Looking for the perfect drink for your pool party! The mister whipped up a batch of his famous Gin Lemonade recently and I was reminded how much I love it this time of year! Be careful though, they are strong – one is all you need. Ha!
What you will need:
juice from 5 organic lemons
1 1/2 cups of organic sugar
1 1/2 cup organic gin (you can also use vodka)
8 cups ice
Directions:
Whisk the lemon juice and sugar together until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add the gin and whisk again. Then, add the 8 cups of ice to a blender with the gin-lemon-sugar mixture and blend until smooth. Add lemon slices for garnish and enjoy.
Most of us in the U.S. take food for granted. We don’t question how, where, or who grows our food. The majority of states within the U.S. purchase their food from somewhere else. On average, food from the US travels over 1300 miles from farm to grocery store. With the current state of our planet, things have to change.
A Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a way for a community to establish a relationship with a farm and receive a weekly or monthly supply of produce, fruits, eggs, milk, meat, flowers, or any other type of farm products. A season typically runs from late spring to early fall. This generally costs a family $300-500 a season.
As a member, you would support the farm throughout the season, and in return reap the rewards including; better prices, safer products, and tastier food with a lower carbon footprint. You also establish a responsible relationship between people, the food they eat, and the land itself.
Members become “shareholders” of the farm and in advance cover the costs of the farm’s operation. Members also share in the risks including failed crops, poor weather, or pests. However, the rewards greatly out way the risks.
There are currently over 2000 CSA’s in the United States, to find one in your area click here.
It’s stone fruit season! Wondering what stone fruit is? Stone fruit is any type of fruit that has a single seed or pit – for example; apricots, peaches, nectarines, plums, and cherries. Any time a particular type of fruit is in season, it’s a great idea to buy in bulk and stock up. There are several great ways that you can get the most out of the stone fruit that you purchase. It just takes a little creativity and a few different ways to preserve the stone fruit and you can enjoy it all year long. Read on for my 6 favorites ways to get the most out of these sweet fruits.
#1: Bag It! We recently purchased a large quantity of organic stone fruit – however, there were several pieces that were not ripe. To ripen them up quickly so that we could use them, we put them in a paper bag for a couple of days. Works like a charm.
#2: Grill It! It’s grilling season too and a fantastic way to enjoy stone fruit is fresh off the grill. Peaches grilled quickly on each side and then topped with organic vanilla ice cream is an amazing fall treat. You won’t be disappointed and it is a super fun dessert for those get-togethers.
#3: Add It! Stone fruit isn’t only good on it’s own, or as a dessert – it tastes amazing when added to the main course. I like to add cut up stone fruit to salads, salsas, and side dishes during the summertime. It’s adds a ton of flavor and a pop of color to our meals. The possibilities are endless!
#4: Can It! While purchasing stone fruit in a large quantity while it is in season is a great idea, what if you can’t use it all before it spoils? Can it! Stone fruits can be used in jams, syrups and salsas, so why not get to cooking and preserve some of that sweetness for later in the year. Can you image a yummy stone fruit syrup, salsa or jam during fall, winter and spring?
#5: Dry It! Who doesn’t love dried fruit? What could be better than dried peaches or apricots. You can either dry the fruit in the oven at 200° F for three hours or use a food dehydrator to get the job done. Dried fruit lasts a long time and will be perfect as a lunch box snack during the school year.
#6: Freeze It! Whatever stone fruit you have leftover should be frozen before it spoils. Frozen stone fruit is amazing in smoothies and desserts, just remove the amount that you need from the freezer and enjoy!
Do you buy in bulk from your local natural grocer? If you do, you already know how affordable it can be, right? However, do you realize that shopping in bulk is also great for the environment? When you buy in bulk, you are only purchasing the exact quantity that you need – which means nothing goes to waste. If you bring your own reusable containers, you eliminate the need for packaging too. There are tons of organic options available in the bulk bins including; cereals, snacks, dried fruits, spices, nuts, seeds, and even peanut butter and honey. Plus, many co-ops offer personal care items such as soap, shampoo, and condition in bulk too.
YOUR TURN: Do you shop in bulk? What are your favorite items to buy? What are your favorite stores to bulk shop at?
When we were on our winter camping trip to St. Augustine, Florida last month we couldn’t miss one of our favorite activities, the farmer’s market. St. Augustine has an amazing farmer’s market, full of great local vendors offering everything from art and handmade items to produce and fresh baked goods – but one of my favorite things to pick up is the local raw honey!
We stopped by Stubbees Local and Raw Honey’s booth to check out the bees and pick up a jar of their amazing honey! We learned from Lori and Justin Stubblefield, owners of Stubbess how the local bees actually hang around waiting for the Stubbees to show up on Saturday morning for the farmer’s market. Then, they hang out with the honey jars all day.
I love the creamed honey – it is my favorite in coffee and tea, but I have been known to have a teaspoon here and there as a little treat! I definitely recommend picking up a jar or two of Stubbees Local and Raw Honey!
