Babkas are Hamming It Up !

"We can either pay the farmer or we can pay the hospital."

2012-01-23T20:29:00.000-08:00

Check out this kids Ted-NextGeneration speech.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nndEZBQ9bds&feature=share

"Next time you are at the grocery store:

Think local
Choose organic
Know your farm and know your food."

Frozen Pipes: Why Every Farmer Needs a Hairdryer and How To Defrost the Earth that Marmots Dug Under the Well!

2012-01-20T11:24:00.000-08:00

As I type, my lovely hairdryer is currently buried under the earth, blasting hot air under our well to defrost the pipe so that we can get water again. (which...by the way, actually worked!...and we have free flowing water again).

So, here is what happened at our house.

It all begins with the infestation of marmots on our property. I now officially consider them pests. The image above is my husband Gui creating a barrier a few feet below ground so that they would stop making a home under our house. .. and the one below is me decked out in gear to spray a strong pepper spray that might deter them from the garden.

At the time, neither one of us realized how much damage this cute little guys can cause.

In the heat of the summer marmots dig holes under the ground and hibernate for the winter.

This year, they dug holes under our well.

2 days ago, when the weather was its coldest ( - 18 ish) we lost our water. Of course we all feared cracking pipes etc etc.

Turns out the reason the pipes froze is because the holes dug under the well were letting cold wind in and freezing the pipe going into the ground.

So..here is a random post that MAY help somebody in a similar situation, as I never would have thought of it!

How to De-thaw the Ground and Your Well Water Pipe caused by Marmot Holes in Ground

Analyze the situation:

Part 1: You have no water (and it's winter and cold). Here was about -20 C and a strong wind.

(Before we knew about the holes, we checked the well for leaks, broken pipes, system failures etc...and also tried putting more heaters inside the well to heat up the pipes from the inside. Nothing worked! We did not know yet about the holes.

Part 3: If nothing is working, before fearing cracked pipes, investigate for any holes leading under the well. If you have holes there from marmots and it was a cold wind, this is likely why your pipes are frozen.

What to do:

1. Clear away any snow surrounding the well, and then get on your hands and knees and check for holes dug under the well.

2. If you find holes, go to your garage or hardware store and get the following items:

* BBQ coal (2-3 bags was enough for us)
* Lighter fluid (1-2 containers worked here)
* Hairdryer & extension cord.

3. Plug in the hair dryer and position it inside a hole, and under the well aiming the hot air at the ground pipe if you can see it. Use something to block the cold air from coming in again (...foam insulation is what we had on hand.)

4. Spread 1-2 bags of coal around the well walls..we covered a space about 1.5 foot x 4 feet to heat up the ground below.

Safety Note!! Our well has steel sides, so no risk of setting it on fire..if you have wood sides, this may be a bad idea, I'm not sure. In any case, make sure you are around to keep an eye on things.

5. Pour the lighter fluid and light the coals, we needed a bit of dry grass to get things going as well.

6. Wait for the water. Ours took about 3 hours and we got our water back!

7. Now you can let the the coals die down, and turn off the hair dryer. Be sure to put something to insulate the holes from letting air in again (hay, wood chips, insulation of some sort).

8. To keep the pipes from freezing again in the cold cold weather, we now also leave a faucet on with a tiny trickle which I am told will prevent them from freezing again.

... I hope that helps somebody out there. :)

Heidi

Hot Buttered Rum

2011-11-16T12:21:00.000-08:00

How to shuck oysters

2011-09-25T20:14:00.001-07:00

Learn how to shuck oysters with master shucker Scotland

music by the Walkmen and Bob Dylan.

How to Clean and Prepare Garlic for Planting

2011-08-23T09:32:00.000-07:00

Learn in this babka-tips video how to clean your garlic so it is ready for planting in the fall.

This video is a sequel to the video: When to Harvest Garlic http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUBLfRJKRV4

We missed showing you a few steps along the way, but stay tuned for more garlic tips coming as we begin planting in the fall.

Note....there are many types of garlic out there, so do your reading for the area you live in and the variety you are planting.

A fun makeshift planter mover solution....

2011-07-25T14:53:00.000-07:00

Babka Annie and Momma Janice...

How to Pick Saskatoon Berries in Penticton, B.C.

2011-07-20T11:28:00.000-07:00

Music by: Rising Appalachia

Equipment I like to use:

a box
a scarf
gloves
boots
and a large stick living in rattlesnake country

Babkas unite via Skype!

2011-06-29T15:57:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I meant to post this way back in December when (I think) it was taken.

As our 36 followers hopefully haven't noticed, since it's summer and everyone is so busy, is that we have not posted a damn thing in months. Shame on us, babkas. To each of our credit though, we continue to cook, garden, learn and always ham it up....even though it's not being documented.

In my own defence, the farm life is much busier than I imagined, and although I would love to be editing Babka videos, my computer time should really be spent working on real work, so I can go back and play outside in the dirt.

Babka-Anny...well she is one busy gal ruling the real estate in the Okanagan, but apparently she has tons of un-edited footage just waiting to be posted.

and Miss Maya....is currently in Portugal, hopefully getting a video or two of some sardines cooked by the Portuguese mamas.

So really, this post is just to say that we are still here!...and hopefully vids coming soon....so don't unsubscribe just yet.

The new plan is to keep 'em short and sweet (no more than 1 min and a half), and just give you the great tips we are learning along the way.

I plan to get some more footage with my Grandma Lily, and the actual harvesting of the garlic this summer..so keep your eyes peeled for that.

