Sustaining Silva

2013-07-13T11:19:00.000-07:00

Snack Time ~ Raspberry Style

Here is an easy low cost individual snack: Chocolate Raspberry Cake with Raspberry Milk.

First the cake, I used the individual 3-2-1 cake recipe. What you don't know about that? Okay, it is really easy to make individual sized cakes. Mix one box of Angel Food Cake with one box of any other cake flavor mix into a air tight container. I chose chocolate but you can pick any other, yellow, lemon, etc. Maybe next time I will get a devil's food cake to mix and let them battle it out. :D

The only trick to this is that one box needs to be Angel Food. When the two mixes are good and blended, put 3 Tbsp mix with 2 Tbsp water into a mug and mix, then microwave for 1 minute. EASY! I have found the wider cappuccino mugs make a more stable cake then a coffee mug which makes a taller cake which just topples over.

To kick this snack up a notch, I combined some raspberry juice with 2 Tbsp sugar and reduced. NOTE: because of the pectin from the berries the sauce will be more thick like a jelly not a syrup, so you don't have to reduce it too much. Now put some fresh berries on and pour the sauce.

To keep with the raspberry theme, I mixed some raspberry juice into milk. Again, because of the pectin it made a satisfying consistency.

Total cost: $0.63
Fresh raspberries and juice = $0
The Cake and sauce = $0.13
The Milk = $0.50

If I bought a dessert like that in a restaurant I could expect it to be about $6 and a flavored milk costs $1.29, total $7.29, so a savings of about $6.66!

2013-07-10T18:04:00.000-07:00

Raspberry Pie or Tarts

It is July and the raspberries are coming fast! Eating them fresh is great but there are just too many. I usually can them as preserves but I had a picnic to attend so I got the idea to make a raspberry pie. While gathering all the ingredients, I was thinking of the picnic experience and all the extras I would have to pack; a knife to cut the pie, plates and utensils. Then an idea struck me . . . mini pies! Or as some would call them ~ tarts.

Food processor pie crust: 1 C flour, 1 Tsp salt, 1/4 butter. Pulse til crumbly then blend very cold water slowly until dough forms, usually less then a 1/4 C. Form into a ball and chill for 30 minutes.

So now you decide if you want a pie or tarts, roll out the dough and put into the appropriate baking dish then bake the crust. I baked these in a cup cake tin at 325 for 20 minutes, next time I'll up the temperate and shorten the time. Let your pie or tart crust cool.

The filling: 1 C sugar, 1/4 C flour [mix these together first or you will get clumps], add 2 C raspberries and 1 C sour cream. Cook until thickened to your desired consistency, I made it really thick, no need for napkins from a drippy filling. Let the filling cool a bit and place into your crust, pack and go enjoy!

The dough cost me $0.22 and the filling $0.85: so a pie cost $1.07 to make and ten tarts cost $0.107 each [eat that Little Debbie!]. Yes, I know only 9 tarts are shown, I HAD to test the recipe before I feed it to others. : ) A berry pie cost about $3.79 at the store, so this was a savings of $2.72!

2013-06-11T16:18:00.000-07:00

Lion's Tooth

Dandelions are thought to have evolved about thirty million years ago in Eurasia. They have been used by humans for food and as a herb for much of recorded history and were introduced to North America by early European immigrants.

The dandelion, corruption of French dent de lion meaning "lion's tooth" for the coarsely toothed leaves, is also known as blowball, cankerwort, witch's gowan, milk witch, lion's-tooth, yellow-gowan, Irish daisy, monks-head, priest's-crown and puff-ball, faceclock, pee-a-bed, wet-a-bed, swine's snout, white endive, and wild endive.

In the spring we are blessed with beautiful blossoms which make a wonderful jelly that tastes like jellied honey! I also appreciate the blossoms and young leaves as fresh additions to salads. Young leaves also make a nice green to add to sandwiches. However in the summer the older leaves can have an increased bitter taste which some find unpalatable. Yet this food source is so plentiful, it is worth the little effort to blanch the greens, leaching away some of the bitterness and creating a cooked green; the taste reminds me of spinach.

