Brookside Gardens Pumpkin and Squash Display 2012

In keeping with the Autumn Harvest theme Brookside Gardens has a display of pumpkins and winter squashes. The image at the left is the big picture view of largest display and the slide show below contains close-up views. The colors, shapes and textures are quite diverse. My favorite is the one with cream background and red markings (seen in image 1 and 3 in the slide show). 

 

Gleanings of the Week Ending September 15, 2012

The items below were ‘the cream’ of the articles I read this past week. Click on the light green text to look at the article:

Decoding the Black Death: Anthropologist Finds Clues in Medieval Skeletons - how ‘health at death’ can be determined from skeletons…the impact of disease (like the Black Death) on populations (health of survivors, genetic diversity)

Hadley Crater Provides Deep Insight into Martian Geology - craters within Hadley….there is still a lot to learn about Mars

Fungi Need Some Love, Too - Why? They are nature’s recyclers, food, and source of drugs such as antibiotics. We need them.

CHOCOLATE-PEANUT BUTTER “TRUFFLES” - these sound decadant but 'healthy' too - put on the list for upcoming holidays if you don’t make them this week!

15 Things I Never Knew About Health & Fitness - from Marlo Thomas

7-Point Action Plan for Repowering U.S. - If the US wants to remain a leader rather than become a follower in the world - we are going to have to start down this path to ‘energy independence’ rather than reverting to the strategy of the 20th century (i.e. heavy dependence on oil and coal)

Pumpkin donuts - these are baked….and sound yummy. I’m going to make them in mini-Bundt pans

Good Food on a Tight Budget - The guide includes a food list (by food group), tips, recipes…and more.

British Health Open for Research - Giving researchers access to the health records of 52 million people in England could prove invaluable for studying disease. Finally - some truly large scale analysis will be done. How many drugs and procedures that are widely utilized now will withstand the analysis?

Eyes: a Window to Diagnosis - A possible quick and easy screening for Parkinson’s, ADHD and FASD…maybe other neurological functional differences.

Recipe of the Week: Pumpkin Granola

The scent of pumpkin pie wafting through the house is probably one of the most enticing aromas of fall. That’s what gave me the impetus to try this pumpkin granola….and I wanted something that would travel well for our fall outings. Size the recipe for the amount of pumpkin you have; the 15 ounce can I had was 1 1/2 cups of puree.  

The goo: 

• 1 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt 

10 cups old fashioned oatmeal

2 cups whole almonds

2 cups raisins (or dried cranberries)

~~~~~

Preheat oven to 300 degrees Farenheit.

Combine the ‘goo’ ingredients in a large measuring cup.

Combine the oats and almonds in a very large bowl.

Pour the ‘goo’ on to the oats and almonds. Mix thoroughly. I find it easiest to just use my hands.

Put in one very large pan or two smaller ones. You will need to stir the pans to don’t fill them too full.

Cook for 15 minutes and then stir. Then repeat until it has cooked for about an hour and a half. Add the raisins for the last 30 minutes of cooking time.

Let cool.

Store in closed containers. Freeze any that your household will not eat within a few weeks….or give it as a gift to celebrate the coming of fall.

Recipe(s) of the Week: Yellow Veggies

There have been times in my life that I have been challenged to get enough yellow/orange veggies…but not recently. It seems so easy now. Here are my top 10 ways to get at least one serving of yellow veggies every single day: 

1. Pumpkin or sweet potato or carrot muffin (Great any time but my preference is breakfast or mid-morning snack)
2. Pumpkin custard (Skip the crust and just make the custard!)
3. A fall favorite: Select a small pumpkin and bake it in the oven for about 30 minutes. Cut off the top, scoop out the seeds and fibers from the center. Stuff with applesauce and cinnamon…or just dust with cinnamon…replace the top and bake until it is soft. Serve as wedges drizzled with the applesauce stuffing or butter.
4. Raw carrots (The small ones, already prepared, make a great snack or as an colorfu addition to a meal)
5. Cut up carrots into slivers and add to your favorite stir fry or salad
6. Add carrots to a homemade soup.
7. Baked sweet potato (Serve with butter or a drizzle with butter/pecans/maple syrup to turn it into dessert)
8. Baked sweet potato wedges (Peal sweet potato. Put wedges in a ziplock with olive oil and cinnamon to coat with spice…then bake about an hour at 350 degrees F.)
9. Cut an acorn squash in half. Bake cut side down for an hour. Serve with cinnamon and butter.
10. Shred a raw sweat potato in the food processor then use over the course of the next week
    • In stir fry
    • In sweet potato/raisin salad with orange marmalade and olive oil dressing
    • Baked in individual serving portions drizzled with honey and butter at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes
    • As a salad ingredient