Here is a
description of their lovely farm and retreat.
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We
are situated just 3-1/2 hours north of Vancouver. In the beautiful
Fraser Canyon our 70 acre hide-away farm has year round access. From
the farm and cabins the southern view down the valley looks out to the
Coastal Range to the west and the Washington Cascades to the east.
Closer to home the eye takes in the lovely treed acres and natural
pasture that comprises the 3 acre organic garden. We have
facilities for retreats with 3 cabins available and a bath house.
There is also, a seminar/meditation room. Produce is available in
season.
See the Sointula
Greens Web site.
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Picking and
Weeding at Sointula Gardens.
The Cabins. On the
Far Left Is the Hobbit House.
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Another
contact for organic poultry and apple cider vinegar: Moon Farm
B&B, Darcy, BC 604-452-3419. Email celtrom@uniserve.com.
The
following information is from the Small Potatoes Urban Delivery
Service. Check them
out for organic foods of all kinds delivered to your home at
reasonable prices! Order online at www.spud.ca.
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A five-year
scientific study from Washington State University has received
international attention:
The
researchers conclude that organic food is not just tastier and better
for the environment, but is also more financially profitable for
farmers than industrial farming. A team of scientists, led by Dr. John
Reganold, compared systems of growing apples in experimental plots.
The study measured the "sustainability indicators of soil
quality, horticultural performance, orchard profitability,
environmental quality and energy efficiency."
They
reported: "Escalating production costs, heavy reliance on
non-renewable resources, reduced biodiversity, water contamination,
chemical residues in food, soil degradation and health risks to farm
workers handling pesticides all bring into question the sustainability
of conventional farming systems." While the impact on the
environment was 6.2 times greater with industrial than organic
methods, scientists were surprised to find that the organic orchard
was more energy efficient requiring less labour and less water per
apple produced as well--direct savings to the cost of production.
Finally, using an independent amateur tasting panel, they found that
the organic apples were firmer and sweeter, allowing them to command a
higher price. Purely profitable.
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I thought
this was a little different take on organics. It actually is more
profitable...and of course, it’s better for our bodies and our world! Who would
have guessed! I got a little miffed a few weeks ago watching a Food
Network program. They were talking about organic and genetically
engineered foods and I’m afraid the journalism was very poor as they
were completely biased towards mucking around with our food.
Can we
actually think that putting beef genes into tomatoes isn’t trying to
one-up Mother Nature? I guess common sense doesn’t cut it. What
about the poor vegetarian who’s eating veggies only to find out they
just consumed a cow! OK…OK, I know I’m getting a little carried
away here but really…?
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Here's a
really good cookbook on greens that my sister gave me.
It includes recipes for arugula, bok choy, kale, collards,
dandelion greens and more.
Greens Glorious Greens!: More Than 140 Ways to Prepare All Those Great-Tasting, Super-Healthy, Beautiful Leafy Greens
- by Johanna Albi & Catherine Walthers
I got a big batch of organic greens
this week and found this really great recipe on the www.epicurious.com
website (Bon Appetit and Gourmet
magazines). It called for spinach but I had arugula and chard, which I
substituted and it was perfect as an
accompaniment to a meal, as a light lunch or vegetarian meal. Just remember that for
this recipe, it is
best to remove the stem and the hard vein from the chard.
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Recipes
Sointula
Greens Beet Relish
- 4 cups cooked beets, grated
- 2 hot peppers (perhaps jalapenos),
seeded and chopped finely
- ½ cup onion, chopped
- 2 tsp kosher salt (non-iodized)
- 2/3 cup sugar
- ¼ cup prepared horseradish
- 2 cups white vinegar
Bring all
the ingredients to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes. In the meantime,
boil pickling jars (3 pints) and lids. Bring a large pot of water
(filled enough to cover jars by one inch) to a boil. Divide relish
between the 3 jars. Put lids on so they are firm but not too tight.
Place jars in the water and boil for 5 minutes to seal. Remove from
the water and allow to sit upright for 10 minutes. Tap the tops of the
lids to insure they are sealed. If they make a hollow sound, they are
not sealed. You can then either reprocess or store in fridge. Properly
sealed jars do not need to be refrigerated until opened.
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Dilled Spinach
Crepes with Avgolemono Sauce
For the filling:
1 onion, chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 cup minced fresh dill
4 cups steamed greens (spinach, arugula or chard with hard vein
removed work well), chopped fine
For dill crêpe batter:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup milk
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons minced fresh dill
melted butter for brushing the crêpes
For the sauce:
2/3-cup chicken broth
(substitute chicken-style broth to make
this a vegetarian meal)
2 large eggs
1/4-cup fresh lemon juice
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For vegetarians trying to avoid hydrolised
vegetable protein (found in chicken-style seasonings) use crème fraiche
instead of the sauce. See our article on Quinoa for
the recipe or click here to jump to
the recipe on the Quinoa page.
