Orange peel can be used for cooking and baking especially in the winter. The aromatic sweet orange peel gives a hint of bitter flavor to desserts and savory dishes alike. It doesn’t shout, it is there to balance the dishes. I like to use all five flavors when I cook and orange peel can be used for the bitter flavor. I especially like to add it in my desserts when I need just a hint of the bitter flavor. They can also be used in cocktails and mulling spices.
It is very easy to make dried orange peel! I collect peels throughout the winter. After I eat the oranges, I dry them. Use this recipe so you can have some on hand when you need it. Most oranges will work. Just remove any wet, fleshy parts that might have stayed on the peel.
RECIPE
INGREDIENTS
peel from organic, untreated oranges (washed)- I use navel oranges.
METHOD
1. Carefully peel an orange. Remove any wet, fleshy parts that might have stayed on the peel. Place the peels on a paper towel in a single layer and put them in a dry place. The top of the cupboard is great. Don’t layer them as they can get soggy. Dry them for 1 month.
2. If you don’t want to wait for an entire month for the peels to dry, you can just dry them in the oven. The peels can be baked at 200 F for 90 minutes. They should be brittle and dry. If they are soft, continue baking them.
3. You can use the whole peels or grind the dried peels in a blender. Whole peels will last longer, finally powder will have a shorter shelf life.
4. Store in an airtight container in a cool place. They last for about 6-12 months depending how coarse you grind them.
Every year, many people make New Year’s resolutions on December 31st for the following year. It is an opportunity to set personal goals to make life style changes like losing weight, starting an exercise routine or eating healthier foods. However, a survey by the Journal of Substance Abuse reveals that most New Year’s resolutions fail by mid March. Why are so many people unsuccessful?
Let’s look at this phenomena from a more unconventional perspective, astrology. I believe it is plausible that people fail to make these changes as they are not working with the energies of nature. If we worked with these energies, we could do things easier. Let’s look closer at what I mean.
Different cultures have been observing how nature effects human beings for thousands of years. One way to observe it is using astrology. Astrologists believe that the Universe is reflected inside our body. As above so below, we are the microcosm of the macrocosm meaning the Universe is reflected in every human being. Astrology offers us a road map for opportunity and growth. It observes 12 different signs throughout the year, each sign associated with a specific time period on Earth.
SO WHEN SHOULD WE START ?
From an astrological perspective, New Year’s resolutions could be more successful if people started after March 21st instead of starting on January 1st. The time period between January up until mid March is considered cold when we tend to want to curl up by a fire place and do more quite activities like reading a book. It is a time for deep internal movement.
However, there are some things we can do before March 21st to prepare for making big changes. I would like to briefly discuss things that we can do to transition more efficiently. These first few months could be used to nourish and rejuvenate the body, mind and spirit.
It’s winter and according to Western Astrology, the new year doesn’t start until March 21st. Right now it is time to rest, slow down and nurture our body, mind and spirit!
There are three zodiac signs before March 21st, the Aries season starts. These three signs are Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces. Let’s discuss the seasons, Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces and Aries.
CAPRICORN SEASON
It is early January and it is cold and gets dark early. However, we are in ambitious Capricorn season and can feel its relentless discipline. This sign invites us to set goals and build strong foundations. Capricorn season runs between December 21st and January 20th. This sign is associated with hard work and a strong drive for success, so it makes sense that people get excited and start working on their goals. Maybe this time would be a great opportunity to set goals, start something small and just try to get into a routine.
AQUARIUS SEASON
Then comes the rebellious Aquarius season between January 21st and February 18th. This is an intense energy! It is a great time for making plans that you might not have thought of doing before but not so much for actions. Aquarius is more about doing good for humanity instead for the self so most people will likely not follow their original plans. I honestly feel an intense energy stuck in my head during this time and do foolish things. Instead of forcing our plans to work, we should be grounding ourselves and restoring circulation – physically, mentally and emotionally. Lavender is a great remedy.