Other than that, I love this pic so much because 17 years after we 3 met, nothing has really changed. :)

oooh...but here's a cool little video shout out to Louise about organic sweet potatoes, if you are planning to grow your own:

Love, Heidi

Bedtime yoga

2011-05-25T18:23:00.000-07:00

I love yoga before bed to stretch out my body and relax my mind. I like the convenience of bedtime yoga at home and mix it up by searching youtube for different sessions. I love this evening sequence by yogayak:

Babka Heidi also has some great videos that I do all the time: sun salutations, balancing, and a gentle flow.

Shaved Asparagus & Fennel Salad

2011-04-26T16:42:00.000-07:00

Spring is here !

Bring on the raw greens :)

This is an easy peasy lemon squeezy salad.

All you need :

raw asparagus

fennel bulb

pinenuts

walnuts

fresh lemon

olive oil

honey

salt

pepper

..That's it

The cool factor is the shaved asparagus. It's a different spin on an old favourite veggie.

Steps

1. Use raw asparagus and raw fennel (serving size depends on group). I used a dozen average size asparagus and 2 bulbs of fennel.

2. Take the tips off the asparagus and throw in bowl, take the very ends off and discard

3. Use a peeler and peel asparagus length wise. You'll end up with long shavings.

4. Take the bulbs of the fennel and cut up into big chunks. Throw in bowl

5. Roast some pine nuts and walnuts under the broiler until a little brown a fragrant. about 1 min or more depending on strength. Then toss in bowl

6. Mix together a few glugs of oliver oil, juice from half a lemon, a teaspoon of honey and salt and pepper to taste.

Mix together in the bowl and serve chilled. Voila.

Love babka annie .

'Sneaky' Dark Chocolate Cake

2011-02-24T09:26:00.001-08:00

I love this 'sneaky' little chocolate cake (which is more like a brownie).

Why is it so sneaky?

Beans!

Black beans! They replace the flour and even though Gui was a bit skeptical about beans in his cake...the picture is evidence of its deliciousness!

Not only delicious, it is also:

* high in fiber
* high in protein
* gluten free ( NO FLOUR is used)
* pretty low in sugar
* SUPER moist and chocolatey
* you would never know there were beans it it (great way to trick the kids into eating healthy)

Ingredients

500 ml black beans (or 1 can)
5 large eggs
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
6 tbsp butter or olive oil
3/4 cup brown sugar
6 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
* addition: dark chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease a 9″ cake pan and dust with cocoa.

3. Place the beans, 3 of the eggs, vanilla, sugar and salt into blender or food processor. Process or blend on high until beans are completely liquified.

4. In a small bowl, Mix together cocoa powder, baking soda, and baking powder.

5. In a larger bowl, beat butter/coconut oil until light and fluffy. Add the remaining two eggs, beating well after each one. Pour bean batter into egg mixture and mix. Finally, stir in cocoa powder mixture and water and beat the batter on high for one minute until smooth. Pour into the prepared pan.

6. Bake for 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes. Cake is done when the top is rounded and firm to the touch.

Recipe take from 'A Hippie with a Minivan Blog"

Babka Hair Care

2011-02-21T17:13:00.000-08:00

A month ago a stellar friend of mine told me that she was going shampoo and conditioner free.

You have probably heard that old wives tale that if you stop using shampoo, the hair and scalp can breathe and create their own natural oils that would keep the hair shiny and healthy?

With this in the back of my mind, I felt that maybe the old wives were right, and it was worth it to me to find out for myself. That, and I work from home, which makes greasy hair way easier to manage than if I had to daily be in the judging eyes of strangers wondering how long it had been since I washed my hair.

My mission:

Has been to find both a skin and hair care regime that is chemical and hormone disruptor free. This is not an easy thing to do at the stores. In fact, I think in the past 4 or 5 years, if I added up the hours I have spent reading product labels on the shelves, and in the end not buying anything out of sheer frustration and increasing anger at the brand advertisers.. (even the ones labeled organic are generally full of stuff I don't want), it would amount to the double digits at least.

Anyways...the rationale is simple:

1. What you put on your skin...is no different than eating it. The skin is our biggest organ and absorbs what is on it directly into the bloodstream. At least when we eat food, our liver takes a crack at clearing out some of crap. So I ask you..would you eat a spoonful of your shampoo?

2. The other aspect of this mission is pure vanity. I have never really liked my hair. Yes, its 'sooo thick'...which some people want...but to me, it has always been equivalent to a horses hair plain and simple. Thick, course and dry.

So my second goal is to learn about how to take better care of it, and then maybe be rewarded with the silky mane of a blond stallion.

The Results:

It has been one full month now since I gave up shampoo and conditioner. Honstly, I am loving my hair more than ever and I think the longer I go, the nicer it will get. My hair care products are cheaper than before, and I feel more connected to how my own hair functions and what it needs, versus randomly trusting the 'For Dry Hair' label on shelves. It doesn't take any longer than 'store-bought products.

So after a lot of reading and direct TESTING on the subject I narrowed things down to the following products that work for my hair. If this calls to you..you will have to do your own experimenting to find your perfect combination. But, this might give you some direction.

My Haircare Regime:

Scalp Treatment (1-2x/week)

Mix together in a squeezey bottle and apply to scalp (let sit 2 hours).

* Pure Organic Unpasteurized Apple Cider Vinegar (kills bacteria that cause dandruff)
* Tea Tree Oil (great for dandruff, dry scalp and feels very invigorating on the scalp)

Washing (2-3x/week)

* Val's Vegetable Oil Soap (initially, I thought I would not have to use any soap....but this resulted in 3 greasy weeks with no hope of recovery on its own. My friend Jessica (who also chooses natural hair care), recommended this soap which I already had in the shower....and I find that this soap provides enough emulsification to degrease the roots, without any of the chemicals, plus it doesn't dry it out like I thought it would.)

