VALENTINE'S DAY MENUS

Howdy ya'll:

These ideas for Valentine's Day menus come from FINE COOKING E-magazine. They always have wonderful delectable dishes for all occasions. Enjoy!

Forget flowers, jewelry, and store-bought candy—a home-cooked meal is the best (and least expensive) way to express those three little words. You might even offer to do the dishes, too.

Chocolate-Hazelnut Wontons, part of the Seductive Finger Food menu.

Love on the Menu Whether you're cooking together or surprising your special someone, our menus—complete with recipes, tips, and shopping lists—will make it easy. Seductive Finger Foods Breakfast in Bed Classic Romance Menu Spicy Valentine's Day Dinner Quick Dinner for Two Browse Valentine's Day Recipes

Healing and Air Purifying Plants

I always knew I loved gardening and having plants around me...love the feel of the dirt in my hands and watching things grow...now I know that it's good for many reasons other than my personal enjoyment!!

Have a good one!



Green Eyes on: Healing and Air Purifying Plants

by Sara Snow on 01.19.09

Gerbera daisies and mini Gerbera daisies. Photo via flowerbud.com.

A number of years ago, NASA began to look into the air purifying properties of plants (PDF). Specifically, they were trying to find out if plants could be used to clean the air in orbiting space stations. The findings--helpful for both their purposes and ours--proved common indoor air pollutants (culprits called Volatile Organic Compounds, or VOCs, off-gasses from the likes of fabric finishes, paints, wood adhesives, and floor stains) can be mitigated or removed by way of the leaves, roots, and soil of certain indoor plants.

English Ivy. Photo via Talkin Over It.

By keeping plants like Gerbera daisies, English ivy, and bamboo palm in the house, your air can actually be a great deal healthier than it would be without the plants.

New Research Shows Plants in Hospitals Help Healing
All of this is something I’ve known for quite some time. What is exciting me today is recent research showing that plants also have a tremendous healing influence on hospital patients.

And here’s why it’s so interesting to me now: For the last two weeks, I’ve spent my days with my 90-year-old stroke-recovering grandma. We’ve gone to physical, occupational, and recreational therapy appointments together. We’ve eaten meals of pureed turkey and vegetables. We’ve watched a continuous loop of wildlife scenes on the in-house hospital TV channel. We’ve read cards from well-wishers and (being the proud grandma that she is) snippets from the galley copy of my upcoming book. And we’ve marveled at the beauty of the live plants and fresh cut flowers in her room. This is why I was thrilled by the recent influx of information on the actual, scientifically proven, healing properties of plants.

Sara's grandma.

According to a recent study, patients with plants in their room (and we mean plants, not just cut flowers because of the longevity of the plant) began to take interest in their plants, watering and pruning them, and moving them around for better light. At the same time, these same patients took less pain medication, had less pain and anxiety, lower blood pressure, improved heart rates, and felt more positive overall about their room environment. When asked, they said they said plants were their favorite element in their rooms, versus the patients without plants who voted for the TV.

Tomorrow morning when I head back to the hospital, instead of just giving water to the jasmine plant on my grandma’s window sill, I think I’ll take it to her bedside to see if she wants to smell it or prune it. Or maybe she’ll just want to admire the way its tendrils stretch up toward the sky. Who knows, that could be the magic pill the doctors have missed.

More on Indoor Air Quality and Healing Plants

More Than a Pretty Greenhouse--Kew Gardens research into herbal remedies
Top 5 Plants For Improving Indoor Air Quality
10 Tips for Improving Indoor Air Quality
Indoor Air Quality on Planet Green
A Bicycle That Creates Clean Air AND Clean Water!
VOCs: Volatile Organic Compounds, Indoor Air Quality and Respiratory Health

Sara Snow is a green living expert and regular contributor to TreeHugger via her Green Eyes On column. She can also be seen on CNN.com on Thursdays from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Her new DVD Growing Green Babies is now available through SaraSnow.com.

Beans, Beans the Musical Fruit...

Being a Texas gal, I'm no advocate of becoming a Vegetarian, however, I came across this article from "Vegging Out" regarding The Bean. It's interesting to know that most people don't know how to cook beans in such a way as to eliminate the gas associated with eating them. I have know for years the "secret" and so I'll pass it on to you along with a few recipes.

Enjoy!

Beans, Beans, the Magical Fruit: How To Eat Them Without the Flatulence

by Kelly Rossiter, Toronto

Food & Health (food)

I was chatting with my cousin about some health and weight problems she was having and I was stunned to discover that she almost never cooks vegetables for her family dinner. Too much trouble she said. I suggested that not only should she add vegetables every day, she should significantly reduce her meat intake and add legumes to her diet. She was vehement about not eating beans at all. Her reason? Gas.

