Linda Hoye's Blog, page 179

Moroccan Preserved Lemons

When I first heard about Moroccan Preserved Lemons I was intrigued. They sounded exotic, a unique ingredient to use in new recipes, and simple to make. I had to try them.

It was mid-October when I posted a photo of the mason jar with preserved lemons that I had just assembled on Facebook. The response was immediate. Some people had purchased them at specialty food stores, loved them, and wanted to know how to make them. Some had never heard of them but found the concept interesting. Some thought I had gone over the edge in my desire to preserve food and wondered why in the world I’d be preserving lemons!

Fast forward three months and I’ve used the entire jar of preserved lemons up and have just started a new batch. We love their unique flavour and I’ve used them in various ways over the past few months.

Here’s the how-to:

Prepare a quart-sized mason jar by washing it well and putting a tablespoon or so of kosher salt in the bottom.

I use six fresh lemons for one jar. Some recipes advise using Meyer lemons, others prefer regular lemons. I used regular lemons.

Wash them well and cut off the ends as shown in the photograph below.

Cut each lemon into quarters–not quite all the way through. Put about a tablespoon of kosher salt in the middle and squeeze the lemon together. Make sure you do this over a bowl because you’ll end up with lemon juice when you squeeze the lemons and you don’t want to lose it.

Put each lemon in the mason jar as you go. Smoosh them down after you add each lemon to begin extracting juice from the lemons. I use the muddler I bought last summer to make mojitos with.

Continue adding lemons and juice, smooshing until the lemons are covered by juice. If you don’t find that you have enough juice to cover the lemons–and it’s important that they are all covered–you can add a bit of bottled organic lemon juice or boiled water. I’ve always gotten enough juice from the lemons and haven’t had to do this.

Add a tablespoon or so more of the kosher salt to the top of the jar and put the lid on.

In order to ensure the lemons are completely submerged I add a couple of non-metalic things like porcelain chopstick rests to the top of the lemons such that the lid smushes them down submerging the lemons.

Leave the jar on the counter for a about a month checking now and then to make sure the lemons remain submerged by juice, and periodically tip the jar up and down to combine the salt.

Using The Preserved Lemons

After a month when you’re ready to use them, take the desired amount of lemon out, run it under cool water to rinse off the salt and remove the pulp and enjoy!

I read conflicting opinions about whether or not you should refrigerate the lemons after the one month fermenting period. Some folks refrigerate them, some wait until they get the flavour they like (the flavour continues to change over time), and others just leave them on the counter. I chose to leave them on my counter over the entire three-month period I used them and they were fine. If it was the middle of summer and my house was not air-conditioned I may choose to refrigerate them.

They last a long time–a year or two I read–but I can’t seem them ever lasting that long in our house. Stay tuned for future posts about how I used them.

Photo Friday – Tulips

I picked up a small bunch of tulips this week and that little $3 bundle provided lots of photographic inspiration. Here’s a sampling of what I’ve been playing around with.

Anything

This piece was originally published in the 2014 edition of True Words from Real Women, the annual anthology of life writing by the women of the Story Circle Network.

It is early morning and the three of us sit side by side: mother, daughter, and granddaughter. We are perched on the edge of my daughter’s new-to-her sofa, recently purchased then shampooed and shampooed again. We are peering at our smart phones, which are propped up on the also new-to-her coffee table. These ordinary pieces of furniture are symbolic of a fresh start and a strong determination.

There is no wi-fi in her apartment; the internet is scheduled to be connected later today. We have been relying on our smart phones to connect us to the web, ever conscious of how much data we’re using.

“How much data do you think it would take to play a music video?” my daughter asked a few minutes earlier, at the exact moment I invited her to join me on the sofa saying, “Come sit down; I want you to watch something.”

We laughed at the fact that our minds were going in the same direction. Courage. Strength. A need to get “pumped up” before we headed out the door.