PISCES SEASON
The sign, the dreamy Pisces season starts on February 19th. Pisces is the last zodiac sign representing endings, emotional release and deep introspection. During these weeks unprocessed stress, subconscious patterns and stored emotions begin to surface. Many people might be just dreaming about their plans and might have given up all together by now. I tend to feel tired during this time. However, I would like to point out that this could be a great time to start dealing with these stuck emotions or starting some sort of a spiritual practice like meditation.
ARIES SEASON
If you want to make successful life style changes, I’d suggest starting after March 20th and take an advantage of the Aries season. Energetic Aries is ready to get you started on anything and move you through obstacles. It is just its nature! I usually get my energy back as nature is waking up. During Aries season, the weather starts warming up and we naturally want to move more and lose weight. It’s time to shed the accumulated fats and toxins from winter. This can explain why so many people give up before March 21st. Just make sure you pace yourself.
SUMMARY
Simply put, work with nature instead of working against it! According to Astrology, we could be more successful starting your new endeavors during Aries seasons in March than early January. The period from January to mid-March is cold. During this time, we tend to want to curl up by a fire place and engage in quiet activities like reading a book. I suggest to rejuvenate the body, mind and spirit. This is also a good time to do a spiritual practice. Begin with baby steps that lead to attainable goals for the rest of the year. Then start your activity that you dreamed up after March 21st, just make sure you don’t burn yourself out with all this available energy.
Of course, these are general guidelines, and as always everybody’s situation is unique. For a more personalized plan please see an astrologist!
All the best for your endeavors! Hope this will help.
I get excited when my rhubarb plants are ready in my garden. One of my favorite ways to use rhubarb is to make a delicious sauce. The main ingredients are rhubarb stalks, sugar and spices. It is very easy to make. You just have to let the stalks sit in sugar until it exudes its liquid, add some spices to offset its sourness and cook gently on low heat for a short time. That is it! I like to serve it with pancakes.
Rhubarb is the first fruit here, oops I meant to say vegetable. Yes, people often think it is a fruit because of its fruity, sour taste; however, it is in fact a vegetable. While it is not a fruit, it can be prepared with sugar to kind of pretend that it is a fruit. Nevertheless, rhubarb sauce goes well with pancakes and other desserts or you can just eat it alone.
Yes, the rhubarb is sour so we need to add a few things. Sugar is a must for sure! Also, chefs like to add some chopped ginger and cinnamon to offset the sourness. In addition, I added 1 cup of berries to help make this sauce even tastier.
No water needs to be added. I let the stalks sit in sugar before cooking them. They will release enough liquid so no water needs to be added.
Also, rhubarb has favorable health effects. It has been used in the culinary world all over the world as it helps digestion and has an interesting flavor. It suits the spring season as it is cooling and detoxifying to the liver. Please, check out this website for more information.
The leaves are not edible as they contain oxalic acid and should be discarded. Do not eat them! But the stalks are edible and delicious. Just on the side, if you eat one leaf by mistake, no worries, nothing will happen! I was fine, just be aware that they are not edible.
When selecting the stalks, choose firm stalks that are not wilted. This should not be a problem if stalks are freshly picked.
Wash and trim the top greens off. Discard the green parts.
Cut the red stalks into 1 inch pieces.
Put rhubarb and sugar in a smaller pot for about 15 minutes or until the rhubarb exudes some juice. No need to add water!
Add the strawberries.
Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir.
Reduce the heat to low heat. Add the ginger and lemon or orange peels.
Cover and simmer on low medium heat, stirring occasionally until the rhubarb stalks soften for about 30 minutes. There should be no hard large lumps remaining.
If you want some chunkier pieces in your sauce, take a small amount of the soft larger pieces out with a slotted spoon. Set aside. Let the rest of the sauce cook until the stalks fall apart and the liquid thickens.
Add the pieces back to the pot that were removed earlier.
Turn the heat off. Add cinnamon. Stir.
Let it cool for 15 minutes, the sauce will thicken as it cools.
Serve with pancakes or yogurt.
Store in the refrigerator in a closed jar for up to 1 month.