I suspect there are a lot of people out there who feel the same way about beans.Excess gas can cause discomfort and sometimes actual pain as well as embarrassing flatulence. Judy at Savvy Vegetarian thinks that some new vegetarians give up for that very reason. People who are new to vegetarianism may well be suddenly eating a greater amount of beans and perhaps our bodies need a bit of time to adapt.

Once you understand the cause of gas, it's fairly easy to remedy. Beans contain a sugar called oligosaccharide and we lack the enzyme required to break the sugar down. When the sugar arrives in your lower intestinal tract intact, it ferments, creating a buildup of gas. The gas isn't absorbed into the intestine, so the body expels it, creating red faces all around.

The answer to this problem is pretty simple. Cook your own beans rather than using canned, and soak them thoroughly first to allow the sugar leach out. To avoid having it re-absorbed into the beans, it's a good idea to change the soaking water a few times. Cooking the beans slowly also makes a difference. Adding the spice asafoetida, or Kombu which is a kelp or baking soda are all said to help break down the sugar. Rinse the beans after you have cooked them as well.

I also read a number of other hints that may also help reduce gas. Younger beans are better to use than older beans, and although it is impossible to know how long the beans you are buying have been dried, there are a couple of things to look out for. Beans darken with age so choose beans that are lighter in colour, and also those with fewer cracks in them. There are suggestions that grinding or mashing beans helps, and simply chewing them well makes a difference. If you are using canned beans, rinse them a number of times.

Beans are such a great source of protein, fibre and nutrients, they should be a major part of everyone's diet and you can do it without the gas. You can check out the Recipe of the Week in the TreeHugger archives for lots of legume recipes such as Wine Braised Lentils or head over to Planet Green for recipes like Chickpea Salad , Bean and Swiss Chard Stew for a Tomato Lentil Curry or a Black Bean Soup.

Some of these recipes call for canned beans, but if you are going to soak them, here is a chart of bean soaking times from recipenet.

Challenge of the Week: Embrace the bean and make a meal based around a legume.

Sources: Savvy Vegetarian, About.com, AOL Canada, The Skinny On...

GUERILLA GARDENING

Thought you might enjoy this article...seems some of us will do just about anything to make our environment a bit more pleasurable. We just love Dave's Garden Newsletter and hope you will as well.

Why not reach over your personal boundaries to beautify and replenish "God's green earth" in one way or another. Take cuttings from your own plants and root them for gifts or give away landscaping plants that you may not like or want...someone would love to have them.

Have a good one!

Guerilla Gardening - What is it?

By Susanne Talbert
January 19, 2009

Equally daring and endearing, if not a little illegal, Guerilla Gardening is a movement taking some parts of the world by storm. What is it, you ask? Read on for a brief introduction to this interesting alliance of tactical growers.

If you search for "guerilla gardening" on the web, you will find a plethora of rants and raves about the movement. But if you have never heard of it, then well, it's likely you'd never know about it. A definition of the term can even be found in Dave's Garden Garden Terms section, which states that guerilla gardening is "gardening on a piece of property, usually public land that does not belong to you."

Guerilla gardening is the act of gardening or otherwise improving the aesthetics of an area that has been left abandoned or unkempt and has become a general eyesore to the public. Guerilla gardeners seek to improve these areas, usually surreptitiously, by picking up trash, putting in new plants, and maintaining the space by weeding and watering. Groups of organized guerillas often form in online groups and meet under the cover of night to complete a whole transformation in just a matter of hours. Guerilla gardeners are also just your average, unplanned plant lovers who seek to improve the area in which they live. Sometimes they ask permission, sometimes they ask for forgiveness after the fact.

Active "Chapters"

If you know the story of Johnny Appleseed, you know that the concept of guerilla gardening is not new. There are a couple well-known and active groups out there to know about.

Green Guerillas

In the 1970s, a group called Green Guerillas was started to combat empty and ugly vacant lots around New York City. Today the organization remains a stronghold for sustainability within city limits, championing over 600 community gardens. The organization also seeks to unify other non-profits in order to fight hunger as well as rally community gardens and organizations. The creator of the group, Liz Christy, founded a garden which is still maintained today in her name as a beautiful green oasis within New York City. You can read more about the garden's history and see more pictures here.

To read more about Green Guerillas and their fight for urban sustainability, visit their website.