From the time my eyes first opened this morning I have been thinking about how to help impart strength to her for what lies ahead. It came to me as a whisper, a lyric, a song I remember from many years ago. Funny how, at the same time, my daughter realized, too, that she needed music to empower her.

“I don’t care how much data it will take. Let’s do this,” I tell her. So the three of us sit together and I queue up the song on my phone.

“Listen to the words,” I tell her. “Just listen to the words.”

Helen Reddy begins to perform the anthem of a generation, a song I hadn’t cared for when I was young. But I had listened to it again recently, and the words had resonated. The message is one I believe for myself. I want her to internalize it as well.

You can bend but never break me…

I come back even stronger…

If I have to, I can do anything.

I am strong. I am invincible. I am woman.

We listen together. I watch her face. She listens, she nods, she understands.

Then it’s her turn. She starts a song for her generation performed by a group I am unfamiliar with, Hedley. The music is different, not something I would choose to listen to, but the message is similar. I can do anything.

My granddaughter bops and sings along with her mommy; she knows the song, too. Daughter and granddaughter have sung these words together often over the past few days.

You can do anything. Silently I pray that the music will help my daughter find the strength she needs for today and the days to come; and that my granddaughter will grow up strong and independent, knowing she can do anything, as a result of the difficult choices her mommy is making now.

Later, my daughter checks herself in the mirror, as we get ready to head out for the day.

“Hold your head high,” I remind her. “Stand strong.”

Her spine straightens; she stands taller.

“I can do this. I can do anything.” She repeats the lyrics of her song and she smiles.

“You are strong. You are invincible. You are woman,” I agree. “You can do anything.”

We head out the door, taking another step on her journey, doing what she needs to do to ensure safety and sanctuary for herself and her daughter. She takes a path she would not have chosen but that she is faced with nonetheless, on a road that will call upon her to dig deeper than she has ever had to before, and to muster strength she never knew she was capable of.

She is strong. She can do anything. I am so proud of her.

Introduction to Essential Oils and a Giveaway

Disclosure: I received a sample of this product for review purposes. The opinions are mine based on my experience with the product. I received no financial compensation for this review. This post contains affiliate links.

In December I was contacted by Heather Gibson of My Health Empowered asking if I would be interested in trying doTERRA essential oils and writing about my experience. I am always interested in natural health solutions and have been wanting to learn more about the potential benefits of essential oils and how they can be used, so I thanked Heather and told her I would be delighted to try them.

Heather provided me with some background information and a webcast class so I could begin learning about the oils while waiting for them to arrive. In addition to reviewing the material provided by Heather I spent a lot of time reviewing various websites and I checked out some books from the library, including The Healing Intelligence of Essential Oils: The Science of Advanced Aromatherapy, that were not associated with any single brand of oil, to help me learn more.

Heather’s package included three 5ml bottles of oils: lavender, lemon, and peppermint. (You can enter a drawing to receive the same kit I received and sign up for some informational webinars here.) She also included couple of sample packets of a product called Deep Blue Rub and some helpful literature.

How to use essential oils

There are three ways to use essential oils: topically, aromatically, and internally. The first thing to understand is that a little goes a long way–usually only a couple of drops are used at a time. Essential oils are powerful and should not be used frivolously.

Topically, some oils can be used “neat” which means they can be applied undiluted to the skin. Other oils are considered “hot” and should be diluted with a carrier oil such as olive oil, coconut oil, or a variety of other oils.

Perhaps the most common way essential oils are used is aromatically. This can be done in a variety of ways like using a diffuser (I use this one), applying a few drops of oil to a cotton ball or other fabric and inhaling, or inhaling them right from the bottle they are stored in.

There are differing opinions about whether or not one should use oils internally. In fact, many oils are designated as GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) by the Food and Drug Administration in small doses. doTERRA labels their oils to indicate whether they are recommended to be ingested and the oils I received were all labeled as safe for internal use. Based on that, and other literature I read, I felt comfortable ingesting small amounts (a single drop in a glass of water) of the lemon and peppermint oils. (I wasn’t uncomfortable about ingesting the lavender oil, I just didn’t have a need to try it.)