Post-Wash

* Wide tooth comb (since conditioner is not an option..this is a MUST for detangling without breaking the ends)

* Wooden peg brush (like they use for horses haha. ONLY use this when the hair is completely dry. About 10 minutes of brushing will make my hair silky and smooth and I can even style it by brushing in certain directions...its like magic I tell you!)

Other Treatments:

Hair Spritz

Mix together and spray on middle and ends of hair. It helps with de-frizzing, it smells delicious and you can choose your own scents!

*Caution: The oils will add a tiny bit of an oil to your hair ..so do not use too much. Also avoid the scalp so your hair doesn't look greasy. Go for the ends instead.

* Filtered water (spring or rainwater if possible)
* 2-3 drops Chamomile Essential Oil (I use this to help lighten blond hair..the results are still unsure...so far I like the smell...but do not know if its lightening it)
* 2-3 drops Rosemary Essential Oil (revitalizes and add shine to dull winter hair)

Hair Conditioner

Every so often I also like to add a very small amount of almond oil to the ends of my hair (which dry out faster than the rest of my hair)

* Almond oil (just use a bit on your fingertips and rub into the ends).

So there you go! If you are at all interested in removing chemicals from your beauty products, I encourage it wholeheartedly, and have found it to be a huge success for me.

Coming soon: Natural hair care pricing! (so you know how much all this costs.)...and some ideas for natural skincare.

:) Love Heidi

How To Cook a Whole Frozen Chicken

2011-02-02T20:03:00.000-08:00

We were both so surprised (and skeptical at first) to learn that you could just grab a whole frozen chicken and cook it in the oven in under 2 hours. I would have never tried it if Terry from Ambrosio Deli had not guaranteed us that it would work just fine.

This is great for organic meat, because often times grocery stores won't sell fresh organic meat(because they cannot sell it fast enough)...but will stock it frozen. I would sometimes ignore it because I wanted something that I could cook that night, and didn't want to wait for the defrost time.

Well, know I know that you do not have to!! So here are the basic steps to cooking a whole frozen chicken:

Steps:

1. Cook chicken at 500F for the first 30 minutes.
2. After 30 minutes turn it down to 400F.
3. Keep checking every 30 minutes until it is done.

Music: The Charleston Chasers

How to Make Ukranian Perogies (Padahay)

2011-01-28T15:07:00.000-08:00

This is a very special recipe from a very special babka. Grandma B :), Natalia Baschak, my mother's mother and my grandma. Growing up, we ate this on every special occasion because someone would always request it. It is a superb meal to feed a lot of people, since potatoes are cheap and dough is cheap. I have yet to meet someone who has not fallen in love with it, once tried the homemade way. Store-bought does not even compare.

Babka Tips:

* Enlist a large crew. It is a simple recipe, but stuffing the filling can take a long time on your own.
* Eat with special toppings like sour cream, jam, fried onions, bacon or even hot sauce.
* While eating, add a green salad, forget about the calories, and enjoy to the fullest.
* I once at 30 of these in one sitting (when I was 12).

Dough recipe
(makes about 30 perogies):

2 cup all purpose flour
2 large beaten eggs
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 potato water (water from boiling your potatoes in)..makes it taste better than straight up water

Filling options:

# 1. Sauerkraut

1 can of sauerkraut (rinsed well)
Fried onions mixed in

# 2. Potatoes and cheddar cheese

Boil your potatoes (any kind).
Mash them up with cheddar cheese, salt and pepper.

# 3. Sweet Potato

Bake (or boil) and then mash

# 4. Cottage cheese

1 tub dry cottage cheese
herbs
1-2 eggs beaten in

Gingerbread Cookie Recipe

2010-12-20T13:41:00.000-08:00

Recipe from:
Quilters Cooking Creations, Chilliwack, BC

1 cup softened butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
1 cup molasses
2 tbsp vinegar (weird, I know!)

Mix the first 6 ingredients together. The stir together and mix in:

5 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp ground ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp allspice

Let sit for one hour in the fridge, covered.

Now,

1. Roll out your dough section by section. The cookies barely rise, so roll the dough as thick as you want the cookies.

2. Use cookie cutters (or a mug) to shape cookies.

3. Bake cookies on parchment paper lined pan at 350F.

Cooking Time:

Crunchy cookies: 7 minutes.
Chewy cookies (my fave): 5 minutes.

Tips:

* You can refrigerate your dough for over a week and it will last!
* You can freeze your cookies, and they will still be chewy and delicious!

Gift idea:

Decorate an old canning jar, or pick up a few xmas tins at the dollar store (Dollar Giant in Victoria on Douglas) and fill them up with your favorite baking item to give to family and friends :))

Chicken soup from scratch (relatively quickly)

2010-11-03T20:11:00.000-07:00

There are many ways to make chicken soup from scratch. When I have a full day, I love to roast bones, carrots and onions in the oven and simmer them all day on the stove to make a rich broth. During the week I need a (relatively quick) way to whip chicken soup up, especially as the seasons change and you need to warm up. This is a Portuguese version that requires only chicken, rice and lemon (and an optional egg at the end). I also add carrots and dark green kale. The colour of kale alone tells you it has tons of nutrients.

