Life without Electricity

We were without power from Friday, June 29 about 11 PM to Wednesday, July 4 about 4 PM - that’s 4 days and 17 hours or 113 hours. This posting is a first installment about the experience.

This is the longest time I’ve ever been without electricity at home and the first time to have a prolonged outage when the temperature was getting above 90 degrees Farenheit every day. The first few days were quite difficult because the outage was widespread. On Saturday morning we bought ice at a grocery store that was running a small part of the store on generators and bringing out pallets of ice. The next morning they didn’t have ice so we went to another store that seemed to be fully operational but they must have been on generators since all the stores around them were without power. We settled into a rhythm to go out to buy ice every morning before 7:30 getting more frustrated with our situation every morning; by Wednesday we knew that we were in the last 10% to be restored. The refrigerator items went into ice chests on Saturday morning and the freezer items (minus ice cream which had to be trashed) went into ice chests on Sunday. We managed to save everything except 3 eggs that broke (out of a dozen), the tortillas that got waterlogged from ice melt, and the cherries that absorbed water and cracked/burst. I’m in the process of cooking all the meat. Yesterday I cooked a brisket in the crockpot, barbequed pork chops in a casserole dish in the oven, and a meat loaf. Today I have to do something with the chicken. The ice chests have dried out and I’ll put them away today.

There were some things I came to be grateful for: 

• We have a finished basement. It never got above 78 degrees Farenheit although it was humid and the air was very still.
• We are on city water and never had a problem with water pressure. People with wells had quite a challenge.
• We have a gas hot water heater. It was so hot, cold showers would have been tolerable but it was nice to have the heat.
• The grocery stores made a valiant (and successful) effort to make ice available.
• I had a good supply of physical books to read. 

I always go into some level of self-analysis during and after an abrupt change like this. How resilient was I? In some areas I did well: switching my reading to physical books rather than e-books, staying still and drinking more water and herbal tea in an attempt to stay cool, and doing what had to be done to preserve our food. My daily sleep/wake cycle was almost unchanged.

So - looking back to the outage days - the two things I can point to as ‘accomplishments’ are 

• 9 books read (and 2 partials)
• Majority of food from refrigerator/freezer saved 

Recipe of the Week: Corn on the Cob

Corn on the cob is one of my favorite vegetables. I have such fond memories of it from summer vacations to my grandparents. They grew corn to ripen throughout the summer so there was a large pan on the stove for it virtually every evening. These days I still sometimes cook it that way - but other times I cook it out on the grill - keep the heat out of the house/kitchen.

Fresh or frozen corn on the cob is cooked the same way. The frozen takes a bit longer. It has to be hot enough to melt the butter!

To cook corn on the grill -

Wrap the corn in a paper towel or the clean shucks (i.e. clean the corn then reuse some of the shucks to re-wrap the ear). This helps it stay moist while it heats.

Wrap it in aluminum foil.

Place on grill along with the meat - or whatever else you are grilling for the meal. Turn it so that all sides will get hot. The paper towel/shuck gives you room for error so don’t be afraid of overcooking!

Unwrapping the corn is like unwrapping a present….and with butter and some Mrs. Dash….the taste of summer.

July Celebrations

July begins tomorrow. What is there to celebrate in July? Here are some ideas.

Independence Day in the US. The official day is July 4th. Have your own celebration with a family gathering or join your community for a celebration with a crowd. Our local celebration is a street festival followed by fireworks on July 7th. Last year we almost missed it (because we didn’t realize it was no on the 4th!) so we were looking for the flyer in the snail mail when it came. We’re set to load the lawn chairs in the car and get a great spot to relax and enjoy the show just after dark!

Summer and water. When it’s hot - getting wet is a welcome respite. Think about spending some time at the beach or the swimming pool. Alternatively - keep spray misters or water pistols handy for those times when the family is outdoors and needs a quick cool down.

