I just got in from a Cross Country ski with my best friend, my dog Dio. It is a really briskly cold day. Just looking at this picture of fiery Cayenne Peppers is helping me warm up.

Cat Grass

Ever notice your cat eating grass outdoors during the warmer months?

You can grow grass inside for your special kitty during the winter months.

Cat grass is usually a cereal grass such as oat or barley. It is thought that cats supplement their diet with grass to encourage proper digestion, help expel hairballs and for extra nutrients their diet may be lacking. Whatever the reason,  cat grass is extremely easy to grow and your kitty will let you know immediately whether they have any interest in the grass or not. If your cat is, unfortunately, attracted to eating house plants that may even be toxic to them, the cat grass could be a good distraction for them. My cats seem to explore the grass on a daily basis either eating a few spears, rubbing their face on it or just smelling it. They seem to like having pots of their own grass around. To grow cat grass you simply fill a pot with soil and either sprinkle the seeds loosely on top or cover with a small amount of soil. Either way works well but I like to cover the seeds with a small amount of soil to help hold them in the pot when the cats are grazing. Moisten the soil and put in a somewhat sunny location and it will start to sprout within days. I always start more than one pot at a time to have a constant supply.

Wait until the grass is about 4-5 inches high before serving to your feline friends.

This is the stalk of our 9ft sunflower. We haven't had one that tall since. Last year I went the opposite way with dwarf Teddy Bear Sunflowers. 

Teddy Bear Sunflowers.

Breakfast

Split Green Pea Soup.

Hyacinths.

More Daylilies.

Winter Newsletter.

With every season I send out a newsletter to my clients. It's just a quick update on what is available this time of year, some ideas and some recipes. Here is a sample of my newsletter for the Winter season. 

January 15, 2011

J.Phallen MacKinnon R.H.N.C., Lifestyle and Nutrition Coaching.
     (902) 735-3134

Winter Newsletter

Now that Christmas has passed and we have all had more than our share of good and not so good food, we are looking to get back into a routine. New Years Resolutions are made and the promise of a New Year and new beginnings stirs ideas of reform. Food wise this is one of the hardest periods to eat mostly local and seasonal foods unless you've done some preparation over the summer and winter months. No need to worry though, with some creativity and exploration you can prepare lots of food this time of year. Root vegetables keep really well this time of year, especially if kept in a root cellar or cold room. We keep our carrots, parsnips and turnips in the ground, cover them with a mulch and dig them up as we need them. Unfortunately not all root vegetables can be kept this way. Potatoes and beets need to be taken inside for storage. Winter squash like Butternut, Acorn and Hubbard all store really well and make terrific soups, stews and even pasta sauces. Pumpkins also store well if the stem is cut as close to the plant as possible. Onions, shallots and garlic all store well if dried properly and add lots of flavour to all kinds of dishes. It won't be long until we're able to plant things again in the cold frame. If the weather is similar at all to last years, we should be able to plant starting in March. You can also grow sprouts indoors on your windowsill during the winter months for garnishing soups, stews and other dishes or a small sprout salad. I simply use a mason jar, a clean piece of some kind of screen or mesh material, the sprouting seeds and water. There are all kind of sprouts you can purchase from businesses that sell seeds or your local health food store. Sprouts aren't just for sandwiches, try them in all kinds of recipes with vegetables, legumes or eggs and meat. You can spice up a meal by adding some preserves made from summer's bounty. Like home made salsas, chutneys, relishes, sauerkraut and preserved vegetables. If you didn't have the time or resources to make your own preserves this year you may be able to purchase some made by members of your community. It may become harder to obtain farm fresh eggs soon as Hens will naturally slow down their egg production during this time of year. Some will pickle eggs for this reason.

Root Vegetable Salad

Almost like a cole slaw, this makes a great side dish.

3 large carrots, grated     
2 medium sized beet, grated
1/2-1 cup shredded cabbage (optional)

Dressing: Quick tip, don't make the dressing in the serving bowl as I find the amount needed varies depending on size of veg.

