This Time of Year……
I know you’ve probably heard the saying before, but this is really my favorite time of year. I love all the magic that happens in Southwest Virginia during the fall. One of those magical moments is the change that takes place in our bodies making us crave warm, rich, dense foods, wood fires and cozy socks. There seems to be an alarm that goes off inside us this time of year that ushers in the need to slow down, prepare our winter’s nest, insure our pantry is well stocked, collect the firewood, think about times gone by, and breathe a sigh of relief for an upcoming much needed rest.
I’m not sure many modern day lifestyles are quite in sync with this pre-historic autumnal call to our souls. I know my schedule doesn’t provide for as much down time, slower motion days and introspection as I’d like during this time (or any time) of year. Nevertheless, my body still hears the call. I bet yours does too.
Take advantage of that little voice, that tickle in your soul that wants your body to slow down, cherish the sights, the smells, the quiet. Eat those warm, rich, dense foods. Take a slow walk down a country lane making time to kick up a few leaves. Read that book you’ve wanted to start since forever. Pull out the extra comforter for the bed. Light the wood stove. Sip life, don’t gulp.
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Parsnip-Potato Soup
(from SouthernLiving.com)
Here is a wonderful soup for the fall time. Feel free to adjust the recipe with other ingredients you love. Not a big fan of parsnips? Go with turnips instead, or carrots, or sweet potatoes if you dare!
Ingredients
3 Tbl Butter
5c peeled and thinly sliced parsnips
3 leeks, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
1 Russet potato, peeled and chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 ½ tsp ginger, minced
½ cup heavy cream
4 sprigs of fresh thyme
½c celery, thinly sliced
2 ½ tsp salt
3 cups broth (beef, poultry, vegetable…whatever you like)
Kitchen string
Directions
1. Melt butter in a medium sized soup pot (or Dutch oven) over medium heat. Tie the thyme springs together with a kitchen string.
2. Add the parsnips, leeks, potatoes, garlic, ginger, celery and thyme to the pan, stirring often for about 10 minutes.
3. Stir in broth and 2 cups of water, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.
4. Discard thyme stems. Process soup mixture in a blender and return to pot. Stir in heavy cream. Cook for medium heat, stirring often, 5 minutes or until hot. Serve immediately.
Serve with your favorite variety of bread and enjoy.
Also pairs well with a glass of Chardonnay or a nice Porter.
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Chicken Pox……..is in the Air
Homeopathic Remedies
The Harvest Moon has heard that Chicken Pox is going around the county! We would guess there have even been more than a few chicken pox play dates!
Here are some of the homeopathic remedies that often are used to help ease patients of any age with chicken pox through the illness.
Aconite. For cases with a rapid, sudden onset. The patient is usually restless and anxious. They are often feverish with a burning thirst and dry, hot skin.
Antimonium crudum. Patients needing this remedy are usually fretful and peevish. The children may cry if looked at and do not want to be touched. Although a white, coated tongue is characteristic for those needing this remedy, don’t hesitate to use it in chicken pox if someone has the mental characteristics described.
Antimonium tartaricum. Those needing this remedy often share the mental nature and coated tongue of Antimonium crudum (described above) but tend to be weaker, drowsy, and sweaty. They may have a rattling cough with large amounts of mucus that is hard to raise.
Belladonna. Like Aconite (described above), the illness usually has a rapid, sudden onset. A high fever with red, hot skin is common. Your hand may feel hot after touching their skin. The patient is sensitive to drafts, jarring, and often to light. The pupils may be dilated or the eyes may have a shining appearance.
Pulsatilla. This common remedy for children is indicated for those with chicken pox who feel tearful, wimpy, and want attention and fuss. They usually have little thirst, have thick, bland discharges, and desire or feel better in the open air.
Rhus tox. This is homeopathic poison oak. The eruptions of chicken pox are often similar to that of poison oak, hence its use homeopathically in such cases. If a person can’t decide what to take for chicken pox, try Rhus tox. The patient is usually restless and thirsty (often for cold milk), and the eruptions itch. (If the itching is better with cold applications consider Pulsatilla or Ledum.)
Dosage
The 30C or 30X potency available in most stores that carry homeopathic remedies should be fine (although I would not hesitate to use any available potency). A dose (usually about three pellets) every two to four hours is usually adequate. Don’t be afraid to dose more frequently if the patient is quite ill (even every few minutes if needed). And don’t be afraid to change remedies if the response seems inadequate or the patient’s presentation changes. Decrease the frequency of the doses and discontinue as the patient recovers.
