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Moondance Organic Gardens Welcome to Moondance Organic Gardens. We are a family "Market Gardens" committed to the promotion of ecological and human health. |
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Moondance Organic Gardens Welcome to Moondance Organic Gardens. We are a family "Market Gardens" committed to the promotion of ecological and human health. |
Featured Herb's
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STEVIA - Aug 6th Stevia is an herb that is 10-15 times sweeter than sugar. It makes a good sweetener but it is illegal to sell it as a sweetener in Canada. It has been used for sweetening in Paraguay for centuries. It is quite legal in Japan where it is used in products like diet Coke. But in the US and Canada it can be marketed as a supplement but not as a food additive. CBC Marketplace did an article on the situation some time ago explaining the controversy. You can read it at http://www.cbc.ca/consumers/market/files/food/Stevia/
Stevia can be used in baking successfully because it doesn’t break down in the heat however baked products do not brown the way they do with sugar. Also it cannot be used in meringues or any time you want carmelization because Stevia doesn’t crystallize like sugar does. I have purchased Stevia powder and Stevia liquid but was not happy with it because it had a bitter taste. I believe that was because I used too much. One of the problems with refined Stevia is that it is so much sweeter than sugar it is difficult to measure small enough amount.
Stevia leaves don’t have the same problem. The sweetness level varies from plant to plant so tasting is important. Stevia leaves should be harvested in the fall. The leaves contain about 12% Stevioside (one of the sweet factors). The old brown Stevia leaves will contain 8 to 10% Stevioside. The stems contain about 3% Stevioside. The leaves should be harvested early in the morning and dried in the full sun. When crispy dry, store in a plastic bag. Break the leaf with your hands or put them in a blender to make powder. A liquid extract can be made from the whole Stevia leaves or from the green herbal Stevia powder. Simply combine a measured portion of Stevia leaves or herbal powder with pure USP grain alcohol (Brandy or Scotch will also do) and let the mixture sit for 24 hours. Filter the liquid from the leaves or powder residue and dilute to taste using pure water. Note that the alcohol content can be reduced by very slowly heating (not boiling) the extract and allowing the alcohol to evaporate off. A pure water extract can be similarly prepared, but will not extract quite as much of the sweet glycosides as will the alcohol. Either liquid extract can be cooked down and concentrated into a syrup. RECIPE This recipe may or may not be any good since the author doesn’t tell you what form of Stevia she was using. Remember it is 10-15 times as sweet as sugar. Oatmeal Apple Muffins
1 Cup
Whole Wheat Flour Preheat oven 400 degrees. Mix first seven ingredients thoroughly. In separate bowl mix remaining ingredients. Gradually mix dry ingredients into moist ingredients. Spoon into greased muffin tins. Bake 15 to 20 minutes. --Recipe by Vicky Mosser
DILL OR DILL WEED July 24th Dill is widely used today in cooking. Dill seeds are often used when making pickles or pickling and the leaves are excellent in sauces, particularly for fish, and in dips. Dill was used 5000 years ago by the Egyptians and was known as a medicinal plant to the Greeks and Romans. Dill is one of those herbs that, in effect, has two different seasons. In early spring it is used for its leaves and then later in fall for its seeds. With its crisp grassy taste, dill leaves are a natural to be paired with fish, mild cheeses, egg dishes, vegetable dishes, cream sauces, and it is especially good on potatoes. Cucumbers are another food that partners well with dill, either in salads, chilled soups or on tea sandwiches. Dill has a simple, clean taste. When using dill leaves, it is best to use it fresh rather than dried to get the most flavour. If using dill in a hot dish such as a stew or a sauce, be sure to add it just before serving, as it loses its flavoUr in the heat. A favourite recipes for dill with fish is Gravlax -- the