A few weeks ago a friend who is in the psychology field told me she had gone to a workshop where they were told peanut oil was bad for brain health. In doing my research I have found study after study that says it does benefit the brain and entire nervous system.
What have you students of foods and oils found?
Does peanut oil hinder or aid good brain health?
I know I haven’t been posting much lately but I have been busy. I am adding new plants to my garden. I finally had to breakdown and clean the above ground bed my husband built before he got sick. While I was away at the hospitals, a neighbor’s cat decided it would make a great litter box. I started that process but I haven’t finished.
Awaiting completion of that job is the organic potting mix and spinach. When the spinach is moved I can plant the Thai Chili pepper that I bought. I will then have three hot peppers, jalapeno, fish and Thai Chili. The yellow and green bell peppers have fruit and more blossoms. I bought an heirloom tomato plant to add to the already fruitful Ace tomato plant.
Grocery bill going ⇓.
Do you know how much non-GMO, organic, heirloom tomatoes cost? I am determined to eat as much non-GMO vegetables and fruit as possible. My budget requires me to grow as much as I can. Garlic and Tumeric are next on my list.
I know I haven’t been posting much lately but I have been busy. I am adding new plants to my garden. I finally had to breakdown and clean the above ground bed my husband built before he got sick. While I was away at the hospitals, a neighbor’s cat decided it would make a great litter box. I started that process but I haven’t finished.
Awaiting completion of that job is the organic potting mix and spinach. When the spinach is moved I can plant the Thai Chili pepper that I bought. I will then have three hot peppers, jalapeno, fish and Thai Chili. The yellow and green bell peppers have fruit and more blossoms. I bought an heirloom tomato plant to add to the already fruitful Ace tomato plant.
Grocery bill going ⇓.
Do you know how much non-GMO, organic, heirloom tomatoes cost? I am determined to eat as much non-GMO vegetables and fruit as possible. My budget requires me to grow as much as I can. Garlic and Tumeric are next on my list.
Why is there such a strong effort to bar people from the vote? Why is there such a determined attitude to keep certain people from the table? Why are lies spread that discourage people from trying? Because if I can keep you unheard, I will render you powerless.
This is the strategy of those who want to retain the power for themselves. We have seen the shift in our society because certain groups lost their voice.
During the severest time of the economic crisis, the 90%-ers spoke up and they were silenced. The method: make them appear crazy. There are always those who jump on the bandwagon with little understanding of the purpose or they just want to cause trouble. Were they infiltrated?
Black Lives Matter spoke up and suddenly there was an attempt to silence the sound of their voice.Speak up Black folks at the polls, in the arts, in the classroom. When we as an organized group did before, the nation and the world listened.
Y’shua or Jesus followers where are your voices? The world hears the voices of the religious Christians but not His followers. Is there a difference? Yes. Much like the Pharisees during Jesus’ time, the religious Christians adhere to the letter of the Word and selectively at that. Religious Christians check off the doctrinal boxes and are quite judgmental. They judge everyone but themselves. Y’shua followers, don’t have to agree with what you are doing but have the compassion to help you, listen to you, respect you while explaining why they believe you are wrong. That’s what He did. There is no condemnation.He only condemned the self righteous.
It seems those bent on destruction have no problem raising their voices of hate. Where are the voices of sanity, righteousness, hope, love, compassion, wisdom, construction? Take back your power. Be heard.
As Michael Jackson so eloquently put it, Take a look at yourself and make a change.
Get educated about the candidates for Congress. We need to elect people who represent us. These last eight years this Congress, both Democrats and Republicans have represented a select few. Some have been there longer than many of us have been alive. It is time for a change. Select people who care about the welfare of the country. Let’s stop this political game of Dems vs Repubs. We have abdicated power to them. Let’s take it back.
This should not stop with Congress. The candidates that affect you immediately are local. Check out any judges, assembly men and women, mayors, council people that are up for election.
We, the people, should be heard!
Take back your power!
Raise Your Voice!
When Seasons change
Sheds Was and Now
Exposes nakedness
Vulnerable
Only Thick mental skin
Protects from the hawkish, wintery pain
Longing for Then and When
Alone until
Spring springs
Clothed in
Sun fed breezes
Blowing healing to Mind, Body and Soul
A new Now
When seasons change.