Guerrilla Gardeners

A well organized movement across parts of Europe which officially calls itself Guerrilla Gardeners, was started by Richard Reynolds in London in 2004. He runs a highly trafficked blog, through which people share their personal successes and struggles of Guerrilla Gardening around Great Britain. Participants take on big brother-esque aliases such as Amanda 5637 and Andy 157. Reynolds is well known for rallying his troops with the saying, "Let's fight the filth with forks and flowers." He also recently published a book on his gardening plight called, On Guerrilla Gardening: A Handbook for Gardening without Boundaries. Other books have been published on the subject, such as Guerrilla Gardening: A Manualfesto, by David Tracey.

What do they say about the best inventions result from war?

As Plato once wrote, necessity is the mother of invention...and so came about seed bombs (as referred to by Guerrilla Gardeners) and Green-aids (as referred to by Green Guerillas). This technique is not just for guerillas, but could also be used by the average backyard gardener. With a mix of clay, seeds, and fertilizer, seeds bombs make for the perfect, effortless "weapon" against hard-to-garden-in spaces such as fenced in lots or the big, wild hill behind your house.

A short video how-to on seed bombs

DG's own Sharon Brown (Sharran) wrote a fantastic article about seed balls, as they are sometimes called, if you wanted to read more.

Now that you know what Guerilla Gardening is, you might just look at the abandoned lot across the way from your work a little differently.

**Please note that this article does not represent any support or condoning of the Guerilla Gardening movement on behalf of Dave's Garden. This is purely meant as an informative piece. **

Citation:

http://www.mediarights.org/news/2008/07/15/resistance_is_fertile_its_time_to_start_guerrilla_gardening

Photo credits:

Thumbnail of guerrilla gardening - ScottBB

Wild sunflowers - btc129psu

Tree and fence - art_n_garden

---

About Susanne Talbert

Having moved to Colorado from Texas a little over 2 years ago, I am on a steep learning curve in the garden these days. I am definitely learning what 'perennial' really means! My passions include thrifty gardening, vines, super-hardy perennials, and unusual foliage plants. By day, I am a high school ceramics teacher and a ceramicist and painter.

RECIPES: Thanksgiving Leftovers With a Twist of Tequila

This is an absolutely awesome way to prepare Thanksgiving leftovers! Our thanks to ABC Nightline for interviewing wonder chef Guy Fieri. Have a good one!

Tequila Turkey Fettucine

Recipe courtesy Guy Fieri

Yield: 1 serving

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes Ingredients:

1 ounce olive oil
1/4 red onion, cut into strips
1/2 tablespoon minced jalapeno
1 tablespoon minced garlic
5 ounces turkey breast, cooked, sliced
1 ounce tequila
4 ounces heavy cream
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro leaves
9 ounces fettuccini pasta, cooked
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
2 lime wedges, for garnish
2 sprigs cilantro, for garnish
2 tablespoons diced Roma tomato, for garnish
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. In saute pan with high heat, add olive oil, onions, jalapeno and saute until translucent.

2. Add garlic and continue to saute for 2 minutes.

3. Add turkey, lightly mix ingredients, careful not to break turkey up too much.

4. Deglaze pan with tequila, pouring around the edge of the saute pan.

5. Add cream, lemon juice and cilantro.

6. Toss together, then add pasta, and toss ingredients while adding Parmesan cheese.

Nest pasta on plate, pour sauce over pasta. Lay sprigs of cilantro over top, sprinkle tomatoes on top, and crack pepper around the rim of the plate.

Ease of preparation: intermediate

Hot Tequila Pumpkin Pie Drink

Recipe courtesy Guy Fieri

Yield: 1 serving Prep Time: 5 minutes Ease of preparation: easy

Ingredients:

1 ounce tequila (recommended: Cazadores Reposado)
1 ounce pumpkin spice liqueur (recommended: Hiram Walker or Bols)
1/2 ounce triple sec
4 ounces very hot water
1 teaspoon superfine sugar
1 ounce heavy cream
Drizzle hazelnut liqueur (recommended: Frangelico)
Small dash freshly grated nutmeg

Instructions:

1. Combine first five ingredients in clear coffee mug, stir to combine.

2. Top with heavy cream and drizzle of hazelnut liqueur.

3. Dust with grated nutmeg.

JUNK FOOD QUIZ

How much do you know about your favorite junk food...take the quiz and find out!

Thanks to MSN for showing us the light.

Have a good one!

