Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine pumpkin seeds, chili powder, cayenne pepper, coarse salt, and fresh lime juice; toss to coat. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet; bake until puffed and browned, about 10 minutes. (Source)

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Maple Spice Pumpkin Seeds

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 cups raw whole pumpkin seeds, washed and dried
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon allspice
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large skillet over medium-low heat, melt the butter, then stir in the seeds. Cook, stirring constantly, until the seeds turn slightly brown in color, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Drain off any excess butter, and stir in the cinnamon, allspice, and maple syrup until the seeds are thoroughly coated with spices. Spread the seeds out onto the prepared baking sheet

Bake in the preheated oven until crisp and golden brown, stirring every 10 minutes, for 30 to 45 total minutes of baking time. (Source)

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Caramelized Pumpkin Seeds

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 to 2 cups fresh pumpkin seeds (cleaned and patted dry)
• 2 to 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• A pinch of kosher salt
• Olive oil cooking spray

Instructions:

Place pumpkin seeds in a dry non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Toast them in the pan, constantly shifting them around so that they roast evenly and don’t stick to the pan. When they start to pop and peel, take one out and taste it (make sure it’s cool enough first). If it’s crunchy it’s done. Turn the heat down to low and spray the seeds with olive oil cooking spray and then spoon sugar into pan and stir seeds up as sugar melts and sticks to the seeds. Turn heat off and sprinkle with salt. Let cool and serve! (Source)

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Kombucha cultures typically contains many strains of beneficial yeasts that turn sugar into alcohol. One particular strain of bacteria, Gluconacetobacter xylinus ferments the alcohol from the yeast into acetic acid. This lowers the alcohol content in the Kombucha and increases the probiotic metabolite content. Learn more about Kombucha

Kombucha Tea Recipe – 1-Gallon

Scale up or down depending on the size of your vessel

Supplies

• 1 cup sugar
• 4-6 bags tea –  for loose leaf, 1 bag of tea = 1 tsp
• Kombucha Starter Culture – SCOBY
• 1 cup starter liquid
• purified/bottled water
• tea kettle
• brewing vessel
• cloth cover
• rubber band

Steps

1. Boil 4 cups of water.
2. Add hot water & tea bags to pot or brewing vessel.
3. Steep 5-7 minutes, then remove tea bags.
4. Add sugar and stir to dissolve.
5. Fill vessel most of the way with purified water, leaving just 1-2 inches from the top for breathing room with purified cold water.
6. Add SCOBY and starter liquid.
7. Cover with cloth cover and secure with the rubber band.
8. Say a prayer, send good vibes, commune with your culture (optional but recommended).
9. Set in a warm location out of direct sunlight (unless vessel is opaque).
10. Do not disturb for 7 days.

• After 7 days, or when you are ready to taste your KT, gently insert a straw beneath the SCOBY and take a sip. If too tart, then reduce your brewing cycle next time.  If too sweet, allow to brew for a few more days.  Continue to taste every day or so until you reach your optimum flavor preference. Your own Kombucha Tea Recipe may vary.
• Decant & flavor (optional).
• Drink as desired! Start off with 4-8oz on an empty stomach in the morning, then with meals to help with digestion or as your body tells you it would like some more! Drink plenty of water as it is a natural detoxifyer and you want to flush the newly released toxins out.

(Recipe Source)

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What you need:

For the brine

• 4 cups filtered water
• 10 cloves local garlic
• 2 cups white vinegar
• 6 tsps fine sea salt

Per glass canning jar (I ended up w/ 3 pint sized jars)

• 1 tsp whole black peppercorns
• 1 tsp dill seeds (or fresh dill if your house-sitter didn’t kill it while you were away)
• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 – 2 locally grown organic cucumbers, cut in half and then lengthwise into spears

Simply bring the 4 cups of water to boil, add the garlic, and then simmer for 5 minutes. While you wait, cut the cucumbers and fill each jar with the spices. Once the garlic is cooked, split them evenly amongst your canning jars. Add the vinegar and salt to the cooking water and bring back to a boil until the salt is dissolved (will only take a couple of minutes). While you wait, pack the cucumber spears into the jars tightly. When the brine is ready, pour to the brim of each jar and allow to cool. Cover and refrigerate! These can be eaten after a few hours and will taste even better in the upcoming days. They will last up to 3 months in the fridge, IF you don’t eat them all before then!!

(Source)

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Recipe:

Notes

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Elderberry Syrup

Take a tablespoon daily to ward off illness and a teaspoon every 2-3 hours while sick. For children under 2, add the syrup to hot water to kill any microbes in the honey. You can even drizzle the delicious syrup over pancakes, yogurt, or ice cream!

Elderberry Syrup Recipe

– 1 cup fresh or 1/2 cup dried organic Elderberries (harvest blue or black, avoid poisonous reds)

– 3 cups water

– 1 cup raw local honey

– 1 organic Cinnamon stick, 3 organic Cloves, and organic Ginger (optional)

Place berries, water, and spices in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes. Smash the berries to release remaining juice and strain the mixture. Allow liquid to cool and stir in honey. Will last for 2-3 months stored in the fridge.

The post Elderberry Benefits PLUS a Recipe for Elderberry Syrup appeared first on Grow Real Food — Organic Gardening, Homesteading & Real Food Recipes.

