a hot glass or ceramic baking dish, as it can cause the pan to shatter!)
Cool slightly and serve warm, or wait longer and serve at room temperature.
Before serving, drizzle with one tablespoon or so of olive oil, and a teaspoon or so of lemon juice. Refrigerate any remaining rolls.
Notes
This is a very flexible recipe. Use your imagination and what you have on hand to create a delicious filling! This recipe makes enough filling for 20-25 nasturtium leaves. Extra filling can be frozen or used for something else.
I did a little research in to the Nasturtium plant go this off The Microgardener.com great info
Nasturtium Pesto
This is from Yummly.com some great forcipes on this site I love to cook from scratch Once my tomatoes are all red going to be making some Pasta sauce ..
US|METRICSERVINGS: nasturtium (flowers 1/2 – 1 cup, 25g)leaves (Nasturtium, with stems 1/2- 1 cup, 25g)3/4 cup olive oilParmesan cheese (just under 1/3 cup, 25g)pine nuts (just under 1/4 cup, 25g)1 pinch rock salt (ground in a pestle and mortar)
This blog is a little different, I am starting this off with a Thank You To the AHS, All Nurses , Home Care Nurses, Dr Aniki (my family Dr). Dr Buni ( Internist) & Dr Indar, who did my 2 surgeries!! One Nov last year & One May this year.. Thank you so much!! I HAVE MY LIFE BACK. !!
I have always loved to cook and always watched what I eaten for many years now have lean towards somewhat vegetarian for or at least Plant Based.. Could be something to do with the years I spent working in KGH Dietary!! Fun times great people!!
It seemed what ever I ate it hurt, I hurt all over……
2015 We watched a few Documentaries about food and processed foods.
one was Plant Pure and the other , tohttps://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=Awr47Kb3uhVfUBcA54ZXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTEya2Jva3AwBGNvbG8DZ3ExBHBvcwMxBHZ0aWQDQzAxNjRfMQRzZWMDc3I-/RV=2/RE=1595288440/RO=10/RU=https%3a%2f%2fwww.plantpurenation.com%2f/RK=2/RS=n42C6OMT0bSpJ3KTTX227mpW39M- Knives over Forks, Cooked was an amazing Documentary Michael Pollan’s new Netflix series explores the history of cooking!!! This really made us think about what we eat , how we cook it, fast foods, processed foods! yes they are quick, by all means once in a while is OK .
I was getting symptoms that scared me, I was beginning to think that this could be a cancer!! My yearly checkup with Dr Aniki early 2016, I knew wasn’t going to go well as this past year had been a tough one, results came back I was scheduled for a scope May 3rd 2016!! But as it happened I had to re schedule as that day I had an apt in Edmonton (Sinus Dr!! another amazing Dr ) and could not go, re scheduled for Sept
May 3rd 2016, there was a forrest fire, we woke up early set off to go to Edmonton wit and over night bag, it was 28 degrees hot .. Kate and Aaron were looking after George. We set off at 7 am bright sunny clear skies the Forrest fire seemed to be under control!! Within 2 hours being on highway 63, we wee getting txts from Katie, Ian and Victoria, the winds had changed the fire was heading for Fort McMurray, first it was , this was not good. At First voluntary Evacuations then came the big one Mandatory Evacuations for the city of Fort McMurray!! My heart was in my mouth, my kids, grandkids and dogs were in Mac!!..
Wikipedia
On May 1, 2016, a wildfire began southwest of Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada. On May 3, it swept through the community, forcing the largest wildfire evacuation in Alberta’s history, with upwards of 88,000 people forced from their homes.[12] Firefighters were assisted by personnel from both the Canadian Forces and Royal Canadian Mounted Police, as well as other Canadian provincial agencies, to fight the wildfire. Aid for evacuees was provided by various governments and via donations through the Canadian Red Cross and other local and national charitable organizations.
