Winter Dinners in a Jar

The reason I mention heritage fruits and vegetable is that with items such as tomatoes, you will not need to add another acid to your mix. However if you choose to buy your fruits in the grocery, you will need to add some lemon juice to your mix. The rule of thumb here is two tablespoons lemon juice or teaspoon citric acid into each quart of tomatoes, added before you fill your jars.With spring around the corner, farm markets and road side stands are getting ready to offer you a wide variety of organically grown heritage food stuff. Now is the time to start thinking about your foods for the summer and next winter. And canned dinners is a good place as any to begin.Planning dinners so far in advance can seem not only time consuming, but a daunting prospect. The simplest thing to do is to go into your cabinets and see what store-bought goods you already have there. Most of us havespaghetti sauce,pizza sauce,baked beans and BBQ sauce -great for sweet and saucy ribs. And if you have children, canned pastas seems to be the mainstay.

There is very little information on canning your own pasta dinners out there. Yet the major companies as well as homesteaders have been doing this for years. The problems occur with what types of pasta you want to can and how much of it you stuff into a jar. You will need only enough to loosely fit into the can/jar, never jam pack it in, or fill it to the brim. As with any home canning you need to leave at least inch of head space. Elbow macaroni, shells or spaghetti noodles are the easiest. It is not recommended that you can pasta because dense foods are harder to heat all the way through during processing.Homemade pastas are simple, and something that everyone should try their hand at. And you can add your own twist, or flavoring, to the noodles, like beet, spinach or Parmesan. Once you have your noodles, forming them into shapes is simple, pack them into the jar, loosely and then add your sauce. Kids love meat ravioli, spaghetti and meatballs, and beef and macaroni. Processing takes the same amount of time as your meats do, 75 minutes for pints and 90 minutes for quarts at 10 pounds pressure, unless you live at an altitude more than 1,000 feet; consult your canning manual for directions for increasing your pressure.

Soups, like chicken noodle soup, are a wonderful item to always have on hand. Any of the soups you buy at the store can be modified to your taste, removing or adding certain vegetables, seasoning, and salt . If you have meats in your stock, processing time will take longer then a plain, chicken, meat or vegetable stock. Stews, like roast beef, are the same.And speaking of meats, canning your own meats, poultry, fish and seafood is very rewarding. These items are cooked and stewed in their own juices creating an extra tender meal in a natural stock. Canned Beef strips make an excellent stroganoff. Canned chicken works wonders as a quick chicken with almond rice, while canned salmon makes an irresistible salmon and raisin pie.Which ever dinner tempts your the most, remember that healthy eating requires that you know what is in your food, that you follow all the canning instructions carefully, never eat anything that isn't sealed properly, and throughly cook all your foods. And most importantly, enjoy.

Topsy Turvy Tomato Planter - Does it work? Read my review!

topsy turvy (Photo credit: looseends)

Growing tomatoes is an easy first step for first time gardeners, tomatoes are easy to grow in planters so it is almost a given that someone would come up with a "Topsy Turvy Tomato Planter", an innovation that makes growing and watering tomatoes even easier and increases yield...

Topsy Turvy Tomato Planter - What is it?

I love to cook, and I've recently been experimenting with making my own homemade salsa and pasta sauces. Obviously, I've been using tons of canned tomatoes in the process. A friend at work recently brought me a few home-grown tomatoes, and I asked her how she possibly had time to grow tomatoes herself. She said she's been using a Topsy Turvy Tomato Planter. I was instantly interested in finding out more. I thought that would be a wonderful way to save money on buying tomatoes at the market, and have much better home-grown tasting tomatoes at the same time.

The Topsy Turvy Tomato Planter is a simple planter that allows you to plant tomato seedlings upside down. The roots stay in the planter and the plant hangs underneath. The sun warms the planter, which acts like a greenhouse. This makes the roots very happy. When you water, it allows the moisture and any tomato food you use to drain directly down onto the plant.

