Goodmans American Pie Ludlow VT offers Gluten Free Pizza

Jessica and Craig, owners of Goodmans American Pie in Ludlow, VT have heard what the people are wanting and that is Gluten Free pizza!!!!
Having just re-opened after being completely flooded by Hurricane Irene, they are in amazing spirits and have offered up a new delicious gluten free crust made of brown and white rice flour. Their pizzas are all wood fired which gives the crust a great toasted flavor.
I was Jessica's guinea pig on Saturday as she served me up her first GF pizza. After being denied their yummy pizza over the past year I was amazed at how similar it tasted. I actually don't miss their wheat crust now!
I know they are going to do great with this especially being the only ones in the area offering a  GF pizza!! Thanks for listening to the people!!!

Call ahead to make sure they have some ready  though...
802-228-4271 closed Wednesdays
106 Main St, Ludlow VT

Tate's Bake Shop Gluten Free Cookies!

These are sinfully good!!! I never thought a gluten free cookie could taste so "normal"!
Tate's Bake Shop hit a home run with their gluten free chocolate cookie! They are thin and crispy, loaded with chocolate chips with a great buttery taste.
The first ingredient is actually chocolate chips! They come in 8 oz. packages with 13 cookies. Each cookie is 90 calories and 4.5g fat.
I brought them into work and have had family try them and the consensus was, you don't need to eat to gluten free to love these!
You can find these for yourself on their website.http://www.tatesbakeshop.com/p/product-cookies/GPCky6PackGFCC.html

 Thank you Tate's Bake Shop for making a "real" cookie without gluten!

Canning, canning and MORE canning!!!

The day of Hurricane Irene I spent my day in the kitchen canning up all the summer had to offer and put it in a can, so to speak!
 I woke up early to beat the weather hoping we didn't loose power to get a jump on my Roasted Garlic Tomato Sauce.  Got the garlic roasting in the oven by 9AM, then came the roasting of some red peppers.... Next  16 pounds of Heirloom tomatoes from the farmers market in Londonderry and a few of my own. This was turning out to be a longer process than I thought but it will all be worth it in the middle of winter having the sweet taste of summer again and giving me hope that summer will be around the corner again soon, I hope! Once complete, I canned about 7 pints worth which didn't seem like much for all the time spent - this stuff is liquid gold!

Next, on to my pickles! We were inundated with  cukes this year and needed to use them up! Soooo, here about 12 pints or so of pickles..... Lastly, I made some pesto with about 24 cups of basil which made about 7 half pints or so. What a long day...... but managed to finish it off with a pot of chili at 6 PM and I was done!!! The next weekend I managed to make a killer batch of hot salsa - about 14 pints worth along with some  garlicky chimichurri  with parsley from the garden too! 

Winter is going to be tasting good!

WHAT A DAY!!!

For the Love of Tomatoes

 I came across this great link for all you tomato lovers that may have an over abundance.... not always a bad thing!

Here is a great way to store your tomatoes and some great recipes too!

http://www.cooksillustrated.com/howto/detail.asp?docid=1173&Extcode=L1HN3BA00

My Jungle Gardens!!

 I have been asked recently to update  folks on how my gardens are looking. They are a bit insane and we have had to add more trellises for vertical space for the cukes currently giving us about 6 or so a day. I had to recently pull the peas out as their season is done. I could replant a second round but I am not feeling that ambitious right now.
Here are a few pics of our gardens- hope you enjoy!

Happy Goat Carmel Sauce ROCKS!!!!

WOW! Who knew carmel sauce good be sooo incredible! Happy Goat set me up so I could tell you how great they truly  are.
They offer a few flavors but I was lucky enough to try their famous Scotch Carmel Sauce made with 12 year old Single Malt Scotch  from award winning distillery Aberlour  and their Vanilla Bean ( my favorite ). The Scotch Carmel  sauce is very rich and decadent with a toasty oak flavor and light on the Scotch flavor.  All of Happy Goats  Carmel sauces are made with all natural goat's milk which lends to it's creaminess.  The goat's milk comes from  eco-friendly farms free of pesticides,antibiotics and growth hormones.  How great is that??!!!
My favorite being the Vanilla Bean. It's super thick and rich with the perfect amount of vanilla and salt. I have to say I enjoy eating it straight from the jar but one spoonful is all you need to get your fix. This jar stays hidden when others come over ;) Wish someone carried this close by!
Check  them  out for yourself!http://www.happygoatcaramel.com/products.html

Crunchmaster -The BEST gluten free crackers yet!!!