Sweeping through Fort McMurray, the wildfire destroyed approximately 2,400 homes and buildings. Another 2,000 residents in three communities were displaced after their homes were declared unsafe for reoccupation due to contamination. The fire continued to spread across northern Alberta and into Saskatchewan,[14] consuming forested areas and impacting Athabasca oil sands operations. With an estimated damage cost of C$9.9 billion, it was the costliest disaster in Canadian history.
The fire spread across approximately 590,000 hectares (1,500,000 acres) before it was declared to be under control on July 5, 2016. It continued to smoulder, and was fully extinguished on August 2, 2017. It is suspected to have been caused by humans in a remote area 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) from Fort McMurray, but no official cause has been determined to date.
We spent the next 4 weeks on a friends Pig Farm in Camrose. Irvings Farm Fresh. They have amazing pork products.. Allan and Nicola Irving good friends of ours.. David worked on the farm, I was doing some of the cooking, putting to use what we had learned watching the documentaries. That was a tough month for me as I was not feeling well.. George our Springer Loved the farm, we had a lot of laughs. One when David fell off the pig barn after a torrential down pour and landed in the Piggggggg mud ( POOP)
We eat out once in a while, and try little to no processed foods, but for the Most part now we cook everything from scratch, I bake my own bread and buns weekly, Meat we use as an ingredient not the main part of the meal!! Gut health has become a huge part of out life, we eat a lot of beans, Legumes , Eating this way cuts down on your garbage , we put the bins out maybe every 3 weeks..
Gut Health is important!! Eat Lots of Vegetables, Legumes, Beans and Fruit , fiber can be digested by certain bacteria in your gut, which stimulates their growth. Beans and legumes also contain very high amounts of fiber. Some high-fiber foods that are good for your gut bacteria!! Your system gets used to the gassy food believe me .. This change in the way we eat was part of getting me well and getting David off the Gout Medication, Cholesterol meds and blood pressure meds! Working out became a regular this, our busy lives made exercising and eating right kinds difficult.. We made changes slowly!! , shopping became different , no pre packaged meals, buying a lot more fresh produce, none or little fast food, this would be a treat.. For me this was the start of me getting well. Cook fresh , from scratch!!
Photos below were this weeks Culinary treats, Home made Scotch Baps they are amazing, a fresh fruit salad I made to have at breakfast , a Soup made with Carrots, Onions, Cabbage Garlic and potatoes with a veg stock them I puree it .. Then a pic of my boy George..
Fast forward to Sept 2016, I went to see Dr Indar and he sent me for a scope, I had a problem with my colon, not to sure what it is as yet possible Diverticular, disease.. Then I saw Dr Buni, More scopes at one point was on Steroids for a few months!! Then after a couple more visits, I was referred to Dr Indar and 2 Surgeries later !! Life is good, fingers crossed Bricks4Kidz can start back up once school starts!!
I feel amazing get up early walk George do house work , of-course have an amazing play list on, starting to work out . I truly can’t remember last time I felt this well.
We will continue our journey with food and eating from scratch!! This time of the year, we have a few different types of leafy greens and herbs growing in our garden potatoes and tomatoes!! Lots of fresh tomato sauce and pasta sauces to freeze!! Eating this way cuts down on our household garbage, Less packaging, less pre packaged foods and less processed foods Your tastebuds change!!! For the better
Eat to Live don’t Live to Eat!!..
Me being told when this was first Diagnosed to find a hobby relax do yoga!!!! Hmmmmm I also started to crochet #Hugs4Cops Blankets for Cops & All First Responders , For Cops with PTSd or just need a hug ( #Hugs4CopsBlanket) We actually play a lot of Backgammon and a scrabble game I got when i was about 8 yrs old!!
Every stitch a hug, making a difference a stitch at ta time … MY Journey continues during this 2020 Covid 19 and World unrest!! Think Positive, be the best person you can be, always be up for a random act of kindness!! Live Laugh and Love, you never know what tomorrow brings..
