Three Sisters! Not what you think.

There has long been an Indian custom surrounding the Three Sisters. No, they are not 3 women, but 3 vegtables who provide protection and nutrients to each other.

According to the Iroqujois Native Indian Legend, corn, beans and squash are inseparable "sisters" who only grow and thrive together. This tradition of interplanting corn, beans and squash in the same mound, is a sophisticated and sustainable system that provides long-term soil fertility and a healthy diet. Growing a Three Sisters garden is a wonderful way to feel more connected to the history of this land, regardless of our ancestry.

Corn provides a natural pole for bean vines to climb. Beans fix nitrogen on their roots, improving the overall fertility of the plot by providing nitrogen to the following years corn. Bean vines also help stabilize the corn plants, making them less vulnerable to blowing over in the wind. Shallow-rooted squash vines become a living mulch, shading emerging weeds and preventing soil moisture from evaporating, thereby improving the overall crops chances of survival in dry years. Spiny squash plants also help discourage predators from approaching the corn and beans. The large amount of crop residue from this planting combination can be incorporated back into the mound at the end of the season, to build up the organic matter in the soil and improve its structure.

Corn, beans and squash also complement each other nutritionally. Corn provides carbohydrates, the dried beans are rich in protein, balancing the lack of necessary amino acids found in corn. Finally, squash yields both vitamins from the fruit and healthful, delicious oil from the seeds.

(Excerpts taken from Renee's Garden)

How do you plant a three sister garden?

Proper positioning of the seeds is key to a successful garden.

1. In late May or early June, select a spot for your garden. Hoe the ground and create mounds of dirt.Flattend the centerof your mound .

2. In the center of the mound, plant five or six corn kernels in a small circle.

3. After a week or two, when the corn reaches approximately 5 inches, plant seven or eight pole beans in a circle about six inches away from the corn kernels.

4. A week later, at the edge of the mound about a foot away from the beans, plant seven or eight squash or pumpkin seeds.

5. When the plants begin to grow, weed out all but a few of the sturdiest of the corn plants. Keep the sturdiest of the bean and squash plants and weed out the weaker ones.

6. As the corn and beans grow, you want to make sure that the beans are supported by cornstalks, wrapping them around the corn. The squash will crawl out and between the corn and beans.

To learn more about this ancient Indian tradition you may want to visit the following website:

http://http//faq.gardenweb.com/faq/lists/teach/2003045238014436.html

http://http//horizon.nmsu.edu/kids/webquests/wqthreesisters_k.html

Buzzing with the Bees!

If you want to learn how to work hard and play nice with others you may want to consult a bee colony. Today I suited up in a bee keepers garb and got up close and personal with a colony of bees. I was not at all afraid. With smoker in hand, we uncovered the bee house and entered the incredible world of bee life. There is so much going on in that little house, with thousands of drones tending to the Queen, new bees coming to life, honey being produced- it's incredible. If you are interested in learning more about bee colonies click on the following link.

http://http//www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSk_ev1eZec

Here are some facts about honey you may not have known before:

1. Honey has an antiseptic quality, so the next time you cut yourself don't run to the medicine cabinet, run to the kitchen instead. Smear a little honey on top of the abrasion and relief will soon follow.

2.If you have allergies, honey can be beneficial and if you eat honey that is local to your area, it may prevent your seasonal allergies. Bees use the pollen from local plants and eventually it ends up in your honey.

3. If your throat is sore, eat a little honey.

4. Want to wash and moisturize your face, use honey instead of Alpha hydroxy. It is great for sensitive skin.

5. There is evidence that honey diluted in water will help with your stomachaches and dehydration.

6. Burns, too, heal better with honey, studies show. The advantage of honey is that it not only prevents infections from occurring, it actually accelerates skin healing.

7. Honey may also be effective in the treatment of your ulcers. In Europe, honey has been used internally to help cure ulcers, particularly stomach ulcers.

Interested in it's nutritional properties?

Honey is composed of sugars like glucose and fructose and minerals like magnesium, potassium, calcium, sodium chlorine, sulphur, iron and phosphate. It contains vitamins B1, B2, C, B6, B5 and B3 all of which change according to the qualities of the nectar and pollen. Besides the above, copper, iodine, and zinc exist in it in small quantities. Several kinds of hormones are also present in it.

