Moving

My BLOG IS MOVING TO TELUWHAT.COM!!! SO MANY MORE EXCITING NEW POST TO COME JUST WAITING TO FINISH UP ALL THE DETAILS.
SEE YOU SOON!!!

Food Movement Rising; Join The Movement!!!

Organic Pest Control - Kill the bugs; not the plants!

In response to awesome blogger comments!!!

How exactly do organic pesticides work?

Nature has given us plant extracts that make very effective pesticides and insect repellents. For example, some organic pest control products such as Orange Guard use a citrus-fruit peel base, such as from lemons and oranges. Citrus oils kill many flying and crawling insects on contact by destroying the waxy coating of the insect's respiratory system.

Other organic pesticides use natural extracts to repel rather than kill pests. Some products use garlic or hot peppers and essential oils of herbs such as cloves to repel insects and other pests.

Before you use any kind of pesticide, organic or otherwise, you should think about trying out natural techniques such as companion planting. And remember, healthy plants growing in good soil and with the proper amount of sunlight will be more resistant to pests and diseases.
Companion planting involves using certain plants in combinations to keep pests away and strengthen the plants’ immune systems. While companion planting will not solve all your pest problems, it is a very handy and natural way to help your plants.


For example: I planted Basil because its known to keep the bugs away. So far i haven't had much of a problem with bugs, in conjunction to using an organic spray. Just a few birds have eaten my tomatoes!

 This is an organic pesticide I've been using but there are many out there to try! Ortho Insecticidal Soap

Garden Before... and AFTER!!

I started a vegetable garden in my backyard as a challenge to see if a city girl like me can really enjoy something that I've always associated with farmers and retirement (ignorant statement but true). I've never been into yard work and I didn't realize how labor intensive gardening was going to be, but in the end, it turned out better than I anticipated. I HAVE SUCH APPRECIATION AND RESPECT FOR FARMERS AND GARDENERS THAT DO THIS WORK. So, if I can do it!!! ANYONE CAN!!!

 I found 4 X 4 garden boxes for $40 and it was the perfect solution to making the garden aesthetically pleasing and functional for all conditions. You can even use garden boxes on top of concrete if you want to start a garden and don't have a backyard.  

AFTER

Fruits, Vegetable and Herbs i planted in a very small space:

CARROTS

KALE

BEETS

GRAPE VINE

BASIL

MINT

HOT PEPPER

SORREL

TOMATOES

WATERMELON

Homemade Granola Bar Recipe!

If you ever read the back of a granola bar box there's  a part in the ingredients that said "may also contain some other tree nuts" I thought this was strange to vaguely describe ingredients that may have accidentally fallen into the granola bar (If someone told me to close my eyes and open my mouth and said they will pour random tree nuts in my mouth i would decline the offer) I might be picky but i want to know what I'm eating. With that said, I experimented with making Homemade granola bars that took less than 20 mins and had a much better taste.

Ingredients:

All natural granola

Your choice of  favorite nuts

honey

peanut butter or sesame tahini butter

dark chocolate 

 Place the granola and nuts into a food processor so the nuts are small enough to bond together 

Add the peanut butter and honey to the mixer and stir it all together

Place the mixture onto a baking pan and let it bake for 10mins or golden brown

Let them cool for 30 mins and then cut into bars

Backyard Composting

I started composting to reduce waste in my home and fertilize my garden. Although there are compost bins you can buy for approx. $100 I chose to test my compost using an inexpensive storage bin. So far it's been a success. Composting can reduce yard waste by anywhere from 50 to 75%. Also, my weekly garbage pick-up has reduced considerably since composting.

The benefits of compost are numerous. It builds good soil structure; enables soil to retain nutrients, water, and air; protects against drought; helps maintain a neutral pH, and protects plants from many diseases commonly found in the garden.  

Soils and potting mixes that include compost produce healthier plants regardless of whether you're container gardening, rose gardening or vegetable gardening. 

What to Compost:

GRASS/ LAWN CLIPPINGS

KITCHEN WASTE

HAY

LEAVES

WEEDS AND OTHER GARDEN WASTE

WOOD CHIPS AND SAW DUST

Avoid Composting: 

CHEMICALLY TREATED WOOD PRODUCT

DISEASE PLANTS

HUMAN WASTE

MEAT, BONES, AND FATTY FOOD WASTE

PERNICIOUS WEEDS

PET WASTE

The Fruits of my Labor- From the vine to the plate...Mmmm

It's taken a couple months to get the garden going but after lots of work, I finally got to enjoy the fruits of my labor... Tomatoes! It's not Michelle Obama's vegetable garden but I love it just the same. Home grown tomatoes straight off the vine are A LOT sweeter than any tomato I've ever had!!! It doesn't take much to grow your own tomatoes -  full sun, water and (organic) soil.

Tomato Plant

I picked four ripped tomatoes this morning!

Spring Mix Salad

Ingredients:
Organic Spring Mix
Gorgonzola cheese
Balsamic dressing
Shaved carrots
Cherry Tomatoes

Turning Kids into Cabbage Patch Kids!!!

I've been working with kids to educate them on great alternatives to eating their favorite things a healthier way and so far its been a huge success! Here are 2 similar ideas done in 2 different ways a Veggie Pizza and a Veggie Panini that both kids loved eating and had fun making. For a more desired approach let the kids name their recipes something fun to entice them into eating things they normally wouldn't like.

HOMEMADE PIZZA!!!

called: The Ooey Gooey  Pizza

Ingredients:

Raw Pizza Dough

Spinach

Mushrooms

Cherry Tomatos

Tomato Sauce

Mozzarella Cheese

Garlic 

Sea Salt and Pepper

Flour

Directions:

1. Roll the dough until it makes a flat circular shape.

Use the flour to prevent the dough from sticking to the counter and your hands

2. Sautee the spinach and mushrooms in a separate pan with crushed garlic, salt and pepper.

3. Spread tomato sauce onto the pizza dough, then add the spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes and top it off with the fresh mozzarella.

4. Bake it in the oven for approx. 30 minutes or until golden brown at 350 degrees

Enjoy!

VEGGIE PANINI

The Green Wich

Ingredients:

Whole Wheat bread

Fresh mozzarella cheese

Tomatoes

Pesto sauce

Spinach leaves

Directions:

1. Take 2 slices of whole wheat bread and spread pesto sauce on both slices.

2. Slice fresh mozzarella cheese and place on on side of the sandwich.

3. Add tomatoes and spinach  then put the 2 pieces of bread together.

4. Place the sandwich in a sandwich press like a George Foreman grill until the bread is golden brown and the cheese has melted.

Enjoy!