Here’s how I used the oils Heather provided. You can click on the name of the oil to get more information about benefits and suggested uses for one. I’ve also included links to YouTube videos that give more information about how each oils can be used.

Peppermint (Mentha piperita)

This oil has a wonderful clear and crisp scent. I used it first thing in the morning by putting a drop on my hand, rubbing it in, and sitting quietly breathing it in. It was a great way to get energized for the day. Mid-morning or mid-afternoon, when energy levels sometimes were at a low (and yet there were still things to do!), a drop of this behind each ear or inhaled from the bottle gave me an added boost of energy. I also used this oil neat on my stomach for intestinal upset and heartburn and hubby used one drop in a glass of water for indigestion.

Lemon (Citrus limon)

Most often I used this by putting a single drop in a glass of ice water. Used this way it is supposed to detoxify and cleanse. I can’t prove that it did that–but I enjoyed the flavour boost to the water. Lemon is a powerful cleansing agent and I mixed up a cleaning solution of water, vinegar, and the oil that worked great all around the house. I especially enjoyed using it in the kitchen as it left a clean and fresh smell. I don’t know about you, but I like the idea of cleaning with something that is safe enough that I can ingest it too.

Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)

If I could only have one oil this would be the one. One drop of lavender oil on a burn received while cooking instantly took the pain away and repeat applications helped quicken the healing process. I also used a drop on minor cuts and scrapes various times with the same effect.

A few drops of oil in a bath was relaxing and soothing on cold winter days and I used it aromatically the same way I used the peppermint when I was stressed or in need of calming. Having read that lavender was useful for a good night’s sleep I tried it a couple of ways. I used a few drops on the soles of my feet or a drop on my pillowcase but didn’t notice any real effect. Then, I bought a diffuser and began using three or four drops in it when we went to bed every night. Used this way it I found that it helped me relax faster and I slept better.

Deep Blue Rub

This topic cream is infused with oils like wintergreen, camphor, peppermint, blue tansy, blue chamomile, helichrysum, and osmanthus and I loved it. I regularly experience back problems and recently I twisted the wrong way when I was taking photos resulting in pain in my upper and lower back. This cream helped immensely. Pleasant smell–reminiscent of a toothpaste I used as a child–and it provided a warm sensation similar to other rubs I’ve used but stronger. It eased the discomfort quickly and kept it away.

Conclusion

I was very impressed with the doTERRA oils: the pure, clean, strong smell of each one, and with how they performed for the purpose I used them. Thanks very much to Heather Gibson for the opportunity to try them. Heather is providing an opportunity for you to enter a raffle to win the same Intro Kit that I received as well as register for a free webinar. Learn more about this here.

Contact Heather at myhealthempowered@gmail.com, learn more about doTERRA or order oils here.

Personally, I am continuing to learn more about essential oils in general and how I can best use them for our own situation. I’ll share more about my journey now and then.

Be Still – Fifty Two: Waiting for Spring

It’s a quiet Saturday afternoon. Gerry is out hiking and I’m settled in my woman cave listening to the smooth sounds of Mary Chapin Carpenter and working on my photography assignment.

Gerry brought home daffodils this week. They’re the perfect subject to work with on this February day when I’m pining for spring.

I hope you’re enjoying your weekend as much as I am mine.

Weekend Reading – February 6

Gerry brought home daffodils this week. Can spring be far behind?

In some ways it’s hard to believe it’s already February. Groundhog Day has come and gone and the groundhogs have not agreed on whether we’re in for an early spring or six more weeks of winter. Canada’s “official’ weather prognosticator, Wiarton Willie, did not see his shadow and therefore predicted that the warm weather is right around the corner.