My recommendation to you is to visit one of your local farmers markets or produce stands and pick up a jar of local honey. It will serve you in so many ways. And remember honey never goes bad. If you have a jar tucked way back in one of your kitchen cupboards and it has become solid- no problem. Place the jar, lid removed, in your microwave and heat for 40 seconds or until honey has returned to a liquid state.

If you want a really exciting experience this summer, visit a local honey bee keeper and ask if you can suit up and visit with the bees. You won't regret it!

Ramps

Ramps? Why would I be talking about "an incline connecting two different levels" on a food blog? Because ramps are actually edible wild onions! Ramps are a new discovery for me that I just had to share with you.


Ramps, are a member of the lily family (Allium trioccum), as you will notice in the familiarity of their leaves. Also included in this family is garlic, leeks and onions. Originating in Appalachia, ramps can now be found growing wild throughout the East Coast spanning from New England to Georgia. Depending on the weather, ramps can be found as early as March and as late as July.
If you can't identify them growing on your own property you may look for them at your local farmers market.

Ramps have the distinct flavor of a cross between spring onions and garlic. They can be eaten in their entirety, when washed thoroughly. Ramps can be used as a substitute for spring onions or enjoyed for their own distict flavor and enjoyment. If this is your first time eating ramps, you may want to cook them instead of eating them raw, as this will mellow the flavor a bit.

Here is a recipe you may want to try.

Ramps with Walnut Vinaigrette with Orange Zest

Ingredients:
3-4 dozen ramps (about 1 pound)
1 1/2 tablespoon sherry or wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon sea or kosher salt
2 tablespoons walnut oil
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 orange
3 -4 tablespoons toasted and chopped walnuts

Directions:
1. Thoroughly was ramps, removing all dirt and trimming roots away
2. Cut leaves away from the stems where they begin to branch, leaving most red stem on bulbs
3. Place bulbs in a skillet of boiling water. Simmer for 2-4 minutes or until bulbs can be easily pieced with a knife.
3. Remove ramps from water and place on a paper towel.
4. Place ramp leaves in boiling water for 30 seconds. Remove and drain on paper towel.
5. When the leaves have cooled chop coarsely.
6. Blend vinegar, salt, mustard and gradually add oils. Whisk to emulsify.
7. Arrange leaves and bulbs on a serving dish and dress with the vinaigrette.
8. To serve, zest the orange over the ramps. Toss with nuts.

Serve as a first course in place of a tossed salad.

It's not too late to join

Just 7 more days! I have been waiting all winter for May 18th to roll around and it's almost here. I feel like a school girl waiting for the day of our class trip! If you have ever participated in a CSA (community supported agriculture) then you have an idea of what I am referring to.

You have heard me speak of CSA's before, but I can't encourage you enough to go and join one yourself. Don't know how to join? Check this website out for one close to your home.
http://www.localharvest.org/csa/

Are you planning a trip and want to stay true to your good eating habits? Check this great site out.

http://www.eatwellguide.org/travel_map

At this site you just type in your address and destination address and a listing of "eating well everywhere" establishments will be listed. How wonderful is that?

I would like to challenge you again this year to try and grow your own vegetables. You don't need to have a huge garden if you don't have the time or space. Start small so you can feel successful and proud! This weekend I dug up some asters that grow along the side of my garage. This is the sunniest space I have on my property and not very visible to me when I stand at my kitchen sink or sit on my deck. So I decided the flowers had to go to make room for some vegetables. I have planted some red beets, green beans, basil, tomatoes, and Brussel sprouts. I am very excited to see how this garden grows.

Find some space in your world and let me know what you plant and how it grows. We can all be farmers at some level!

I have been waiting for the official green light for planting to shine, so I can plant my snow peas. I fear that if the rain doesn’t let up soon I may not get my seeds planted in time for a nice harvest of snow peas.

I was so delighted last year when I decided to plant some snow peas right outside of my garage. Each evening when I arrived home I would stop to pick a few pods in route to the mail box. I must say, my pre dinner snack rarely made it into the kitchen.