How to: gather leaves, cut into inch long pieces, place in a pot. In another pot heat water to just boiling then pour over greens. Let sit for about ten minutes. Pick out a green and test to see if enough bitterness has been removed for your liking. If they are still a little bitter, heat another pot of water to boiling, drain the greens in the other pot then pour the fresh hot water over them. Let them sit another ten minutes.

I have found a regular sauce pot full takes two times, while the large soup pot shown here took three 'baths' to reach my liking. Now you can use the greens the way you would use any other cooked greens; as a side dish, in soups, salads and sandwiches.

Let us not forget the medicinal properties of the dandelion: http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/d/dandel08.html

2013-06-04T17:35:00.000-07:00

Lamb's Quarter/Goosefoot/Pigweed

Scientific name: Chenopodium album
What: young leaves, young stems, seeds
How: Young leaves/stems raw, stir-fried, steamed or boiled; seeds boiled like couscous or grind for flour
Where: yards, fields, disturbed areas, sunny
When: Early spring through early fall
Nutritional Value: high in vitamins A,C,K,B, minerals, and protein

Here is my volunteer patch of 'wild spinach,' aka Pigweed and Goosefoot. I use it mostly as fresh greens in my salads, however there is a lot coming fast and furious. It can take over and stand over 5 feet tall if you let it. I will harvest, blanch and freeze this wonderful and nutritious gift of my land!

2012-11-26T15:27:00.001-08:00

Warming with Wood

Firewood warms me many times. First I get warmed by gathering, then by cutting, stacking and finally by burning. It is a wonderful gift from nature!

2012-10-02T16:32:00.000-07:00

Fixing for Drying Time

I like my indoor retractable close line. However, truth be told, I don't often retract it as I am hanging a load of laundry every other day.

There is only one thing I do not like, the construction is made with flimsy plastic. I have already replaced one line. I was not going to purchase a third when this one broke. Time to modify!

I removed the short thin angled hooks, spackled, installed a board with 4 inch long screws and repainted. I then removed the broken plastic bar from the lines and tied the lines to the screws. I can still retract the line when / if I need to by untying the line. I just need to make sure the single line does not go all the way into the roller.

2012-09-29T05:13:00.000-07:00

Pumpkin Puree

This year I companion planted radish to keep the squash bugs away and it worked! This year I received two pumpkins. Here are two ways to store the bounty.

First, gut the pumpkin and separate the seeds from the flesh. Decide if you are going to save all the seeds or roast some for eating.

Now you need to decide how you will store the flesh. If you want to can the pumpkin for more flexible uses you'll want to cube the flesh, boil in water with lemon juice for 7 minutes, put the flesh and hot water into jars and hot bath for 10 minutes. Also, if you do not have a pressure canner, use this canning method and puree the cubes later when you are ready.

If you want to store the flesh as puree, roast the flesh in the oven, long and low, between 250 and 300 degrees. Remove the skin, puree in a food processor, heat with lemon juice. If you have a pressure canner, you can can the puree. A pressure canner is recommended because it is said a hot bath does not get the dense puree hot enough for safe storage. If you do not have a pressure canner, you could freeze the puree.

Now it is time to dream of soups, breads, muffins, cookies . . .

2012-09-25T18:55:00.000-07:00

Saving Seeds

I found an easy way to save and store tomato seeds!

I simply put the tomato seeds on a napkin and let them dry. Then, when the napkins are dry, I fold them up and store them over winter. When it is time to start the seeds in the early spring, I just cut the napkin into little squares which have a few seeds each on them. Then napkin with seeds goes right into the seed starting mix in the trays.

Sure beats soaking and sorting those little precious seeds!

2012-09-11T17:13:00.000-07:00

Tomato Soup

One of the wonderful things I like about Autumn is a nice bowl of hot tomato soup! It is easy to make too!

