Compost in style; go bamboo start-to-finish

 

 

  

People say I have a green thumb, but I always credit the compost. “Just stick it in the dirt” is how I garden. When my sister would come to visit she’d ask repeatedly where I keep kitchen scraps. “Oh that’s right, you don’t compost,” she’d say repeatedly. Challenge on. I’d made a bin from an old coffee canister and tried some other methods. Now I’ve got a stylish upgrade of a bamboo fiber container that looks pretty sleek on the counter. The coolest part is the charcoal filter in the lid that proclaims to be a “magic stank eraser.” The bin and I have been getting along quite nicely and that’s how my garden grows. www.bamboozlehome.com

 

Going Tampa Style – As much as the Cajuns of Port Arthur are into flavorful sauces with seafood, sausage and corn, I confess I was not familiar with the crab chilau thing going on in Tampa. Michael Anderson’s founder’s story is the best. Since I can’t go to to his grandma’s house for a family dinner, I’m glad I can get jars of flavor that taste like you’ve been cooking all day. The rest of the story is simple. Cook up chicken, seafood and more in flavors such as: Crab and Boil, Creole Trinity and Crab and Shrimp Boil. Stew Base in Low Country Citrus flavor boosted a rice and chopped steak meal. Later, a chicken thanked me with for the sauce. www.chilaufoods.com

 

 

The Second Bite Got Her – Founder Carolyn had a crumbly cookie experience after her Celiac diagnosis. She decided life is complicated, so cookies should not be. Mightylicious cookies in Brown Butter, Oatmeal Coconut, etc. My friend needs gluten-free products in her life and I had her taste these. The second bite sold her. We passed these around to some patio guests and they were all mighty pleased at these flavors. Good for your vegan and kosher pals, too. Slogan: “We bake from scratch so you don’t have to.” www.mightylicious.com

 

Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie considering food prep from shopping to compost. Share your ideas with her at darraghcastillo@icloud.com

Chillin' with berries

 

Gelatin Art – Who still makes chilled gelatin desserts? I got inspired and had the fruit and the patience to chill, layer and chill again and have a little fun. I made a batch in a tall, clear drinking glass and used a teaspoon to savor a cool, low-calorie treat as the sun set.

 

 

Word of the Day - I misunderstood, but was still considering the word of day could be a thing. I thought lilapsophobia was an irrational or disproportionate fear of TOMATOES and HURRICANES. 

Turns out the first word should be TORNADOES. 

I get you. After Rita, etc., we don’t consider our attitudes toward hurricanes irrational at all.

But hurricanes and a great pico de gallo with tomatoes off the vine are truly something to consider with great respect of their power.

 

Aloe Amazing -  Down south folks grow plenty of aloe vera that’s handy for kitchen burns. Need it on the go? Makers say Eclat Aloe Vera Gel, made with the purest levels of aloe, is in a tube ready to supercharge, hydrate, and nourish dry skin. Here is something that sets it apart: Eclat is formulated at the highest possible concentration – 99.75% pure aloe leaf juice, and no diluting water – for prolonged potency.  Years ago aloe soothed my worst sunburn ever from a Corpus Christi visit that turned me as tomato colored as my new purse. This new non-sticky formula is a summer must-have.

Grace –  If you say grace before meals, you’ll likely enjoy “What Did Jesus Say: The Seven Messages from the Master.” Terry Allan Christian retired as a public speaker  and says the Holy Spirit guided him on this book. It’s just what Jesus said, with no comment on the times then or now. It’s that red letter New King James Bible reading but, just Jesu. Can you deal? It’s light weight as a book so you can carry it around and reflect. More info is at: https://whatdidjesussay.world/. 

I’ll be happy to end by quoting Jesus here:

“Peace be with you.”

Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie always down for a good read. Reach her at darraghcastillo@icloud.com. 

Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie who’s ready to hear the latest finds from readers. Reach her at darraghcastillo@icloud.com

 

Cauliflower vs. Broccoli – I asked for, and received, permission to use the f-word in this space. Here we go. I saw a Pinterest comment that cauliflower didn’t ask to taste like fart rice.

I like the stuff, but still, that was funny. I shared it with some folks who considered the sentiment to be dead-on. Then I brough broccoli into the mix, because people hate that, too. I learned some call cauliflower “ghost broccoli.” Also funny.

Both are great to me for dips, casseroles with cheese and salads. Raw or cooked, I love it and figure science could reveal why some are not on board. Short answer is that those who can “sense bitterness” are likely responding to compounds called glucosinolates found in most cruciferous veggies. Brussels sprouts is also on the list, but I’ve matured to like these, roasted in oil and herbs. Non-haters, share your recipes with #culinarythrillseeking followers.

 

 

Better get two – One jar of Dignity raw coconut oil will star in your kitchen to “butter” toast; pep up grilled cheese sandwiches and roasted sweet potato fries. Keep another in the bathroom for health and beauty. A brush, lip balm and jar of oil arrive in a bag bundled as Clean Beauty Kit: Natural Fiber Body Brush & Body Oil.  At www.dignitycoconuts.com learn benefits of dry brushing your skin, a practice I already love. This small brush with an elegant wooden handle is “just right” as Goldilocks would say. Chemical-free vegan lip balms come in Lavender Peppermint, Vanilla & Unscented and will become the smooth something your lips will crave as a mid-day pick up. Dignity is mainly about the oil, using no-heat centrifuge to preserve micronutrients and uplifting the lives of workers in the Philippines. They sign the jars they pack. This brand makes you feel good inside and out.

 

Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie who loves hearing from readers. Reach her at darraghcastillo@icloud.com

Looks vs. Taste

 

Looks aren’t everything. Taste is right up there.

I played and created an egg-stuffed avocado in the air fryer that looked pretty darned good, but the flavor and texture needed a little something. It was an air fryer trick that I’m sharing to show you should always be willing to try new things and… hot sauce doesn’t necessarily fix EVERYTHING, as I previously assumed. My take-away was that I often end up with dishes that taste way better than they look. I actually prefer that to making a pretty plate that doesn’t taste like much. Readers, do you have similar examples?

 

How’s your morning? Got sugar support? Pre and Pro biotics? Kale and spinach that doesn’t scare you? I do and it’s making Activated You Morning Complete do what their site says it should. I feel good about it.

It all started with a white Yeti cup that was gifted to someone until I just casually mentioned I’d always wanted one and then it was gifted to me. All I’d said was that I imagined whatever you drank in such a pure, cool cup would most likely be good for you. Enter Morning Complete samples with green superfoods in Citrus Melody. It’s billed as 8 unique wellness-support blends in one drink. And it’s a cool sip in my new white cup that was gifted, nearly immediately lost, then found again. See? The cup-to-healthy drink pairing is right for me. It even has “adaptogen” to alleviate stress. Gut health, smoother digestion and a metabolic blend for relief from gas, bloating, etc. are cool. And I love that aloe vera is part of the gang in this drink. www.activatedyou.com

Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie who would love to hear what you’ve been eating. Reach her at darraghcastillo@icloud.com