Music by Calexico

Halloween Pumpkin Mash

2010-11-02T09:19:00.000-07:00

Halloween is over and now what can you do with these pumpkins???? Our babkas definitely would not have thrown them away.....but instead made them into a delicious pumpkin puree that can be used in all sorts of recipes like soups, muffins, cookies, pies and more! (see muffin recipe below)

Pumpkin Muffins

1.5 cups of all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 cup sugar
1 cup pumpkin puree
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

In a large bowl add the sugar, pumpkin, oil, eggs and vanilla. Beat well to combine.
In a smaller bowl stir the flour baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir just until moistened.
Spoon into greased muffin tins, filling 2/3 full.
Bake at 350 for 18-20 minutes.
Makes 1 dozen muffins.

Pumpkin-Gingersnap Milkshake

Spaghetti Squash

2010-11-01T17:42:00.000-07:00

I am cooking through the stock of squash I have in my cold cellar, including this delicious spaghetti squash. I love how versatile these little yellow noodles are. It is also packed with nutrients. Check out how easy it is to make.

Music by Radiohead

Rosemary white bean soup

2010-10-26T21:12:00.000-07:00

I much much much prefer dried beans over canned beans. I get to cook them with onions, olive oil, and herbs and don't have to guess how long they have been sitting in a can.

This is a great soup to take for lunch, or have for dinner with a hearty salad and whole grain bread with cheese and salami. I soak the beans in the morning before I leave for work (or on Sunday when making brunch) and make the beans in the evening before I start dinner (or just to stock up on soup for the week).

This soup is made with navy beans, rosemary and my home canned tomatoes.

Navy beans provide virtually fat-free high quality protein when combined with whole grains. A grain salad or hearty bread will go great with this soup. Navy beans are a very good source of folate, manganese, fibre, vitamin B1 as well as the minerals phosphorus, copper, magnesium and iron. Click for more information.

Tomatoes are also a star. One known tomato eating benefit is Lycopene. This carotenoid found in tomatoes has been studied for its antioxidant and cancer-preventing properties (including extensive studies on prostate cancer). The phytonutrients in tomatoes become more concentrated when they are cooked and more bioavailable when eaten with a little (or a lot of) oil. Tomatoes are also excellent source of vitamin C and vitamin A via a concentration of carotenoids including beta-carotene. These antioxidants travel through the body neutralizing dangerous free radicals that could otherwise damage cells, escalating inflammation and the progression or severity of asthma, colon cancer and other diseases. Click for more information

Music by Dave Brubeck

Learn how to prepare black beans here

Tuscan White Bean Soup

Preparing Black Beans from Scratch

2010-10-25T15:54:00.000-07:00

Black beans are a delicious and versatile source of protein, fiber, antioxidants and many other nutrients including folate.

Learn in this video how to cook them from scratch and then make a very yummy cold bean salad.

How to make beans from scratch:

* Soak 1 cup black beans & 3 cups water for 3 hours.
* Rinse beans and cook with 3 cups water.
* Bring to boil, then let simmer with lid on for 2 hours.
* Beans are ready when you can cut them with a knife.
* Serve any way you like.

Ingredients for salad:

* 1-2 cup black beans (cooked)
* 1 avocado (chopped)
* 1 red pepper (diced)
* a handful of chopped coriander
* 3 tbsp pumpkin seeds

Dressing:
* juice of 1 lime
* 2-3 tbsp olive oil
* 1-2 tsp cumin (to taste)
* salt and pepper

Music by: Obidiah Parker

Avocado Black Bean Salsa

Homemade Beef Lasagna

2010-10-25T14:00:00.000-07:00

There are many recipes and ingredients you can play with making lasagna. This is a simple recipe from Mama Nancy using a minimal amount of ingredients that will teach you the basics. From here, get creative and add new and delicious ingredients.

What you need:
* for two 9x13" pans of lasagna

* Two 9x13" pans
* 18-20 strips of lasagna noodles (2 boxes will be enough and give you extra for next time)
* 1 large bag of mushrooms
* 1 whole yellow onion
* 3-4 cloves of garlic
* 1.5 jars of thick tomato sauce
* 2lbs ground beef (organic if you choose)
* 1 large tub of cottage cheese
* 1 bunch of spinach
* fresh or dried herbs
* salt and pepper
* 1 large block of cheese (mozzarella is my fave!)

* Franks hot sauce for extra spice!

Steps:

1. Put on some excellent music, grab a glass of vino and start chopping your garlic, onions and mushrooms so they are ready to be cooked.
2. While chopping bring a large pot of water to a boil.
3. In the kitchen, cook your defrosted ground beef in a large pan (med-high heat).
4. While meat is cooking, put 9 lasagna strips into the pot to cook. When these are done, take them out, separate them (so they do not stick) and start cooking your other 9 strips for the second pan.
5. Begin grating your cheese.
6. When meat is browning, add in onions and garlic to flavor meat.
7. Keep an eye on your pasta so it is al dente.
8. Add mushrooms in with meat (or you can sautee them in a separate pan).
9. In a large bowl, mix cottage cheese, s&p, herbs and spinach.
10. When everything is cooked begin layering your lasagna in this order:

* 3 cooked noodles
* meat and mushroom mix
* 3 cooked noodles
* meat and mushroom mix
* spinach/cottage cheese mix
* 3 cooked noodles
* extra tomato sauce from meat mix
* cheese

11. Cover you lasagna with tinfoil and bake for 30 minutest at 375F.
12. After 30 minutes, remove tinfoil and bake for 10 more minutes to let cheese get brown and crunchy.
13. Let cool before serving.

*Tip: If you are freezing one pan of lasagna, skip steps 11-13. Put an airtight lid on your pan and keep in freezer. When you are ready to eat it, take it out in the morning to defrost in the fridge, then follow steps 11-13 about an hour before dinnertime.