First set aside your most pristine tomatoes for those lovely salads and yummy sandwiches. Next cut all the other tomatoes into chunks and place in a pot.

So how do you like your soup flavored? Let the pot simmer while you go out to your herb bed. Here I have homegrown basil and celery, the onion is store bought. Later I add a bit of corn starch to thicken and some cream. Towards the end you'll want to taste and adjust seasonings with salt, pepper and possibly other herbs.

Add 1/4 cup of lemon juice to the pot and divide up into servings. You can hot bath the jars or refrigerate them.

2012-07-28T09:34:00.001-07:00

Raspberry Jam

What is one to do when the raspberries come in faster than the squirrels, birds and a ravenous toddler can eat off the cane? Make jam is the option I like best!

One batch:

4 cups of berries
4 c. sugar
1/4 c. lemon juice
A jar of your homemade pectin [or 1 pouch store bought pectin]

You can use half sugar but it will take longer to reach a jam set. The longer you cook this the more the nutrients will be reduced.

Boil the mixture until you reach your desired set. Then pack into canning jars and hot bath them for 10 minutes. I just love hearing that reassuring 'tink' of the vacuum seal! If any lids do not seal you can either redo the hot bath or store them in the refrigerator.

2012-07-28T09:33:00.000-07:00

Fruits of the Field

I am very pleased to see the lushness of the garden and look forward to even more vegetables to come. It looks like this will be the year of tomatoes!

This is Lamb's Quarter, also known as goosefoot, pigweed and wild spinach, is a welcome volunteer in my garden as I get far more greens than cultivated spinach as it is so slow to bolt. I have used it fresh, steamed, sauteed and even dried, it tastes similar to spinach.

I have a grape vine that I am sure would produce more if I properly pruned it. But here is a rare sight, a bunch ripening at the same time.

This year I am excited that, with the help of companion planted radishes to scared away the squash bugs, I have once again kept vines long enough to grow this personal sized "Moon and Stars" watermelon.

I am waiting for pumpkin, pepper and eggplants to show some growth they are so small that I don't even see blossoms yet.

2012-07-12T16:56:00.000-07:00

Homemade Spray Starch

I don't often iron, I prefer to purchase clothes that do not require it. However, hubby had unfortunately purchased a few shirts that he would not wear because they don't look good just being line dried. I did try to iron them but they would not hold that crisp look. The fix for that is to use starch when ironing.

I came across an idea to make spray starch at home. It is easy enough to do!

I used an empty spray bottle, mixed together 2 tablespoons of corn starch with a cup of water to begin dissolving. I placed the mixture into the spray bottle then filled the rest of the bottle with water.

Now I can spray the starchy water right onto the area that I am ironing. The steam generated helps the fibers relax, then the starch stiffens and keeps them crisply in place.

One thing to note is that the starch will settle, so you'll need to swirl you mixture from time to time.

2012-07-07T14:35:00.000-07:00

Pita Bread

I am currently on an eating plan that every few days tells me to stuff a pita with veggies for one of my snacks. If I bought 8 pitas from the store it would cost $ 5.58, so I decided to make up a batch of my own.

Ingredients: 3 cups all purpose flour, 1.5 cups water and 1.5 Tbsp each of; yeast and salt.

Allow dough to rise for two hours. Place your baking stone in the oven and heat to 500 degrees.

When the oven is to temperature, take half of the raw dough and form it into one ball, then quarter that. Roll out two pieces to 1/8 inch thickness.

Quickly transfer to the baking stone and close the oven, bake for 5 or 6 minutes depending on how much browning you like. While they are baking, roll out your other two quarters to get them ready. Remove the finished pitas and bake the other pieces.

Repeat with the other half of the raw dough to give you 8 pitas.

Approximate cost: Flour 26 cents; yeast 50; salt 4 = 80 cents for 8 pitas.
That is a savings of $ 4.78!