One of the best ways to enjoy the nutrition of a sunflower is by eating its sprouts. Sunflower sprouts boast a surprising 25 percent protein. They are also rich in stress-busting vitamin B and hormone-balancing zinc. Their sweet taste and hearty texture make a great addition to any salad.

Five healthy reasons to eat sunflower sprouts

1. Boost your fertility with sunflower seeds and sprouts: Both sunflower seeds and their sprouts contain high amounts of zinc. Zinc is a well-researched mineral that is essential for the development of sperm, which is why it is especially important for men.

2. Sunflower sprouts are high in B vitamins, especially folate: Folate (or folic acid) is a necessary B vitamin for pregnant women, needed to ensure proper development of the baby’s nervous system. The combination of B vitamins also assists in the mother’s circulation as well as aids in stress relief.

3. Boost your antioxidant capacity with sunflower sprouts: Both sunflower seeds and their sprouts contain high amounts of vitamin E. Vitamin E works synergistically with vitamin C and selenium to reduce blood pressure, increase the elasticity of arteries and prevent heart disease.

4. The sunflower sprout is a natural expectorant for chest congestion: In Ayurvedic medicine, these sprouts are thought to have the ability to encourage clearance of the lungs. Natural expectorants may also be used as a preventative measure against lower respiratory infections to deter the invasion of pathogens.

5. Sunflower seed sprouts are a great vegetarian source of protein: Protein is well known for its ability to repair muscle tissue and aid in enzymatic functions in the body. But protein is also important in bone development and the prevention of osteoporosis, as it acts as the fundamental framework for the development of the bone matrix and continues to support bone strength throughout life.

Sprout to life shake
Sprouts are a live food, which makes many nutrients more available for digestion and assimilation. Sunflower seed sprouts are rich in B vitamins and essential amino acids — precisely the nutrients your adrenal glands need to work at their optimum. Cleansing your tissues is more important for stress reduction than many people realize. If your cells are struggling to function because they are full of toxins, then you will be less resilient to stress, be it psychological, physical, or environmental.

Ingredients:
2 cups (500 mL) filtered water
1 cup (250 mL) apple cider or juice
1 cup (250 mL) fresh pineapple, sliced
1 cup (125 mL) sunflower seed sprouts
2 tbsp (30 g) hemp or sunflower seeds
1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice

Directions:
Add all ingredients to a blender, and mix until desired consistency is reached.
Makes 4 cups

Sunflower sprouts are also easy to grow indoors. Soak one cup of unhulled, natural and unroasted sunflower seeds overnight in a mason jar. Place a planting tray with holes onto a solid tray to ensure good drainage. Fill the planting tray with an inch of dirt, watering it well. Drain your soaked sunflower seeds, and spread them over the dirt in an even layer. Cover the seeds with an unbleached wet paper towel — this keeps the seeds moist and in the dark while they sprout. When the sprouts reach an inch tall (about two days), you can take off the cover and put them next to a sunny window. The sunlight will help create the bright green chlorophyll.

Be careful to keep them moist, but don’t over water them or you may encourage mold to grow. In one week your sunflower sprouts will be ready to harvest! If your house is cold, it may take an extra day for the sprouts to reach maturity.

(Source)

The post 5 Health Benefits of Eating Sunflower Sprouts (Plus a Juice Recipe) appeared first on Grow Real Food — Organic Gardening, Homesteading & Real Food Recipes.

Do you use your freezer to preserve herbs, vegetables, or fruit? The freezer can be a powerful, overlooked method of preserving. Pesto, strawberry puree, tomato soup — stash them away now for colder times! One of my favorite ingredients, a handful of fresh herbs from the garden, is one of the simplest things to preserve in the freezer, and I just learned a new, better way to freeze herbs: In oil!

8 Steps for Freezing Herbs in Oil

1. Choose firm, fresh herbs, ideally from the market or your own garden.
2. If you wish, you can chop them fine. Or leave them in larger sprigs and leaves. Here I froze a combination of finely-chopped and whole herbs such as rosemary, fennel stalk, sage, and oregano.
3. Pack the wells of ice cube trays about 2/3 full of herbs.
4. You can mix up the herbs, too; think about freezing a mix of sage, thyme, and rosemary to add to winter roast chickens and potatoes!
5. Pour extra-virgin olive oil or melted, unsalted butter over the herbs.
6. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and freeze overnight.
7. Remove the frozen cubes and store in freezer containers or small bags.
8. Don’t forget to label each container or bag with the type of herb (and oil) inside!

(Source)

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This is such a fun idea from PrudentBaby.com for turning a regular watermelon into a beautiful drink dispenser that will amaze your friends and family at your next party.

It’s simple and really cheap to make, requires only a few tools and makes a great DIY project to do with your kids. Plus you can turn the scooped out watermelon fruit into a delicious Agua Fresca drink – with vodka if it’s only for adults!

Get the full tutorial to make this watermelon keg and Agua Fresca drink…

VIEW THE STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE @ PRUDENTBABY.COM

The post Learn How to Make a Watermelon Keg appeared first on Grow Real Food — Organic Gardening, Homesteading & Real Food Recipes.

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Total Time: 15 min

Prep: 15 min

Yield: 4 servings

Level: Easy

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Directions

Thinly slice 10 ounces snow peas lengthwise. Toss with 2 thinly sliced celery ribs (add the leaves, too) and some toasted walnuts. Dress with olive oil and lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper. Gently stir in a thinly sliced avocado and minced chives.

Food Network / Photograph by Antonis Achilleos

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