Scandinavian cured salmon dish. The fresh filets of salmon are covered with a mixture of salt, sugar, dill and coarse black pepper. They are then wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated with a weight on them for 3-4 days, turning it over twice a day. The result at the end of this timeis a lightly cured, slightly sweet and salty appetizer. Serve the gravlax thinly sliced either on triangles of hearty rye bread or on cucumber rounds with a drop of honey mustard. The seeds have a much more potent flavour, similar to a combination of anise and celery. The flat, yellow flower umbels of late summer give way to the seeds in fall. These can be used in breads, stews, rice, root vegetable dishes and most notably, the making of pickles. Dill is a helpful plant to have in the garden since it attracts beneficial insects whose larvae feed on aphids making it a good plant to protect your roses. To harvest dill, just snip what you need with a scissors, leaving the rest of the plant to keep growing. The featured Veggie is Potato's = there are some great recipes with Dill and potatos here
RECIPES
CHEERY DILL SALAD
8 Tbls. rice wine vinegar Mix the first six ingredients in a glass or stainless steel bowl. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Slice the English cucumber lengthwise and then cut into 1/4 inch segments. Add this to the marinade, along with the radishes and the tomatoes. Toss well to combine flavours. Refrigerate for 1/2 hour, stirring a few times to makes sure everything is equally marinated. DILLED POTATO SOUP
2 tbsp. butter Melt butter in large pan. Add onion, potato and carrot. Cover and cook over very low heat 5-10 minutes. Add broth, salt and pepper to taste. Simmer until vegetables are tender. Remove from heat. Puree 1/2 of mixture or blender or food processor. Return puree to reserve mixture in pan and stir in cream. Add corn; return to heat if necessary. DO NOT BOIL! Serve garnished with cheese, if desired. Note: If dill is not available; the soup's great without it!.
MANY BEAN STEW Yield: 6 servings 1 Onion, chopped 1 tablespoon Oil 2 Cloves garlic, chopped 1½ teaspoon Paprika ½ cups Pinto beans ½ cups Northern beans ½ cups Kidney beans ½ cups Red lentils 5 cups Water 1 Bay leaf 1 teaspoon Celery seed 1 teaspoon Dill weed 2 teaspoon Salt ¼ teaspoon Black pepper 1 Knorr Vegetarian Boullion. Cube 2 cups cubed potatoes (potato, carrots, etc.) Saute onion, garlic in oil along with paprika. Put all ingredients in slow cooker, and simmer on high for about 4 hours.. Your Many Bean Stew is ready. Bon appetit! I put the dill in just before serving and doubled it as well. --pg.
CILANTRO or CORIANDER - July 17th This member of the carrot family is also referred to as Coriander or Chinese Parsley. It is actually the leaves (and stems) of the Coriander plant. Cilantro has a very pungent odour and is widely used in Mexican, Caribbean and Asian cooking. The Cilantro leaves look a bit like flat Italian parsley and in fact are related.
Coriander
grows wild in South East Europe and had been cultivated in Egypt, India
and China for thousands of years. It is mentioned in Sanskrit text and
the Bible. Spanish conquistadors introduced it to Mexico and Peru where
it now commonly paired with chilies in the local cuisine. It has since
become very popular in the Southwest and Western part of the United
States as well as in most metropolitan areas. An interesting note is
that people of European descent
frequently are reviled by the smell of cilantro. It has not gained in
popularity in Europe as it has in many other parts of the world.
The Chinese used the herb in
love potions believing it provided immortality. Coriander is one of the
herbs thought to have
aphrodisiac
qualities. The book of The Arabian nights tells a tale of a merchant who
had been childless for 40 years and but was cured by a concoction that
included coriander. That book is over 1000 years old so the history of
coriander as an aphrodisiac dates back far into history. Cilantro was
also known to be used as an "appetite" stimulant and is considered to be
an aid to the digestive system. An appetite stimulant, it aids in the
secretion of gastric juices. The essential oils of the cilantro leaves
contain antibacterial properties and can be used as a fungicide..
