Peripatetic philomaths…focusing on what's really important, eating ethically and cleanly, fermenting, foraging/wildcrafting, practicing herbalism, and being responsible stewards of our land. Sharing our photos, musings, and learnings. Still seeking our tribe.
I never fail to be impressed with the creativity and complex flavors of Indian food – particularly since much of it tends to be vegetarian. With this plant-based Palak Tofu, the soy-based protein of firm tofu stands in for the paneer. You won’t even miss it!
Continue reading “Clean Eating: Instant Pot Palak Tofu”
While we tend to lean low carb in our eating habits, we do like a piece of hearty toast in the morning before heading out to do the farm chores. Having taken a break from our sourdough to explore other options, we recently found an easy recipe for this rustic, crusty whole wheat loaf – baked in cast iron!
Continue reading “Cast Iron Cooking: Rustic Whole Wheat Loaf”
Sometimes, you just get a hankering for ice cream…but who wants too much sugar and additives like carrageenan in there? Not us. Our solution? Make ice cream at home – the way we want it.
Continue reading “Homemade Desserts: Walnut-Chocolate Chip-Coconut Ice Cream”
The watermelon rind pickles are happily fermenting away, and we’ve been enjoying the refreshing coolness of the watermelon flesh right out of the refrigerator. But when fresh fruit is around, it almost always works its way into water kefir, and watermelon is no exception!
Continue reading “Kefir Madness: Waste-Free Watermelon”
Seeing a shelf full of ferments-in-progress never fails to brighten my day: the colors, the sense of accomplishment, and the anticipation of enjoying the fruits of my labor all play a part. Today, I gaze at the lovely jars of watermelon rind pickles just beginning their transformation and smile.
Continue reading “Farm Ferments: No Waste Watermelon Rind “Pickles””
I’ve been saving the bones from the grass fed and grass finished beef soup bones and oxtail that we purchased from a local farm. These were the core of a variety of soups, including Korean-Style Oxtail Soup, and we’d already enjoyed the meat and marrow attached to the bones. Would there be anything left in these pressure-cooked bones to make bone broth? Definitely!
Continue reading “Under Pressure: Second-Time-Around Beef Bone Broth”
As the fragrance of elderberry syrup wafts from my adorable 3-quart Instant Pot, I think of hot summer days, picking clusters of purple berries and, later, picking berries from the stems with fingers stained a dark bordeaux. In the depths of winter, those days are a mere memory, but the fruits of those labors are very real.
Continue reading “Wildcrafted: Easy Instant Pot Elderberry Syrup *v2.0*”
One of my favorite parts of the delicious Vietnamese sandwiches called bánh mì is the pickled veggies: they’re lightly salty, tangy, and sweet, a wonderful combination that complements the other sandwich ingredients perfectly. Also great in other dishes, like bún (vermicelli noodle bowls), this is a versatile condiment to keep on hand.
Continue reading “Ferment This: Đồ Chua (Daikon & Carrot Pickles)”
When was the last time you bought a whole pineapple and cut it up? And when you did, did you also use the peel and core? If not, you’re missing out: fermented beverages are just waiting to be made from the humble pineapple “waste”…like delightful country wine. If you like frugal and creative, read on!
Continue reading “Winecraft: No Waste Pineapple Peel Wine, Two Ways”
When we were recently gifted some incredibly fresh deer liver – the possibilities made my mind spin: pan-seared, pressure cooked with rich gravy, in congee…so many options! Any would have been wonderful, but we decided to go with the method that would best showcase the liver’s flavor: pan searing.
Continue reading “Offal, Not Awful: Delightful Deer Liver”