The Country Tart

Open Letter to Legislators Regarding Policies on Industrial Hemp Farming on U.S. Soil

2011-12-20T10:44:00.002-05:00

I am writing to ask that you please become an original cosponsor of the Senate version of the Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2011, which will be introduced by Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon. We live in a frightening age where chemistry and machinery have turned our food sources into something that belongs in a lab instead lining of our grocer’s shelves. We have legal recommended limits and

Red Quinoa Wrapped Up ~ 2 Ways

2011-11-29T22:04:00.003-05:00

A few nights ago, we were invited to watch an evening boat parade with friends and afterward I was served this delightfully fresh wrap. Post Thanksgiving, I was extra-appreciative of being offered a meal that hugged me from the inside out. INGREDIENTS/ INSTRUCTIONS: Take one all natural tortilla (that means you know what all the ingredients are on the label!) and top with cooked, red quinoa,

Simply Broccoli. Soup.

2011-11-01T13:56:00.001-04:00

I love to make fruit and veggie smoothies and I love soup; I am not sure why the idea hadn't crossed my mind sooner. This is so simple yet it's delicious. At 43 calories for a generous-sized bowl, there's room for a grilled cheese sandwich in here somewhere. I'm thinking with some spelt bread and a really creamy brie. Yum! You will be amazed at just how much flavor this soup has and just how

An Apple a Day...

2011-10-30T21:23:00.002-04:00

Tomorrow is my kindergartener's harvest party and check out these cute little apple cupcakes that she's bringing in! I got the idea from A blog called I Heart Cuppycakes and I used her cake recipe but omitted the caramel. The caramel would have been great, I am certain, but I didn't think there's any need to add additional sugar on Halloween! Plus, not many 5 year olds appreciate the effort

Chocolate Peanut Banana Muffins

2011-10-18T11:47:00.002-04:00

OK, I have to be honest here, I finally tried one of those vitamin-loaded muffins. So, now I have to brag, also, because the stats that you see at the bottom are without any sort of additives whatsoever. My point here? Personally, I'd rather swallow a vitamin in pill form and not compromise that rich muffin flavor with the aftertaste of vitamins. But that's just me. INGREDIENTS: 3-4

Savory Oats with a Poached Egg

2011-10-12T12:23:00.003-04:00

I, for one, am rather disapointed that it never occured to me to make oats savory, rather than sweet, before now. This is not only good food fast, it's nutritional label reflects that it's good for you too. The oat part was made in the microwave for the purposes of showing that lunch can be made in the same amount of time one might wait in line at the drive thru but in all reality, it would

Today I Earned My Stripes

2011-10-10T20:54:00.004-04:00

Now I know that I call myself The Country Tart and I am always yapping about all of the wild stuff that we ingest but anybody that really knows me will quickly agree that I am a little more (shock value) conversation than action on certain topics such as eating squirrel. My virile and wild game harvesting husband brings home a lot of wild protein. I am pleased that my freezer is full with an

Dried Pumpkin Chips

2011-09-14T12:34:00.003-04:00

Pumpkin Crisps In my college days a drawing professor advised our class to take credit for those things we've created by accident. It was one of those gems of advice that I recall whenever my kitchen accidentally turns out something completely different than what I was going for. These crispy chips are one of those accidental miracles. The pumpkin flesh dries sweet and crispy without the

Pumpkin Liqueur

2011-09-14T08:56:00.020-04:00

Also known as Pumpkin Extract whenever the mood strikes for deep pumpkin flavor... OK, this is simple and fantastic. You just have to be willing to wait a month for the results. Some things are worth the wait. 1 – Slice the top off of a of a pumpkin and scoop out the seeds and loose flesh. Save those seeds for roasting and eating, they are good for you! Dump liter of vodka into pumpkin. 2

Warm Purple Potatoes with Crema & Dill

2011-06-07T23:15:00.000-04:00

Potates, warm from the oven, drizzled with Mexican-style, cultured cream cheese are a great, no-fuss summer side dish. It is much like a warm potato salad except that it must be eaten right away as roasted potatoes do not make for good food once refrigerated. Use an amount of new potatoes, any variety, that you and your guests will be able to finish in a meal. If you cannot find real Mexican

Tortilla Soup a la Tart

2011-05-03T22:15:00.000-04:00

1 pound frozen corn kernals 3 large onions, chopped3/4 cup chopped green bell peppers 3/4 cup chopped Sweet red peppers, fresh, bell peppers 3/4 cup chopped pepper sweet yellow peppers 1 tablespoon Olive Oil, extra virgin zest of one lime ½ fluid ounce Lime Juice 3 cup Chicken stock, home made 3 cups water 1, 14.5 ounce can diced tomates 2 tablespoon Chipotle Chile Peppers, in adobo sauce,

A Balanced Meal from a Balanced Day

2011-01-03T23:11:00.002-05:00

It's a time of rebirth for many of us. Heck, even if we don't have to take off 15 lbs gained over the holidays, it just is a time where we all kind of reset our clocks, evaluate our maps and rechart our courses. Tonight on SERVING up a SMILE, I speak of three dishes that make up a very balanced, very flavorful, and I dare say: restaurant quality meal. Find the recipes here: Asian Inspired

A New Way with Black-eyed Peas for 2011

2011-01-01T13:41:00.008-05:00

Here it is! Start the year off right with some good luck and a good bit-o-fiber. There's mention of eating black-eyed peas for luck in the new year dating back all the way to 500 CE/BC. I won't lie and tell you that forgetting to pick up a smoked pork product for flavoring was intentional but once I realized my slip I set out to make some smoky, gut-warming beans with items in my pantry. Here

We MADE Marshmallows!