 I took a chance one day, something I feel I do all the time now I have to eat gluten free and tried a new cracker by Crunchmaster. These are incredible! They are thin and super crispy while having great flavor. They offer their 7 Ancient Grains in Sea Salt and Cracked Pepper and Herb and have a line of Multi Grain Crackers in White Cheddar, Roasted Vegetable and Sea Salt.  The Cracked Pepper and Herb is very mild in pepper and with a light herb flavor which pairs really well with mild  cheeses. The Multi Grains are my favorite with ingredients like quinoa, millet, flax and amaranth making these crackers a very healthy snack option and come in a 4.5 oz resealable bag. The Multi Grain Sea Salt was awarded by Fitness Magazine, Best Savory Snack at it's 5th Annual Healthy Food Awards with only 120 calories for 15 crackers,3 fat,90 sodium and 3 fiber.
I recently sampled them with friends while on vacation and at a BBQ and people preferred these over the wheat cracker offerings.
 I hope folks will try these crackers even if you don't need to eat gluten free because they are great snack alternative. I am sure you will be hooked like me!
Thank you Crunchmaster for your generous offering to let me try all of these! You have a loyal customer in me ! Check out their site and to download a $1 off  coupon! http://www.crunchmaster.com/products.aspx   I am also happy to say that The Vermont Country Store  in Weston VT will be carrying the Original and Multi Grain Sea Salt!!!!! Come by and check them out!

Garden Fresh part II

 Ok, so here it is... dinner is served! 

 It was fabulous and so fresh! Love Summer cooking/grilling :)

Garden Fresh

Finally time to pick my Rainbow Swiss Chard and my garlic scapes and while I am at it I may as well pick some parsley  and kale. I also had some fresh shucked peas from the farmers market yesterday and a juicy orange tomato! What will dinner look like when it's all put together?  My key ingredient will be wild haddock and Kalamata olives... YUM!   Stay tuned....

Natural Ways to Fight Pests and Disease in Your Garden

 So now that our  gardens are in full swing so are the pests! They are happily munching amongst our salad greens - anything tender for that matter!  Here is a great link to a recipe I found on making your own insecticidal soap.  http://www.vegetablegardener.com/item/7076/garlic-and-chile-insecticidal-soap-spray
If you are going to spray your  gardens, veggie's especially or  have pets please choose all natural/organic sprays to keep everyone safe :)

Here is a great link from Organic Gardening today on the Top 10 Pest list - http://www.organicgardening.com/learn-and-grow/top-ten-garden-insect-pests?cm_mmc=OGNews-_-621410-_-06222011-_-learnandgrow-_-top_ten_garden_insect_pests

Now for the nasty slugs and snails, this products is at the TOP of my list. I use it at our home and all of my clients who suffer from these  guys. Not sure if you have this problem? Check at dusk underneath a few leaves of your lettuce or look for a silvery slimy trail. They like to hid in cool damp places. As a kid I used to shake salt on them to kill them and watch the squirm but now I use Sluggo! I have actually seen slugs turn around after spreading this out and go to eat it instead of my plant!  YIPPY! You will need to reapply after it rains. Try it once you'll know what I mean!  Happy trails slugs!  http://www.montereylawngarden.com/














 One last quick tip for Powdery Mildew... you may notice your Garden Phlox or Bee Balm getting white powdery like spots on the leaves and slowly the leaves turn from yellow to brown and fall off. This typically occurs when it has been really damp and the leaves have not had a chance to dry and the air circulation is poor.  I make a topical spray of one quart water  and one-two tablespoons of baking soda. Apply til the leaves are dripping wet. Make sure you spray it as soon as you see it starting because it quickly spreads to other plants!

One product I swear by for curing plant diseases is Green Cure, an organic fungicide! It has cured every problem of Blight, Botrytis and many more and is safe for all plants including edibles.  You can harvest 2 hrs after application and it even keeps fighting up to 2 weeks after first application.   http://www.greencure.net/
 Happy Gardening!

Apologize for my tardiness....

For any of you that have been patiently waiting for my next blog, I apologize! Life in the gardens has been crazy!
Here a few pics of what I have been up to....

 More product reviews coming next week! Happy Gardening!

Bryon Bay Cookie Company - Gluten free crisp breads

 YUM!!! These super thin wafers from Australia  are amazing! They have a great crisp texture and are perfect with most anything. Although, I really enjoyed the award winning  Rosemary and Sea Salt crisps with a little brie. It's surprising that these are actually  gluten free. I proclaim myself as a 'foodie' and these can certainly pass for serving at any of my parties. Pate  would be killer on it too :) Ten crisps will only set you back 42 calories so there is no guilt here!!

I decided to see what my colleagues  at work would  say and just like I thought, they LOVED them!!

These will now be a staple in my house along side my other favorite cracker! Now I need to try the rest of their line!

Try these crisps for yourself!