Photos of David and I, Our kids and grand kids!! My life.. dogs Meg and Molly MY Mommy and Daughter Springers) and Penny my daughter and son in laws dog over the rainbow Bridge, Paw prints forever on our hearts. Now George and his sister Gracie , she is Aaron, Katie and Asher Dog and Coal Matthew, Bailey and Colins rescue dog.
These last 3 Pics are my challenge coins, I am truly honoured and humbled to have these !! Love y’all
By oh boy is this Canadian Simmer like a British summer where I come from in the UK!! Cumbria. Such a beautiful place and such a lot of history.
Cumbria is best known for containing the Lake District National Park, an area some 30 miles across, containing England’s highest mountains (four over 3000 ft), and some of Englands biggest lakes. Also within Cumbria is a small part of the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Beatrix potter, In all, Potter wrote thirty books; the best known being her twenty-three children’s tales. With the proceeds from the books and a legacy from an aunt, in 1905 Potter bought Hill Top Farm in Near Sawrey, a village in the Lake District which at that time was in Lancashire. I love Beatrix Potter always have and one of my fave movies is Miss Potter staring Rene Zelwegger. Beatrix Potter and the National trust. here is a link you will find interesting “Hill Top Farm ” Make me want to go visit again..
William Wordsworth , Info on poet. here is a pic, not mine but found on net. Google Beatrix she is amazing.
Early LifePoet William Wordsworth was born on April 7, 1770, in Cockermouth, Cumberland, At the end of the 18th century, poet William Wordsworth helped found the Romantic movement in English literature. He also wrote “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud.” Hmm I have often Said this!! I think I may read some of his works..
Yesterday I coked a roast, potatoes , and veg in the Crock Pot, I then picked some Swiss chard from the Garden and made my version of Collard Greens, boy it was good .. I diced 1 medium onion, garlic 1 tsp minced garlic, 1 small Jalapeño sautéed. then added a huge bunch of Swiss chard from our garden and sliced added to the onion mix, I then added some of the stock from the roast and cooked on. a low heat, I added salt and fresh ground pepper. Yummy.
Here is a little History on Collard greens. Not my info I found this on line and it goes along with todays Blog
Collards are also known as tree cabbage or non-heading cabbage. Though greens did not originate in Africa but originated in the eastern Mediterranean, it wasn’t until the first Africans arrived in Jamestown, Virginia in the early 1600s that America got its first taste of the dark green, leafy vegetable. Collard greens have been eaten for at least 2000 years, with evidence showing that the ancient Greeks cultivated several types of collard, as well as kale. Collard greens are close relatives of kale. Like Swiss chard and rapini, collards are harvested for their edible and slightly bitter leaves. But unlike Swiss chard and rapini, collard greens‘ thick stalks are not commonly consumed. you can eat the stalks of Swiss chard.. Now the remember last Blog I mentions eating lots of Leafy Greens. OMG your will love this!! I guess I love all my green veggies, since my surgery I can enjoy them .. These are in the Super Foods. so I guess Super greens. Enjoy them and be creative with them they are good for you. remember Eat to Live not Live to eat. you can add a lot of these to your recipes and hide them if your children don’t like veggies so much!! Puree in to the recipe.. LOL.
Provide Detox SupportJust like the health benefits of kale, their cruciferous ( Brussel Sprouts to. Yummy) cousin, one of the top health benefits of collard greens is that they’re a natural detoxifier. They not only help remove toxins, but they eliminate them from the body. Cruciferous vegetables are vegetables of the family Brassicaceae with many genera, species, and cultivars being raised for food production such as cauliflower, cabbage, kale, garden cress, bok choy, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and similar green leaf vegetables.Wikipedia. This is from Wikipedia. man I love that site.
Well, now to take George for a walk. Oh Did you know Beatrix Potter also had a Springier Spaniel again not my pic. But OMG love it.
My Boy George. !!! Love Y’all Stay Safe. Wash your hands regularly!!