Bon Appetite!

Music: Frida Soundtrack

Lasagna

Peach Almond Muffins

2010-10-24T19:14:00.001-07:00

I canned a bushel of peaches this summer and love coming up with delicious ways to eat them up. This is a healthy muffin with ground almonds, whole grains, and flax meal. They are great for breakfast or a mid-morning snack (I am constantly eating throughout the day at work).

1 cup ground almonds
1 cup whole grains (I used a 7 grain cereal mix)
1/2 cup flax meal
1 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 cup grapeseed oil (or sunflower)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup yogurt

1 1/2 cups peach chunks

layer batter, peaches, batter, peaches

bake 20-25 minutes at 350'

Music by Alison Krauss, Union Station, and The Whites.

Heidi also has delicious Cranberry, Banana and Oatmeal muffin recipe

Carnival Squash

2010-10-22T20:05:00.000-07:00

I am still working through all the squash I picked up at Jak's near Mike's brother's place.

Tonight I made Carnival Squash broiled with parmesan, butter and lemon. You could use any type of topping you had around. I was also thinking black bean, salsa and aged cheddar.

According to wikipedia: It is an excellent source of vitamin A, a great source of vitamin C, potassium, dietary fiber and manganese, and a good source of folate, omega 3 fatty acids, vitamin B1 (thiamin), copper, tryptophan, vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), vitamin B3 (niacin) and vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid). It is also a source of niacin, iron and beta carotene. Usually, the darker the skin is, the higher the beta carotene content.

Music by Caribou

Buttercup Squash

Potato Leek Soup

2010-10-20T19:55:00.000-07:00

I love potato leek soup so I picked up some leeks at the market. I have a 1/2 bushel of yukon gold potatoes from Holland Marsh (an hour away) in my cold cellar just waiting to be cooked up.

I also love bacon so I cook the leeks in bacon (organic, naturally smoked) tidbits. Bacon is optional and instead use smoked white fish (or a few smoked oysters cut up) at the very end of cooking. Think of this soup as a baked potato. I topped mine with bacon bits, green onions, and spicy red pepper. Shredded cheese would be great as well. If you did not use bacon you could use smoked cheese instead.

6 strips organic bacon
3 leeks, well cleaned
5 potatoes, peeled and diced
1 hot pepper
2 tblspoons butter
splash of olive oil
splash of white wine vinegar (or wine)
s&p to taste

garnish any way you like!

Music by Cat Stevens and Studio One Rockers

Cranberry preserve

2010-10-19T20:33:00.000-07:00

I love tangy cranberries (except not raw) so now that they are in season I love making cranberry preserve. I put this on chocolate meringues. I love it with almond biscuits also. Classic turkey is always good. The possibilities are endless.

I used 1/2 bag with about 2-3 tablespoons maple syrup. You can increase the amount of both to make a big batch (it is good for canning also).

Cranberries have been known to help prevent and treat urinary tract infections. They may also promote gastrointestinal and oral health, prevent the formation of kidney stones, lower LDL and raise HDL (good) cholesterol, aid in recovery from stroke, and even help prevent cancer. Click here for more info.

Music by Of Montreal

and then Cranberries

Cranberry Chutney

Gentle Yoga Flow

2010-10-19T14:39:00.000-07:00

This is a short little sequence that you can add before your sun salutations, or do all by itself. You will be amazed how open and loose you feel after even a short sequence like this one.

Oak shiitake mushrooms and spinach

2010-10-18T18:42:00.001-07:00

I love cooking with a few great ingredients. I picked up some beautiful oak shiitake mushrooms at the farmer's market. I added spinach to make a quick side dish for my lamb popsicles. You can add this to any steamed whole grain: barley, quinoa, brown rice, wild rice, etc. Mix it up with different combinations. Serve hot as a side dish or take leftovers for lunch and eat it cold as a salad.

Shiitake have been used medicinally by the Chinese for more than 6,000 years. Shiitake is listed as boosting your immune system and having antifungal, anti-tumor, and antiviral effects.

Shiitake mushrooms
2 large tablespoons of butter
big splash of tamari
many big handfulls of spinach (it wilts down)

Music by Muse and the Beatles

mix with any steamed grain

Shiitake Saute

Making the Time

2010-10-15T08:01:00.000-07:00

Image taken in Picinguaba, Brazil

I would love to have a backdrop like this one every morning to practice my sun salutations. I would also love to have 3 full hours every morning to do it....so I can take my time, linger in each posture and then take a savasana nap only to be woken by the rays of sun getting warmer on my skin.

Life, however, has other plans for me right now...

I am inspired to write this morning as I have recently started my own personal challenge of waking up (much) earlier that I normally do to allow time for a bit more morning yoga and meditation and the peace of mind that it brings me. What inspired this? Well..since my office is at home, it has been easy to make every morning a 'sleep-in' morning and let my yoga and meditation practice become a bit of an afterthought.

Now, it is friday and the end of an early week. Today is the first day that I woke up without the alarm, which I take as good sign. Not only that, but I am getting used to waking up to a delicious yoga session before beginning my work on the computer and other daily things. Even more so, I am getting used to the sense of peace that lingers a little longer through the days, and a little less mental garbage distracting me with worry and other negative thinking.

We all have our own habits. Some of them helpful and serving our peace of mind and sense of liberation....and others that drag us a little deeper into the mud.

Write the babka blog and let us know what inspires you?

Beets!