Cherries. My favorite fruit for July is cherries and I keep the supply going as long as they are reasonably priced. I save watermelon for August although I like it so well that I buy it in July if the price is right. And what about the orange fleshed honey dew melons! They’ve just made an appearance this year in my local grocery although I’ve been reading about them. It’s easy to find foods for celebrating in July.

Early morning walks. It’s so hot later in the day that the early morning may be the only time to get out and about comfortably. Celebrate hearing the birds chattering - since they are usually at their liveliest in the morning.

Recipe of the Week: Sourdough Adventure: Sweet Potato/Pineapple Bread Pudding

I started out to make a sourdough version of the Sweet Potato Cake Muffins that I posted about in April. But made a few too many adjustments and it turned out the consistency of bread pudding rather than cake…hence the name of this post. It is delicious and I will recreate this ‘accident’ again --- maybe as part of Thanksgiving dinner. It looks good in the Blue Tulip Depression Glass nappies and tastes yummy!

1 1/2 cup olive oil

1 cup honey

1 cup apple juice concentrate

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs

1 1/2 cup mature whole wheat sourdough starter

2 cups grated sweet potatoes (note: if your sweet potato has sprouted simply cut off that piece and plant in a pot or put in water on your window sill to root then plant)

1 20 ounce can crushed pineapple, drained

1 cup whole wheat flour

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon cloves

2 teaspoons soda

1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Use a small bowl to combine the flour, cinnamon, cloves, soda and salt. Make sure the spices and soda is stirred in well.

Combine olive oil, honey, apple juice concentrate, vanilla and eggs in a large measuring cup. Whisk.

Put starter, sweet potatoes, and pineapple in a large bowl. This is a large recipe so be sure the bowl is large enough to hold everything in the end. I generally put the starter into the bowl and feed it to make enough starter for the recipe in the morning them bake in the afternoon.

Stir the liquids into the starter. After it is mixed pretty well, fold in the dry ingredients. Do not over mix but make sure all the flour mixture has been incorporated. You will notice the batter bubbling from the reaction of the soda with the acid of the sourdough and apple juice concentrate.

Pour into a large flat pan (may take more than one for the batter). Leave room for the batter to rise a bit. The picture below is what it looked like after it was cooked...but still too soft to serve a cake!

Gleanings of the Week Ending June 23, 2012

The items below were ‘the cream’ of the articles I read this past week:

Mars Weather Report: Size of Particles in Martian Clouds of Carbon Dioxide Snow Calculated - Using several years of data…and multiple data sources

Get the Most from Your Skin Care Products: Sequence in Which You Apply Skin Care Products Influences Their Effectiveness - Cleanse, treatment/medication, moisturizer/sunscreen, makeup….but using several products at the same time may negate the benefits and irritate the skin

Antibacterials in Personal-Care Products Linked to Allergy Risk in Children - Another study that suggests that children need exposure to common pathogens to build healthy immune responses…or the immune system can become overactive to food, pollen or pet dander

Million-Year-Old Groundwater in Maryland Water Supply - Wow…Even no-so-dry places are using up ground water faster than it can be replenished

Birding In The National Parks: Top 10 Birding Spots In The National Park System - I’ve been to 4 out of the 10!

5 solar myths busted - infographic

Pralines - Follow the link in this piece if you want to try making your own pralines!

Oil and Conventional Gas Extraction Can Cause Earthquakes Too - evidently biggest risk of earthquakes is when the wastewater from those operations is pumped back down into deep sandstone or other formations for permanent disposal

Non-Antibiotic Approach for Treating Urinary Tract Infections - Promising approach….could eventually be used for other types of infections as well?

What America Spends on Groceries - Comparison between 1982 and 2012

Recipe of the Week: Road Trip Picnics

Now that summer is here - day trips and vacations are more prevalent. The ‘recipe’ this week is some suggestions for picnics…assuming a good ice chest and some thoughtful preparation before starting down the road.

Do you want to eat while driving or at a picnic table/on a blanket?

