Bounty of the Day

I want to say a big thank you to all of my new followers. You are all appreciated. I hope you will not just pass by once but come again and come often.  It would be great too if you leave comments. I promise, I'll be sure to do the same. I believe in taking time to comment if I'm going to take time to read your post, and if I follow you, I will read your posts.

"Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all for the glory of God." 

1 Cor. 10:31

Tuesday was the big shop day of the week. I purchased all kinds of vegetables (veggies), except lettuce and cabbage which I can pick up later in the week or when I need them.

As you can see by the photos, I bought a lot of fruits: cherries, bananas, papaya, lemons, limes and a few mandarin oranges (not in photo). The cherries were a great price at $1.99 a pound at my local produce market.  That is a significant savings over the price at the start of the season when they were almost $6.00 a pound!  Needless to say, I did not buy them at that price.  I'm so glad to be able to buy them now because cherries are one of my favourite fruits.  Did you know that cherries have a low glycemic load of 22 and are considered good for diabetics?

I usually wash my vegetables just prior to using them in a salad or in a recipe.  But Tuesday I decided to wash everything excluding the carrots immediately after dinner.  Now all the vegetables are nice and clean and ready for use in juices, salads and other dishes. It feels like I really accomplished something, lol.

In the photo below, I'm using big bowls in the sink  for soaking spinach in vinegar water (left), and rinsing, in the yellow bowl (right).

At the end of last week I got a great bargain on the strawberries.  I paid $2.00 for 2 quarts or a dollar a quart.  I think it was because they were from a batch that were starting to go a bit bad.  The price of a quart is usually double the cost if you buy them in a small produce store and even more if you purchase them from the supermarket.  You can get them cheaper if you are willing to buy them in flats at big box stores (imported), or if you buy local by going out to the farms in the area where you  pay a premium price.  I don't get to these types of places very often and I shop mostly at the local shops in my neighbourhood.

My intention is to make sugar free, freezer jam from the strawberries so I  washed and hulled them all before they spoiled.  Amazingly not one strawberry was turning bad. I ran out of time after all this work so I just sliced the berries and set them in the fridge for making jam later.  It will be good on home made bread, waffles or pancakes.

Great buys were also available this week on meat and the prices much lower than they have been in a long while.  Lean ground beef was  $2.48 a pound ($5.47 /kg.), chicken legs were $1.98 per pound ($4.37 /kg.), a package of frozen basa fish fillets (about 4) was aprox. $4.00 and a medium size bag of  frozen prawns (bottom left of the photo below with the blue label) was $3.99, the pork butt roast was $2.68 a pound ($5.91 /kg.) and a whole roasting chicken was about $7.00.  The roasting chicken is not in the photo because we had it for dinner that night, with leftovers for the next day's lunch.

I always buy a  larger roast and cut it into two roasts or one smaller roast and stir fry meat. I also repackage chicken legs and ground beef into appropriate meal amounts.

All the food purchased today cost about $108 and it will feed two people for two to three weeks. I already have sweet potatoes, potatoes, pasta, brown rice, dried legumes and grains, milk, home made bread, canned tomatoes and beans. etc.

I will need to buy extra veggies, fruits, milk and eggs;  but otherwise I have much of my monthly shopping done.

I feel very blessed this week. 

So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content.

1 Timothy 6:8

Pow-Wow Drums and Cho Cho Fire

In last Sunday's post, I mentioned the Canadian and Australian aboriginal entertainers and artists who participated in this year's annual live show in celebration of Canada's National Aboriginal Day.  One such performer was the legendary Buffy Sainte-Marie,who, at the age of 71, still has more energy and vibrancy than many artists half her age.  Buffy is an internationally known Aboriginal activist, musician, educator and artist. I had the pleasure of meeting her once many years ago at a conference. I was struck by how tiny she is.  She is short but also very petite and much prettier in person.  (Read more about her by clicking on her name in the sentence above).

She has many songs that I love; Piney Wood Hills and Darling Don't Cry, among them.  The one I'm sharing with you today is one of her newer compositions, "Cho Cho Fire".  The drums she is referring to in the song are the pow-wow drums which are played by groups of singers.

Photo Credit:  Tribal Spirit

You can read more about the drum and can also buy one if interested, at the Tribal Spirit website.

Songwriter: BUFFY SAINTE MARIE

Ooo you better wake up
Man it's like you're dead and gone
See you movin around the same ole neighborhood
Same ol thoughts in your head spin around

Oh I know that you're a city boy
But if you got a chance to go - ah - ah
Would you come out to a new world
I promise that I'll take it slow - ah - ah

Aya Aya Are you ready?
Aya Aya Come on now
Aya Aya It's a new world
Aya Aya Cho cho fire
Aya Aya Listen to the drum beat
Aya Aya That's my heartbeat
Aya Aya Have a little fun now
Aya Aya Cho cho fire

Look like you're burnin out to me Babe
No good to nobody no how
Think you need a new experience
Need a little powwow in your soul

See the people get excited
Know the best is yet to come
You can see the people gatherin from miles around
See em running for the drum - ah - ah

