Thomas Jefferson gardened in his retirement days,
experimenting with unusual plants of the day, including okra, eggplant and
tomatoes. He loved to read from the pavilion at his gardens at Monticello and
study his plantings and collect the seeds.
Peter Hatch, who directed the gardens and grounds shared this
info in a delightful talk at McFaddin-Ward House. I also give high marks to the
foods of the reception that followed. Ever hear of a Rosemary angel?
Hatch said Jefferson considered meat a condiment and preferred
the vegetables he cultivated, with some good wine, too. Jefferson grew so many
lettuce varieties that it was always in season for him. Hatch said Jefferson is
credited with, through folklore or fakelore, “inventing” many trends. With all
those images he showed of luscious green lettuce foliage, I wonder if Jefferson
invented P.F. Chang’s lettuce wraps.
My new yogurt recipe
“The Idot’s Guides” has relesed “The Mediterranean Diet
Cookbook,” an easy way to fall in love with healthy food. Watermelon salad,
lamb and chicken dishes and light and filling fare makes you feel better. These
dishes are easy, colorful and flavorful.
I’m just halfway through the giant tub of Greek Yogurt I made
from simply boiling a gallon of whole milk and mixing it with purchased yogurt
as a starter. I’ll save some of this batch to make more. It’s so good with berries
I just picked and honey. Denise “DedeMed” Hazime’s book includes several
recipes to make with this yogurt, including a cake. I made this sauce and
spread it on a tortilla with chicken. Amazing.
Tzatziki Sauce
2 cups plain Greek yogurt
3 medium Persian cucumbers, finely diced
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 half teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried mint
1 half cup water
In a large bowl, combine Greek yogurt, Persian cucumbers,
lemion juice, garlic, salt, mint and water and stir for about 15 seconds.
Serve immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container for
up to 3 days.
Superfood Snacks
Not only would I know how to naturally make chia seeds coat
raw pepitas flavored with garlic and rosemary, I wouldn’t have even thought of
it. New
organic Superfood+ Seeds and Nuts from Navitas Naturals comes on four new mixes:
Maca Maple Cashews, Chia Rosemary Pepitas, Goji Basil Cashews and Goldenberry Ginger Almonds, combine
best-selling Navitas Naturals superfoods with healthy, raw, organic seeds and
nuts. I tried the Pepitas and Maca Maple Cashews and found them subtly flavored
– remember that “raw” makes them softer than we’re used to – and that just a
few made me feel full and energized. That’s not what a lot of us have come to
expect in a snack. Most of the handy options are full of salt and sugar and
things we can’t pronounce. If Navitas Naturals brings it to you and you can’t pronounce it,
it’s because it’s a berry or something from across the globe that you haven’t
discovered yet, not because it’s a chemical. Consider this description:
These
sweet maple superfood cashews are a delicious blend of raw cashews, the
butterscotch-like flavor of maca and sweet maple syrup. Maca is a root from the
Andes Mountains of Peru that is a complex, nutrient-dense whole food source of
vitamins, amino acids, plant sterols, essential minerals and essential fatty
acids. Maca has been traditionally used as a stress-fighting adaptogen, and to
increase stamina, boost libido and combat fatigue.
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