It is growing fast. The tomato plant is taking over the pot and is blossoming. I might have tomatoes this spring. Awesome. Because of this, I need to transplant the peppers and the onions. So much for plants providing pest protection for each other. If my tomato cost is reduced by a large bounty I won’t complain about a few minutes of transplant work.
My next project is to plant tumeric and ginger root. They are so expensive. I will also be adding some different peppers and lettuce when I get another container. I am liking my homemade hot sauce and ketchup.
![20160317_153157[1]](https://blacksoilliving.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/20160317_1531571.jpg?w=605)
![20160317_153149[1]](https://blacksoilliving.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/20160317_1531491.jpg?w=605)
I love homemade apple butter. It brings back warm, loving,memories of hot biscuits on Sunday morning at my grandmother Modear’s breakfast table. Thinking about it is as comforting as big hugs. Over the years since leaving home, I have not found GOOD apple butter. Some didn’t even have that smooth texture much less the remembered taste. One day I saw a jar in the Polly’s Pies Restaurant. It looked right. I picked it up to give it a try and all the disappointing memories popped up. I decided to try making my own and put it back on the shelf. I searched for a recipe and found it in Fannie Farmer cookbook that I have owned for over 30 years.
I did make a few adjustments. I don’t typically use white sugar but I had about 1/2 cup left from a bag my daughter-in-law bought on her last visit. I supplemented with agave. I also added a red delicious apple to the granny smiths apples. I didn’t simmer until smooth because it took too long. I let it cool about 10 minutes and then put it in the blender. I blended it until smooth, less than a minute.
The results were just as I remembered. Warm, creamy, comforting and safe; all those taste and feelings of Sunday morning breakfast at Modear’s. I made biscuits and it was Hmmmmm good!
4 lbs tart apples
∗I added a real sweet red delicious apple for added sweetness
2 cups cider, cider vinegar or water
∗I used water to cover the apples and 1 c apple cider vinegar
Sugar
∗ I used 1/2 c sugar and 1/2 c of agave
Salt
2 tsps cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp allspice
Grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
∗ I used the whole lemon except seeds
Cut the apples into pieces without peeling or coring them. Put them in a pot, cover with the cider, vinegar, or water and cook until soft. Put through a sieve or food mill. Measure. Add 1/2 cup sugar for each cup of apple pulp. The whole mixture, add a dash of salt and the cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and lemon rind and juice. Cook, covered, over low hear until the sugar dissolves, taste and adjust the seasonings. Uncover and cook quickly, stirring constantly to prevent burning, until thick and smooth when a bit is spooned onto a cold plate. Pour into hot, sterilized jars and seal.
When I was a kid I asked my Sunday School teacher why did Herod kill all the children two years old and younger? If Jesus was a newborn, why didn’t he just kill newborns. I don’t remember her answer but I it must not have made sense to my young mind. I was persistent enough for an answer I could understand that it got me expelled from my class for being disruptive. I was keeping her from teaching her planned lesson.
That question remained until I research it for my self. Here is what I understand to be the reason he killed children as old as 2 years old.
If we think of this logically, whether they were coming from the Orient or Africa it took time to get to Jerusalem traveling by camel in a caravan. We don’t know how long they were in Jerusalem but it is conceivable that they did not see Herod on immediate arrival. After traveling a great distance it is likely they wanted to make themselves presentable, freshen up as it were, before they even went to request an audience. Then Herod had to grant it. Next Herod had to call the priests and scribes to get the information to give the wise men. The priests and scribes were sent away so he could ask the wise men in secret when they first saw the star. Then the wise men had to travel from Jerusalem to Bethlehem. That journey was 4.4 miles which took less than a day by camel caravan. Now we can speculate that it only took a few days for all of this. We can also speculate that they saw the star sooner than the birth night. But here is the clincher. In verse 16, we learn clearly that Herod made his decision to slay males 2 years old and under based on information gathered from the wise men. If it was the same night he was born that they left Jerusalem, why kill 2 year old males? Why not newborns? I believe they were not there on the night of his birth. Others have stated the same. I asked them why continue to promote the idea that they were present if we can see they weren’t. Tradition was their answer.