Visit them on FB http://www.facebook.com/byronbaycookies

or check out their site   www.cookie.com.au 

Green Chips Anyone???

 I am referring to Kale chips  and boy are they addicting!  I know most people turn up their nose at Kale, I was one of them until I learned how amazing it is for you.
Here are some kale facts you may not know:

1. It is not just for garnishing!
2. One cup of cooked kale is  only 36 calories
3. The sulfur compounds in kale increases the liver's ability to  neutralize toxic substances.
4. Excellent sources of Vitamin A, C and manganese.
5. Contains powerful phytonutrient antioxidants such as lutein and zeaxanthin, carotenoids which help protect the lens of your eyes.
6. When growing kale wait until after the first frost, the kale will develop a sweeter flavor and crisp texture.
7. Best way to cook kale is by a quick 5 minute steam.

Below is one of my favorite way to enjoy kale plus you get that crunch which makes it very satisfying.

           Kale Chips


Simply start with one bunch of kale, olive oil and your favorite seasonings!

 Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Wash and dry kale. In  a large bowl tear of small bite size pieces of kale and rub with a small amount of  olive oil.

  Next, spread your kale out on a sheet pan in a single layer, if not, it will steam the kale. Sprinkle with your favorite seasonings. I used some Himalayan  Seasoning salt on one batch, garlic powder on the next and the last batch got some granulated dulse.
Cook for about 10-12 minutes. Check to make sure it's not browning too much. Once baked, remove to  a plate and start the next batch. Once cooled store in a ziploc bag or container for up to 1 month although once you try them they won't last more then a day! Enjoy!

Ready to eat!

Happy Earth Day!!!

In honor of Earth Day I thought I would give you all some fun and  some not so fun facts about the Earth we live on. Hopefully some of these facts will  impact you enough to make some changes whether it's reducing the amount of  plastic water bottles you use or drying your clothes outside to save energy. Every little bit helps!!
 We ALL need to do our part!

http://www.planetpals.com/fastfacts.html

Plastic bottles and Aluminum cans take 500 yrs to breakdown!!!!
How many years did this man save from the landfill??

What is your favorite garden fresh ingredient?

It's getting to be that time that we are starting to plant up our garden seeds here still in wintery Belmont, Vermont. Some seedlings are popping up for some, while others are just getting started.
The feeling of connecting to the Earth is incredibly therapeutic and grounding for us all. To watch your seeds sprout up through the soil is such a rewarding experience and really doesn't  take a lot of effort.

We made our first raised bed last year next to our greenhouse and found I had over planted. Usually I have found  half of my plants survive but this time they ALL took off.
Some of  my  favorites are celery, sugar snap peas, lots of lettuce and garlic, kale. zucchinis, cukes and of course tomatoes and basil. Nothing like a  garden fresh Caprese salad in July!!!

I want to know what are your favorite veggies to grow and what do you use to fertilize etc? Also, what zone are you? This will be fun to see!

Vermont Compost Company - my new addition

I am very excited  to try  Vermont Compost Company from Middlebury, VT for the first time. I have used many others and yesterday came across them and decided to give them a try in my garden this year.
They are strictly organic and their compost contains:  cow, hen, horse, mule, donkey, clean leaves, bark, straw and crop foliage. No seeds or sewer sludge!! Visit them  at http://www.vermontcompost.com/about.html
I will keep you posted to how it "grows"!

Need help with garden ideas? Check out my website

http://www.thetravelinghoe.com/   email is steph@thetravelinghoe.com or thru this site.

 I am happy to offer  my garden services if you live in the Okemo region in Vermont. Please feel free to ask me any questions and I will answer  as soon I as can! Happy Spring!

Building a Salad Table

I first received information about Jon Traunfeld through a Master Gardeners email. His unique approach to building this salad table is ingenious. I will be creating one myself and will post photos of it’s process.

In the mean time check out this link and build your own. It’s so easy! This is great way to keep any rabbits or other critters from having a snack or meal for that matter.

Now is the time to get started on it since lettuce, kale and Swiss Chard are all cool weather crops and will keep going into the fall if you keep reseeding every 2-3 weeks.

There is nothing better then picking your own veggies and bringing them right to your table.

CLICK HERE to watch a video for complete instructions.

Differences Between Annuals, Biennial and a Perennial

A lot of folks aren’t sure of the difference of these types of plants and wonder why some of their plants don’t come back every year. Hopefully this will help clear it up.

Zinnia

Annual – Plants the perform their entire life cycle from seed to flower to seed within a single growing season. All roots, stems and leaves of the plant die annually. Depending the climate, some plants can be perennials like tomatoes, if grown in South America. An example of an annual would be a zinnia.

Foxglove

Biennial – Plants that require 2 years to complete their life cycle. The first year you will have the leaf cluster and the second year you will have a flowering plant with seeds that will form and the plant then dies. An example of a biennial would be a foxglove.