Dr. Timothy R. Dooley is a graduate of National College of Naturopathic Medicine as well as Oregon Health Sciences University School of Medicine. He practices homeopathy in San Diego, California, and teaches at the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine and Health Sciences. He is the author of the easy-to-read introductory book, Homeopathy: Beyond Flat Earth Medicine. The complete text can be read on-line at www.beyondflatearth.com. For more information, visit www.drdooley.net.
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Pickling and Lacto-Fermentation
Give Them a Try
Have you ever thought of pickling or fermenting your food? It is easy and not very time consuming when done in small batches. There is no need to go through the sometimes laborious process of hot water-bath canning when you pickle and ferment. Your fruits and veggies can go from a cool storage room directly into your refrigerator. No canning required.
Now, what exactly is the difference between pickled and lacto-fermented food? Well…….Not all fermented foods are pickled and not all pickles are fermented. Pickling is a more general term, referring to various ways of preserving foods in an acidic medium. In many cases, that acidic medium is vinegar. When most people refer to pickles, they mean cucumbers that have been prepared in a vinegar brine.
So what are lacto-fermented foods, then? Fermentation is considered a pickling method, but it is a specific one; in this case, the acidic medium is created through lactic acid fermentation. During fermentation, the starches and sugars in the food are converted into lactic acid by the bacteria lactobacilli. The lactic acid production is what gives fermented foods their unique sour smell and flavor. The fermentation process is also what makes them such nutritive super foods.
Fermented foods can aid with digestion, improve the immune system and help block toxins with the addition of the benefical bacterial added to your stomach/gut. They are definitely a good addition to your diet.
Ready to give one or both a try?
Here are a few easy recipes to get you started. Enjoy.
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Quick-Pickled Onions
This is one of my favorites. I love onions, and I love pickled onions even more. These are great on burgers and fish, placed in salads, blended with pasta, added to a sandwich. There are a million and one foods that pickled onions pair well with…..and they are mmm, mmm good!
Ingredients
1 medium red onion (or two for a double batch) – very thinly sliced
½ cup water
¼ cup white vinegar
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
1 ½ tbsp. maple syrup or honey
1 ½ tsp. sea salt
¼ tsp. red pepper flakes (optional)
Directions
●Pack the sliced onions into a 1-pint Mason jar or similar
container. (I use a quart jar with 2 onions).
●In a pan, combine the water, both vinegars, honey or syrup, salt, and pepper flakes. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat, and then carefully pour the mixture into the jar over the onions.
●Use a butter knife to press the onions down into the vinegar and release any air bubbles in the jar. Let the onion mixture cool to room temperature (about 30 minutes), at which time the onions are sufficiently pickled for serving.*
●Cover and refrigerate immediately for later use. Best used in 2-4 weeks.
*I let my pickled onions sit in the refrigerator for about a week before eating which allows them to take on the full pickled flavor.
…And isn’t the beautiful pink vinegar mixture created just beautiful. Once the onions are all gone, I mix the remaining pink brine with some olive old and spices to make a nice and attractive vinaigrette dressing!
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Lacto-Fermented Kimchi
Each year I make large batches of spicy Kim-Chee with all of my excess garden veggies: cabbage, carrots, onion, broccoli, green beans. Anything and everything I have available. But don’t be intimidated…large batches are not necessary. You can make a wonderful kimchi just a jar or two at a time.
Ingredients
Prepare enough vegetables to tightly pack any number of quart canning jars you wish….1, 2, 3, 10. Quantities of each vegetable used should be based on what you have available at the time and what you like most!
The following quantities are for each quart jar being made.
• cabbage (most kimchi recipes call for Napa cabbage, but any variety works!)
• grated garlic to taste
• grated peeled fresh ginger to taste
• scallions, cut into 1-inch pieces
• any assortment of other vegetables cut into pieces, slices, cubes, matchsticks, any shape you like (carrots, celery, peas, green beans, broccoli, radish)
• Water, preferably distilled or filtered
• 1/4 cup sea salt or kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp. granulated sugar
• 1/2 Tbsp. fish sauce or salted shrimp paste
• Korean red pepper flakes (gochugaru) to taste (or any red pepper flakes will work).
(If you don’t like spicy food, you can skip the red pepper flakes all together. Your kimchi will not look like the traditional version and will not be spicy, but it will still be very tasty and offer a good probiotic addition to your diet)!