2010-10-14T21:48:00.000-07:00

A short video on how to boil raw beets. Super simple and super tasty! Beets are very healthy and contain calcium, magnesium, potassium, folic acid, fiber and vitamins A and C. Beets also contain phytonutrients called betalains, including betanin and vulgaxanthin. Both have been shown to provide antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and detoxification support.

Music by Wild Beasts

Beet Root Curry

Leftover Cranberry Sauce, Banana & Oatmeal Muffins

2010-10-14T12:44:00.000-07:00

*Makes 6 extra large or 12 normal size muffins
*Cranberries are loaded with antioxidants

mmm mmmm mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm....I wish I could upload the smell of these muffins baking in the oven..when is that feature going to be available? Come on computer programmers! anyways.....

One of my favorite things to do in the kitchen is playing with leftovers. Our babkas did not have the luxury (or perhaps laziness)of simply throwing out food. Every meal was precious and used to the absolute maximum; chicken bones made into soups, left over potatoes into morning hash browns and like this recipe..leftover cranberry sauce into a simple and delicious muffin.

Recipe:

* 1 heaping cup large flake, rolled oats
* 1.5 cups whole wheat flour
* 3/4 cup brown cup sugar
* 1 tbsp baking powder
* 1 tsp salt
* 2 tsp cinnamon
* 1 egg
* 1 cup milk
* 1/4 cup oil
* 2 mashed ripe bananas (these are optional)
* left over cranberries

How to:

1. Mix dry ingredients in a bowl
2. Mix wet ingredient in another bowl (leave cranberries to the side for now)
3. Mix together dry and wet ingredients and spoon into muffin tins so that only 1/3 of the muffin tin is full.
4. Add about a teaspoon of leftover cranberry sauce onto each muffin
5. Add another scoop of muffin batter on the top so the cranberry sauce is sandwiched in the middle.

Bake at 425F for about 20 minutes, until your fork comes out dry.

Be sure to send in a comment and share your ideas for cranberry sauce leftovers.

Rasmussen Family Spinach Dip

2010-10-13T11:30:00.000-07:00

This thanksgiving, although I am sure we all ate splendid food and were surrounded by wonderful company.....we cannot be everywhere at once...and so sadly this year I missed out on this delicious spinach dip made by my Uncle Dan and Aunty Karen. Luckily for us, they have sent the recipe for all babka followers to enjoy!

1 cup sour cream
1 cup mayonaise
1 package frozen spinach thawed, drained and patted dry with paper towel
1 tsp lemon juice
Fresh or dried parsely

A Round loaf of a great bread of your choice.
Cut the top off the bread and then scoop out all the bread from inside the loaf.

Stuff the spinach filler into the loaf, put the lid back on the loaf.
Wrap the loaf in foil.
Bake at 300degrees for 2 hours.

You can either use the inside bread pieces to dip into the spinach and OR some really healthy taco type chips.

Dairy-free Homemade Pumpkin Pie

2010-10-09T16:05:00.000-07:00

Pumpkin pie is one of my top 10 favorite desserts, so it is exciting to make it from scratch. I also love the fact that pumpkins are super high in calcium, vitamin c, beta-carotene and potassium and other great nutrients. Who knew that pie could be good for you!

This delicious recipe has been passed my way from friends (Alison via Emily), and I made a little substitution putting original almond milk instead of regular milk.

I also doubled the recipe below (because I had enough pumpkin to) and ended up with enough filling for 3 pie crusts!!! Yum Yum!

*Pumpkin the size of a volleyball: cut in 1/2, bake @325 degrees F for 45 mins to 1 hour (probably less for a smaller pumpkin). Scrape out and blend good pumpkin. Use 2 cups of this stuff.

2 c. pumpkin (blended)
1.5 c. almond milk
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. white sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp cloves
2 eggs

Mix altogether and put into pie shell. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 mins and then reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake about 1 hour (until a knife stuck in comes out clean).

How to Make Chia Seed Pudding

2010-10-09T01:25:00.000-07:00

Super easy, delicious and good for you! Recipe care of the stellar kitchen.

Jamie Oliver's Roasted Carrots

2010-10-08T18:57:00.000-07:00

A friend requested that I send her this carrot recipe that I made from the Jamie Oliver at Home cookbook. So rather than re-typing (as it is a busy thanksgiving cooking weekend)....check out his website for those carrots for your thanksgiving dinner.

Image by David Loftus

The basic recipe is:

1. Boil your carrots for only a minute or two to soften them.
2. Slather them in olive oil, rosemary, vinegar, more herbs, salt and pepper
3. Bake in oven at 400F for 10-15 minutes.

Check out the full detailed recipe at

http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetarian-recipes/carrots

West Coast Trail_How to Dry Damp Clothes

2010-10-07T14:23:00.000-07:00

The foggy, misty west coast trail will definitely leave you with wet clothes, and if it rains you will be spending some serious time around a fire drying out your clothes.

Some clothes dry faster than others.

Great drying clothes include: anything SmartWool, Fleece and Polyesters. Wool stinks the least, but polyester is more affordable.

Oh and ps..survivorman...if you ever see this video...send us a comment so we can find out about your amazing 1 minute fire making skills!

Babka Bloopers_Risotta gone wrong....

2010-10-07T14:22:00.000-07:00

Ok..here's the truth..we don't always get things right in the kitchen. Maya will be posting a video soon with the correct way to make and flavor risotto!

(For the record, Mike and Gui still ate it and claimed to like it).

Roasted Squash Salad

2010-10-06T21:02:00.000-07:00

Don't forget to stock up on long lasting vegetables and fruits while they are in season. Last weekend I stocked the pantry with homemade pickles, a wide variety of squash and pumpkin, onions, potatoes, and apples. Now I am inspired to cook with them.

