Sun dried tomatoes and kale chips

 Sun dried tomatoes - sliced large tomatoes...I lightly removed most seeds. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half and removed most of the seeds.

 I mixed some Oregano, Thyme, salt and Basil and sprinkled it over the tomatoes after a light drizzle of olive oil. 

 I first set the dehydrator to 200...but after several hours I noticed some were chard but most still not dried, so I flipped each piece over and lowered it to 175 until they dried out.

 Kale Chips - I cut both the dino kale and curly kale into bite size pieces. I massaged some olive oil into them and sprinkled some garlic powder.

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I set the oven to 300 degrees, but some were drying out too fast on the edges nearly burned, so I lowered it to 200 until the rest dried out. I removed all the completely dried ones.

Kale chips ready! A light sprinkle of salt and they are one healthy tasty treat!

 Makes for amazing toppings for the tomato soup!

7 Superb superfoods

7 Superb Superfoods to Power Up Your Life

Superfoods are one of the healthiest, if the not the healthiest, foods on the planet. As they are packed with incredibly high amounts of disease-fighting vitamins and minerals, loading up on these amazingly nutritious foods is a simple yet effective strategy that you can take if you want to live a longer and happier life. 

This special infographic features seven of Dr. Mercola’s favorite superfoods, complete with their nutritional facts and many health benefits. Spread the word by sharing this information with your friends and family.

Discover the healthiest superfoods you can eat and learn why they're super good for you through the "7 Superb Superfoods to Power Up Your Life." infographic from Dr. Mercola. Use the embed code to share it on your website or visit our infographic page for the high-res version.

Garden harvest 10/6/14

 10/7/14 - Curled Scotch kale harvest

  10/7/14 - Curled Scotch kale...lots to harvest

  10/7/14 - Curled Scotch kale stems separated from leaves

  10/7/14 - Curled Scotch kale stems and leaves chopped up

 10/7/14 - Bring pots of water to a boil

  10/7/14 -Have a bucket of ice water ready

  10/7/14 - Boil

  10/7/14 - Boil leaves for 2 minutes

  10/7/14 - Then dunk into ice water right away

 10/7/14 - Place on towels to dry

10/7/14 - Let leaves dry a little before bagging by patting with towels

 

  10/7/14 - Boil stems for 3 minutes...reuse water

 10/7/14 - Let leaves dry a little before bagging

 10/7/14 - Dino kale harvest

  10/7/14 - Dino kale, plenty to freeze

  10/7/14 - Dino kale separated stems from leaves and chopped up

  10/7/14 - Dino kale blanched

  10/7/14 - Red Russian kale and Collard Greens harvest

10/7/14 - Two hours and forty minutes later ready for freezing!

Kale

17 Things I Wish Everyone Knew About Kale

By Dr. Drew Ramsey 
This time of year, as the temperature cools, a molecular miracle is happening on farms everywhere: the kale is getting even better. Touched by the chill, kale gets sweeter, as the sugars start to concentrate. And as the rest of the garden succumbs to the winter, kale stands strong.

Maybe kale is new to you, probably not. With so much buzz, there have been some nasty rumors. Kale is a frequent topic of conversation in my life, especially as we ramp up to National Kale Day on October 1. 

As kale as gained popularity, i've heard some scary comments from people who just don't know better. Like the woman who recently told me, with a knowing smile, that we "don’t absorb any nutrients from kale.” From worries that kale is harmful to human health to the misperception that it's a new food, I thought it was time to set the record straight. 

Here are 17 things I wish everyone knew about kale:
 
1. A serving of kale has more absorbable calcium that a small carton of milk.
#Gotkale? 

2. Kale is medicine.
Modern health depends on eating more whole foods and plants, like kale. The mission of National Kale Day October 1, which I cofounded, is to help change how we eat for the better by learning the fundamental lessons kale teaches us. With your food choices impacting everything from your personal to environmental health, it's arguable that the fate of the planet depends on eating more kale. 

3. Kale tops the scale of nutrient density.
More bang for your buck. Example? 1 cup of raw kale has just 33 calories yet contains 684% of vitamin K, 134% of vitamin C, 206% of Vitamin A plus iron, folate, omega-3s, magnesium, calcium, iron, fiber, and 2 grams of protein. BAM! That’s nutrient density. 