Equipment
• Cutting board and knife
• Large bowl
• Gloves
• Colander
• Clean 1-quart jar with lid
• Plastic zip lock baggie filled 2/3 with water and sealed
• Bowl or plate to place under jar
Directions
●Cut the cabbage lengthwise through the stem into quarters. Cut the cores from each piece. Cut each quarter crosswise into 2-inch-wide strips.
●Salt the cabbage. Place the cabbage in a large bowl and sprinkle with the salt. Using your hands, massage the salt into the cabbage until it starts to soften a bit. Add enough water to cover the cabbage. Put a plate on top of the cabbage and weigh it down with something heavy, like a jar or can of beans. Let stand for 1 to 2 hours.
●Rinse and drain the cabbage. Rinse the cabbage under cold water 3 times. Set aside to drain in a colander for 15 to 20 minutes.
●Make the spice paste. Rinse and dry the bowl you used for salting. Add the garlic, ginger, sugar, and fish sauce, shrimp paste, or water and stir into a smooth paste. Stir in the red pepper flakes, using ¼ teaspoon for mild and up to 1 tablespoons for spicy (per each quart jar); set aside until the cabbage is ready.
●Combine the vegetables and spice paste. Gently squeeze any remaining water from the cabbage and add it to the spice paste. Add all other vegetables.
●Mix thoroughly. Using your hands, gently work the paste into the vegetables until they are thoroughly coated. The gloves are optional here but highly recommended to protect your hands from stings, stains, and smells!
●Pack the kimchi into the jar. Pack the kimchi into a 1-quart jar. Press down on the kimchi until the brine rises to cover the vegetables, leaving at least 1 inch of space at the top. Seal the jar with your zip-lock baggie filled with water. This will allow any gases created during fermentation to escape while keeping your kimchi fully covered and protected.
●Let it ferment for anywhere from 1 to 14 days. Place a bowl or plate under the jar to help catch any overflow. Let the jar stand at cool room temperature, out of direct sunlight. You may see bubbles inside the jar and brine may seep out of the jar.
●Check the kimchi once a day, pressing down on the vegetables with a clean finger or spoon to keep them submerged under the brine. (This also releases gases produced during fermentation.) Taste a little every other day or so! When the kimchi tastes ripe enough for your liking, replace the temporary plastic bag lid with a more permanent one and retransfer the jar to the refrigerator. You may eat it right away, but it’s best after another week or two.
Recipe Notes
Salt: Use salt that is free of iodine and anti-caking agents, which can inhibit fermentation.
Water: Chlorinated water can inhibit fermentation, so use spring, distilled, or filtered water if you can.
Seafood flavor and vegetarian alternatives: Seafood gives kimchi an umami flavor. Different regions and families may use fish sauce, salted shrimp paste, oysters, and other seafood. For vegetarian kimchi, use 1/4 teaspoon kelp powder mixed with 1 tablespoons water.
Storage: Kimchi can be refrigerated for up to a few months. Use clean utensils each time to extract the kimchi from the jar.
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The Turkeys are coming (really good ones too)!!!
The Harvest Moon has pre-ordered a limited number of turkeys in various sizes for the 2018 season. Reserve your turkey or half-ham today while supplies last.
All size ranges are approximate. Please order your ideal weight or weight range and we’ll do our best to match it! Listed below are the various options available this year.
Come see us at the Harvest Moon to place your order, or give us a call at 540-745-4366.
Mary’s Certified Non-GMO Whole Turkey
Fed only vegetarian feed, no antibiotics EVER no added
hormones, fresh, never frozen chilled super cold for safety.
$ 3.99 per lb. – Sizes range from 8-24 pounds
Organic Diestel Whole Turkey
100% organic feed & the freedom to range in the outdoors.
$ 5.45 per lb. – Sizes range from 10 – 18 pounds
Mary’s Organic Bone-In Turkey Breasts
Fed only vegetarian feed, no antibiotics EVER no added hormones.
$ 9.99 per lb.– Sizes range from 8-12 pounds
All-Natural Non-GMO Half Ham – Bone-In (not sliced)
$5.59 per lb. – Sizes average 7.5 lbs.
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Let Food Heal You
Try including more of these natual antibiotics into your daily routine to give your immune system a boost and keep your body running strong!
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New or Back in Stock at the Harvest Moon During September!
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