Coneflower

Perennial – Plants that persist for many growing seasons. Generally the top part of the plant dies back in winter and re-grows again the spring or summer. Some plants will keep their leaves. Seeds dropped from a perennial will not flower until the next the next year. An example of a perennial would be a  Coneflower.

CLICK HERE to see some great flowers and helpful info in creating your next flower garden.

Planting for Honeybees

We should really “bee”  more mindful when we are planting our flowers.  Ask yourself, ” Is this a flower that a honey bee would like?”  Sounds a bit silly, but with Colony Collapse Disorder ( see site for more info http://www.nrdc.org/wildlife/animals/bees.asp ) it’s more important then ever to help these ” little guys” out. A very large portion of our agriculture relies on these bees. They pollinate 80% of green growing plants and are vital to  plant  propagation and pollinate 1/3 of our natural foods.

It terms of plants, it’s important to think of each plant in every season and how it will benefit the honeybee. Bee-friendly flowers provide food ( nectar ) that keeps them alive and pollen that helps fruits and vegetables to grow.

Here are the key things to look at when planting:

1. NOT using pesticides
2. Pick flowers of purple, blue, orange and yellow – these colors  are most attractive to the honey bee.
3. Plant plants that will successfully bloom into each season so there is a continual food source.
4. Plant flowers in patches close together – this helps them use less energy, since already fly so many miles a day.
5. Flowers to consider that produce both nectar and pollen are:  Cosmos, Zinnias, Sunflowers, Dahlias, Hollyhocks, Foxglove, Asters, Geraniums,Daisies and Marigolds.

Happy Planting!

N-P-K Understanding Your Fertilizer

N-P-K: The elemental shorthand for the three major nutrients in fertilizers. “N” stands for Nitrogen, “P” stands for Phosphate (P2O2) and “K” stands for Potash (K2O). These are the chemical forms of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium that are present in fertilizers. The three numbers on a fertilizer label directly correspond to these nutrients.

Trying to determine what fertilizer to use can be an overwhelming task. Which mix do you need for your plants? The numbers represent the percentage (by weight) of the three major nutrients required for healthy plant growth, always in the same order: nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium (N-P-K). Each of these nutrients affects plant growth differently, and the formulation you select should depend on your specific gardening needs.

The first number is the amount of  nitrogen in the bag. So a bag of 16-8-4 has 16 percent total nitrogen. Nitrogen provides plants with the ability to produce more chlorophyll, which in turn allows plants to grow quickly. With each additional nitrogen application, plants will grow taller and develop a darker green color. So if you want a dark green lawn, use a fertilizer that’s high in nitrogen – but then expect to mow more often. If your plant starts to look yellow that is typically a sign of a nitrogen deficiency.

The second number is the amount of phosphorus in the mix. For example, a bag of 16-8-4 would contain 8 percent phosphorus. Phosphorous aids in root development and increases flowering ability and bloom size. The fertilizer industry markets high phosphorus fertilizer as “Bloom Booster.” Purple foliage, on an otherwise green foliage plant, is  a sign of a phosphorus deficiency.

The Dirty Dozen vs. The Clean 15

 Hopefully by now you have all heard that eating cleaner is better for your health. Pesticides that are added to our fruits and veggies can cause serious health risks and have been linked to cancer, birth defects and even nerve damage. With this in mind is this something you are willing to risk? Not to mention these pesticides end up in water run off that flows into our lakes and streams and the contaminate the fish we eat. I could keep going....  Here is a helpful list for reference:

The Dirty Dozen: Buy these organic
1. Celery
2. Peaches
3. Strawberries ( known to have over 60 different pesticides found on them )
4. Apples
5. Bluberries
6. Nectarines
7. Bell Peppers
8. Spinach
9. Cherries
10. Kale/Collard Greens
11. Potatoes
12. Grapes ( imported)

The Clean 15: Best to buy


1. Onion
2. Avocado
3. Sweet Corn
4. Pineapple
5. Mangos
6. Sweet Peas
7. Asparagus
8. Kiwi
9. Cabbage
10. Eggplant
11. Cantaloupe
12. Watermelon
13. Grapefruit
14. Sweet Potato
15. Honey Dew Melon

As a general rule the more water a fruit/veggie has the more  chance it is contaminated. If you need to peel the outer shell off it is usually safe to buy non organic. Check out www.foodnews.org for more information.

 Meat and dairy may not be  something you would normally think about needing to be organic but did you know that pesticides from the food they eat and other chemicals get stored in their fat which we then ingest? Choose grass fed meat whenever possible  and raw milk to get all the health  benefits it offers.

Hope this information is helpful :)