4. But kale's secret power is its phytonutrients, those miraculous molecules in plants that are often called “antioxidants.”
Kale possesses phytonutrients that quell inflammation, improve the liver’s detox ability, and can even protect brain cells from stress. Kale talks to your DNA and tells it to sing the sweet, slow song of health and happiness. 

5. But, you say, you are a kale zero?
Learn to be a kale hero! A Kale Hero Toolkit with a kale prescription, kale experiments, recipes, and signs is free and available for download on NationalKaleDay.org 

6. Kale is not for everyone.
There are three groups of people who should avoid kale: (1) People taking blood thinners like Coumadin (warfarin) should consult with their physician prior to changing their kale consumption, as all the vitamin K in kale can interfere with that medicine. (2) People who find kale very bitter are often “super tasters” and sometimes cooking kale makes it tolerable, sometimes not. (3) Those who have a cruciferous vegetable allergy. It's very rare, but some people are allergic to kale and other crucifers like broccoli, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts. 

7. Being a kale fan doesn’t mean you have to eat a giant trough of kale salad at every meal or juice a bushel and swig it down with a smile.
Being a fan means appreciating the lessons and great benefits of kale and the many other healthy, whole foods that sustain us. The average American eats 2 to 3 cups of kale every year — one of the healthiest foods on the planet. It is any wonder our collective health is a mess? 

8. Go slow kale newbie. Start with kale chips, not a giant kale salad.
Be mindful as you introduce more roughage into your diet. I regularly give kale consultations and a typical complaint is something like, “OMG, I tried kale once (gas pain face). I ate a giant salad and then was sooooo bloated.” If kale isn’t a part of your diet, give your body time to adjust. 

9. Kale is a team player.
There’s been a sort of nutrient smackdown of late — kale vs. collards, kale vs. broccoli, etc. Firstly, kale is tired of people trying to turn cruciferous cousins against each other. Secondly, kale beats most greens like spinach head to head in terms of nutrients. One reason is that kale is very low in oxalates, which means that more minerals like calcium are absorbed. How about if we all just focused on helping people to eat more plants? ‘Nough said. 

10. Kale is not a fad.
With kale salad fatigue, some foodies are whispering that kale is a fad. It's true: kale is having a spectacular, even unprecedented run of vegetable popularity. That said, kale is an old world food and eaten around the world, a staple in Scotland, Kenya, Denmark, Portugal, Italy and many others. As we all get more focused about eating for health, kale will continue to be a staple for those in the know. 

11. Kale does not cause hypothyroidism.
I’ve read many reports of people with hypothyroidism attributing their illness to kale. But scientific literature does not support the claim that eating kale can lead to thyroid problems. 

There are molecules in kale called “goitergens” that can compete with iodine for uptake into the thyroid. Theoretically, a diet very low in iodine (seafood, seaweeds, iodized salt) and very high in kale (say, juicing a bushel of kale every day), could cause problems. 

Based on the current science, a more appropriate worry would be eating excess iodine in seaweed and kelp and environmental toxins like brominated flame retardants. 

12. Organic matters but so does eating more plants.
Kale is on the list of the Environmental Working Group's “Dirty Dozen," a list of foods that you should try to buy organic because they can have more pesticides. You might not the option to buy organic kale, and that's OK. I’d vote that the health benefits of eating kale are much better than no kale. 

13. The world of kale is vast and varied – keep exploring!
I’ve been inspired by the many tastes and colors of the dozens of varieties of kale: lacinato, redbor, Gulag Stars, True Siberian, Red Russian, White Russian, Dwarf Blue Vates, Red Nagoya, Chinese Kale, Sea Kale and the six-foot tall Walking Stick Kale. I hope you’ll explore whether that means planting a small kale patch of interesting varietals or seeking out a kale you have not yet tried. 