If you need to eat while you drive - select foods that can be eaten without a lot of fumbling or mess. Vegetables and fruits that are naturally (or can be cut into) easily consumed bites without anything left over; prepare the food in serving sized containers before you set out. Keep in mind that eating one thing at a time is easiest. A moist (not crumbly) muffin can also be consumed easily while driving as can larger nuts (i.e. avoid smaller nuts like sunflower seeds since they are more challenging to handle while driving).

Picnicking with a table or blanket is easy - particularly if the ice chest can be brought directly to the area from the car. The old standby of sandwich and fruit can be prepared ahead of time or assembled just before eating. I prefer to take the ingredients separately: toasted bread, smoked turkey, lettuce, tomato, and other condiments; even though this requires a plate and a knife - there is no risk of soggy bread as sometimes happens with sandwiches prepared ahead of time. My favorite picnic lunch is a chef salad assembled on a large plate from little containers of ingredients packed in the ice chest. Or consider having food borrowed from an afternoon tea menu as a light lunch: spreadable egg salad used as a dip for cucumber slices, a muffin, and pieces of fruit.

All of these choices are nutritious and won’t leave you too sleepy to continue on down the road! Enjoy!

Recipe: Sourdough Adventure: Honey Pecan Cardamom Muffins

Take a break for cinnamon and enjoy the flavor of cardamom for a change. 

1 egg

1 1/2 cup mature sourdough starter

1/4 cup olive oil

1/3 cup honey

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon cardamom

1/2 cup pecans

Preheat oven to 350 and spray pans with cooking spray to prevent sticking.

Combine wet ingredients in a large bowl.

Combine dry ingredients in a small bowl.

Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix gently until all is moistened.

Spoon into muffin tins.

Cook until toothpick comes out clean.

Note 1: The density of sourdough starter varies. You may need to add some water if the batter is too thick.

Note 2: Try some different seasonings and nuts. I used maple syrup (instead of honey), peanuts (instead of pecans), cinnamon rather than cardamom and very fine bread crumbs (instead of the flour)....Yummy!

Previous Sourdough Adventure posts:  

• Pancakes
• Sally Lunn
• Spice Muffins
• Italian Spice Bread

June Celebrations

June begins today. What is there to celebrate in June? Here are some ideas.

Flag Day. The day commemorates the adoption of the flag of the US in June 1777. It has been a celebration for a long time in some places but I didn’t become aware of it until one year when there had been a lot of snow days and my daughter’s elementary school was still in session in mid-June! They gathered the children around the flag pole in the front of the school for a short ceremony which parents were invited to attend as well.

Father’s Day. It’s Sunday, June 17th. Take the opportunity to show your appreciation to the men in your life - particularly your fathers and grandfathers (and help your children think of something their Dad would enjoy from them).

First Day of Summer….the day of longest daylight in the Northern Hemisphere…is June 20th.

Strawberries and blueberries. These are the early fruits of summer across much of the US. They are tasty by themselves, in salads or desserts, or in smoothies. June is probably the easiest month of the year to eat healthy!

Memorial Day

Today is Memorial Day - a three day weekend for most of us.

It is a day to remember those that sacrificed for our country. Many communities have events that are a combination of solemn (flags on graves, wreaths at tombs) and celebration (parades). Events that bring people together in a commemorative activity - like the Rolling Thunder of motorcycles in Washington DC - are popular.

It's a good time of year for doing things outdoors so Memorial Day is often used as the 'kickoff' for summer. For years - hot dogs cooked on a grill have been our traditional Memorial Day meal. I've made a few changes toward 'healthier' this year: better quality hot dogs, no bun, Mrs. Dash on the corn rather than salt, a veggie side. Later in the summer, more of the veggies will come from our garden or local farm. This early in the season, the only thing on the plate from our garden is the Italian parsley!

Enjoy your Memorial Day!