2 tbsp. Apple Cider, white wine, balsamic or favourite vinegar. (Lemon can be substituted for vinegar)
2 tsp dijon mustard
1/4 cup Olive, hemp, flax or favourite oil.
Salt and pepper, garlic and herbs to taste.
Mix together well either with a fork, whisk or by shaking in a closed lid jar.

Mix together grated vegetables in one bowl and
drizzle with dressing. Adjust flavours to taste.
Serve immediately or allow the flavours to mingle in the fridge.

Green Split Pea Soup

One of my favourite soups and so simple to make. I can usually make this for supper in 45 minutes.

2-3 tbsp butter or oil
1 small-med sized onion
1 large carrot diced
1/4-1/2 inch fresh grated ginger root
8 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1 1/2 cups dry green split peas
1 potato, scrubbed and diced
1 tsp powdered rosemary or 1 sprig fresh diced
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp sea salt and pepper
1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
tamari and cayenne pepper to taste (optional)

In a soup pot, heat the butter over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot and ginger. Saute until the onions are soft. Add the stock and green split peas. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for half an hour or until peas are almost cooked. Add potato and remaining ingredients. Cook for another 15 minutes. Remove bay leaf and garnish
with a sprig of rosemary or a slice of lemon.

Winter Thyme Roasted Free Range Chicken

Winter Thyme grows under the snow. If there isn't too much snow you should be able to dig some up. If it is an impossible task you can use dried. 

1 Free range chicken
Several bunches of winter thyme, lightly rubbed in your hands to release fragrance and flavour.
1 storage onion        2-3 cloves garlic        dried or fresh rosemary
Carrots and Parsnips

Cut the carrots and parsnips into same size pieces either coins, sticks or on a bias. You just want to make sure they are similar in size and shape so they will cook properly.
Line the bottom of your roasting pan with the parsnips and carrots. Place the chicken breast up in the roasting pan. Stuff with the onion, garlic and most of the thyme. Season the top of the chicken with salt and pepper, the remainder of the thyme, the dried or fresh rosemary and extra onions and garlic if desired. Roast at 300 degrees keeping the lid on the entire time until chicken is well done using a meat thermometer to gage it's progress.
Allow the chicken to rest about 10-15 minutes before carving to redistribute the juices.

Mixed Roasted Vegetables

You can add any flavours to this you would like. Fresh or dried herbs like thyme, rosemary, basil and oregano, garlic, lemon or even, as a real treat, a small drizzle of maple syrup.

You can use any combination of the following,
Garlic, Onions, Leeks, Carrots, Parsnips, Turnips, Beets, Sweet Potato, Potato and Celery root.

Chop the vegetables into about 1 inch sized pieces, keeping all the vegetables roughly the same size will ensure they all cook the same.
Toss the vegetables with either coconut oil, you may have to melt it in a little warm water first,  or cold pressed sunflower oil. Place in a roasting dish with a lid and roast at 350 degrees for about an hour.
 You can take the lid off towards the end of cooking, for about 15 minutes, and turn the oven to 400 degrees to crisp vegetables slightly. Be careful not to allow to turn brown, black or start to burn.

This time of year it's all about creativity in the kitchen. Making lots of nice soups filled with veggies and legumes or chicken allows for warm leftovers for lunches that can be taken in a thermos. Children, usually, enjoy a nice soup in their lunches at school.
Pack some carrot sticks with a home-made salad dressing for a snack for you and your families lunches. Have leftover roasted vegetables for breakfast.
Use cabbage as a salad green as cabbage usually stores well if stored properly.

Remember to start your seeds for tomatoes, ground cherries and green peppers in the next few months, based on your specific growing zone, usually 8-10 weeks before last frost.

The services provided by J.Phallen MacKinnon are at all times restricted to consultation on the subject of health matters intended for general well-being, and not for the purpose of medical diagnosis, treatment or prescribing of medicine for any disease, or any licensed or controlled act which may
constitute the practice of medicine.

Daylilies.

These daylilies were planted on our property when we bought it. They didn't flower that well until I divided them and planted them in more sunlight. They flowered exceptionally well this past summer.

Carrots, Strawberries, Swiss Chard, Lettuce, Beets and one Sweet Pea.

