Gluten-Free Zucchini Bread Recipe

Posted on 15th August 2009 in Gluten-free, Green/eco-friendly, Recipes
Gluten-Free Zucchini Bread Loaf

Gluten-Free Zucchini Bread Loaf

     This summer my parents have a zucchini plant. It was so cute when I planted it. And now, all that “hard” work paid off! It has produces so many zucchinis I’ve lost count. Not wanting to waste them and having fond memories of zucchini bread, I decided to make gluten-free zucchini bread. Four or more tries later, it is still the best zucchini bread ever! It just gets better with each loaf! Even people whom are not gluten-free nuts say it’s good!

     After searching for a few minutes online, I found one recipe that seemed to be the easiest to modify. This is the end result.

     Gluten-Free Zucchini Bread Recipe:

     Set oven to 350 degrees.
o 2 eggs
o 1 cup sugar, unbleached
o .5 cup of oil, safflower
o 2 tsp. of vanilla, fair trade
o .5 tsp. of baking soda
o .5 tsp. of cinnamon
o .5 tsp of salt
o 1.5 cups of gluten-free flour (I use Red Mills Gluten-Free All-purpose Baking Flour.)
o Pinch of Xanthan Gum, optional
o 1.5 cups of shredded zucchini, organic if you can
o 1 cup of chopped walnuts

     Mix the first four ingredients, then add the baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Carefully, (slowly if you can) add the gluten-free baking flour and xanthan gum. Then mix in the zucchini and walnuts.
     Grease and flour a loaf pan. Pour, taste if you want and bake for up to 75 minutes, or until a knife comes clean. (I’d say tooth pick but that would be promoting disposable items which I would like to avoid.)

     Notes: Xanthan gum is optional because we don’t like the way it tastes. I’ve tried it with .5 a tsp, 2 pinches, 1 pinch, and a dusting that was so small it couldn’t be considered a pinch. People will tell you that it doesn’t have a taste. However, it does have a specific texture that it adds to whatever it mixes with – slippery, almost greasy. We don’t like it. The eggs in this recipe hold the bread loaf together well enough. It only becomes slightly more crumbly without it. So in my opinion, xanthan gum is only to be used if you don’t want to use eggs.
     Other notes: I have also substituted walnuts with almonds. It’s still good, but I prefer the walnuts. Oh and please excuse the odd bulletting, I don’t know what’s wrong with my word, it’s temperamental.

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Raspberry Leaf Tea Made in My New Tea Pot!

Posted on 10th August 2009 in Frugal, Green/eco-friendly, Health Related
Nifty tea pot that made the raspberry leaf tea

Nifty tea pot that made the raspberry leaf tea

     On search for a printer, Rick consulted the almighty Craig’s List. The best option he found, was a chic moving out of state selling her printer-scanner combo. Saturday morning, while dealing with the effects of the drinks from only hours previously (gluten-free of course), we headed out to Kellog Road. The chic had mentioned that there were some kitchen things she was getting rid of as well. Being very picky I was skeptical of finding anything I liked or could use. Also, being very minimalistic now, I didn’t want to bring home anything unnecessary. To my surprise, and Rick’s satisfaction we found some things that we could use – for free!
     My favorite of the batch was a wooden cutting board, originally from Ikea. And a cute little tea pot that matched my rice bowls. The perfect little tea pot has been used several times in the last three days. You can put loose leaf tea in it. There is a little “filter” to keep the leaves from pouring out the spout. I love it!
     Today I am making another pot of raspberry leaf tea. I’ve been feeling tired all over and have had a scratchy throat since Friday. As I mentioned in my post Raspberry Leaf Tea – A Woman’s Tonic, this tea is packed with lots of vitamins and minerals. That’s just what I need to keep from getting officially sick. So far, paired with resting and eating well, it seems to be working.