2012-06-26T18:25:00.000-07:00

Red Clover Tea

Red clover (Trifolium pratense) is said to be helpful with preventing cancer, respiratory conditions, regulating the levels of cholesterol and is rich in antioxidants and isoflavones.

Red clover blossoms when dried and brewed into a strong infusion prevent cancer by providing phytoestrogens that counter the cancer-promoting effects of oral hormones. For this the usual dose is 2 to 4 cups a day. The red clover infusion tastes like black tea so I like to flavor it with a pinch of dried mint. First gather your blossoms and mint and dry them. Next place blossoms in a quart jar with a pinch of dried mint and cover with boiling water. Susan Weed says use one ounce dried blossoms. I admit, I eyeball mine and if the infusion comes out very strong I add a bit of water after. After allowing your tea to steep at least four hours, drain and squeeze out the plant material. When I pour myself a cup, I add a little bit of honey for a wonderfully complex healthy drink.

2012-06-16T07:38:00.000-07:00

Making Rose Water

It is June and the rose blossoms are already beginning to fall. Why not use those petals in your salads or make rose water? Rose water has light astringent properties so it can be used to gently tighten the skin, but because of its lovely scent it is also used in pastries, cakes and icings.

There are two methods for making your own rose water at home. The first is to make a small still on your stove and distill the rose water. The second method is done by steeping the rose petals. That is the method I show below.

1) gather up your rose petals and pack tightly in to a jar
You might want to reserve a few choice petals to add to the final product

2) heat some spring water to boil
I was going to use rain water but it was suggested due to the pollution in the air I not do that.

3) cover petals with hot water and close cover
4) let steep at least 30 minutes
5) empty jar into a cheese cloth to drain and squeeze the plant mater

This will keep in the refrigerator for 10 days.

2012-06-12T17:37:00.001-07:00

Sugar Snap Peas

They're here! Happily I now can go out my door and collect some of the freshest sugar snap peas. Great for munching right off the vine, adding into salads or putting in my tofu stir fry.

In the picture you'll note the coated wire fencing. I purchased it with some 8 foot posts and created a row for these to grow on. I've also put beans and squash near so they can climb.

2012-06-09T10:11:00.000-07:00

Wild Blossom Jelly

I have violets pictured here, but any edible blossom can be used. I see many daylilies buds getting ready to open! This recipe makes about 11- 4 oz. jars:

2 c. packed strong blossoms like dandelion or daylily, stems removed [or 4 cups delicate blossoms]
2 c. boiling water
1/4 c. lemon juice
4 c. sugar
A jar of your homemade pectin [or 1 pouch Certo liquid pectin (3 oz.)]

1) Pour the boiling water over the blossoms and allow them to steep at least 2 hours, or overnight in the refrigerator
2) After steeping, squeeze the water from the blossoms
3) Put a soup spoon in some ice to chill
4) Put the blossom infusion, lemon juice, and sugar in a large pot
5) Bring the mixture back up to a rolling boil, stirring constantly and watching for those sugar bubbles
6) Add the pectin
7) Remove some of the jelly, blow to cool down a bit and place on the iced spoon to test the set
8) When you are happy with the set, remove jelly from the heat and ladle into hot, sterilized jars
9) Cover, and process in a water bath for 10 minutes or keep refrigerated
10) Enjoy!

2012-05-31T18:50:00.003-07:00

Some Sour Summer Sipping

Wood Sorrel is also known as Sour Grass, Sour Trefoil, Stickwort, Fairy Bells, and Hallelujah. The lemony flavor leaves, flowers, and bulbs can be eaten fresh or cooked. Wood sorrel contains significant amounts of Vitamin A. The leaves work well in salads; they can also be steeped in water to make a tea or lemonade-flavored beverage.

I usually collect the wood sorrel, place it in a cheese cloth, put that in a carafe or pitcher and cover with hot water letting it steep. When the water has cooled, I remove the cheese cloth and squeeze out the remaining liquid. Now I have a slightly sour beverage that is great severed chilled! I also add some honey which adds wonderful complexity to this sour summer refreshment. Just don't drink too much at once.