When you are on vacation, everything tastes better … and when the food is fabulous you are going to remember it forever. This is what happened to us when we visited the Arcadia National Park in Maine. We ate lunch at the park’s restaurant where they served popovers with every meal … the smell and the taste of these lovely rolls and of course the breathtaking view will stay with us forever.
Popovers are the American version of Yorkshire pudding, a British specialty. These souffle-like rolls are airy and ‘custardy’. They are made with an egg batter and baked in a muffin pan. The inside is hollow and the outside has a nice crust with a savory flavor. I like to serve it with jam and butter. Enjoy!
RECIPE
Makes 12 popovers.
Ingredients
2 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Pinch baking soda
1 tablespoon butter, melted
Method
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk and melted butter. Add to the flour mixture and mix well until no lumps remain.
Butter a muffin pan.
Evenly distribute the batter among the cups in the pan. Fill each cup until they are about two-third full. Put some water in cups that don’t have any batter.
Bake for 15 minutes at 450 F.
Reduce the oven temperature to 350 F and bake for another 20 minutes or until the outside is crusty and brown. Do not open the oven door until the last 5 minutes to prevent the popovers from deflating.
Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes. Take popovers out of the pan.
I am a big fan of buttermilk. I use it often in many of my recipes from pancakes to muffins … it makes food soft and gives an interesting tart flavor. The acid in the buttermilk will help rise the quick breads as the buttermilk reacts with the baking soda and the baking powder. It also breaks down the gluten in the flour making it is easier to digest so it is an important ingredient in the kitchen. I used to get buttermilk often from the store but since I learnt this simple little hack, I haven’t bought any.
So why make your own? Well for one it is cheaper. Also, it is likely you have milk at home and really all you have to do is add some acid to curdle the milk. I like to use apple cider vinegar but other acids will work like regular white vinegar or lemon. Just take out 2 Tbsp milk out of 1 cup of milk and replace it with the apple cider… and that is it. Seriously, will you ever buy buttermilk at a store again?
RECIPE
Ingredients
1 cup of milk minus 2 Tbsp milk (almond milk works nice too)
2 Tbsp Apple cider vinegar or white vinegar or lemon juice
Method
To make 1 cup of buttermilk, measure out 1 cup milk and remove 2 Tbsp of it.
Pour into a small dish.
Add 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
Let the mixture sit for about 15 minutes and then it is done.
Winter is not over yet, in fact we are still in the middle of it. To be a little more exact, we are half way between winter and spring on the northern hemisphere. I can usually feel the Earth’s energy starting to wake up but spring is not here yet. We can finally experience the promise of the light, fertility and growth.
Come celebrate this Winter Magic! In accordance to Pagan traditions, this occasion has been celebrated for thousands of years by Europeans. One special food they make is the honey cookies. So yes this celebration is similar to Valentine’s day. The cookies were gifted as a fertility token to girls by boys or given as good luck charm to little children. Heart was always a popular shape but sun or animal themes were often used as well.
There is so much folklore, legend and history behind these lovely spiced cookies! They are made to honor the old, wise women in their culture. In Ireland they call her Brighid, in Russia they are called Baba Yaga. These women are the Earth’s Goddesses. The cookies are not just beautiful but are packed with nourishing ingredients that grandma would use.
This is still the time to stay focused inward and get ready mentally for the year to come. Clean and clear the space you live in and invite love or universal love into your life. Set your intentions. Do things that your heart desires.
Another spectrum of love is hatred, anger and jealousy. When you invite love into your life, you might experience these feelings too. Don’t be afraid of them just acknowledge them. These emotions can be found in the Grimm story of Hansel and Gratel.
Traditionally, honey, rye flour and forest herbs were used to make these delicious cookies. Honey, the main ingredient has been used as medicine since ancient times. It is well known for its nutritious value and supposedly sweetens life as well. Oh and it is aphrodisiac! In addition to honey, our ancestors prepared the dough with rye flour but today people tend to use white flour. They also put foraged herbs and dried fruits in the cookies. Of course, these ingredients varied from country to country and region to region but often included fennel, lavender, rose petals, juniper berries, sumac etc. Since the exotic spices arrived from the East, people have been baking the cookies with these spices. These included a mixture of ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, all spice, nutmeg etc.