Grown neither in nor near snow regions, the meaning of “snow pea” is not understood. But their sweet delicate taste is not to be missed. Snow peas, which are flat and bright green in color, are the most popular peas found primarily in Oriental dishes. Snow peas are characterized by their shiny and flat appearance, where the peas have barely developed. These are sweeter in taste than the green peas and are commonly consumed whole.

These delicate pods are delicious hot or cold, dressed or naked and require the most minimal of cooking. If you overcook them, they will lose their character.

Raw snow peas are edible but will not deliver the best flavor. Gentle and short cooking will enhance their sweetness, flavor and color. If you plan on serving them chilled do not sting them until you have cooked them. The pods are actually sweeter and fresher in taste when prepared this way. Boil or steam the pods for 2- 3 minutes then drain on a towel to cool to room temperature, before refrigerating. Or you may drop them into ice water to stop the cooking process.

Selecting snow peas: The ideal time for snow peas is late spring to early summer. Select small, shiny and translucent, straight edges pods, with no more than a hint of a pea-bump.

Storage: Snow peas will quickly lose flavor, so buy just what you will need for immediate use or very near future. In peak condition the pods will keep for a minimal of a few days when stored in a perforated plastic bag in the refrigerator.

Salmon-Stuffed Snow Peas

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound fresh snow peas
• 1 (8 ounce) package reduced fat cream cheese
• 1 (3 ounce) package smoked salmon, finely chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper

Directions

1. Place 1 in of water in a saucepan; add peas. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1-2 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain and immediately place peas in ice water. Drain and pat dry; refrigerate.
2. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Stir in salmon, garlic salt and pepper. Transfer to a pastry bag or heavy-duty resealable bag; cut a corner off of bag. Using a sharp knife, make a slit into the top of each peas pod. Pipe in about 1 teaspoon salmon mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

Rhubarb- the first vegetable of spring!

Rhubarb, a beautiful pink and chartreuse stalk with large non edible leaves, sprouts up in early spring, faithfully returning year after year. Its popularity has waxed and waned over the centuries. But with today's health concerns and our desire to reduce our sugar consumption

Rhubarb may actually be on the endangered list. Known for its tart flavor, rhubarb can only be eaten when sugar has been added to the recipe.

We can thank high-end eating establishments for the hopeful return of Rhubarb. Thanks to creative chefs, rhubarb may actually resurface as a vegetable instead of its better known, "pie fruit' status.

Basic uses:

1. While not usually preferred, rhubarb can actually be eaten raw, like celery. If you have the ability to handle all that tartness, go ahead and have a stalk.

2. Rhubarb is usually cooked down into a sauce, soup or stew.

3. Often enjoyed as a pie and frequently combined with fresh strawberries

4. It's tart taste makes it a wonderful compliment to oily or rich game or fish.

Selecting Rhubarb:

If you have the chance to actually harvest rhubarb yourself- wonderful! Try to pull the stalks out of the ground from the root, instead of cutting the stalks. This will keep it fresh and moist longer. The size of the stalk is not an indicator of its tenderness, so do not be concerned about that.

Storage:

Wrap fresh rhubarb stalks in a ventilated plastic bag and store it in the coolest part of your refrigerator.

Preparation:

Cut and discard all leaves, trim top and bottom ends of the stalks.

Cut stalks across the grain to help reduce the natural fibers.

Toss cut rhubarb in a little sugar (about 1 tablespoon per pound) to remove moisture and to reduce acidity. If you are preparing a puree or sauce let this sit overnight. Remember to cook the rhubarb in a non-aluminum pot, or you will have tarnished rhubarb and a clean pot!

Here is a really fun and different dessert idea.

Mexican Rhubarb Chocolate Chunk Brownies
Ingredients
For the rhubarb compote:
•1 cup rhubarb, strings removed, cut in 1/2-inch slices
•1/4 cup water
•2 tablespoons granulated sugar
For the brownie batter:
•3/4 cup all-purpose flour
•1/2 teaspoon baking powder
•1 tablespoon New Mexico chile powder (not chili powder)
•1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
•1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
•2 ounces bittersweet chocolate
•2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
•1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), room temperature
•1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
•2 large eggs, room temperature
•1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•1 teaspoon dark rum
•2 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
•1/4 cup chopped walnuts
•Shortening spray, for baking dish

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

To make the rhubarb compote: In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring rhubarb, water and sugar to a boil. When sugar is dissolved, lower heat to a simmer and cook until rhubarb is soft, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Puree in a blender until smooth, if necessary. The rhubarb should break down to a smooth compote.