Cilantro Slaw In a large nonmetal bowl, mix all ingredients together. I make this soup regularly. It is very easy to make and with a Greek Salad is lunch. -pg
QUICK BLACK BEAN SOUP
1 tablespoon olive oil Source: YOU: On a Diet
THYME & LEMON THYME - July 10th
Thyme is best known as one of the primary components in a classic bouquet garni. When combined with fresh sprigs of parsley and leaves of bay, it will enliven and give depth to the flavour of soups, stews and sauces. A native of the sunny Mediterranean hillsides, thyme is also a key element in the traditional, dried, aromatic blend ‘Herbes de Provence’. Experts disagree as to exactly which herbs should be included. One lists thyme, rosemary, lavender and summer savory; while my small terra cotta container of herbs, brought back from France, lists thyme, basil, savory, fennel and lavender flowers. All agree that thyme and lavender are essential. No matter what the combination, the blend makes an ideal seasoning for meats, and gives stews, sauces, vegetables and dressings a rich taste that conjures up images of sunny hillsides. While there are over 100 varieties of thyme, all of which are fragrant to some extent, there are three that have a special place in the kitchen: lemon thyme (Thymus citriodorus), caraway thyme (Thymus herba-barona), and common thyme (Thymus vulgaris). Lemon thyme is a compact, upright shrub that grows to a height of 12 inches. The leaves are tiny and heart shaped, ringed with a splash of yellow. As the name implies, lemon thyme has a bit of a citrus tang, but is milder than most other thyme. This makes it a natural choice for seasoning seafood dishes and even sweets. The citrus flavur also helps to lighten fatty dishes. The natural, volatile oils also work as a digestive aid. These same pungent oils make lemon thyme a favourite in aroma therapy for the treatment of asthma. July 7th - FEATURED HERBS … BASIL & HOMEMADE GRANOLA TIPS for HERBS A reader sent us this photo along with a great tip on handling fresh herbs. She keeps them in a glass or vase on her windowsill. They look and smell beautiful, last a long time and serve as a reminder to use them. This is the best way for handling Basil which doesn’t like the cold much. BASIL -Basil is most commonly recommended to be used fresh. In cooked recipes, it is generally added at the last moment, as cooking destroys the flavour quickly. The fresh herb can be kept for a short time in plastic bags in the refrigerator, or for a longer period in the freezer after being blanched quickly in boiling water. Place fresh leaves in a dry jar with a pinch of salt, and cover with olive oil. The dried herb loses most of its flavour, and what little flavour remains tastes very different. Mediterranean, Thai, and Vietnamese cuisines frequently use basil, the former frequently combining it with tomato. Basil is one of the main ingredients in pesto — a green Italian oil-and-herb sauce from the city of Genoa, its other two main ingredients being olive oil and pine nuts. Basil is sometimes used with fresh fruit and in fruit jams and sauces — in particular with strawberries, but also raspberries or dark-colored plums. Basil is very sensitive to cold and thrives in hot weather and will fare best in a sunny well drained spot in the garden. It can be grown indoors in a pot for winter use. It should be protected from drafts and will do well on a South facing window. Flowers should be trimmed off as leaves stop growing after the stem flowers. Picking leaves off the plant promotes growth because new growth comes at the pair of leaves closest to the top of the stem.