Looking outside at the snow that fell this week casts significant doubt on his ability to see into see into the future though. Talking with my daughter in Northern British Columbia further taints Willie’s abilities as she described road closures as result of the massive snowfall overnight–and more on the way. I’m still choosing to believe that winter is on its way out I’ll be getting pedicures and going barefoot very soon; denial can be a beautiful thing.

Meanwhile here are few interesting tidbits from around the web I came across this week. I hope you enjoy them.

I’ve been trying out a few essential oils recently and found this article about how Essential Oils Might Be the New Antibiotics very interesting.

Looking to simplify and get back to the basics? Here are 10 habits you should pick up from your grandmother.

Plastic: A Bunch of Seriously Good Reasons to Just Say No

10 High-Fat Foods That Are Actually Super Healthy

I loved this perspective by Australian blogger, Rhonda Hetzel, about House Work

Happy Friday and Happy Weekend!

Winter Sowing

“To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.” ~ Audrey Hepburn

It seems that as soon as the calendar turned to 2015 my mind turned toward gardening. With the holidays behind us, I began looking at photographs of last year’s garden, browsing online seed catalogs making plans for this year’s garden. With every meal I prepared using ingredients preserved from last year’s bounty my desire to get my hands dirty grew ever stronger.

I came across a couple of articles that reminded me of a project I’ve been wanting to try and I knew it was time to get growing. Winter sowing is placing seeds outside, in the winter, in mini-greenhouses made from things like empty milk jugs. The plastic jugs protect the seeds from harsh weather while allowing the cold to toughen them up during the cold weather. When it gets warm enough inside of the little greenhouses the seeds germinate and become viable outdoor plants sooner than those started indoors because there’s no need to harden off the plants.

I spent a beautiful sunny Saturday morning browsing through my seed collection considering which seeds to start with first. I decided on a couple of varieties of lettuce and one type of marigold because, left to seed, these plants will come back as “volunteers” in the garden the next year. I also chose peas because they’re one of the first seeds to be planted in an early spring garden.

Then I retrieved a few of the milk jugs I’ve been saving over the winter and cut them around the middle, just below the handle, leaving a couple of inches to make a hinge. Then, using a small knife, I poked about twelve holes in the bottom of each jug and a couple on each side about an inch from the bottom. Then I added a few inches of potting soil and water to moisten the soil until it ran out of the drainage holes.

Finally it was time to plant! The method of planting for winter sowing is slightly different from that used in traditional planting in that the seeds are left on top of the soil–except for the peas which I covered with about an eighth of an inch of soil.

The smell of the soil, the sense of my hands in the dirt, the hope that planting a seed evokes, were just the thing to chase away the winter doldrums. They’re forecasting snow for tomorrow. No matter. There may be snow on the ground and spring may still be a few weeks away but I’ve started my garden.

I’ll probably do a few more of these mini-greenhouses in the coming weeks and I’ll keep you posted on the progress of this little project as time goes by.

Read more about winter sowing here and here. You can Google “winter sowing” too as there’s lots of information out there on the topic.

UPDATE: I composed this post on a sunny Saturday afternoon right after putting the mini-greenhouses outside. This is what it looked like the next day–yesterday. See my little blue bin buried under the snow? Seems that winter is not quite ready to go away just yet.

Photo Friday – Gather

This week in the Be Still – Fifty Two class we’re gathering props and thinking about our personal photography style.

You know you’ve been smitten with the photography bug when your hubby comes home with some wilted and fading flowers (at your request) and you’re thrilled!

This morning, when the light was best, I played around with a few still life shots using things I had gathered from around the house and this afternoon I added the flowers Gerry brought home.

I’m looking forward to experimenting more throughout the week. For now, I’m pleased with these simple and calm images. What do you think?

Moving Forward Through Uncharted Waters

It was still dark and the house was silent at 6:30 this morning as I stood in the kitchen forming dough into a ball and setting it on parchment paper to rise. Gerry was out to a men’s meeting and I had just put a cup of soy milk in the microwave to warm for my second up of coffee. As I puttered I ruminated on some words I had just read in a blog I came across this morning. Before I tell you about the new blog let me back up just a bit.