Recipe of the Week: Barbequed Pork Chops in the Crock Pot

My Crock Pot (slow cooker) is over 35 years old! It is a very dated style (the crock does not separate from the base to go into the dishwasher) and color (gold). I still use it a couple of times a month at least. One of my favorite recipes is for pork chops.

~~~~~

Bottle of your favorite barbeque sauce

Pork chops (1-2 per person, I like the boneless ones that are cut thin)

Crock pot liner (to make clean up easy)

Place liner in crock pot. Layer pork chops and barbeque sauce. Cover. Cook on high for 1-2 hours and low for 6-8 hours.

The pork chops will always come out very tender and full of flavor from the barbeque sauce. 

Recipe of the Week: Sourdough Adventure: Italian Spice Bread

This is an easy bread that only goes through the rise process once so does not have a ‘sour’ taste. If you want a sour taste - punch it down after the 1st rise and let it rise again before baking.

1 cup mature whole wheat sourdough starter

3/4 cup lukewarm water

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cups whole wheat flour

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning (I used Mrs. Dash)

4 tablespoons sugar or other sweetener

Extra flour as needed

Small amount milk and extra seasoning to brush on right before baking

Olive oil to brush on when it comes out of the oven

Mix starter, water, and olive oil in a large bowl. Combine flour, soda, seasoning and sugar in a medium bowl then add to large bowl. Stir until well mixed. Let sit for 10 minutes.

Stir the dough. Put flour on board (or cabinet top) and hands. Roll dough from bowl onto board. Knead for 5-10 minutes - minimizing the amount of flour added. Let rest for 10 minutes. Knead for another 5-10 minutes. Continue kneading/rest cycle until dough is smooth and easily shaped.

Place in pan that has been previous sprayed to avoid sticking. I like to use a Pyrex baking dish that has a lid so that I can later store the bread in the container I bake it in. Spread the dough to the edges of the dish. Cover with a damp towel, place in a warm place and leave until it doubles in size.

When it has doubled in size, sprinkle with Italian seasoning and brush with milk. Place in an oven preheated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Cook until browned on top. Brush with olive oil and wrap in a damp towel while it cools.

Enjoy warm (yummy by itself or with butter/olive oil). Store leftovers in the refrigerator. This bread makes excellent sandwiches (see picture to right with smoked turkey, Italian parsley and Ranch dressing)

Previous Sourdough Adventure posts: 

• Pancakes
• Sally Lunn
• Spice Muffins

Recipe of the Week: Sourdough Adventure: Spice Muffins

Muffins are simple, quick way to utilize sourdough starter. They are like pancakes in that they use the reaction from the combination of the acid in the starter and the base from soda to make moist, cake-like muffins. Here’s my favorite recipe:

Combine in a large measuring cup: 

• 1/4 cup chia seeds
• 1/4 cup tea or water
• 2 cups whole wheat sourdough starter
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2/3 cup molasses or honey (something sweet)
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla 

Combine in a large bowl: 

• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon cloves
• Dash cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and spray pans with non-stick cooking spray.

Combine wet ingredients and let sit for about 10 minutes.

Combine dry ingredients.

Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients.

Spoon into muffin pans.

Cook until a toothpick comes out clean.

~~~~~

There are lots of ways to use this recipe and make very different tasting muffins. Here are few ideas...I encourage you to experiment and make your own unique muffins! 

• Use honey or apple juice concentrate for the sweetener.
• Add raisins or nuts.
• Use orange or lemon peel as an additional spice.
• Add butterscotch morsels for a dessert muffin 

Recipe of the Week: Stir-Fry Chicken and Onions

I’m taking a break from my continuing sourdough adventures to feature a main dish this week. It’s one of my favorites because of the many variations - additional ingredients and different ways to eat it.

Central Ingredients: 

• Boneless chicken breasts
• Olive oil
• Onion, chopped
• Seasoning (example: black pepper, favorite no-salt blend)

 Cut up chicken into bite size pieces (I tend to use my kitchen scissors for this). Heat the oil in a large pan. Add chicken and cook until it us all white on the outside at least - stir frequently so it doesn’t stick. Add onions and stir. Cook until onions are translucent and chicken is done all the way through.