Tradition versus Truth: which is more important?
Matthew 2
Matthew 2:16 (NKJV)
16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men.
I have tried several different recipes for gluten free bread. They all have been described as guaranteed sandwich bread. The first one I tried looked okay but crumbled when you sliced it. That was the result for several of them. I was about to give up and then I found the recipe using Teff flour online. This bread is gluten-free, soy-free, dairy-free, egg-free and vegan bread. I have no health need that actually requires this kind of bread but if I can find one that is gluten-free that tastes good and slices for good sandwiches, I am on board. I am interested in anything that reduces inflammation. Arthritis, you know. 🙂
I didn’t know about Teff flour. It is a grain used in Ethiopian cooking for baking and as a side dish. It’s color ranges from light to dark brown. I used a brown teff because it is the one I found in my favorite market. Bob’s Red Mill Teff Flour
I am learning about different kinds of flours and their uses. My only experience with sorghum was syrup my great-grandfather bought from a friend in the country. I didn’t know it could be made into flour. The recipe is below. It makes two loaves. Enjoy
1 1/2 cups millet flour
1/2 cup teff flour
1 cup sorghum flour
1 cup cornstarch (double the potato starch if you can’t eat corn)
1 cup potato starch
1 cup tapioca flour
4 tsp xanthum gum
1 tbsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp active dry yeast (not rapid rise)
Add:
4 tsp olive oil
3 1/4 warm water (not hot)
I halved the recipe to make one loaf. I mixed the ingredients much like making regular wheat bread. The difference is, there is no need to knead the mixture. I allowed it to rise about 50 -70 minutes sitting on top of a warm stove. I baked at 400 degrees for 10 minutes uncovered. I then baked covered it covered for 35-45 minutes. When it has baked completely, let it rest on a rack to cool a little.
As you may have noticed in the picture the bottom and sides were beautiful. The top cracked open. I don’t know why. It was delicious while warm. The next day the top and sides were hard and a little more difficult to slice. After three days it began to mold. I guess we don’t eat it fast enough. Refrigeration was not an option because it dried out the loaf.The source of the recipe suggested making bread crumbs, or croutons after the second day. I should have done that.
I may try it again or I may just turn to flatbread for sandwiches.
To read the recipe and the full instructions aprovchar.danandsally.com
First of all what in the world is Teff Flour? Growing up in the southern United States the only flour you are usually familiar with is all purpose white flour. Unless you are from another country and it is common to your culture, you may not even realize there is another kind of flour. I discovered Teff flour when I was looking for a recipe for a gluten-free loaf of bread. That outcome is another post. Back to the cornbread.
I had made a Quinoa-lentil soup and I decided I needed cornbread to complete the meal. I looked in my pantry and discovered the types of flours I had purchased didn’t inspire me. I checked my vegan and gluten free cookbooks for a four blend that would be satisfying. I was missing some ingredient. On my way home from church I had the thought use psyllium husk and Teff flour. The words of my friend Morgan came creeping into my thoughts. Write down your experiments and write your own cookbook. I don’t know about the cookbook but I tried my first true experiment: Teff Flour Cornbread
1 c Teff Flour
![20160320_133110[1]](https://blacksoilliving.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/20160320_1331101.jpg?w=341&h=256)
1 tbl psyllium husk
1 tbl baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbl coconut oil
1 – 2 tbl olive oil
2 eggs
nondairy milk as needed for desired consistency
Let sit for about 5 minutes so the psyllium husk can do its thing. Bake at 375° for 25 minutes
![20160320_140134[1]](https://blacksoilliving.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/20160320_1401341.jpg?w=605)
Teff Flour Cornbread and Quinoa-Lentil Soup
![20160320_140456[1]](https://blacksoilliving.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/20160320_1404561.jpg?w=605)
We Keep The Feast and Observe Sabbath!
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Beauty, Reviews, Swatches, Baking
by David Guerrieri
Herbal Academy
Eating Gluten Free Never Tasted So Good!
Just your average PhD student using the internet to enhance their CV
"Black Soil" Living 