     Today, as part of my afternoon spent hibernating, I’m enjoying that tea with some peaches. There is something so satisfying about wrapping my cool hands around a warm cup of tea, breathing in the sweet earthy smell. To complete the homey feeling the window is cracked. The rain is falling creating a familiar, calming sound. (In December, I’m sure that will no longer feel calming but depressing.)
     So thank you Rick for searching Craig’s List and thank you Kellog Road girl for my lovely new tea pot that is just right!

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Honey Bees

Posted on 2nd August 2009 in Nature
Honey Bee with Pollen

Honey Bee with Pollen

     I’m a beekeeper’s daughter. The funny thing is I have been terrified of bees most of my life. Only in the last couple of years have I realized that really, they won’t all get me. It’s huge that I’ve been able to get closer to bees than before. They end up in my pictures of flowers all the time, when I don’t even notice.
     Today, I did. This bee that looked distressed, landed on a raspberry leaf and started dancing around. For a moment it looked like she was dying. Then as I watched, she cleaned her bum of the haphazardly smeared pollen and flew away. Bees really are lovely insects, and incredibly important to us. Without bees it would be incredibly hard, or impossible to pollinate all the growing things like fruit trees and plants, so that we would end up with food. Love the bee, because their “little” job is very important to us.

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The Herb Borage

Posted on 1st August 2009 in Gardening, Health Related, Nature
Borage Flowers

Borage Flowers

     I’ve mentioned this nifty surprising herb. We got it for my herb garden at my parents. Originally I bought it to feed the bees and as an experiment. A lady at the Mount Vernon Co-op said she had it one year, but didn’t use it very much. She noticed that the bees loved it though. Well, I’m all for feeding those hard working bees.
     My one plant has grown faster and bigger than any of the other herbs. It has to be at least two feet high, and four or five feet across. It’s funny looking, very hairy and gangly looking, with gorgeous, simple blue and pink flowers. It is horribly poky.

Cultivation:

     It’s a low maintenance herb, an annual that will reseed itself well. It’s spreads and loves full sun. It’s recommended to plant with strawberries, squash, or tomatoes – it is suppose to improve the flavor of tomatoes and repel tomato hornworm.
     My experience: It’s super easy. I planted a start and it’s been water a few times through the dryer months. It grew very fast and is starting to grow over a couple other herbs so I will have to cut it back. Be sure to leave plenty of space, even if you think it’s too much, it probably isn’t. I’ve read that trimming it will contain it a little. I haven’t done that with it though.

Uses:

*Culinary:
     The leaves and flowers can be used fresh in salad. The leaves can also be steamed, but for a short time because they are so thin they will cook down quickly – or added to stew and soups at the last minute. They both can be used in tea. And have been used in gin drinks. The flowers can be candied and used on cakes. The fresh flowers taste like honey.
     My experience: I’ve used the flowers several times to make tea. It has a very smooth soothing taste, like chamomile, but even softer. I like it. I have tried using the leaves in cooking a couple of times. However, I think I’ve put them in too early. Also, as far as I can see, it should be eaten and not turned into leftovers. It doesn’t keep well.

*Medicinal:
     It’s is considered to be good for PMS and menopause. Used in tea is good for colds, respiratory infections, high cholesterol, constipation, soothing to the digestive tract. It can help to regulate the adrenal glands and is a galactogogue (milk production stimulant), and emollient.

Borage Oil:

     Borage oil is extracted from the seed of the flower. It is showing through studies that it is good for eczema – on the list of things to try for me!

     Cautionary Notes: I’ve read in many places that it is furry, but nowhere did it say how pokey it is. The leaves aren’t as bad, but the larger stocks are prickly enough to be painful so becareful! One site cautioned, and I will reiterate – be careful of bees. The flowers hang down so it may be hard to spot a bee before picking a flower without looking closer.

Borage Flowers on Fennel

Borage Flowers on Fennel

Resources:
Borage(Borago offincinalis)
What is Borage Oil?

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