Red Lentil Dahl with Brown Rice and Plain Yogurt.

Only taking about 20 minutes and consisting of staple ingredients from your pantry makes this a favourite quick and easy meal. 

This makes just enough for two. Recipe can easily be doubled for four. 

Red Lentil Dahl

2 cups water

1/2 cup red lentils

1 small onion, diced fine. 

1 tbsp + 1 1/2 tsp butter

2 tsp honey

2 tsp curry powder

1 tsp turmeric

1/8 tsp each coriander and ground cumin

1 clove garlic diced (optional)

Ground cinnamon, cloves and sea salt to taste.

Cook the lentils and onion together about 20 mins until lentils are tender and just starting to fall apart, do not overcook. Add the butter, spices, honey and garlic and allow to simmer on low heat until sauce thickens to desired consistency, about 10 minutes. You may want to allow the flavours to mingle for a few extra minutes prior to serving. Serve over brown rice with organic plain yogurt. Try serving with homemade naan bread.

Ways to exercise when it's not so nice out.

Marble Mountain, NewFoundland.

My Clients find it hard to exercise during the winter months. I think it's a challenge for most people. It can be  difficult with changing weather, shorter days with less daylight, low moods, stress over the holiday season and cold and flu bugs we tend to pick up more frequently during the winter months. Thankfully, with some creativity, winter can be a great time to exercise. I really enjoy exercising in the winter since the air is cooler I  find it really refreshing and uplifting. Exercise is vitally important for good health and good moods. Here is a few suggestions for exercising in the winter that you may not have thought of.

Walking- Still possible during the winter months. Wear boots instead of sneakers if needed and bundle up in comfortable layers. If the sides of the road are unsafe for travel then one can drive to a dirt road or trail in the woods that snowmobiles and other ATVs travel on and walk in their tracks. Walk in the town/city closest to you where sidewalks are routinely cleared. Several gyms have indoor walking tracks for the really bad days.

Most roads are routinely cleared and possible to walk on just make sure to practice caution around snow plows.

Ice Skating- Strap on some skates and hit the nearest rink, pond or ice surface. Most rinks have free or affordable designated times for public skating. It could be during your lunch hour, after work or in the evening. Just make sure to be super safe when dealing with outdoor ice surfaces. I found several pairs of second hand skates online while looking for myself this winter starting at $15.00.

Snowshoeing- Snowshoes can be purchased for various prices from the old fashioned wooden-framed shoes to high end shoes fabricated from man-made materials. Being able to stay on top of the snow is a huge advantage and enables you to walk longer distances without tiring. 

Snowboarding and Downhill skiing- It's never to late to learn. A great way to get outside, enjoy the winter weather and exercise! You will use muscles you did not even realize you had. Embracing winter sports can certainly make the winter seem shorter, you may even be wishing for more than less snow come March.

Cross Country skiing-  Again a great way to get outside, once you start cross country skiing you won't want to stop. Most hiking trails are great for cross country skiing and snowshoeing. We have our dog pull us on the cross country skis, a sport called skijorring.  Here is a link of a video right here-John and Dio skijorring video.

Swimming-  I'm not encouraging anyone to try a polar dip this year. Most indoor pools have designated times for public swimming. You could try going before work, during your lunch hour or after work. 

Yoga- A great way to exercise all year, yoga can be done anytime anywhere. You can take a class to meet some new people, help with motivation and receive proper instruction. If you are a practiced Yogi then you know how easy it is to roll out the mat and either work up a sweat or gently unwind.

Train like a boxer- Yes boxers do jog but they also skip, use a speed bag and a heavy bag. All of these are indoor activities that can easily be set up in your basement. A skipping rope is a great investment and you can usually get a weighted one for about $15-$20 bucks. Skipping is a great cardio workout. Using a speed and/or heavy bag can be an empowering experience that is also a great workout especially for the arms.

Move- Throw on some tunes and dance, jog in the spot, do jumping jacks or just act silly. Easy and free! Great for lifting the mood.

Hit the mat- Sit-ups, push-ups and stretching. Use your body for resistance.