Ideas for other ingredients that can be added at the same time the onions are added: 

• Green pepper, chopped (this is may favorite addition)
• Mushrooms, chopped
• Celery, chopped
• Canned water chestnuts, sliced
• Canned bamboo shoots

 Serving suggestions: 

• In Carb Balance tortillas with refried beans and salsa (This is my husband's favorite way to eat it. If he is using a large tortilla, he makes a large burrito. The small tortillas can be folded to make a soft taco.)
• Over cooked rice
• Over cooked quinoa
• Over spaghetti squash
• Over lettuce or other salad (This is my favorite way to eat it...with a little ranch dressing on the lettuce.)
• Over shredded sweet potato

Additional spices: 

• Orange or lemon zest
• Cayenne pepper
• Parsley or cilantro (on top after it is served)

The number of servings depend on how many additional ingredients are added. If you stick to just the central ingredients - 2 chicken breasts and one onion make a good meal for two…probably with some left overs if eaten over salad or in tortillas. It is good left over; I usually finish mine off reheated to top a salad or for chicken soup (for example: added to egg noodles cooked in chicken bouillon with some frozen peas).

Recipe of the Week: Sourdough Adventure: Sally Lunn

My sourdough adventures continue. My second success is making Sally Lunn. I had a basic recipe which was significantly morphed to use whole wheat flour, powdered sugar (since I somehow was out of other sugar!), and added cinnamon. Here’s the recipe:

• 1/2 cup butter (melted)
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar (next time I’ll use 1/3 cup regular sugar as the recipe originally called for…or honey)
• 1 1/2 cup sourdough starter (that has been grown on whole wheat flour)
• 1 cup lukewarm milk
• 3 eggs, beaten
• Pinch salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3 1/2 or 4 cups whole wheat flour (don’t let the dough get too stiff)

Cream butter and sugar. Add starter. Mix well. Alternatively add milk and beaten eggs. In a separate bowl blend together salt, cinnamon and flour. Add to sourdough mixer. Beat until smooth. Cover with a cloth. Set in warm place free from drafts and let rise until double in size.

Stir down and pour into a greased cake pan or loaf pan. Let rise again until double in size. 

Bake at 350 degrees F for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown.

Serve hot or cold.

Notes:

I used a Bundt pan and it did create beautiful bread. We ate it with butter right after it came out of the pan then the next morning for breakfast toasted with butter and smoked turkey on top.

The down side of using a Bundt pan is it is hard to cut into regular slices to make sandwiches and this would be an excellent bread for sandwich making.

I made grilled buttered rounds with this bread to have with dinner --- yummy.

The bread definitely has a wonderful mild sourdough flavor.

Previous Sourdough Adventure Posts: Pancakes

Gleanings of the Week Ending April 28, 2012

The items below were ‘the cream’ of the articles I read this past week:

Red-Rock Splendors of Arches and Canyonlands National Parks (video)

Anti-depressants likely do more harm than good - How many other drugs would come out like this is reviewed from a whole system perspective?

A serving a day of dark chocolate might keep the doctor away - A study that showed 50 grams of 70% dark chocolate was good for you. I love having it for breakfast (although I usually have only eat 20 grams)!

Surging Seas - a site that gets specific about the expected impact of rising sea level by 2020.

Almost Seven Million Birds Perish at Communication Towers in North America Each Year - a study that documented the problem…and some possible solutions (for example - making the red lights blinking rather than solid would reduce mortality by 45%!)

Building Muscle Without Heavy Weights - more repetitions with lower intensity also works!