FEATURE HERB -NIGELLA SEPT 1st
You really do learn something new every day. When Kim said she had Nigella seeds available I turned to my best resource … Google. The only ‘Nigella’ I’ve heard of to now is Nigella Lawson, British kitchen goddess. I learned that Nigella is a spice used in Indian cooking. Seems to be a somewhat obscure and confusing spice. It is sometimes call ‘black cumin’, ‘black caraway’ or ‘black onion’ seeds although that article also said it really didn’t compare with any of them. This quote came from a blog site having a ‘Nigella Awesome’ event and described it’s flavour. “Though it is under appreciated in comparison to other seeds in the Indian spice box - mustard, cumin and fennel, those who use nigella will testify to its aromatic qualities. A little hot oil is all that's needed to coax it out of its shell, after that the seed will infuse any of your vegetable dish, curry or dal with a unique smoky, onion-y flavor.” There are more recipes at the website http://food-forthought.blogspot.com/2006/06/nigella-awesome-achaari-baingan.html if you’re interested. This one uses eggplant and tomatoes as well
FEATURE HERB LAVENDER- August 22nd A symbol for cleanliness and purity due to its antiseptic qualities, it has been used as a disinfectant and cleaning agent for centuries. The Victorians used it as a furniture wax; as a moth and insect repellent; and hung it over the backs of armchairs. Perhaps one of the most common uses has been in the washing of linen. Even today you can buy a lavender scented rinse or a spray to use when ironing your linens. Once a virtual medicine chest in every home, lavender can be used for everything – as a nerve stimulant and restorative, for the relief of muscular aches and pains, to induce peaceful slumber and ease the ache of rheumatism and headaches. As an essential oil, lavender is highly concentrated and should be treated with respect. Never take in internally, and never use it to treat children younger than 18 months. • for migraine … a couple of drops of lavender oil placed on an ice cube and sucked slowly. Massaging the temple with lavender oil can also sooth the pain. • remedy for mild burns, abrasions, cuts, sores, varicose ulcers and for coughs, colds and chest infections. • sprinkling your pillow with lavender is enough to lull insomniacs into a peaceful slumber • When burned, either the oil or the dried stalks, it reportedly repels insects. • In a bath it is deeply relaxing, mildly antiseptic and will aid in the healing of tiny cuts and scratches and bites. Five to ten drops is sufficient. • for effective relief from sunburn add a few drops of lavender oil to still mineral water and spritz it on sore skin.
FEATURE Dill Weed - July 25th Dill is widely used today in cooking. Dill seeds are often used when making pickles or pickling and the leaves are excellent in sauces, particularly for fish, and in dips. Dill was used 5000 years ago by the Egyptians and was known as a medicinal plant to the Greeks and Romans. Dill is one of those herbs that in effect has two different seasons. In early spring it is used for its leaves and then later in fall for its seeds. With its crisp grassy taste, dill leaves are a natural to be paired with fish, mild cheeses, egg dishes, vegetable dishes, cream sauces, and it is especially good on potatoes. Cucumbers are another food that partners well with dill, either in salads, chilled soups or on tea sandwiches. Dill has a simple, clean taste. When using dill leaves, it is best to use it fresh rather than dried to get the most flavour. If using dill in a hot dish such as a stew or a sauce, be sure to add it just before serving, as it loses its flavour in the heat. A favourite recipes for dill with fish is Gravlax -- the Scandinavian cured salmon dish. The fresh filets of salmon are covered with a mixture of salt, sugar, dill and coarse black pepper. They are then wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated with a weight on them for 3-4 days, turning it over twice a day. The result at the end of this time is a lightly cured, slightly sweet and salty appetizer. Serve the gravlax thinly sliced either on triangles of hearty rye bread or on cucumber rounds with a drop of honey mustard. The seeds have a much more potent flavour, similar to a combination of anise and celery. The flat, yellow flower umbels of late summer give way to the seeds in fall. These can be used in breads, stews, rice, root vegetable dishes and most notably, the making of pickles. Dill is a helpful plant to have in the garden since it attracts beneficial insects whose larvae feed on aphids making it a good plant to protect your roses. To harvest dill, just snip what you need with a scissors, leaving the rest of the plant to keep growing. FEATURE HERB BASIL - July 25th Basil is most commonly recommended to be used fresh. In cooked recipes, it is generally added at the last moment, as cooking destroys the flavor quickly. The fresh herb can be kept for a short time in plastic bags in the refrigerator, or for a longer period in the freezer after being blanched quickly in boiling water. Place fresh leaves in a dry jar with a pinch of salt, and cover with olive oil. The dried herb loses most of its flavour, and what little flavor remains tastes very different, Mediterranean, Thai, and Vietnamese cuisines frequently use basil, the former frequently combining it with tomato. Basil is one of the main ingredients in pesto — a green Italian oil-and-herb sauce from the city of Genoa, its other two main ingredients being olive oil and pine nuts. Chinese also use fresh or dried basils in soups and other foods. In Taiwan, people add fresh basil leaves to thick soups and deep-fried basil leaves with fried chicken. Basil is sometimes used with fresh fruit and in fruit jams and sauces — in particular with strawberries, but also raspberries or dark-colored plums. Basil is very sensitive to cold and thrives in hot weather and will fare best in a sunny well drained spot in the garden. It can be grown indoors in a pot for winter use. It should be protected from drafts and will do well on a South facing window. It can be reliably propagated from short cuttings suspended in water until roots develop. Flowers should be trimmed off as leaves stop growing after the stem flowers. Picking leaves off the plant promotes growth because new growth comes at the pair of leaves closest to the top of the stem.