Indoor Exercise equipment- Lift weights, use a rebounder (a small trampoline), stationary bike, bike trainer(a device to hold your mountain bike stationary while you peddle), Nordic trainer, treadmill and the list goes on.

There are so many products on the market available for indoor exercising. You can get a membership to a gym and use all the equipment they have to offer.

Find something that you like. If you don't enjoy your exercise routine then chances are you won't do it.

Skijorring with my Buddy last Winter.



Perfectly Imperfect

Sunny

It is an absolutely dreary day here today. This shot of our 9ft sunflower from two summers past is a welcomed pick me up. A promise of better days and better weather. No rain, no rainbows.

Making Muesli.

Actually, I made the muesli last night, I just really like alliteration. Muesli is a saviour. Basically, it is a soaked combination of grains, seeds, fruit, lemon juice and plain yogurt although Muesli can be made a number of ways. I started this muesli with a grated apple and added lemon juice, oatmeal flakes, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, hemp seeds and organic plain yogurt. You simply combine all the ingredients in a bowl, give it a thorough mixing and let it soak in the fridge overnight. Soaking grains, nuts and seeds improves their digestibility.

Kids love Muesli and you can tweak the muesli to your liking. Soaking liquids could be organic plain yogurt, organic whole milk, apple or other fruit juices or milk alternatives such as rice, nut or seed milks.

You needn't include grains your muesli could consist of mostly seeds or nuts if preferred and vice versa.

Any seasonal fruit may be used, apples, pears, berries or any dried fruits like raisins.

It is very handy to be able to pull out a hearty, ready made, portable and tasty breakfast especially when on the go. Try it for your next brunch, breakfast meeting or just as a change from your regular breakfast.

Our Eggs

Our Hens are still laying. We are expecting them to slow down any day now and take a little rest.

You can attempt to keep them laying by using a light however our girls are pretty good to us and we'll be good to them. I am going to attempt to pickle some eggs if I can make some extra time to. I think I would like pickled eggs although I have not yet tried them.  

As of now we are getting 7 consistent eggs a day from 8 Hens. We supply ourselves, partially supply my boyfriend's family and our dog Dio loves to helps us use any extra eggs up. Dio eats the eggs raw, shell and all as the shells are an excellent source of calcium for him.

Green Lentil Pate

Here is another dish I made for the Holidays, *Penny Ormsbee's Green Lentil Pate, which turns out the loveliest green colour imaginable. Perfect for a Holiday table or any time of year. I usually serve it with carrot sticks and pita triangles but it can be used a number of ways. I've used it as a spread for a wrap with some greens and sprouts, dipped everything into it from nachos to pepper slices. Unfortunately again I was running late and unable to snag a quick picture, the next time I make it I will have to post one.

Green Lentil Pate

2 cups cooked green lentils
1/3 cup very lightly roasted sunflower seeds
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil and 2 tbsp. tamari
1/4 cup roasted yams/sweet potato
2 tbsp. chopped parsley
1 tbsp chopped garlic
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp. freshly grated ginger
pinch of sea salt
splash of toasted sesame oil

Place ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.

*Penny Ormsbee is a Registered Holistic Nutrition Consultant  practicing at the Therapeutic Approach Health Centre in Halifax N.S. You can check out Penny's website right here at  http://www.pennyormsbee.ca.

These will be some of the very first flowers to welcome us into spring. Snow Crocus start to emerge even through piles of snow. These were in bloom at the very first of April last year.

Tulip Tarda

These were in bloom on May 5, 2010. I am not in any rush to get through winter, I love winter, however I am anxious to garden again. My indoor plants can barely stand the extra attention.

Christmas Cactus

Roasted Beet Salad.

I made this Roasted beet salad from the Mother Earth News website for the Holidays this year.

It turned out really well and I only tweaked it a little. I added extra beets, celery and shallots as I found it made a fair amount of extra dressing. It was much better the next day after the flavours had a chance to chill together.

Roasting beets promotes excellent flavour and chances are most people have not tried them. 

Here is the link: Beet Salad Recipe

Unfortunately I was in a rush and unable to snag a quick picture. The salad was a really lovely, very festive deep red colour.