Aya Aya Are you ready?
Aya Aya Come on now
Aya Aya It's a new world
Aya ay Cho cho fire
Aya Aya Listen to the drum beat
Aya Aya That's your heartbeat
Aya Aya Have a little fun now
Aya Aya Cho cho fire

I noticed that the female back up singers in this video, Soni Moreno and Jennifer Kresiberg, are well known singers in their own right, from the group named Ulali.  I was fortunate to have see them in Vancouver performing with Pura Fé , the third, and also very talented member of Ulali. But I had first heard Pura Fé of the women's trio by the same name, at a pow-wow in Kahnawake, Quebec, many years ago. It was an a capella group, and it was the first time I'd heard an aboriginal a capella group. Since then, many women's groups have sprung up that perform in a similar fashion.  I've always felt that Pura Fé was  a pioneer of some very unique and wonderful music.

There is a terrific video at this link which will bring you up to date on Buffy's latest recording efforts "Running to the Drum" and her new band.

Multi-Grain Bread Made with Soaked Flour

Yesterday I mentioned that I was going to make bread for the first time with soaked flour.  Soaking helps neutralize the phytic acid in the grain and enables your body to better utilize the grain's nutrients.  The flour I used is Robin Hood Multi-grain Flour.

This is what the flour looked like after overnight soaking. My plastic wrap wasn't wrapped tightly over the bowl and so the part at the top was getting a bit hard.

I read on line that you can go ahead and make your regular bread recipe with your soaked flour.  I used this recipe on the Robin Hood website but used multi-grain flour instead of white.

What I discovered is that my dough was far too wet and sticky after mixing to the recipe's ingredients and instructions. I don't know if I somehow added too much water accidentally or if it was because the soak flour was already "wet". In any case, I had to add a lot more flour to get the bread dough to a better consistency.  I added all purpose flour because I didn't want to use multi-grain flour that hadn't been soaked.  After mixing, the dough was still quite soft, but I set it aside with a tea towel over it to let it rise.

The bread looked good after baking.  When I transferred the loaves from the pans to a tea towel for cooling, I could tell that the loaves are might lighter in weight than usual.

When I cut into the bread, it was much softer than usual too.  But there is still enough crunch provided by the seeds on the outer parts of the loaves. 

I will be experimenting from time to time with making bread from soaked multi-grain flour and so next time I will pay attention to how much water I am adding to the flour mixture.

If you haven't already tried soaking your flour and want to give it a try, this is where I got my inspiration from. If you try it, I'd love to hear about your experience.

Monday Morning Mush

Hello friends,

I've started a new (to me) method of cooking my oatmeal. The night before I soak my rolled oats in a container of water.  In the morning I drain the oats in a seive and rinse the starch.  I add the rolled oats to a small pot with enough water to cover the oats, and perhaps an inch more.  Once the water and oats are brought to a boil, I add nuts, berries (fresh, or dried) or raisins.

This morning I added a handful of goji berries (high in vitamins, minerals and amino acids) and a teaspoon or two of cinnamon (high source of manganese, fibre, calcium and iron and good for arthritis and diabetes).  After the mixture has boiled and has cooked enough for me (I like it before it congeals too much), I add a few tablespoons of ground flaxseeds which are a good source of soluble fibre and Omega 3 fatty acid (good for inflammation, diabetes, cholesterol, etc.).

If the taste is not quite sweet enough I might add a teaspoon or two of brown sugar or some milk. Today I ate it with added sugar but no milk.

It's good!

Let me know how you like your mush. Do you soak your oats first?

I think in Africa they soak the grains because every time I've eaten millet the consistency is a bit like my porridge. Soaking the grains is supposed to reduce the phytic acid in the grain so you can more easily digest it and so that your body can better absorb the nutrients. I'm also going to bake my multi-grain bread today, and for the first time I have soaked the flour first. I will be soaking it overnight and make the bread in the morning.

Some web information says you must add acid (like lemon juice, kefir or yogurt) to the soaking solution and others say just add water. I'm just adding water to my oatmeal (and my multi-grain flour). I must say it has improved the taste and texture of my oatmeal.

Aussie Visitor to Aboriginal Day 2012

Since 1996, Canada celebrates National Aboriginal Day on June 21, 2012.  It is a day to recognize and celebrate the culture and contributions of Canada's Aboriginal Peoples, the Indian, Inuit and Metis.

Mostly the celebrations happen in large towns and cities across the country and often includes Aboriginal artists and dancers and activities such as:

• Summer solstice festivals
• Barbecue fundraisers
• Social networking gatherings with traditional and contemporary music, dance and singing
• Sacred fire extinguishing ceremonies
• Traditional feasts, which may include fry bread and moose stew

In addition, the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN), airs a televised special of Aboriginal entertainers for Canadians to watch in the comfort of their homes. Usually this nationally televised program is aired live from Winnipeg, Manitoba at a place called "The Forks", a beautiful part of the city which is down by the riverfront.