Eating during COVID-19: Improve your mood and lower stress!!
So David was craving deep-fried chicken , I looked up recipes and found a Mock M Browns , oh boy was it food and not greasy at all !! Flavourful, I added a little more spices!! Not my recipe it was on line and is amazing , not something I would eat regularly bur def a great treat..
I added a little savoury spice and some paprika to colour the flour.. I made scalloped potatoes and green beans with this.. LOL not a word was uttered at the supper table.. Today Im making home made bread and going to give some to my neighbour, Tonight a coast salad made with home grown romaine lettuce and my home made dressing!!
Tomorrow I am making Collard Greens but Substituting the Collard Greens with Swiss Chard !
Low-Cal ChardDelicate in taste, chard can be used as a substitute for collards as it can withstand long cooking times, even though this vegetable cooks much more quickly than collards do. … Like spinach, a 1-cup serving of chard contains 7 calories.
Dark Leafy Greens
Leaf vegetables, also called leafy greens, salad greens, pot herbs, vegetable greens, or simply greens, are plant leaves eaten as a vegetable, I make wraps out of the leafy greens ,
Which Green Vegetables Should You Eat?
There are many leafy greens you can eat. Here is a list of the healthiest greens commonly available:
Kale: It contains almost all the goodness leafy greens can offer. Kale is rich in vitamins A, C, and K, calcium, folate, potassium, and fiber. It protects the heart and can prevent or slow down cancer.
Collards: Collards contain nutritional value very similar to Kale.
Green leaf, red leaf, and Romaine lettuce: These are full of vitamin A and folate. The darker leaves are more nutritious than lighter varieties.
Turnip greens: The tops of turnips are low in calories, and are loaded with vitamins
Swiss Chard: These vegetables have a beet-like taste and a soft texture. They contain a healthy amount of vitamins A and C.
Broccoli: It is rich in vitamins C and A, potassium, folate, fiber, protein, and iron. Broccoli also contain cancer-fighting sulforaphane.
Spinach: Spinach contains folate, vitamins A and C. Cooked spinach is more nutritious than raw.
Mustard greens: These greens have a similar nutrition profile to turnip and collards.
Cabbage: This vegetable is an excellent source of vitamin C and cancer-fighting compounds.
Small leafy greens, like cilantro, parsley, mint, spearmint, sage, thyme, and fenugreek: Never heard of this !! These greens are potent in nutrients similar to the large leafy greens noted above.
Herbs and many more
Scratch Cooking, for us is the way to go, we limit the amount of processed food, and this time of year we grew a few veggies in our garden , The Swiss Chard and Herbs can be frozen to be used at a later date, the tomatoes I make a tomato sauce and freeze
All in all a healthy diet and exercise ( we love to take George for daily walks) We play Scrabble and Backgammon and have lots of laughs.. We aren’t perfect by any means and everyone handles stress in a different way , for us scratch whole food cooking and eating is helping us..Our family and grand kids to Love y’all Stay Safe ,
Birthday Weekend, Canada EH!! Then Asher turned 1 year and then bailey turned 10 years !! We got to spend the best part of the weekend with Family.. For Canada Day David made a Huge Burger with Ground Chicken, Lean Ground Beef and then Ground Pork from Irvings Farm Fresh! The burgers were Huge a Gigantic Burger .. David also Smoked a Brisket that to was amazing.. I tried a new brand of Flour, it wasn’t to bad except the Power went out part way through cooking so I had to finish it on the BBQ!! For Snacks and Lunches I made 2 bean dishes One was Texas Caviar and the other a greek Salad made with Chick Pea that is amazing !!
Then for the weekend, I made a Veggie Stir Fry with a little of the Brisket Beef , the flavours in the stir fry WOW.. Today is a veggie day !! A Bean Stew made with Black Beans, Lentils and Butter beans to give the stew meatiness.. Lots of other Veggies!!
Intuitive Chef 