Here is an old time favorite of mine … It was getting colder here so I thought it would be time to prepare for the winter. I enjoy eating garlic during the colder months, it is very healthy but I can live without that harsh taste. Pickling the garlic keeps all its health benefits but the garlic loses its strong taste. So this week, I would like to post a recipe for pickling garlic, the Chinese way. It is so easy to make and it is so delicious … but yes it will take 12 weeks to make…
In the recipe, proportions are given. The amount will depend on how much garlic you use. I used 4 heads of garlic. You can figure out the liquids after you put the garlic in the jar. Add the peeled garlic, enough to fill about 3/4 of the jar. Mix the 2 liquids, about half the soy sauce and half the rice vinegar and pour over the garlic. Make sure the liquid covers the garlic.
You will also need a jar. I like to use a wide mouth jar so I can take the garlic out easily. Also, I sterilize the jar before putting anything in it.
RECIPE
Ingredients
garlic cloves , peeled
1/2 part soy sauce
1/2 part rice vinegar
1/2 part honey
Directions
Please see above for directions.
Peel the garlic. When you peel the garlic, make sure you do it gently and not cut the garlic. If you do, not a big deal, just the cloves will be a little unappealing but still edible.
Fill the jar 3/4 full with the peeled garlic.
Pour the vinegar/soy sauce mixture over the garlic and let it macerate for 6 weeks. Make sure the garlic is well covered with the liquid.
Then after 6 weeks remove the vinegar/soy sauce mixture and discard half of it. Replace it with honey. Pour this liquid back in the jar. You can gently warm up the honey so it can be mixed with the macerate.
Wait for six more weeks and then the pickled garlic is ready.
First, I would like to express my heartfelt condolences to all the people whose loved ones have been effected by this virus. May God be with them.
People react to crisis differently. Some people start to hide, others worry about the stock market and then there are those who want to help others. So I’m in the third group and have been thinking to write about what to do during this pandemic. I’ve been contemplating to write this blog for at least a month so here I go finally. I know my blog is all about food in general but after all I don’t have a boss who tells me what I can do. I really would not want to offend anybody or push ideas on others but I’m hoping my writing will help someone.
We are experiencing something new, a game changer for sure these days. I feel it is quite uplifting that we are all doing the same thing. It is hard to believe that we are dealing with the same issues on the entire Earth but at the same time it is a bit eery that the whole world is in a lock down …
There has been an interesting phenomena since people have heard about the pandemic … the toilet paper shortage… What is the deal with toilet paper especially that the virus does not necessary cause diarrhea? … and it is not just the Virgos who are doing it. This got the attention of many psychologists too. Here is my take on it …. People got so scared and wanted to do something, just anything to protect themselves. In fear, people started running to the stores buying toilet papers.
So I would like to write a blog on what people could do in addition to buying toilet papers and now this leads me back to the original mission of my blog … using natural foods to stay well and be happy. I would like to take the opportunity to do a blog on what to do for the immune system at an energetic level. It is not an easy concept though in our culture.
But before I do that, let’s talk about the nature of this virus quickly. From an energetic perspective, it is a cold virus that is capable of causing dampness that can lead to toxicity. So what does this mean? Natural Medicine differentiates conditions based on their nature: cold, hot, damp, dry. This is a cold disease that is capable of injuring the warm loving organs the lungs and the spleen. If they don’t work properly, fluids can accumulate so there can be wheezing, shortness of breath, digestion problems, loose stools, vomiting etc. In the third stage, accumulated fluids can start becoming toxic. So keeping the lungs and the digestion healthy would be crucial for a strong immune system. This is based on the reports of Chinese doctors who had treated people with the virus.
So let’s get back to the topic of this post, the immune system. What is the immune system? We can all agree that it is the body’s mechanism to defend against foreign bodies. But what do you do to keep it healthy? Just for the records, currently, modern medicine does not understand how to keep the immune system healthy. So let’s turn to ancient medicine to find out what we can do at the energetic level. According to Ancient Chinese Medicine, the defense system comprise of the lungs and the skin. They are the organs of first line defense that are in contact with the outside world.