The leaves and stem of this plant contain oxalic acid, which can cause kidney damage by inhibiting the uptake of calcium. The flowers, seeds and leaves are not toxic to humans if eaten in small amounts.

I had been storing the extra as ice cubes which could be melted and consumed or add a cube to another drink to really mix things up. However, after losing my freezer harvest during the week without power from the hurricane, I'm thinking of trying something different this year to store the wood sorrel. I read another's suggestion to dry and store the sorrel then steep a measure as desired.

2012-05-22T15:30:00.000-07:00

Making Liquid Laundry Detergent

Here is how I got 3 gallons of liquid laundry detergent for 71 cents.

Grate a bar of soap into a pot with several cups of water and heat on the stove. This bar of soap I received free so that cost is not included. You can get a bar of soap for between $ 0.50 and $ 1.50, and more depending on what you choose. In the past I've even saved up several bath bar slivers and used them.

The heat will help to melt the soap bar. I've tried soaking the bar soap overnight and mushing it up, but this does not work as well as grating.

When melted, add 1 cup Washing Soda [$ 0.50] and 1/2 cup of Borax [$ 0.21] to the pot and mix. Then place this in your bucket, adding water to fill. Overnight the mixture will congeal. I keep a stick with the bucket to stir before I scoop out a cup of detergent because the gel floats.

A three gallon bucket gives 48 cups / 48 loads of detergent. This brings the cost per load to $ 0.02 and as I usually do a load of laundry every other day, this bucket will last over a year!

Sometimes when putting the cup of detergent in the machine, I add a few drops of essential oil for fragrance, which bumps up the cost per load a few cents.

2012-05-15T19:27:00.000-07:00

Steam Clean

I bought a new steam mop and I really like how much dirt it gets up. It came with a 'free' bottle of Eucalyptus Mint Fragrance distilled water which was good for two tank fills. If I wanted to purchase more I could buy a 32 oz bottle for $ 15.00 plus $ 6.00 shipping. So I decided to brew up some of my own scented cleaner.

I put the peels of two oranges into a mason jar and covered with white vinegar. Then let it set for two weeks. Then I refill the container that came with the mop with half scented vinegar and half water. Cost is $ 0.186 for a final 32 ounces, I like that price better!

I did not calculate the cost of the orange peel in this as the peel was 'left over' from a snack and would have been put in the compost pile instead.

The instructions recommend distilled water or I'll have to replace the mop filter system sooner, which costs $ 13.00 and $ 4.00 shipping.

So now do I want to buy distilled water or make some . . .

2012-05-02T16:06:00.000-07:00

Almond Paste

Almonds are high in monounsaturated fats, the same type of health-promoting fats as are found in olive oil, which have been associated with reduced risk of heart disease. In addition to healthy fats and vitamin E, a quarter-cup of almonds contains almost 99 mg of magnesium. Here is a way to make your own mild but tasty almond paste that can be spread on bread, apples, carrots or added to stir fries.

What you'll need: one food processor, two tablespoons of Safflower Oil = $ 0.17, one 12 ounce package of almonds = $ 4.99. I like to use the slivered almonds to make quicker work of the chopping, but you can also use whole nuts. You'll want to use safflower oil for its very light flavor.

Place your almonds in the food processor and start chopping, while it is running remove the stopper on the lid and slowly add two tablespoons of oil. Now let it run until smooth. You may need to stop and scrap down the contents then continue the mixing. Depending on your preference you could add another tablespoon of oil to and continue until a creamy consistency is reached.

This gives me 12 ounces of almond paste for $ 4.16 [$ 0.347 /ounce].

Now here is a cost comparison difficulty because I did not get organic almonds and the only store bought option was Nature's Promise Organics Almond Butter16 ounce for $ 11.79 [$ 0.737 /ounce]. If I bought the small 9.5 ounce container of organic almonds there would not have been any savings.

