Anson Mills Popcorn Review

“Popcorn Yum!” my two year old excitedly squealed when she saw the air popper produce it’s yield of fluffy corn goodness. I like to try something new from the farmer’s market each week. This weekend it was obviously popping corn. Last week it was pork chops from Caw Caw farms but my husband set them on fire on the grill so I couldn’t give a true review on those. (We have had their pork roast that was so good most of it was eaten before I could get it on the plates) Anyway, I digress.
One of the true gems of Columbia is Anson Mills; they provide heirloom high quality grains to some of the best restaurants in the US. I am sad to say I have always skipped by the Anson Mill table at the market. Not this week however, I procured a 12 ounce bag of popping corn for $5. We are avid popcorn eaters, always air popped, because microwave popcorn is terrible for you. I have however seen fantastic methods of microwaving popcorn at home by putting the corn into a paper bag with a little oil and salt. I may try that one day but for now I love my trusty little air popper and my daughter gets such joy in seeing the corn pop.
Onto the popcorn... It popped up big, firm, and full with very few loose kernels. I lightly buttered and salted it and it was delicious. 2 tablespoons of corn produced a large serving bowl of popcorn, enough for all three of us even though I hogged most of it up myself. I am not sure that we could point out it was a super special heirloom variety corn over say the organic popcorn I buy from the bulk bins at the natural food store but it surely tasted good. It had an almost wheat corn flavor if that makes sense. It also had a quality that I loved; it was crisp and crunched under my teeth and was not soft and chewy like many other types of popcorn I have tried. I believe that is from its freshness. We will most definitely be buying this again.

Good stores gone bad?

I read today that Trader Joe's had to recall their chocolate chip granola bars. Last year Whole Foods recalled their beef. It's really quite a shame isn't it. So many people look to company's like Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, and Earth Fare to uphold a higher standard than conventional stores. The truth is though even those stores selling their philosophy of non-GMO, organic, and natural foods often fall to the cheapest supplier wins mentality. They are in it to make money and buying in bulk from huge industrial organic farms is most profitable for these chains. Many farms producing our organic meats and processed foods are the same ones producing the non organic ones, side by side they produce these foods. Don't get me wrong, I shop at those stores, but just for my staples for making my own homemade stuff these days. Little by little my family is eating less food processed by big factories more food made with love by me. Yes I know it sounds corney, but I do love making the food that I know will nurture the bodies of those I love. Really that's why I am writing this blog because I want you to be informed and healthy too. Down girl...off the soap box now.

Never less, the article reminded me that my husband has been asking me for weeks for a new batch of my homemade granola bars. I have been preoccupied with my new dehydrator but I'll let that be another post. Today, I got off my duff and made him those bars and I took pictures so I could share them with you! See the previous post for the recipe.

Granola Bar Recipe

2 cups rolled oats (I buy these in the bulk bin at my local Health Food store)
¼ cup Wheat Germ (can substitute ½ cup wheat flour for the germ and flax)
¼ cup Flax Seed meal
1 ½ cups nuts lightly chopped (I used a mix of walnuts, almonds, and sunflower seeds)
1 cup fruit (I used dried cherries and blueberries)
½ cup dark chocolate chips (optional)

½ cup honey
¼ cup brown sugar packed
1 TB vanilla extract
½ cup applesauce


Mix all the dry ingredients together, except the sugar and chocolate chips if using them. In separate bowl mix all wet ingredients with the sugar, heat on the stove or in the microwave to ensure the sugar is dissolved. Mix the wet mixture into the dry and let cool, and then add the chocolate chips.

Spread out into an oiled 9x11 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes for chewier bars and 30 minutes for a crunchier bar. Cut them while they are still warm in the pan, they will harden more as they cool.



This basic recipe is very forgiving. I rarely make it the same way twice. I have used this to make apple cinnamon bars, finely chop a fresh apple and add 2 tsp cinnamon to the mix. Raisin Oat bars, use raisin as your fruit. Chocolate Peanut bars, use peanuts as your nut and add chocolate. I have used fresh fruit and dried fruit, even used a banana or pumpkin instead of applesauce. I have used stevia (1 tsp.) and half of the brown sugar. I have forgone heating the sugar mixture when in a hurry and it was fine. Whatever your favorite flavor is you can adapt this basic recipe and add on to it.

Sheppard’s Pie Recipe

According to Michael Pollan, author of In Defence of Food and Omnivore's Dilemma eating grass fed beef is actually as good or better for us than eating salmon raised to eat corn and grain. The Omega Oils, Conjugated Linoleic Acid, and other nutritional benefits absent for corn fed cattle are abundant in the grass fed beef.

In celebration of beef and due to the fact I have a 1/8 of a grass fed cow in my freezer I decided to make a yummy Sheppard's Pie...well my take on it anyway.

I am not a "measurer" when it comes to cooking but more of a little of this and that style cook. I will try my best to assume measurements.

1/2 pound of lean grass fed beef (the other half put away for this weekends nachos)
2 tsp. of low sodium Worcestershire sauce
1 garlic clove
1 Tb. your favorite steak sauce
1 medium onion
1 1/2 cups beef stock
1 Tb thickener mixed into a rue(flour or corn starch mixed with a little warm water)

2 cups of mixed vegetables (whatever you like in particular)
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms

2 cups leftover mashed potatoes
1/2 cup fresh Parmesan cheese

Brown your beef with the onion and then add the Worcestershire, garlic, steak sauce, and beef stock. Let this simmer a few minutes then add the thickener. Next stir in the veggies and mushrooms. Spoon into a deep dish baker.