14. Kale offer unmatched culinary versatility.
Name another green that you can make a smoothie or a salad, amp up your juice or sauté as a side, bake as a chip or mix in a cocktail. #kalejito 

15. Kale is an awesome deal.
A nice bunch of 10 to 20 organic leaves is two or three bucks. It's one of the few super foods that's accessible to everyone, everywhere. 

16. Kale is really easy to grow.
A group of students at the Indiana Academy of Science, Mathematics, and Humanities decided to grow kale for National Kale Day October 1 and planted to some seeds. Now they have a kale patch in their courtyard. 

17. You can absorb the nutrients in raw kale.
Cooking kale frees some nutrients like magnesium and decreases others, like heat-sensitive folate. But consuming kale in any form delivers fiber, protein, omega-3s, and a bevy of vitamins and minerals. I suggest mixing it up and have myself on a steady rotation of sautéed kale, kale salads, kale chips, and kale smoothies.

Garden harvest 9/12/14

9/12/14 - Today's harvest - Dino kale, Curled Scotch kale, basil, 5 chocolate habanero peppers, 7 white habanero peppers, 9 Chinese 5 color peppers, chocolate cherry tomatoes, yellow pear tomatoes, Cossack pineapple ground cherry tomatoes

 9/12/14 - 5 chocolate habanero

 9/12/14 - 7 white habanero peppers

 9/12/14 - 9 Chinese 5 color peppers

 9/12/14 - Curled Scotch kale

 9/12/14 - Dino kale

 9/12/14 - Lettuce leaf basil

 9/12/14 - Cossack pineapple ground cherry tomatoes

9/12/14 - Hop peppers

Cooked kale

I have to admit, in my 3yrs of enjoying kale I have never actually cooked it! I always have it raw in my salads, but thought I'd give it a try, and it was delicious!

Recipe

Curled Scotch kale (stems and leaves separated...from my garden)

1/2 red onion

1 yellow zucchini squash (fresh from neighbor's garden)

Yellow pear tomatoes & chocolate cherry tomatoes (I used up the ones that were cracking that I just picked from my garden)

1 Chinese 5 colored hot pepper (cut in half...from my garden)

1 tsp Jeera seeds

1 tsp black mustard seed

1 tsp of Ghee

sprinkle of Himalayan salt to taste

small handful of pecans

few tbs of water

Directions

Chop kale leaves into bite size pieces, separated from the stems, as they need different cooking times.  Freshly grind the jeera and black mustard seeds.  Chop tomatoes in half or quarters, and dice onion. Chop the stem of the kale in small pieces. Cut the chili pepper in half. 

Heat up the Ghee. When hot add the spices and onion. Saute for a couple minutes then add the kale stems for a couple minutes, then add the yellow squash.  After a few more minutes too add the tomatoes. Keep stirring to not burn, keep at medium heat. Then about 7 minutes or so later, when everything seem to be softening add the kale leaves. Pour in a few tablespoons of water and cover pot. Sprinkle a little bit of salt, and let steam.  Check on kale and stir in. Keep checking until kale is at a desired consistency.  Sprinkle on chopped pecans. And enjoy hot!

Garden update & harvest 7/27/14

7/27/14 -  Chinese 5 color peppers...abundant:)

 7/27/14 - ripening yellow pear tomato

 7/27/14 - tomatoes

 7/27/14 -  Giant Szegedi sweet pepper

 7/27/14 - Mini Red Bell pepper

  7/27/14 - Chinese 5 color hot pepper

  7/27/14 - White Habanero pepper

 7/27/14 - Chocolate Habanero peper

 7/27/14 - looks like the caterpillars did a number on my Dino kale in the last couple days!

 7/27/14 - Pretty...but tragic

 7/27/14 -I could have saved it them to juice, but decided not to fuss with cleaning them.

 7/27/14 -  today's harvest...Giant Black Beauty zucchini, 3 Marketmore cucumbers, 5 Chinese five color peppers, basil, Cossak Pineapple ground cherry tomatoes and yellow pear tomatoes.

 7/27/14 -  Yellow pear tomatoes

 7/27/14 - Giant Black Beauty zucchini...largest yet!  I didn't even remember I had one full sized still growing.

7/27/14 -  Dino kale, Red Russian kale, Curled Scotch kale and lettuce