Category Archives: Going Green

Fabulous GF (Blender) Waffle/Pancake Batter Recipe

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A very good friend turned us on to this recipe, or one similar to it.  Of course, you know I have fiddled with it some in the last few months … so it isn’t quite like we originally received it.  Try it this weekend and let me know how yours turn out.  :-)

Place in a blender, at highest speed, for 3 minutes:

  • 1 Cup of Brown Rice
  • 3/4 Cup of Oat Groats (or steel cut oats)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 cups of buttermilk (or some non-dairy alternative)
  • 2 Tbsp of Olive Oil

(You can use other grain combinations, but the proportions should remain about the same.)  The batter should flow freely in the blender and it should swirl around the “vortex”.  If, for some reason it doesn’t, add a bit more liquid.  The batter for pancakes can be a bit thicker.  Truly thick batter can be used, when complete, to make muffins.

Put the lid on the blender and let it stand at room temerpature overnight (or at least 12 hours, and up to 24 hours)

As you prepare to cook the pancakes, heat the griddle or waffle iron to the highest possible heat that won’t damage the equipment (generally med-high).

Before cooking the pancakes, add:

  • one egg
  • additional liquid if needed

… and blend again on high speed for 1 minute.  Blend thoroughly.  Then add:

  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 – 2 tsp baking powder

You can sift these ingredents into the mix, but I have not found that to always be necessary.

Prepare your cooking surface with a spray on non-stick cooking spray, i.e. spray on olive oil.  Pancakes are ready to flip when the bubbles pop and stay open.  For waffles, definitely spray the cooking surfaces and following the cooking instructions for your equipment.

Serving:  We have added chocolate chips (minis) to the pancakes, and that turned out just fine.  We have also served with organic maple syrup, blueberry syrup and raspberry syrup.  Last week, Pip ate some with honey on them; William Bradford will even eat them plain.  :-)

I have some in the blender now to serve in the morning.  :-)  Enjoy!

Local Organic Dining

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Saturday night we were invited to a dear friend’s 40th birthday party. (Happy Birthday, Robin!) Her husband planned an evening at a local restaurant that is only open Monday-Saturday evenings, and serves the meals with a european family style approach.

I highly recommend Erin’s if you are looking for a unique dining experience, and still want to be able to have a conversation. The menu is generally predetermined, but everything we tried was delicious. Amazingly enough, I actually ate “greens” … because they were still green, and not the gray pile of non-descript goo that has previously been offered me under the heading “greens”.

Early in the season 2010

The ingredients for her dishes are selected from local growers, and the menus prepared based on what is available and in season.  Having maintained my own organic garden last spring and summer, I enjoyed experiementing with some recipes myself.  It was fun to see what Erin’s approach was with her dishes.  We will be going back.  :-)

Before …

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This is the garden before the 80 degree weather and all the loving attention from Wilson and me.

Before the dirt arrived.

Before the dirt arrived.

This is the garden in process….

Moving the dirt into the garden.

Moving the dirt into the garden.

The kids worked very hard with me to move the “composted topsoil” from the pile in the driveway into the garden.  Due to the low powerlines, the dump truck was only to get within about 8 feet of the garden.

Sam waits for another delivery of dirt.

Sam waits for another delivery of dirt.

Everyone worked really hard to get the garden in early this year.  This pictures were taken on Saturday morning, the first day of Spring Break.  The kids were actually anxious to get out of bed and start working. That never happens!!

As soon as I can get back out with the camera… I’ll post some after pictures.  Good News… after the birds ate the first round of bean and pea seeds we planted in egg cartons a few weeks ago, the second round … hidden in a box by the hose … has sprouted.  :-)

One 6 lb. Turkey Breast …

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… and a family of six. Just how far will that go? Well, let me tell you. If you’re creative, it can be almost like Thanksgiving in March…. turkey for days. Harris Teeter had a special on turkey breast last week, so we bought one.

  • Monday the turkey breast was roasted.
  • Wednesday the turkey breast was turned into Turkey a la King.
  • and Friday the last pieces will be turned into Veggie Soup using the veggies mentioned a few days ago. (See below.)

    That’s the best $5.70 I’ve spent at the grocery in a while. I think we’ll finally run out Friday.

    A Tip for Your Freezer … and Chicken Soup

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    Well, … now everyone is trying to save on the food budget and stretch the dollars a little farther. So now I just appear normal, and my budget friendly habits seem timely. Whereas before, I believe the word “cooky” might have been slung in my direction.

    Here’s a tip for your freezer. If you eat vegetables at your house, you probably don’t always finish the dish. For plain vegetables (served with butter and salt – or alone) toss the extras in a gallon sized freezer bag in the freezer door. Every time you have some leftovers of this nature, toss them in the bag. It doesn’t matter if they’re different. You’re making a collection of veggies. When the bag gets to capacity – you’re ready to make vegetable or chicken soup.

    If you choose Chicken Soup, here’s another money saver. Use inexpensive thighs or legs to make your broth and provide the meat for the soup. These pieces are less popular, but they make a much richer base for your soup; no one can really tell what part of the chicken little shreds of meat came from in the bowl anyway. As a bonus, you can usually get those cuts of meat for MUCH less than cut up birds or chicken breasts.

    Happy cooking!!!

    Go Green the smart way….

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    I found a really good article this week on MSN about being more “green”. The author makes some great points about things to avoid, and what to consider when we make our purchasing decisions. For instance, don’t buy a “green” t-shirt just to buy something green. Buy a t-shirt because you NEED a t-shirt. And lets be honest, unless you’re replacing the one good white t-shirt in your wardrobe, who really NEEDS a t-shirt. There’s energy expended in the manufacture of any product, so think about what you’re doing and why.

    Probably one of the best things we could do to “go green” would be to consume less as consumers, or to at least consume smarter. Check out the article on MSN for more information. Could it be that some companies would try to “cash in” on going green? Surely not….ha ha ha…

    And remember, “if you’re not saving money, you’re probably not saving energy.”

    Going.. going.. green

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    I think that my sister-in-law, Nichole, and I have an “unofficial” challenge for the year. Not that we’re competing with each other, more like we’ve both decided to challenge ourselves and our families (….poor… poor families) this year. We’re attempting to be more “green”. Check out my new “reuseable” red Target shopping bag. Of course the clerk tried to put it in a plastic bag when I purchased it – hello??

    The experiment has begun with a more defined recycling effort and collection facility in the garage, and has moved on to household cleaning supplies, getting rid of paper napkins, and ….. dare I say it…. environmentally friendly diapers for Claire. I think we were already heading that way. A little know fact…. I actually have a four-year degree in “green-ness” and Chemistry. So it was bound to happen sooner or later. I’ve been recycling straws for years.