I bought this back in April, and I decided to plant cherry tomatoes in it. You can put three plants in each planter. You can even mix different tomato varieties, or even grow other vegetables or herbs. But, for my first try, I decided to stick with small tomatoes. A few weeks ago, my plants just exploded! My plants grew so fast, and then tomatoes started popping up- I have picked probably a hundred tomatoes so far and we probably have a hundred more ready to pick! The vines are almost touching the ground! I can't even describe how wonderful they taste!

Topsy Turvy Tomato Planter Issues I had
I have a small garden, and I wasn't sure where I was going to hang my planter. But, I have an old clothes line in the backyard (which I've been begging my husband to get rid of for years) which ended up being absolutely perfect for hanging my Topsy Turvy from. The only con has been that the planter does get pretty heavy with 3 plants, dirt, and water, so you have to have a good sturdy hook to hang it from. My clothes line ended up needing a bit of reinforcement, but it's working just great now.
For the first several weeks, I was afraid it wouldn't grow. I followed the directions and watered my plants twice a day. I noticed about midway through the first bloom that some of my tomatoes were splitting. I read that this sometimes happens due to over-watering, so you'll need to figure out how much water works just right for your location. I adjusted how much I was watering, and the problem went away. Very easily fixed.

Benefits of the Topsy Turvy Tomato Planter
Easy to set up and use Grow your own ORGANIC tomatoes Mix and match different tomatoes Works for growing fresh herbs or other vegetables Grow three plants in each planter (up to 30 lbs) Hangs on a deck or balcony for patio gardening

Eliminates:
Use of pesticides you don't get any normal garden pests Caging and staking like for normal tomato plants Digging, weeding and other hard garden work

Topsy Turvy Tomato Planter - Final thoughts
For me, this is the easiest way to garden. My Topsy Turvy tomatoes are growing faster and fuller than my other potted plants. I love the fact that I don't have to worry about pesticides or weeding. Since this can work for other vegetables and herbs, I can't wait to try some more kinds of plants. I have grand plans for having a whole garden full of Topsy Turvy planters. I think they even have a strawberry planter. I'm very happy that it has turned out this well, I'll have enough cherry tomatoes for ALL my summer salads, salsa, and pasta sauces. I might even try some canning so I can have my own home grown tomatoes all year long.

Diane English
Article Source

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Easy Ways to Eat Green

Recent concerns over environmental destruction, agricultural chemicals and pesticides and food safety issues have made more and more people consider changing their diets. Films like Food Inc., have turned more than a few carnivores into vegans. But just how can we change our habits and ensure the safety of ourselves, our families and our planet? If you're wondering how to begin to make small green changes to your life without too much work then keep reading to find out.

Going green doesn't have to involve radical transformations overnight. Making small changes to your life can have a big impact on your health and on the environment. The more consumers demand healthy alternatives and safe food practices, the more and more these will become available. Furthermore, it is a well documented fact that as more people buy organic and local, the cheaper these products will become.

First things first. If you want to save money and the planet cut down on your meat consumption. You do not have to give up your favourite roast entirely, or even cut out the occasional sausage, but you will have to think more carefully about where you buy your meat and how much you really need. Opting for vegetarian options more frequently is a great way to go. So try out a vegetarian cookbook and see how you can use beans, soy products, tofu, and other filling protein to replace the meat portions in your favourite chillies or stews.
Because you've reduced your meat consumption, you should be able to afford to buy more quality meat rather than quantity. Buying locally raised, antibiotic free, free range, organic meats (or whatever is most important depending on the meat involved) will give you better tasting healthier meat and will help to ensure your own safety. Eating less but better quality meat, fish and poultry is a great way to go green and lower your carbon footprint.

Seasonal Indulgence. Trying to buy fruits and vegetables that are in season is also a good way to eat greener. Transportation of foods across long distances not only lowers their quality and freshness, but also wreaks havoc on the planet. If you can, try to plan meals around what is in season in your local area. In this way you can buy more products that are locally grown. Seasonal fruits and veggies are also fresher and generally less expensive.