If the food’s in plastic, what’s in the food? - Maybe we need to know more about the packaging of the food we eat

NASA Landsat Satellites See Texas Crop Circles - An image and a bit of history about irrigation and Landsat

Psychologists use social networking behavior to predict personality type - Some research results that prompts more questions than it answers

Less invasive scoliosis treatment - A rod system that is manipulated with magnets - marketed by a California Company - being tested in Hong Kong because of the difficulty getting technology approved for testing in the US

Recipe of the Week: Sourdough Adventure: Pancakes

I like the idea of making my own breads now that I have time - so in early April I started my own sourdough ‘starter’ using instructions from Mike Avery’s Sourdough site. All you need is whole wheat flour and water! Everything worked very easily for me and I took one of the simplest paths possible through the instructions. I find that my two cup measure with a small plate on top is ideal while the starter is outside the refrigerator.

I very quickly got to the point I wanted to use it before I got into the mode of putting it into the refrigerator to slow down the growth enough that it didn’t need feeding every 12 hours. The first thing I attempted to make was pizza dough…and that didn’t work out so well. It was too dense. I’ve already found another recipe that I’ll try sometime soon. Pancakes were my first big success.

My basic recipe is

1 egg

2 tablespoons sweetener (sugar or honey…something sweet)

4 tablespoons olive oil

Dash salt

1 1/2 cups mature sourdough starter

1 teaspoon cinnamon

~~~~~

1 teaspoon soda dissolved in 1 tablespoon of warm water

In a large bowl or measuring cup with a spout (to make it easy to pour out the batter), mix sugar, egg, salt and olive oil. Mix in the sourdough starter and cinnamon. Add warm water or tea to get the right consistency for pancake batter. Set aside.

In a small bowl, dilute 1 teaspoon baking soda in 1 tablespoon of warm water. 

When ready to cook the sourdough pancakes, fold the baking soda/water mixture gently into the prepared pancake batter (do not beat). This will cause a gentle foaming and rising action in the batter. Let the mixture bubble and foam a minute or so to give the acid (in the starter) and the base (soda) time to react; this makes the air bubbles that produce pancakes with air bubbles rather than densely packed flour.

Cook on a hot griddle as other types of pancakes.

Note - Other optional ingredients could be added to the batter. Be creative. Some that I like (one at a time or in combinations): orange zest, chopped pecans, grated apples, or ginger. 

I'll continue to share my adventure with my sourdough starter. I'm working my way up to whole wheat loaves of bread and raisin buns like my grandmother used to make!

Recipe of the Week: Cool Soups

We’re in for some warm days so I’m prompted  to think about the changes in food preferences as the weather changes. A first thought: when the weather is warm - soups should be cool. It’s a great alternative to a salad that also is a warm weather food.

For cool soups - the basic technique is to put the ingredients in a food processor, blend to desired consistency, and then let stand for the flavors to meld. It’s different than a smoothie in the sense that it doesn’t have to be all together smooth. Having some chunks in the soup is perfectly acceptable. I like to add a tablespoon of chia seeds per serving to ‘thicken’ the soup. After the chia seeds stand for about 15 minutes in liquid they form a gel; they are a ‘super food’ that have found a long list of uses in my everyday cooking over the past few months.

My favorite cool soups start with either cucumber or salsa. Or course - cucumber and salsa could be combined to make a soup but let’s start separately.

I like cucumber and citrus so the combinations

• Cucumber - lemon yogurt - orange zest or
• Cucumber - lemon flavoring - orange zest - chia seeds

Are my basics for the food processor. Spices or ingredients can be added depending on what you need to use up and the flavors you like to combine. Added grapes or apples make it sweeter.  The pulp of 1/4 lemon or orange make it more citrusy. Celery or lettuce or parsley gives it more bulk and all the benefits of leafy greens. A bit of vanilla and a packet of stevia can make it into a dessert soup. Mrs. Dash or a drop of hot sauce can make is into a spicy soup.

Starting with salsa - here are some combinations for the food processor to consider:

• Salsa - celery - lettuce - parsley
• Salsa - carrots or sweet potato - celery