Make the filling:
In a saucepan cook the onion in the butter over moderately low heat,
stirring, until it is softened, add the flour, and cook the mixture,
stirring, for 3 minutes. Add the milk in a stream, whisking, and cook
the mixture over moderate heat, whisking, until it is thick. Stir in
the nutmeg, the dill, the spinach, and salt and pepper to taste and
let the filling cool.
Make 12 crêpes (procedure follows)
with the dill crêpe batter. Spread 2 tablespoons of the filling on
each crêpe and roll the crêpe up jelly-roll fashion. Arrange the
crêpes, seam sides down, in a buttered shallow baking dish just large
enough to hold them in one layer. The crêpes may be prepared up to
this point 1 day in advance and kept covered and chilled. Brush the
crêpes lightly with the melted butter and bake them in the middle of
a preheated 400°F. oven for 20 minutes.
Make the sauce:
In a small saucepan bring the broth to a boil. In a bowl whisk
together the eggs and the lemon juice. Add half the broth to the egg
mixture in a stream, whisking, and whisk the mixture into the
remaining broth. Heat the sauce, stirring, until it reaches 170°F. on
a candy thermometer and is thickened slightly, but do not let it boil,
and add salt and pepper to taste.
Divide the crêpes among
the plate and
drizzle the sauce over them.
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Make the dill crêpe batter:
In a blender or food processor blend the flour, 1/2 cup plus 2
tablespoons water, the milk, the eggs, the butter, and the salt for 5
seconds. Turn off the motor, add the dill, and with a rubber spatula
scrape down the sides of the container. Blend the batter for 20
seconds more, transfer it to a bowl, and let it stand, covered and
chilled, for 1 hour. The batter may be made 1 day in advance and kept
covered and chilled. Makes enough batter for about 13 crêpes.
Make the crêpes:
Heat a crêpe pan or non-stick skillet measuring 6 to 7 inches across
the bottom over moderate heat until it is hot. Brush the pan lightly
with the butter, heat it until it is hot but not smoking, and remove
it from the heat. Stir the batter, half fill a 1/4-cup measure with
it, and pour the batter into the pan. Tilt and rotate the pan quickly
to cover the bottom with a layer of batter and return any excess
batter to bowl. Return the pan to the heat, loosen the edge of the
crêpe with a spatula, and cook the crêpe for 1 minute, or until the
top appears almost dry. Turn the crêpe, cook the other side lightly,
and transfer the crêpe to a plate. Make crêpe with the remaining
batter in the same manner, brushing the pan lightly with butter as
necessary. The crêpes may be made 3 days in advance, kept stacked,
wrapped in plastic wrap, and chilled.
Makes 12 filled crepes, 4 to 6
servings.
This is also good served with crème
fraiche instead of the sauce. (See
our article on Quinoa for the recipe or click here to jump right to the crème fraiche recipe in the Qinoa newsletter.)
Wonderful with lamb!
Carbohydrates if eating 2 crepes = 22
gm
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This is one of my favourite salads. I
got it from Jay (Jennifer) Green my friend and massage therapist at
Turning Point Therapeutic Massage
Clinic in Steveston. Jay and
her partners Lily, Anne and Bobby (DTCM & acupuncture) are
dedicated in their work and you can be sure to get the best of care.
Lily’s parents are Greek and they provide us with
hand raised lamb and cold pressed olive oil all the way from their own
orchards in Greece. Both the lamb and
the oil are amazing.
Arugula
is high in beta-carotene, calcium, vitamin C and is a cancer fighter.
It has a spicy and pungent flavour that can handle bold
dressings. Try some variations with this versatile salad. Spinach can
be used when Arugula is not available.
Experiment with different fruit juices such as raspberry or mango. Try
balsamic or herb flavoured vinegar. We’d
love to hear about your creations.
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Roasted Beet &
Arugula Salad
- 6 medium beets
- 3/4 cup shelled walnuts, pecans or
pine nuts, toasted and chopped
- 4 bunches of arugula, washed and
dried
Dressing:
- 1/4 cup cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp thawed frozen apple or orange
juice (preferably organic - Cascadian Farms is available at Choices, Capers, Seacoast Produce in
Steveston)
- 1/3 cup shallots, finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
Pierce beets. Place on lined baking
sheet in 400° F oven until tender. Cool, peel and slice. Toast nuts and chop (pine nuts are
left whole). Wash and dry arugula. Remove leaves
from stems and discard stems. Place leaves in salad bowl. If your arugula is very young and
tender you don’t have to remove the stems. Place all dressing ingredients,
except oil, in a medium bowl. Whisk until combined. Slowly add oil
while whisking until thickened. Dress beets and set aside. Just before serving, dress arugula
and add beets. Toss in the nuts. Serves 4-6.
Carbohydrates if 4
servings = 9 gm/serving
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