Grow It Yourself. If you are fortunate enough to have a backyard or small plot in which you can grow your own vegetables and herbs than by all means do so. Growing your own does take a little time and know-how, but this will more than pay off in the end. Not only will you know exactly what you're getting and be saving money, but the food will not doubt taste better knowing it comes from the sweat of your own brow. Freezing, canning and storing foods for the winter will make your garden last through the changing of the seasons.

The Green Coffee Beans - Secret to the Freshest Coffee

When the canning industry was just in its infancy during the middle 19th century, eating canned food was viewed classy by many middle-class families who see the preserved delights as some sort of a novelty. Well, that was eons ago. Times have changed and people these days, regardless of socio-economic status, would rather prefer to eat fresh food.
This hype concerning freshness is certainly not unfounded. As the scientific community have become more aware of the serious health repercussions that can be incurred from devouring preservative-laced foods, it is not surprising why people nowadays want all of their food served fresh as much as possible. So deep is this I-want-it-fresh thing in Americans' psyche that we just do not stop at fresh veggies, fruits, and sea foods. We want all things fresh, including our coffee.
But enjoying a fresh cup of coffee is not an instant one-step process. You can't just go to a supermarket and pick farm fresh coffee. Well, you may argue that you there's a "fresh" label printed on the packed coffee beans languishing on the supermarket shelf. That is a sure way to a fresh cup of Joe, right? Well, it is really not. That "fresh" tag is certainly misleading. There is only one way to get a 100 percent fresh cup of coffee-and that comes with roasting your own green coffee beans.
The Green coffee is the term used to designate untasted coffee beans. How is it different from roasted ones? Well, roasting changes coffee a lot. Unroasted beans are bitter and very acidic. Roasting takes out such unwanted properties and renders coffee drinkable. It also catalyzes chemical reactions that forces enzymes inside the beans to produce characteristic coffee flavors and aroma. The negative side is that these distinctive properties of coffee do not last long once the beans were roasted. For you to enjoy coffee with fresh flavors and aroma, you would need to buy green coffee beans and roast them by yourself.
The Roasting at your home is not really a complex process. It is an art that you can learn. You do not need to buy an expensive high-end roaster. It would not make any difference at all. When it comes to proper roasting of coffee, you just need to follow basic rules: heat the beans between 370 to 540 degrees Fahrenheit; do not let the beans stay in one spot to prevent uneven roasting; and once maximum temperature is achieved, cool the beans quickly to avoid over-roasting. It may be tricky at first, but once you get the hang of home roasting, you will certainly reap the benefits of your labors every time you take a sip of coffee full of fresh flavors and aroma.

Growing Your Best Beans

For those gardeners who have never tried growing beans, you're missing out on a wonderful vegetable that's easy to grow and highly productive. They come in about as many colors, shapes and sizes as you can imagine, and no matter how big or small your garden is, chances are, there's a bean that will meet your needs. Even for gardeners who are a little behind on this year's planting, never fear. Beans can still be planted as late as June for a decent late-summer harvest. With a few easy steps, you'll be well on your way to growing your best bean plants ever.

Beans are a member of the legume family, a group of nitrogen fixing plants. This means that they have the unique ability to pull nitrogen from the air and put it into the soil. For this reason, nitrogen-loving plants like tomatoes will usually thrive in spots where bean plants resided the year prior. For extra healthy, vigorous plants, dampen the seeds and coat with nitrogen inoculant before planting. Nitrogen inoculant is a black, grainy substance that aids the plants in their early growth stages. It's very inexpensive and can be found at most specialty gardening stores. If you have leftover nitrogen inoculant at the end of the season, throw it away. You won't want to use it the next year, because most of the bacteria will have died by then. Nitrogen inoculant is only good for one planting season.