2012-04-21T11:21:00.000-07:00

Time To Freshen Up

Perspiration is normally odorless, but bacterial growth and fermentation of perspiration causes odor and there are hundreds of bacteria types thriving in "vibrant communities" on healthy skin. Antiperspirant affects our sweat glands via the absorption of aluminium. Aluminium, present most often in antiperspirants has been established as a neurotoxin. So to neutralize odor I like to use deodorant instead of antiperspirant. I could use salt to create an unfriendly environment for bacteria under my arms, but I like to also have drying qualities to my deodorant.

Recipe: 2 TBSP Baking Soda, 2 TBSP Corn Starch, 1 to 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, one empty 4 oz deodorant container, optional essential oil.

Mix the starch and soda, removing any clumps. Add one tablespoon of oil, mix and test for consistency. You don't want it too moist which will make it messy to apply, but add a bit more if needed. Next, if you'd like, add essential oil for fragrance. Lastly, pack into your container.

I choose lavender essential oil for scent and for its calming, antiseptic and anti-fungal qualities. However, you can use chose different essential oils. I believe there is little chance of a 'hot' oil burning with all the other ingredients in the paste.

Now the cost breakdown for 4 oz of deodorant . . . homemade $0.95 vs. store $2.50; nearly 1/3rd the cost!

2 TBSP baking soda	$0.007
2 TBSP cornstarch	$0.192
5 drops essential oil	$0.680
1 - 2 TBSP shortening	$0.072
	$0.951

Also, two things I've noted . . . first, I was able to overfill the container and break it so if you end up with extra don't press too hard, just save it for later. Second, next time I travel I will put my deodorant in a plastic bag. The heat of a car trunk can melt the mixture making a pleasant smelling mess.

2012-04-14T12:37:00.001-07:00

More Veggies Please

Last year's summer was so wet some of my root vegetables rotted in the ground. So I decided to put something a bit more water loving in that area. I have celery seeds sprouting in the basement and hope to transplant them soon.

Since I've companion planted radishes to shoo the squash bugs, I hope to have zucchini, cucumber and butternut again this year, which will take up a lot of square footage. After checking with hubby to make sure he would not mind not mowing this little patch of ground between the sidewalks, I got my garden fork and ripped up the turf. That took several days of pulling up a little at a time. One brave American Robin had a great grub buffet as I tossed the little buggers onto the driveway.

My new approximately 140 square foot veggie bed currently has kale, corn salad, beets, carrots, parsnips and onions.

2012-04-10T17:42:00.000-07:00

Homemade Hummus

A cup of hummus has 60% of your daily fiber, about 1/3 of your iron, 20 grams of protein, various minerals and the fat content varies based on choice of additions to your recipe. So it is a great condiment to add to crackers, flat bread.

The store bought basic hummus is approximately $2.50 per cup. Here is the cost break down for my homemade basic / traditional hummus.

1 lb dried chick peas cooked	$0.97
6 cloves garlic	$0.18
1 cup lemon juice	$0.57
1 cup Tahini	$3.00
1/2 fresh parsley	$0.00
	$4.72

Makes approximately 7 cups which brings the homemade cost down to $0.67 per cup and it is tasty!

Now I am looking forward to adding it to my deviled egg mix, stuffing it in to cherry tomatoes and roasting homegrown sweet peppers!

2012-04-09T14:46:00.000-07:00

Colorful Grass

I could have spent a dollar and purchased some colorful plastic 'grass' to line the little one's basket, but instead I choose to do something different.

I went to my stash of gift bags that I save from each holiday and birthday to retrieve some tissue paper. I rolled up each sheet to a thickness that I could easily cut and fluffed the shreds to make my own basket 'grass' lining. The tissue paper was thin enough to make the cutting easy. As I was snipping away I was thinking about how comic strips might also be used to make a colorful lining for the basket.

Either tissue paper or comics would eventually find their way into my compost pile whereas the purchased plastic 'grass' would have gone to a landfill.