Sage Hill Gardens – Page 19 – Sustainable Living With Healthy FOOD

A Note from….Sage Hills Patriotic Kitchen~

There was a time when the dinner table served a dual purpose, one… to feed hungry folks and two, to discuss any and all important issues of the day.
In the south, football and all things pertaining to, certainly qualifies for that spot!
Nothing speaks football in the south better than Tailgating…I’ve heard it said in fact…it is akin to a military exercise!!

I do know these two truths are high on the event calendar.

Alabama has its RV Army, whose troops converge by the thousands on Crimson Tide games. They come with coolers, grills, TV’s enough food for …well, an army! ( I have seen the kitchen table a few times)

Tennessee has its Volunteer Navy, a fleet of various vessels that collects in equally impressive numbers around Neyland Stadium…one of only two college football venues accessible by water.

So, there you go folks…gather round the dinner table, give thanks to Almighty God for your freedom to yell…Roll Tide!

In Search of the Patriotic Sunday~

My generation grew up patriotic, not something to call attention to, or to take a stand on…it was born in us, our heritage, our legacy…
God, family, country…..

Please join us for a Patriotic Sunday…..

Make certain your flag is flying high, your Bible is book of choice,
and dinner is served at noon…

God Bless~

Sage Hill’s Patriotic Kitchen~

When I was a young girl in the 1940’s, the whole country was ablaze with God, family, country, red, white and blue…and a gracious appreciation for life and food…remnants of left-over feelings from the depression years still held many prisoner to fear of hunger …even during the war years of WWII, food was rationed, if one was lucky enough to live on a farm, your status might be some better than city dwellers. ( most males of age went to war, which left young folks, elders and women to work a farm) Not an easy task…but it worked…

The kitchen was the hub of most any household….of all the memories I have with my mother…very few are outside the kitchen…there I learned how to cook, how to clean, how to listen, how to talk, and above all else…how to fear…fear the consequences of breaking the laws of the land and the rules of the house…

I look around and watch our country being ripped apart by Thugs, too weak to think for themselves, and too ignorant to fear the consequences of their actions.

Not sure where this blog will lead, I am sure of this…it is time we all get back to the kitchen table…..

We all know and love old fashioned Lemonade…it was a very popular beverage during the war years because…tea and coffee were among the food items rationed, not always available or in such small amounts it lasted a short period of time and then you waited….Many called it a Patriots Punch….draw your own conclusion as to why!

God Bless you if you read and enjoy this blog…You are always welcome to visit my kitchen…where you’ll find green on the table and Red, White, and Blue in our hearts.

Eating In Season~ Across Seasons~

Sustainable to a generational farmer is something totally different from the buzz word “sustainable” in today’s new world manipulation of green, climate change and other alterations designed to herd us somewhere we don’t need to go.

That being understood ….using what we have in a manner for good without doing harm in the process and will benefit the coming generations….Sustainable goes hand-n-hand with Seasonal Eating.

Foods grown in our local region can be preserved by ; canning, freezing, or dehydrating/drying and add value to in season eating, even though the food in question is out of the normal growing season.
The key is knowing it is locally grown..local being within a 100 mile or so of our own location.

Fruits and berries fall into this category for me….each requires a little something different…Pears were on my list this week and so simple to do.
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Recipe for freezing…

Wash, peel and core pears.

Leave in halves or slice.
Treat with a fruit powder or lemon juice to prevent darkening.
Prepare a sugar syrup according to taste…light, medium or heavy..
I use the light….1/2 cup or less raw sugar to 5 quarts water.
(adjust according to amount of pears being used.) this recipe was perfect for 5 quart size containers.

Allow pears and liquid to cool…

Pack pears in freezer containers and pour the syrup over enough to cover.

Label and freeze…

Simply Good!!

Food As Art~

Most famous works of art from nature, tend to be flowers…

Why not vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds…..for some reason that escapes me…food is something we take for granted…spending little to no time admiring the form, the characteristics, or the history.

A Rembrandt from my garden gallery~

Blooms No More~

The time is near…summer blooms will begin to fade, late summer early fall colors will take their place in colorful shrubs, trees and grasses.

Utilize the last of the floral beauty by mixing with grass blades, wild branches of green or color…from what is easily available…fill your surroundings with the last of the blooms.

Nothing say’s welcome like fresh nature!

Summer’s Best…

Even the best of things end, change direction or simply move on to better.
The summer gardens are proof of this….
Even though I’m a seasonal eater…I go through fresh tomato and cucumber withdrawal for 2 weeks after production stops.
Nature knows this will happen…so, look around your garden, your neighbors garden or the best local market you have…..pick from the veggies that are still producing and available to you.
This is true “Eating In Season.”

This transition allows our bodies to adjust to a little heavier diet with fall and winter looming around the corner.

Enjoy…

Sunday+National Ice Cream Day=My Bliss~

The heading says it all!! Well…not quite ….the real bliss comes when you can easily make and enjoy guilt free ice-cream…

If you are a family member deals with health issues such as diabetes…this method of a sweet treat is blissful for certain…

Makes about 1 quart…

Give it a try and share your thoughts.

Raspberry/Banana

4 frozen bananas cut into pieces
1 cup fresh/frozen raspberries
4 Tbsp coconut milk
2 Tbsp pure vanilla extract

Optional if more sweetness is desired.
(Agave Nectar, honey, Maple syrup or Stevia )

1 Tbsp if using agave, honey or syrup
1/2 to 1 teaspoon of Stevia
~

In a heavy duty blender or food processor…blend all ingredients until smooth.

Pour into a freezer container and freeze for at least 3 hours.

Enjoy!!

Note: Using the same ingredients you can pick your own fruits or combination of….

The Secret Life of the Coneflower…echinacea….

More than a pretty addition in the flower garden…echinacea is native to the USA, where it was a staple among the Native Americans as a medicinal/healing tool.
Modern research has confirmed echinacea’s immune -boosting properties and it is extensively used as an antiviral.

The flower petals make a lovely tea, but the medicinal power is found in the root(dried and powdered) containing inulin, polysaccharides, essential oil, resin
plant sterols, and fatty acids. ( proven to increase body resistance to infection.)

Used in the treatment of colds and influenza, as well as more chronic conditions such as glandular fever or ME/post-viral fatigue. It stimulates the production of white blood sells, which fight infection, and is therefore being used as a support for HIV/AIDS.
It is best used as a commercial prepared tincture and should always be sought out and used under the supervision of a qualified herbal/Holistic practitioner.

PS: Among the other colors of the coneflower, the purple purpurea is the only one with medicinal properties.

Splenda-a small dose of death!

We all know or should…how the media and advertising heads can take any idea or thought and spin it quickly into a rave that runs viral through society for decades.

Artificial sweeteners are prime examples…

Splenda…..used by a vast numbers of people with expectations of avoiding calories and other fallout of sugar…..but do you know…

One small packet of Splenda instantly kills off 50% of the good microbes in the gut. Add to that all the other negatives from an unbalanced diet and the gut ends up totally sick and not working…Leaky gut , digestive issues, heartburn, acid reflux, low to no energy, bad complexion….most all the issues we see running rampant through the masses today are directly related to the diet.

There are alternatives to refined white sugar without opting for the artificial ones…Raw honey, agave, pure maple syrup, Black Molasses and Stevia.

The largest concentration of artificial sweeteners are found in pre-packaged processed foods, fast food, colas and commercial baked goods….bar candy of all description is loaded with a plethora of artificial ingredients, cereals are another heavy laden item …..read labels before purchasing!
Many of these items are marketed heavily to children…they deserve better…as we all do!!