Bean plants generally fall into one of two categories: bush and pole. Bush beans are low, bushy plants that usually grow to about knee high. They are known to be highly productive, usually providing several pickings over a two to three week period. Successive plantings of bush beans will provide a continuous harvest throughout the summer. Pick pods daily to keep the plants as productive as possible. Once the plants are done producing, it's usually best to go ahead and remove them from the garden all together. Be sure to avoid handling the plants or picking pods in wet weather, as this will spread disease.
Pole beans come in as many sizes and varieties as bush beans; however, they are a climbing plant that grows on a trellis or other structure. Pole bean plants are known to be vigorous growers and heavy producers. When planting, it's a good idea to go ahead and install your trellis or other support structure at the same time, because the plants will grow so rapidly. Pole beans will generally produce for a longer period than bush bean plants, provided that the pods are picked while they're very young.

Aside from the two primary categories of bush and pole, bean plants can also be broken down into two other categories: snap and shell. Snap beans are those whose pods are edible. When harvesting them, you'll usually want to use the produce as quickly as possible, while they are still fresh. Use them the same day they're picked, if possible. Snap beans are wonderful steamed, baked, stir fried, or even eaten raw, and are also a good choice if you want to can some of your fresh vegetables.

Shell beans, on the other hand, are surrounded by tough, inedible pods that must be removed prior to consumption. Pinto, black, red, and kidney beans are all examples of shell beans. Harvesting these plants is a somewhat different process. Shell beans should be allowed to ripen and dry while still on the plant before harvesting. Wait until the pods turn brown and the plant begins to die. Then pull the entire plant up from the ground and put it in a hot place so it can dry out for about a week or so. At that point, you can open the pods and remove the individual beans. Spread them out on cookie sheets and place in a 175 degree oven for about 15 to 20 minutes. This will kill off any potential pests. Finally, the dried beans can be stored in airtight containers. When you're ready to use, reconstitute in water overnight and cook as usual.

Beans make a wonderful addition to any home vegetable garden. If you've never grown them before, give them a try! A packet of seed will cost you only a few dollars at most, and you'll yield pounds of fresh produce for eating, canning, or drying. Anyone who has ever tasted homegrown beans knows that the result is definitely worth the effort.

Homemade Canning - Increasing and Canning Your Individual Food

For a extensive time, this posed a dilemma for hydro growers who wished to opt for organic rising approaches. But today organic and natural hydroponic fertilizers are extensively accessible, which make it doable to deliver a plant with the excellent mineral resolution, with out having to resort to non-natural and organic means. Reduced-acid veggies have to have to be canned a lot more cautiously to prevent spoilage. Even so, like fruits, the ideal garden can develop anything to can weekly or bi-weekly all 12 months-prolonged.

When setting up a residence-grown garden for canning, decide on vegetables for individual seasons:

Winter months Garden Create:

Cabbage

Brussels sprouts (in coastal locations)

Kale

Spring Garden Generate:

Asparagus

Celery

Dark leafy greens like spinach

Summertime by Drop Garden Make:

Green Beans or Lengthy Beans

Rhubarb

Peppers

Okra

Onions and Garlic

Peas

Zucchini

Dark Leafy Greens like Kale and Swiss Chard

Herbs

Even a modest family members garden, or container garden, can create adequate to stockpile canned develop. Many of these meals can well with minimal or no earlier cooking. Simply just scrub them, chop them up, things them into a jar, pour boiling h2o over them, screw on a lid, and place them into the pressure canner. Each vegetable, vegetable mix, or relish has a specific time and recipe that wants to be followed to the letter when canning it. Failure to adhere to a recipe for the distinct meals can end result in an inedible products, or even worse, spoilage.

Other food items not described in this document are not suggested for homemade canning since the time and hard work in increasing and/or planning them tends to make it not really worth it, in particular for a starter. The fruits and veggies detailed are inclined to grow massive harvests with tiny area. And, when picked and canned appropriate away, also previous more time in the shelves and retain their flavor.

House grown generate not only tastes better, but might be much better for you considering that keep-purchased canned or new vegetables tend to shed significant nutrients the more time they sit. Furthermore, it will help save income. With the appropriate soil disorders and treatment, residence gardens can ordinarily create much more foods with significantly less expense around the same sum of food bought contemporary or canned from a grocery retailer.