This is a two part video:
Part I covers preparing the squash and quinoa.
Part II covers making the squash salad.

Mise en place

1 squash, roasted, melon balled
1/2 uncooked grains, like quinoa
1/2 cup seeds, like roasted squash seeds and pumpkin seeds
3 bunches cilantro, finely chopped
1 hot red pepper, finely chopped
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 lime
oil

Yoga for Balance

2010-10-06T11:27:00.000-07:00

Improve your balance and strengthen your stabilizing muscles!

Add this video onto your 5 sun salutations for a longer practice or do it all on its own.

Babka Yoga Challenge

2010-10-05T21:59:00.000-07:00

Yoga is a babka practice.

Try to do 5 sun salutations a day with Babka Heidi. Try it and you will see the difference. Play it on your computer, iPhone and TV! It is a great way to wake up the body and mind.

This is my favorite morning yoga practice.

It is invigorating, strengthening and balancing.

Once you repeat it several times and learn the sequences you can take your practice anywhere you go without needing a video!

I love this short, 10 minute sequence in the mornings, outside on the rocks, inside on my mat, slowly some day and quickly on others.

If you have any strain or pain in any of the postures, message me so we can have a skype class and find some modifications.

Try to do this short sequence every day to feel stronger, more awake and generally better.

Recent biomedical research continues to find that yoga, meditation and healthy eating has a protective quality to our psychological health, our immune health and our muscular health.

Babka Breakfast Bowl

2010-10-05T11:15:00.000-07:00

Serves 1
Cooking Time: 5 minutes

I know that there are alot of very delicious breakfast options out there. I will also be the first to say without reservation that breakfast is hands down my favorite meal of the day.

However of all the breakfast out there...THIS ONE...is my all time favorite and also one of the healthiest mixtures of food that I put in my body most days of the week. I have thought about what to name it because you could name it anything from 'health in a bowl', to ' deliciously warming breakfast' or 'warm and nutritious cereal layered with health and vitality'..but since the word babka encompasses the ideas of wisdom, warmth and health...I haved decided to simply call it the Babka Breakfast Bowl.

Here is what you need:

1/2 cup dry flakes (I like wheat flake and kamut flakes the best) ..oatmeal is just not the same. * great fiber *
Fresh ginger *warming and immune building*
Cinnamon *immunity, heart health, anti-inflammatory*
Raisins (or cranberries)
Nuts (My fave are almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds or pumpkins seeds or all of them) *high in essential fatty acids, great for the brain*
1/2 cup organic plain yogurt (I like the full fat option)*bone health, immune health and more*
Hemp oil
Honey *all round good for everything! I suggest eating honey regularly*
Fruit (your choice here all the way!..this picture I used kiwi and bananas)*fiber, antioxidants*

Steps to make it:

1. In a small pot put your dry cereal, grated ginger and cinnamon. Add a little more than equal parts of water and let it come to a boil. (1/2 cup cereal-3/4 cup water)

2. While it is cooking you can cut up your fruit and get the rest of your ingredients out.

3. When your cereal has boiled and looks soft give it a few good stirs and then put it into your bowl, adding the remainder of ingredients to your liking:)

When to Harvest Garlic

2010-07-04T17:53:00.000-07:00

Meet my babka (or grandma), Lillian, as she teaches us when to harvest your garlic.

To harvest your garlic: wait for the scape (tips of garlic that grow into a circle) to do a full circle and a bit (a 380), then cut them off for eating and cooking with. Let the bottom leaves dry out and go yellow before you are ready to harvest.

Garlic is an excellent plant to grow in your garden. It not only is the best flavor enhancer around...but is easy to grow and acts as a natural deterrent to all sorts of garden pests, helping to keep your garden healthy and pesticide free!

Music by: Bob Dylan

Meat grinding

2010-06-30T19:54:00.000-07:00

Maya is grinding Italian cured sausage from Sardinia (thanks Davide and Hando) for pasta.

Music by Miike Snow

Buying Local in Victoria, BC at Ambrosio Deli

2010-06-29T20:50:00.000-07:00

Delicious food, music and people....Ambrosio has quickly become my favorite place to shop for local produce or watch the World Cup games with the owners Terezina and Henrique.

Meet Terezinha, the beautiful, energetic and gracious owner of Ambrosio as she educates us about the importance of buying local produce.

Ambrosio Deli is located at 225 Menzies St, Victoria, BC. 250 590 3354

My favorite treat at Ambrosio: Bolo de coco

Music by: Berezza de Silva

inspiration online...

2010-06-21T22:51:00.000-07:00

hey babkafans!
so I just remembered that a blog is also a place to write, not just videos..which is great, because my editing software is acting very moody...but there's lots in the queue from the 3 of us! If you haven't had a chance to check out a website called thepowerpath.com and you'd like some babka-inspired wisdom from time to time, then check out the monthly inspiration from a favorite website of mine the inspires me to check back IN.

from the June forecast...
A garden does not grow by only planting the seeds. You have to water, weed, protect, feed and nurture the plants. You may even have to thin them to make room for certain ones to grow large. This is similar to your own process. You have made good compost; you have established fertile ground; you have planted seeds and now you have to care for the garden. Water it with spirit; weed it of negativity; feed it with love and inspiration and positivity; protect it with good boundaries; thin out the excess, the false starts and the creations that don’t exactly fit. And with all this, get help when you need it. Sometimes it take a village… www.thepowerpath.com

and PS. sign up for the Summer Solstice Virtual Council with the 13 Grandmothers. To quote... "It's an unprecedented gathering with some of our world's wisest elders in dialogue and prayer focused on healing our planet"

much love, xo ~*heidi

Tomato Time

2010-06-16T19:32:00.000-07:00

Music by Local Natives

Smoothies for Your Mama's Bones

2010-06-16T12:19:00.000-07:00

Fried Bananas with Kahlua and Coconut

2010-06-01T20:10:00.000-07:00

What do you do with a half a can of coconut milk left over...?? some bananas??? and some kalhua and ice cream?