• Salsa - V-8 - celery - green onions (this one you may be able to make without the food processer if you like the chunks of celery and green onions
• Salsa - bullion/broth (this could also be a hot or warm soup…but is good cold as well)

Additions to any of these could be sweet peas or broccoli chunks or cut corn from the freezer (partially thawed) or any fresh veggie that can be easily diced. 

So - as the days get warmer - consider cool soups either as a whole meal or as a side dish.

Gleanings of the Week Ending April 14, 2012

The items below were ‘the cream’ of the articles I read this past week:

The Amazing Trajectories of Life-Bearing Meteorites from Earth - What happens to the ejection of rocks/water from big impacts?

Ocean surface currents animation from NASA - using data from June 2005 to December 2007

A Apple Pie by Kate Greenaway - online version from the popular Victorian illustrator

What is a Vegan Diet? - Pointers to good references. “Even if you have no intention of going vegan yourself, anyone can benefit from enjoying a completely plant-based meal from time to time.”

Baking with Whole Grain Flours - A goof reference for if you’re in the mood to experiment with some of those exotic flours that are finding their way into your grocery store - amaranth…buckwheat…quinoa

Smart grids (info graphic) - lots of technology being integrated…coming soon (click on the graphic to enlarge it)

Top 25 US Cities for Energy Star Buildings - Los Angeles and Washington DC are the top 2; Dallas-Fort Worth is 8th

Obesity Accounts for 21% of US Health Care Costs - One more reason to achieve/sustain a normal weight

Birding in the National Parks - Spring time and bird migration

Paleo-Birding: What Birds Looked Like 125 Million Years Ago - Photos of bird fossils with commentary

Know where your food comes from - An interactive map…type the name of a food and see where it comes from in the US

Recipe of the Week: Sweet Potato Cake Muffins

This recipe is derived originally from a carrot cake recipe. I used grated sweet potato in place of the carrots. I also substituted honey and apple juice concentrate for the sugar. This recipe does well with whole wheat flour because is it very moist and the other ingredients are hearty flavors that are not overwhelmed by the whole wheat.

1 1/3 cups olive oil

1 cup honey

1 cup apple juice concentrate

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3 eggs

2 cups whole wheat flour

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (rounded)

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

3 cups grated sweet potatoes (less than 1 pound)

1 cup raisins

1 small can crushed pineapple, drained

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray muffin tins (makes 24+ muffins).

In large bowl, combine together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Add the grated sweet potato and raisins; stir to coat them with the flour mixture.

Whisk olive oil, honey, apple juice concentrate, vanilla, and eggs together in a small bowl or large measuring cup. Add to the flour mixture and stir until combined.

Scoop the batter into muffin cups until each is 3/4 full. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a rack. I made regular muffins, muffin tops, and a couple of mini-Bundt muffins.

Gleanings of the Week Ending April 7, 2012

The items below were ‘the cream’ of the articles I read this past week:

Funny Food (365 fun, healthy, silly, creative breakfasts) - Take a look at this site if you need to spice up  a child’s (or your own) breakfast

Bioluminescence in the ocean - pictures and explanation from National Geographic

The Secret Life of Fish (TED video)

UK Emissions Dropped 7% in 2011 - due to reduced energy demand (warmer weather) and increased low-carbon electricity generation

5 states (US) getting over 10% of electricity from wind power - South Dakota, Iowa, North Dakota, Minnesota, and Wyoming.  Wind generation has been growing by 36% each year since 2007. States that are getting between 5 and 10% from wind are Colorado, Kansas, Idaho, Oregon and Oklahoma. If Texas were a country, it would rank 6th in the world for total wind capacity.

Research on how Giant Gypsum Crystals form - some recent discoveries about the initial stages and how increasing our understanding could benefit industrial production of plaster and help keep pipes clear in desalination plants

Photo of the Day: Rufous Hummingbird

Lean Back - slide show from The Economist re media consumption

12-Mile-High Martian Dust Devil - dust devils form on Mars too (there are two animations accessible via the bottom of this page - http://hirise.lpl.arizona.edu/ESP_026394_2160)

The role of mobile devices and social media in news consumption