Basil does not store very well. I have been most successful keeping it in a jar with water like fresh flowers. It doesn’t like to be too cold so put it in a warmer part of the fridge or keep it on the counter. It should be used quickly or made into pesto and frozen that way. It can be frozen fresh if it is blanched quickly before packing into containers.
I love simply adding the leaves to my salad mix, but here are a couple of recipes. Basic pesto, but I am definitely going to try the cheesecake.
FEATURE HERB - July 12th CILANTRO and CORIANDER This is one herb that is either hated or loved. There doesn’t seem to be an in between. Cilantro, sometimes called Chinese parsley, is the plant and coriander is the seed. They are fairly recent arrivals to the Canadian kitchen. Coriander is the more familiar, used in gingerbread, cookies, yeast breads, sausages, stews, and chicken dishes. Try adding a dash of coriander to cooked beets for a zesty treat. (Especially since both beets and coriander have been considered aphrodisiacs.) When cooking with cilantro, add it at the very end, as overcooking will muddy the taste. The Chinese, quite accurately, call cilantro "fragrant greens," adding it to stir fries and sauces to enliven them and add a fresh, pungent taste. The whole plant, roots and all, is often boiled and eaten as a vegetable. Although cilantro and coriander are most often associated with the cuisines of Mexico and Asia, the herb originated in the southern reaches of the Mediterranean. Coriander has been found in Egyptian tombs dating back 3000 years. It is even mentioned in the Bible in Exodus 16:31, where manna is described as "small round and white like coriander seed." The ancient Hebrews originally used cilantro root as the bitter herb in the symbolic Passover meal. Thanks to the Romans and their conquests, cilantro's use and legend spread to Europe and Asia, where it appeared in recipes for potions used as aphrodisiacs in China during the Han dynasty (207 BC-200 AD). The Romans themselves used coriander with cumin and vinegar as a preservative which they rubbed into meat. |
Lemon BalmBotanical name: Melissa officinalis Lemon balm is a bushy, perennial herb belonging to the mint family. Lemon balm is also known as bee balm because of its attraction for bees. Lemon balm is rich in vitamin C. Use balm leaves for any dish containing lemon juice to get a more intensive lemon aroma. Fresh leaves are preferred to dry. True lovers of this herb may want to try a pesto made of lemon balm leaves instead of basil. Historically, Lemon Balm was believed to be able to reverse aging (when combined with carbonate of potash). John Hussey of Sydenham, England, who lived to the age of 116, breakfasted for 50 years on balm tea sweetened with honey. Use the crushed leaves as a poultice for sores, swellings and insect bits. The dried leaves produce the lively Melissa herb tea that has a calming effect resulting in a peaceful night's sleep. Recipe's for the featured Herb - Lemon Balm |
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Kim Keckes - Owner & Inspiration of Moondance Organic Gardens 8285 5th Line, Angus, Ontario, L0M 1B1 (Corner of 5th line and 25th Side Road) (705) 424-2606 Page Content and Design By L. Prenty © 2006 / 2007 In support of Healthy living for the mind, body and soul. 08/07/2007 Last revised |