2010-12-28T16:20:00.000-05:00

It snowed and we didn't have any marshmallows. We made homemade marshmallows. My favorite part was when they stuck together like a big pizza dough on a plate. My mom let us eat that part. She toasted some and some we just ate plain and in hot cocoa. Love, Maya

Acorn Squash with Caramel and Fleur de Sel

2010-12-21T07:29:00.002-05:00

Flavorful and yet still packing a pretty healthy punch, these tasty wedges will be a welcome addition to a Tart's Holiday table this year. INGREDIENTS: 2 acorn squash, cut into wedges, seeds reserved 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon butter, divided 1 tablespoon Southern Comfort liqueur or spiced dark rum 2 heaping tablespoon turbinado sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract reserved

Eggs Italiano, Eggs Florentine

2010-12-07T11:14:00.001-05:00

Better than Eggs Benedict By replacing the traditional meat component in Eggs Benendict with Creamy Sautéed Spinach with Garlic and Parmesan, there's no need to add any egg-yolk and butter based Hollandaise sauce. This breakfast delivers full-flavor, a satisfying texture and energy that will get you up and going in the morning (and keep you going for hours). The nutritional stats are great,

Save the Carcass!

2010-11-20T05:03:00.003-05:00

With the holiday season about to hit the ground running, we will all have more than our fair share of temptations and nutritional challenges. There's some good to come out of all of this as we will get to spend quality time with those that we love. Even better will be the look on their faces when you ask if they are throwing away the carcass and, if so, can you keep it? Roasting the carcass

Why Not Share with Someone You Love!

2010-11-09T09:44:00.008-05:00

Just last week I was speaking with an aquaintance and he shared that his wife and he often shared entrees when they went out to dinner. Surely we've all heard this before but it never hurts to be reminded that there are ways we can occassionally enjoy those foods that might not be the healthiest selections without feeling as though we've committed a crime against our waistline. Typical of

I've Found the Motherload

2010-10-20T10:00:00.005-04:00

Of Of chestnuts, that is. I've had this seven year obsession where I've been coveting thy neighbor's chestnut tree. I wasn't sure what kind of tree it was but I was fairly certain it was some sort of edible chestnut and not of the inedible and often confused for horse chestnut or buckeye trees. The Universe always seems to answer my requests in her own time and since my requests are often in

Granola That's Better than Candy

2010-06-08T16:32:00.006-04:00

The problem with most granola bars is that they are full of sugar, fat and, sadly, often lacking in flavor. Even worse is that when you compare their nutritional labels with that of a Snicker's bar, you see that there isn't much difference in the fat and calorie department. I began trying to figure out a homemade answer to this back in March but the process was slow-going. Part of the empty

OK, I Admit It!

2010-05-30T00:11:00.003-04:00

Several weeks ago, after promising that I would, I tried to photograph every meal so that you could see what a week of balanced living in the life of the Country Tart looked like. I ate balanced, I took tons of photos, but I just couldn't do it! I am not organized enough to come up with seven days worth of food photos at this juncture! Don't worry, I'll get it together by the time the book

A Vote for the Balanced Days, Balanced Lives Book

2010-05-06T15:46:00.000-04:00

It seems a new pic was desired to go above a writeup about my involvement with the NutriMirror Balanced Days book (that mentions the book that I am currently authoring). The instructions were, "a new pic of Lynn, something with food in it, that’s best." It was a time-sensitive thing and I am proud to say that, with the assistance of a tripod, my four year old Tiny Tart took these pics. Posting

The Week Ahead in Menus

2010-05-02T22:31:00.006-04:00

For something a little fresh and new, I have decided to lay out a week ahead in menus. Besides, so many dinners this week have been inspired by others so it's always great to share the wealth. Monday - Venison Cheesesteak Subs on Whole Wheat Hoagie Rolls w/ Oven Roasted String Bean "fries". S'mores made with dark chocolate & dried cranberries. Entertainment: very bad John Denver

Natural Bounty: From the Woods to My Plate

2010-04-25T11:49:00.005-04:00

Ahh, the elusive turkey. My husband has been in the woods beginning at 4:00 AM, each day this week, courting this plays hard-to-get beast. I say beast because this 21.8 pound bird one was a true fighter; feathers squared-off and nicked from battling other toms. Unlike the black spurs of a youthful bird, his were white; fear not, this bird lived a long, happy life, terrorizing many others in

High as a Kite

2010-04-07T18:55:00.006-04:00

[Content removed as a result of strong persuasion by legal counsel. Man, you gotta hate censorship.] The birds are chirping, the flowers are blooming, I feel all giddy and hoppy. There are many years of my life that I spent trying to find a high, one way or another, with french fries or wine or beer or cookies or various substances. Now I eat so nutritiously that highness simply eminates from