Quiz

Junk Food Quiz by Myriam Gabriel-Pollock Unless you've been living in the wilderness for the past several decades, you're probably intimately familiar with junk foods. They're generally characterized as processed foods that contain high levels of added simple sugars, tend to be high in fat, and lack the vitamins and minerals found naturally in complex carbohydrates. Nutritionists say that junk foods provide only empty calories, meaning they are loaded with calories from sugars and fats but lack the essential nutrients our bodies need. Still, who doesn’t want a doughnut or some French fries now and then? Learn some fun, interesting, and sobering facts about some of our favorite junk foods. 1. This internationally popular side dish is known in Belgium as "pommes frites," in Malaysia as "kentang goreng," in Poland as "frytki," and in the United Kingdom as "chips." In the United States, this highly consumed potato dish is known as: a) Potato chips b) Hash browns c) French fries d) Baked potato 2. A Hostess Twinkie contains real ingredients such as flour, sugar, and salt--but the majority of its 39 ingredients are not typical ingredients found in homemade baked goods. Which of these is not found in Twinkies: a) Polysorbate 60 b) Titanium dioxide c) Sorbic acid d) Artificial vanillin 3. This fast-food restaurant chain, based in Louisville, Kentucky, was founded by an honorary American colonel in 1952: a) Dairy Queen b) Taco Bell c) Arby's d) KFC 4. Which of these snacks has a shape modeled after a hyperbolic paraboloid, which in mathematics is a quadric, a type of surface in three dimensions: a) Doritos tortilla chips b) Funyuns onion-flavored rings c) Pringles potato chips d) Bugles corn chips 5 . Which of these classic fast-food hamburgers packs the most calories, fat, and cholesterol? a) McDonald's Big Mac b) Wendy's Classic Single c) Jack-in-the-Box's Jumbo Jack d) Burger King's Whopper 6. Which mid-19th-century European pilgrims are generally credited with bringing doughnuts to the New World? a) The British b) The Austrians c) The Dutch d) The French 7. No matter which way you choose to eat it--by dunking it, twisting it open, or eating it in one bite--this snack's distinctive look and flavor has made it so popular that over 362 billion have been sold since 1912. Which sweet treat is it: a) M&Ms b) Oreos c) Tootsie Rolls d) Nutter Butters 8. High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is a corn syrup that has been processed enzymatically to increase its fructose content and then mixed with pure corn syrup. Which of these snacks lists HFCS as an ingredient? a) Soft drinks b) Breakfast cereals c) Store-bought baked goods d) All of the above 9. This Kellogg's-brand cereal features the first fictional characters to represent a cereal in the United States, making their debut in radio jingles and on cereal boxes in 1932: a) Fruity Pebbles b) Cap'n Crunch c) Frosted Flakes d) Rice Krispies 10. A 2001 study by Children's Hospital of Boston and the Harvard School of Public Health found that increased consumption of this junk food directly promotes childhood obesity, since it is the leading source of added sugars to children's daily diet: a) Doughnuts b) Soft drinks c) Candy bars d) Sugary cereals

IT'S TIME TO DO SOMETHING...ANYTHING!

Boone here, Last month the President of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, predicted that 'the American empire is reaching the end of the road'. The world is facing a recession, money is getting incredibly tight and people are losing their jobs and wondering what tomorrow will bring. And what do we do? We keep sending our money to foreign countries to buy oil. 5 years ago OPEC nations were taking in 250 billion dollars for their oil. This year they'll take in 1 TRILLION, 250 billion dollars. Imagine that! Here we are, in the middle of a recession and we're sending the very dollars we need for a recovery to a bunch of people that don't even like us. We have to start using our own wind, solar and natural gas. And we need to start paying for it by keeping the money here at home instead of sending it to the Middle East and Africa. We're in a crack! A bad one! And it's getting worse by the day! I know I've asked a lot of you these past few weeks, but dammit, I don't want this opportunity to slip away from you. Let these guys know what you think. Show them that you care - that you want more than words this time around. -Sign the petition and get others to do the same. We have 1,304,271 people in the Army -- let's get it up to 1,400,000 by Election Day. -Deliver a copy of the "What's Your Plan?" Petition to your local campaign headquarters for Senators McCain and Obama. -Spend 30 minutes outside of your polling place asking your neighbors to lend their support to the Pickens Plan. We'll be sending you more information about this tomorrow. I've said it before, but every President since Nixon has said we'll get off foreign oil -- every single one of them. But in 1973 we were importing just 24% of our oil -- and now it's nearly 70%. Were these guys lying to us? Are Senators Obama and McCain lying to us? Probably not. But there is a very good chance they didn't know how serious the problem is. Well let me tell you -- it's serious! Very serious! Like Iran, nations all over the world think we're on our knees. Maybe it's just one knee and the other is wobbling. But whatever it is, the bottom line is that we have the ability to get off our knees and stand tall. We have the ability, right now, to stop our addiction to foreign oil and get this economy going again. And we can start today. You and I are making a difference. Over 500 elected officials have signed the Pickens Pledge -- Congressmen, Senators, Governors and Mayors -- all across this country. You helped make that happen. I'm so very grateful for your confidence in me and this plan. Together we're going to make this plan happen and save this great country of ours from going deeper into the hole. -Boone