To make the brownie batter: In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, Chile powder, cinnamon and salt. Set aside. In a clean microwavable glass bowl, melt bittersweet and unsweetened chocolate together in the microwave at 50 percent power or in a double boiler. Set aside.

In a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium speed. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, combining well. Add in the vanilla and rum. Stir the rhubarb into the chocolate mixture, then add to the batter. Mix until combined. Add the flour mixture and mix just until incorporated. Scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula and gently fold in the semisweet chocolate and walnuts. Do not over mix. Spray an 8 by 8 by 2-inch clear glass baking dish with shortening spray. Line bottom with parchment paper, then spray parchment. Pour batter into the prepared pan and smooth out top. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. Cut into squares and serve.

Recipe compliment of the Food Network, 2005

It's that time of year when we find egg salad back on our menu. The Easter season always brings us back to hard boiled eggs. My guess is even you have "eggs" on your grocery list this week.

Didn't you just love to color Easter eggs when you were a child? I fondly remember those tiny plastic bottles purchased in a little cardboard box filled with the primary colors. And oh what a mess the minutest drop made on the kitchen table. But what fun it was to gather around the table together with our siblings, the air rich with the smell of vinegar.

If you are creative enough and still have a bit of a kid in you, coloring eggs may still be an activity you may want to participate in this weekend. No need for those jars of dye, you can use wonderful things from nature to color your eggs. Did you know that the skin from purple or white onions will dye your eggs wonderful rich colors? Try it- you will be pleasantly surprised. Just add the skin of one or 2 purple onions to your boiling water and during the cooking time (6 minutes) you will have colored some beautiful eggs.

Or you could forgo the coloring process and just buy some brown eggs. Did you ever wonder what makes an egg white or brown or speckled? It is the breed of chicken which dictates the color of the shell. White feather, white earlobed chickens will produce white shelled eggs. Red feather, red earlobed chickens will produce brown eggs. The flavor and nutritional value of the eggs will remain the same regardless of the shell color.

To ensure that you are starting with fresh eggs, do this little test: Fill a bowl with water. Place an uncooked egg in the bowl. Does it float or sink? If it floats, throw the egg away. It has passed its prime freshness. As eggs age they lose water through the shell. An egg that floats contains little to no water and is no longer fresh.

Once you hard boil all those eggs, are you wondering what you are going to do with them? Here are a few recipe ideas for you to try.
1. Slice them into fresh green salads
2. Dice the eggs and add to potato or tuna salad
3. Make a Cobb or traditional egg salad.
Or why not try this lower fat deviled egg recipe for a nice change.


Deviled Eggs

Ingredients:
12 large hard-boiled eggs , (see Tip), peeled
1/3 cup nonfat cottage cheese
1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise
3 tablespoons minced fresh chives , or scallion greens
1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish
2 teaspoons yellow mustard
1/8 teaspoon salt
Paprika , for garnish

Direction:
1.Halve eggs lengthwise with a sharp knife. Gently remove the yolks. Place 16 yolk halves in a food processor (discard the remaining 8 yolk halves). Add cottage cheese, mayonnaise, chives (or scallion greens), relish, mustard and salt; process until smooth.
2.Spoon about 2 teaspoons yolk mixture into each egg white half. Sprinkle with paprika, if desired.

Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day.

Tip: To hard-boil eggs: Place eggs in a single layer in a saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and cook at the barest simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, pour out hot water and cover the eggs with ice-cold water. Let stand until cool enough to handle before peeling.

Nutrition
Per serving: 34 calories; 2 g fat (1 g sat, 1 g mono); 71 mg cholesterol; 1 g carbohydrates; 3 g protein; 0 g fiber; 85 mg sodium; 31 mg potassium.

Recipe courtesty of Eating Well magazine