I turned fifty-six a couple of days ago. In the days–no weeks–leading up to my birthday I found myself blanketed with a melancholy that often finds me when my birthday looms. I wrote about it here in here and here and in an article at Adoption Voices Magazine but this year it seemed worse. As I neared my fifty-sixth birthday I found myself thinking about my (adoptive) mom and the fact that I was having a birthday she never got the opportunity to enjoy as she died suddenly at age fifty-five. I was now officially older than my mom had ever been.

These thoughts sent me into a bit of a tailspin.

The fact that Mom died so young has been a driving force for me throughout my life. Her death, when I was in my early twenties, propelled me to return to school and ultimately to embark on a career that blessed me with a good measure of financial security. The blunt realization of how fleeting life is helped me to make the difficult decision to leave an abusive marriage. The tragedy that she never had an opportunity to enjoy life in her senior years led me to retire last year as soon as I was eligible. Now, as I pass the age she attained I find myself without a beacon and I feel set adrift as I ponder what comes next.

This morning I stumbled upon about Kathy Merlino’s  Kathy’s Retirement Blog, and her thoughts on the Stages of Retirement. As we come upon the one year anniversary of our own retirement, relocation, and repatriation the idea that there are different stages to this retirement journey resonates for me.

Life over this past year has not been what I envisioned. I don’t, by now, have a second book drafted even though I do have a fairly comprehensive outline on my desk. I’ve spent much more time in the kitchen over the past year than I imagined and found a sense of satisfaction in canning and preserving food that has me pondering writing an ebook on the subject.

As we begin this new year, and I step over the threshold into the years that go beyond the example I had in my mom I find myself with a sense of trepidation about what comes next. I don’t know the answer but I know the One who does and that helps. Reading about the experiences and thoughts of others is also helpful and that’s why I’m pleased to have stumbled on this new blog this morning. It’s also another of the reasons I appreciate the technology that allows us to connect with people and ideas we might otherwise not be exposed to. It helps us feel less alone when we find ourselves standing in the precipice of the unknown.

Since I retired I haven’t thought much about the job I left but last night I dreamed about work and a huge project that had been near and dear to my heart. In my dream, I sat in a room learning about changes being made to project leadership, shaking my head and believing they were doomed to fail, but with a sense of detachment instead of the gnawing pain in my gut that I experienced so often when I was in the thick of it.

I gently surfaced into wakefulness, bringing with me the memories of the dream, and I was relieved those days are behind me. Then, as I read and sipped coffee in bed, I came across a few articles that reminded me how blessed I am to have the opportunity to live this simple life we have chosen and to focus on passions and pursuits that fulfill.

It’s an opportunity my mom never had. So, as I move forward through uncharted waters I do it with her in my mind and my heart, embracing, with gratitude, the gift of every day.

Meatless Monday – Simple Spaghetti Squash Supper

One of the great things about winter squash is that it keeps for a long time without any care other than storing it in a cool place. I’ve got a handful of butternut and spaghetti squash in my laundry room–since it seems to be the coolest room in the house right now. The other night I prepared a quick meal with one of the spaghetti squash and a jar of my homemade spaghetti sauce.

First, I cut the squash in half lengthwise and put the halves cut side down in a half-inch or so of water and cooked them in the microwave until they were tender.

Then, I divided the squash among four oven-safe dishes (I love my Fiesta ware! It’s pretty and oven safe!) and spooned some homemade spaghetti sauce evenly over each of the dishes.

Finally, I added grated mozzarella cheese and put all of the dishes on a large cookie sheet for easy transport to and from the oven. I popped them in at 350 degrees until the cheese was melted and bubbling.

This makes a great meal one night and, since I cooked four of them, lunch the next day. Well, unless we are super hungry and consume it all at supper. This is a simple, delicious, and healthy meal that is reminiscent of the summer garden. You can’t ask for much more than that!