Quite a few men and women are discouraged from escalating their individual food mainly because of all the time and hard work it takes to improve a garden. And most individuals do not have a plot of fertile land readily available. For most, doing work the soil, fertilizing, pulling weeds and all the get the job done just doesn't in shape into their hectic lives. But there is a way to grow food that eliminates all of this.

Aquaponics is a way of rising foods that is starting to catch on by several commercial growers, and people today who just want to mature their private foods. This system is swiftly increasing in attractiveness because it is basic, can take pretty very little time and energy, and can make a lot of meals in a extremely little room. And the fish do the perform while you are doing your unique issue.

Container Garden Vegetables For Newcomers - Vegetable Gardening in Containers

Get A Healthier, Leaner Body With Fruits and Vegetables

The unmistakable health benefits of vegetables and fruits have been documented in research studies.

For this reason, health institutes across the globe are in agreement that consumption of a minimum of five to nine servings of vegetables and fruits should be included in your daily dietary intake.

Well-known National Institutes of Health such as the USDA Food Guide Pyramid, Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Cancer Institute have all instituted this piece of advice for those who want a healthier lifestyle.

Consuming specific vegetables and fruits help the body in building a resistance to and protection from the world's two most frightening and debilitating ailments - cancer and heart ailments.

However, certain vegetables and fruits provide more health benefits and nutrition than others. So, in order for you to reach your pinnacle, improve your appearance and feel as good as possible, eating additional fruits and vegetables is certainly a start, but eating specific varieties obtained through reliable suppliers will provide the highest level of nutrition and that will give you a jump start in boosting your immune system.

Which Selections Provide The Highest Nutrition?

Bananas, corn, iceberg lettuce, and potatoes rank among the more favored foods consumed today; however, while highly popular, they do not provide the body with a substantial amount of fiber and little to no antioxidant phytonutrients such as cruciferous, flavonoid and carotenoid.
Overall, these entrees are not considered particularly unhealthy, except when eaten overloaded with fat, fried or as a chip, but they are not nutritious enough to be included among the recommended five to nine servings. Nature has provided a number of varieties for you to choose from that are full of the nutrients the body needs.

To get the highest amounts of fiber, phytonutrients, minerals and vitamins make your selection from nature's most powerful vegetables, leafy varieties that are dark green in color. Chard, spinach, tomatoes, Brussels sprouts, romaine lettuce, red pepper and romaine lettuce would be included in this grouping.

While virtually all fruits are good for you, peaches, oranges, red grapes, plums and berries rank highest in their body building potential.

Where Can The Ultimate Healthful Sources Be Found?

Organic produce straight from your local outlet is your best source. Getting produce from organic farms takes it straight from their gardens to your table without the use of toxic chemicals, which is not only better for you and is more flavorful, but is better for the atmosphere as well.

Enthusiasm in organic foods has steadily been on the rise and today, it is possible to purchase high quality produce from neighborhood co-ops, farmers markets as well as a number of the larger chain markets. If a co-op is not available in your neighborhood, creating one might be a consideration.

If you are unable to locate high-quality fresh organic produce, frozen produce is generally available at a number of the larger natural food markets or grocery store chains.

As a general rule, frozen outweighs canned in quality and benefits. The canning methods often utilized successful destroy the beneficial nutrients and tend to contain high levels of sugar and salt. Frozen follows the simple process of picking, washing and freezing all within a 24 hour timeframe which helps in locking in, not only the flavor, but the health benefits as well.

What Does It All Mean?

When it's all said and done, the primary goal is to consume five to nine on a daily basis.

Doing this one simple thing each and every day will not only help ward off diseases such as heart disease and cancer, but is also beneficial in weight and blood sugar control and lowers cholesterol levels.

Once you get started, the five to nine will only be the beginning, soon you will begin to crave the sweet flavor and filling feeling the right fruits and vegetables provide.