In Natural Medicine everything is connected in our body. The lungs further work with the spleen to make this defensive energy so the food we eat is crucial. Of course, healthy kidneys support the lungs and are important to move energy. Then the healthy liver removes the toxins from the body. Of course, if our qi, the life force is not moving efficiently, things can stagnate. Our mental state can influence this entire process, too. A healthy body with a strong immune system is more capable to deal with foreign bodies.
So what can we do?
Relax! Honestly the best thing to do is to stay calm. Try not to panic. If you are stressed, the body cannot work properly. Do things that you enjoy, reading, hiking, dancing etc. Of course, meditation is always great. Fear may effect our kidneys negatively. A fear ridden kidney will not be able to support the rest of the body and we will not be able to war off pathogens as well as a healthy body should. Not to mention that we do things that we later will regret.
Exercise! Exercise makes your lungs work harder. The fresh oxygen is the greatest for the lungs. Try to go outside as much as you can. I see so many more people walking outside than before.
Eat with the seasons! It seems like this virus has made a lot of people start cooking and eating healthy. Try to eat with the seasons and your constitution. Please, check my blogs on the lungs (Metal element) and the spleen (Earth element). Avoid greasy, toxic and over-processed foods. Limit dairy and sweets if you tend to have dampness issues like shortness of breath, cough with sputum, edema, gain weight easily. Remember we are in the spring season (wood element) and are trying to nourish our lungs and digestion. All the carminative kitchen spices for digestion (ginger, caraway seeds, rosemary, thyme, lovage, cumin, fennel) and pungent spices (horse radish, raw turnips, cinnamon, garlic, onions) are great. Foods that help drain, transport dampness are moong beans, asparagus and cranberry juice. Don’t forget the fermented foods to keep the digestive tracts healthy. All my recipes are supposed to nourish the immune system but the best foods for now would be the ones that I have posted in the past 6 weeks.
Stay hydrated! Drink lots of water.
Sleep! Make sure you get as much sleep as your body needs.
Just like with any upper respiratory problem, nourishing the immune system is important. Taking immune system remedies is great but it is also important to deal with individual issues.
Help people in need. This will give an immense boost to our hearts, like I said before, everything is connected in our body.
Of course, none of these recommendations will kill the virus but that is not the goal of Natural Medicine anyway. According to Chinese Medicine, nourishing the immune system in general is important for staying healthy. The ancient Chinese work called Shang Han Lun (around 200 AD) is of significant interest. It discusses cold diseases and is one of the greatest contributions to the world of Natural Medicine. It was composed by Zhang Zhong Jing (142-220 AD). He lost many members of his family during the great epidemics of the time. It was the first clinical manual to systematically describe the pathology of diseases. It also detailed the treatment of diseases caused by invasion of exterior pathogenic factors. In addition, the theories and the formulas extend beyond exterior invasions. They are applied every day for cases without an exterior invasion. Historically, Shang Han Lun’s principles resemble the work of the famous Greek physician, Hippocrates. I wanted to make this connection known.
Hippocrates (460-370 BC) is known today as the Father of Medicine. He lived through one of the worst epidemics of our humanity, the Plague of Athens (430-426 BC). He contributed a great deal to Natural Medicine as well. He observed how diseases progressed in different people. He concluded, “It is far more important to know what person has the disease than what disease the person has.” He recognized the crucial role the immune system played in recovery. People’s constitution was also vital during the epidemics. His great contribution to everyday diet was the addition of the valuable carminative (digestive) herbs that are today known as kitchen spices (garlic, onions, hot peppers, cinnamon, ginger, caraway seeds, oregano, rosemary, thyme, lovage, cumin, fennel). He saw that digestion is crucial for good health and wanted to make sure people would incorporate these herbs on a daily basis.
DISCLAIMER. Please, note that these are recommendations for nourishing the immune system on an energetic level and are not a replacement for medical care from a physician. Also these recommendations are no way a guarantee so you can avoid getting the virus.
Twin Cities Herbs 