February 27, 2011

Iron Rich Smoothie 

a few handfuls spinach ($.80)

1 banana ($.30)

4 tablespoons nutiva hemp protein powder ($.60)

1 orange, peeled and sectioned ($.50)

1 tablespoon ground flax seeds

1 cup water for blending

1 dropper stevia (optional)

I have reason to believe my iron intake may have been a bit low lately, so I’ve been having this smoothie several times a week. It’s not only full of iron, but also contains the amino acid Lysine as well as Vitamin C which helps increase iron absorption. The vitamin C comes from the orange, Lysine from the hemp protein, and both the hemp protein and spinach contain iron.

It’s super simple, just combine all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth.

2 beets, sliced ($1.20)

3 carrots, sliced ($.40)

1 medium onion, sliced

2 tablespoons olive oil ($.20)

2 tablespoons lemon juice ($.40)

2 tablespoons agave ($.20)

1 clove garlic, pressed

5 ounces spinach ($2.29)

1/4 cup walnuts ($1.00)

salt and pepper

I had a downright aversion to beets until I tried Jenny Cornbleet’s shaved beet salad. Now, I really like them. Not love, but like. And that’s quite a change. By the way, if you experience beeturia, don’t worry, it’s harmless … although it can indicate iron deficiency.

This salad is also really convenient. I sliced and marinated the veggies the night before and let them sit in the fridge until lunch the next day and just tossed them in with the spinach.

Slice the beets, carrots, and onions thinly into a lidded container, I use a zip lock box. Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, agave, and garlic and pour over the veggies. Put the lid on and shake to distribute the dressing well. Put in the fridge for a few hours or up to two days. Toss with a generous helping of spinach, some chopped or whole walnuts, salt and pepper, and a bit of the marinade.

 

4 apples ($2.00)

1/4 cup walnuts ($1.00)

1 tablespoon raisins ($.20)

4 tablespoons agave ($.20)

1 tablespoon lemon juice ($.40)

 1 tablespoon olive oil ($.10)

1 teaspoon cinnamon

This makes the whole house smell wonderful while it’s dehydrating.

Peel and slice each apple. Carve out the center of each slice, except for the slice that will be on the bottom, this will keep the filling from falling out. Stack up the slices and fill the center cavity with the chopped walnuts and raisins. Whisk together the agave, lemon juice, olive oil, and cinnamon and spoon into the center. Dehydrate for about three hours, until the apple is soften and warm.

  

total carb: 161 gr
total protein: 38 gr

I love gardening, and this year I’m confident we’ll grow the best garden yet. 

This year, I’ll be keeping track of all garden input … such as seeds or plants, fertilizers and amendments, time, etc. I’ll also be keeping track of how much produce we get out. I really want to know the ROI (return on investment) for our gardening efforts and compare that to the cost of store or even farm market produce.

So, in addition to the recipes, I’ll have a garden update at the end of my blog posts each week. I’ll show you what I’m doing, starting with seed starting … all the way through planting, growing, harvest, and preserving. I’ve gotten more adept at preserving for raw and high raw use, and am really excited to see what all can be done. Edible flowers are intriguing me this year, and I’m determined to have fresh tomatoes on my June birthday.

If you’d like to garden along with me, that would be great! I’d love to hear how your garden is growing!

I get my seeds and plants from several different sources, but will be partnering with a couple seed companies for some things, as well. Here are two …

Generic Seeds has seed pack starting at $1.39 and free shipping on orders over $20.

The name says it all. They have a smallish selection, but all their seeds are under a dollar, with many as low as 90 cents.

Check them out! And if you ever order, tell them you heard about them here!