Today is June 23, 2012, and right now the national program is being aired from both Winnipeg and Regina, Saskatchewan. It features a variety of talented Aboriginal performers representing the different indigenous people in Canada.  This year's performers are (in no particular order): Inez, Christa Couture, Beatrice Deer, Vince Fontaine & Indian City, Don Amero, Neewa Mason, Pamela Davis, Riva, William Prince, Kashtin and Academy award winner, Buffy Sainte-Marie.  Some of these performers are well known, but others I haven't heard of before and I was blown away by their significant talents. 

The program was even more special to me because the show featured a young rising Aboriginal star from Australia. His name is Adam James and he sings country music. I thought I would share one of his videos with you. The song is called "Who's Counting Anyway". He wrote the song to celebrate the 25th anniversary of his parents. I hope you like it and I hope you will also check out the APTN link and learn more about the country's great Aboriginal entertainers and artists.  The link is set up specifically for the Aboriginal Day celebrations so hopefully it works after the show.

Trying a New Banana Bread Recipe

My regular readers know I often bake Banana Bread. It isn't that I love Banana Bread so much. It is more because I hate to waste food and even though I try very hard to buy just the right amount of bananas, I often don't eat them all before they get overripe. Sometimes I freeze the bananas with skins on for later use when I don't have time or interest in baking the bread. When I make it, I try to give some away or freeze some for another day. There is only so much banana bread a person can eat.

After freezing some bananas last week and having a few more that were beyond eating this week, I decided I needed to bake banana bread once again. I do not really like the recipe I've been using so I took inspiration from a new and delightful blog I've been following called "Food and Thrift".

I didn't follow the original recipe but have made a few adjustments (added oats, oat bran and pecans and omitted the granola and one egg). I've added oats and oat bran to help keep the blood sugar in check. I should really be using whole wheat flour also but I don't have any on hand today.  See the original, rather delicious looking recipe here . 

I think I may at last have found the kind of banana bread recipe for which I've been searching.  One that isn't overly sweet or too "sticky" and has a bit more substance than what I've been used to making.  Next time I can omit the chocolate chips and pecans for an even healthier bread.

The batter has a smooth consistency.

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Banana Bread

¾ cup all purpose flour

1 cup uncooked oats

¼ cup oat bran
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 egg*
3 ripe mashed bananas
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/3 Crisco shortening (you can use oil)
dash of salt
½ cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips
½ chopped pecans

* The original recipe calls for 2 eggs and I think 2 eggs is best to hold the bread together when sliced.

In a small bowl, mash the bananas with a fork or potato masher. In a medium bowl cream the sugar and shortening together, then add the milk and egg. Mix well. In a large bowl, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the liquid mixture to the dry ingredients, then add the bananas, chocolate chips and pecans. Turn the mixture into a bread loaf pan.  If you want, you can sprinkle some chocolate chips on the top. Bake at 350 degrees for the first 30 minutes. Lower the temperature to 325 degrees for an extra 10-30 minutes until the bread is done.

Cooling the banana bread. It looks and smells delicious. Taste test will come after cooling.

To test for doneness, you can press your fingertip gently in the middle of the loaf.  If it springs back and isn't too moist it should be done.  Alternatively, if you have chocolate chips on top like I do, you can insert a toothpick in the middle of the bread.  If it is free of batter (clean) when you pull it out, the bread should be done.

Taste Test: 

This is by far the best banana bread I've ever made or  tasted. It wasn't very sweet and so the chocolate chips did not overpower the bread.  I really enjoyed the addition of the oats and pecans which gave it added crunch.  It was difficult to make "clean" slices of the bread because the chocolate chips melted in my hand and stuck to the bread knife. However if you aren't trying to be dainty for guests, this is probably okay. As for me, I think I will be making this recipe more often and will omit the chocolate chips and substitute walnuts for pecans.  This will reduce calories.

Another Week Ends

Hello everyone,

It is the end of another week. I trust that means that most of you will have a few days off from your usual schedule and will be able to recharge and refresh.

I was out at some large pharmacies late yesterday and decided to take some sky photos while out. The first three photos I am sharing with you were taken in the early evening on West Broadway, west of Cambie Street in Vancouver.

I like the swirling clouds in the sky.  I am not sure what the building with all the round windows is, but I think it is part of the Vancouver General Hospital complex of buildings.

On the opposite side of the street we have these interesting fountain sculptures. These sculptures have been here for years and years. I love the idea of water and fountains on a busy city street but I think it would be nicer if they enhanced the area with more gushing water and public seating so people could sit down and enjoy the sound of water.  There is a restaurant with a patio just behind or beyond the sculptures but it is a little too far away for the patrons to get any benefits of moving water.

These petunias are from my garden. I thought I would see how close I could get to the inside of the flower. My series of photos shows that once I get too close to the center there is not enough light to get a clear photo.  It was just a quick experiment. I'm sure that one can angle the flower petals differently to get better shots or one would need a better camera.

Please join in and see what others are doing for SkyWatch Friday and Floral Friday Fotos. 

Have a wonderful weekend!