Next mix the potatoes and Parmesan and spread over the top on the beef mixture.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until lightly brown on top.

Community Supported Agriculture

I am looking forward to spring and the warm weather, as a southern girl I am adapted to love hot muggy weather. One of my favorite things about the warmer weather is all the fresh local produce I get to cook and eat. I am a big fan of the All Local Farmers Market in my neighborhood and go just about every Saturday to get my milk, meat, eggs, and produce.

Last year I toyed with the idea of joining a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture)and was overwhelmed by the choices in my area (that's actually a really good thing). In the end I ended up being too late to sign up. I vowed to not let this year slip me by and started my research on the CSA's in my area a few months ago. I have a couple requirements for my produce. First, It needs to come from someone who is a good steward of the land, so they need to be farming sustainably. I also usually gravitate towards organic/chemical free as I do not want to put chemicals in my body but more importantly in my 2 year old's body. Third, I have to be able to afford it.

After much web surfing and emailing I decided to go with Big Moon Farm in Leesville, SC. They are not an organic farm but I am told they only use "crop protection" if absolutely necessary and last year they used none. They do seem to practice sustainable agriculture according to their website. Plus, they are very affordable, for what amounts to around $25 a week I will get a big basket of fresh veggies and a dozen eggs (an option I added on). Think about it people that is really cheap!

I really don't think I could have gone wrong with any of the choices for CSA's in my area but Big Moon fit my bill of requirements right on. Plus, they are all connected up with a great little website and Facebook page. I am all about a technology savvy farmer! I hope to go visit the farm and will update if I get to do that.

Check out http://www.localharvest.org/ and find a CSA near you. Nothing does a community better than supporting your local businesses and that includes farmers.

Clean Green Machine

Many people I have talked to about living green see cost as an obstacle. However, if done right it can actually cost substantially less. Case in point, cleaning products.

I make all my household cleaners using a small list of ingredients: White distilled Vinegar, Baking Soda, liquid soap (preferably coconut derived sulfate free), 91% alcohol, and essential oil (optional). It cost me less than $20 to provide the materials to last my family an entire year. I'll post all of my cleaning recipes over the next few posts.

Here is one of my simplest recipes, Tub Scrub.

2 cups baking soda
1/4 cup liquid soap
1/4 cup vinegar

I mix the soap and baking soda together first, it will become crumbly. Next add the vinegar into the baking soda in very small increments. This is very important unless you desire to remake the science fair volcano project from grade school. It will foam to the top of the jar, let it dissipate some the stir it in. Continue this process until all the vinegar is incorporated into the baking soda.

I use this mixture obviously to scrub the tub but it also cleans the sinks, and tile, and chrome particularly well. I also make toilet bombs with it.

To make a Toilet Bomb:

Scoop 2 tablespoons Tub Scrub into the toilet and follow with 3/4 cup plain white distilled vinegar. You actually do want this one to foam like that volcano from grade school. Let it sit 5 minutes and scrub as usual.

Milk! Buy it local.

I had been buying organic milk for years hoping to avoid nasty hormones and to support farmers who want to treat cows nicely. I was so disappointed to find out that most organic dairy farms are huge operations that treat cows just as badly as non-organic ones. I have also learned that pasteurizing milk at high temps kills off most of it's healthy qualities. Over the past couple years I have tried many different brands of local milk that is either raw or non-homoginized with a low heat pasteurization. My absolute favorite local milk comes from Happy Cow Creamery in Pelzer, SC. It's so rich and creamy and taste like a caramel candy. I often drink it as a desert. They have a grass grazing and pasture rotation process that has been studied by other farmer's around the world! Wil-Moore farms sells this at the many farmer's markets they attend including the All Local market in Olympia every Saturday year round. You can also buy directly from Happy Cow's on site store where they also sell organic produce and fresh cheeses. Shumpert's Dairy told me they studied the world renowned Happy Cow process but I am not sure they are grass grazing the cows. I feel like it's a great buy though because they are right here in the Midlands and can be bought locally at Reid's in Cayce and directly from at them several Farmer's markets including the one at Riverbank's zoo . Hickory Hill farm in Edgefield has milk that taste almost as good as Happy Cow and utilizes a similar low temp process and grass grazing process. It can be found at Earth Fare and in Lexington at Piggly Wiggly per my friend April. Last, raw milk produced by Butter Patch Jersey's in Saluda has made a frequent stop in my refrigerator. Again, it's not as tasty as Happy Cow but it is raw and local, two big pluses. Buy this directly from the farmer's at the All Local market. Take a look around http://www.localharvest.org/ and find a creamery local to you, it's better for your health and your community. Plus those cows that work so hard to produce the milk you drink would thank you if they could!

Welcome!

Most of the choices I have made for my family to live greener are based on a selfish desire to be the healthiest people we can be. Luckily, living a healthy green lifestyle is also good for the environment and the positive for the world as a whole. It's amazing to me that we as a society have become so disconnected from our food sources and manufacturing processes for the goods we consume. This blog is a forum for me to share our journey to be sustainable. I will include information on our food choices, recipes, recycling efforts, natural product reviews, and any other tidbits I can come up with.