Watch and find out how to make this quick, simple and absolutely delicious dessert!

Music by: Harry Nilson

Cooking Fresh Prawns

2010-05-28T13:31:00.000-07:00

Learn two delicious and simple recipes for cooking fresh prawns and an extra recipe involved vegetables and maple syrup mmmmm!

Recipe# 1 - Garlic Butter Prawns

* Prawns
* Butter
* Garlic
* Coarse salt (optional)
* Fresh herbs (optional)

Recipe# 2 - Coconut Prawns

* Prawns marinated in:
* Coconut milk
* Coriander
* Ginger (grated)
* S + P

and dipped in grated coconut.

Recipe# 3 - Maple Balsamic Vegetables:

* Veggies (eggplant, onion, zucchini, red pepper) or whatever you have
* Olive oil
* Maple syrup
* Balsamic Vinegar

Slice vegetables into baking pan, drizzle the ingredients on top and then bake at 375F for 20-30 minutes or until soft and glazed looking.

Music by: Robert Johnson

How to Kill a Live Prawn

2010-05-28T12:02:00.000-07:00

It's fresh seafood season in Victoria, BC. So what happens when you go down to the fisherman's wharf and buy your prawns as fresh as can be ? (Meaning they are still alive when you bring them home..and yes they move).

There are two ways that you can prepare your live prawns for cooking. Either keep them alive until the moment of cooking, or de-head them first.

In this video watch Heidi and Gui as they prepare live prawns for the cookin'! It may not be our most favorite thing to do, but fresh is most certainly best where seafood is concerned.

Music: Robert Johnson

Zucchini Rescue-Part 3_Finale

2010-05-20T18:56:00.000-07:00

Want to know the fate of our wee zucchini plant? Wait no longer....

Music by: Adriana Calcanhotto

How to Foliar Feed your Plants

2010-05-20T17:32:00.000-07:00

Watch this short clip and learn how to foliar feed your plants with the seaweed fertilizer that you just made.

Fertilizer mix:
2/3 water
1/3 seaweed fertilizer

Music by: Robert Carlos

Ginger-Tofu and Spinach Bowl

2010-05-18T19:12:00.001-07:00

Ingredients
(serves 2)

* organic medium firm tofu (or whatever firmness you prefer)
* fresh baby spinach
* garlic
* ginger
* soy sauce
* olive oil

Delicious Toppings

* sliced tomatoes
* pumpkin seeds
* green onions

Instructions

1. Dice garlic & ginger and slice your tofu into cubes.
2. In a pan with olive oil, sautee your garlic, ginger and then add tofu.
3. Let them sautee until the tofu is brown and semi-crunchy.
4. Add your spinach and a little bit of water into the pan.
5. Cover your pan with a lid and let the spinach get soft.
6. Once everything is cooked, add soy sauce to taste and garnish with sliced tomatoes, pumpkin seeds and green onions.

Optional: Serve on rice or quinoa

Gorgeous Garden Salad

2010-05-18T19:02:00.000-07:00

mmm mmm mmmmmm!

High in protein, high in antioxidants and high in deliciousness too!
As much as possible use the freshest ingredients either from your garden or a local farmers market.

Ingredients:
(Serves 2)

* 2 medium tomatoes (or a dozen cherry tomatoes) - here we used orange hothouse tomatoes
* thinly sliced mozzarella
* fresh garden herbs (your choice) - we used green onion & thyme
* boiled organic free range egg (optional and really yummy!)

Dressing

* olive oil
* Italissima Crema di Balsamica Rosso (you can use regular balsamic as well)
* pepper
* coarse salt

Enjoy!

How to Make Seaweed Fertilizer

2010-05-18T09:53:00.000-07:00

On location in Victoria, BC, join Heidi as she takes you through the simple steps of building one of the most organic fertilizers that you can feed to your plants: SEAWEED!

Seaweed is full of trace minerals and micro-nutrients that nourish your plants, helps to protect your plant from fungus and much more!

Add this seaweed fertilizer to your plants feeding routine to create a balanced diet.

You can also add some diluted fertilizer mix to spray bottle (1/3 fertilizer - 2/3 water) and spray the foliage of your plants. This is called foliar feeding and helps to green up your plants and help them out when they are not looking to well.

Music by: Jorge Ben

Zucchini Rescue Part 2_How to make a windprotector

2010-05-12T20:03:00.000-07:00

In this video, learn the babka-way of making an arts'n'crafts style windprotector for your baby plants.

Tools:
* Electrical tape
* Popsicle sticks

Music by: James Brown

Zucchini Rescue-Part 1_How to tie your plant

2010-05-12T18:39:00.000-07:00

Have your plants been damaged by the wind? Learn how to tie them up using a little bit of string and some chopsticks.

Music by: MC Yogi

Banana Flax Smoothie

2010-05-11T19:23:00.000-07:00

Baby Babkas Hamming it Up at Breakfast!

Check this out for more information about the nutritional benefits of flaxseed oil.

Music by the XX

Can beet this !

2010-05-10T23:16:00.000-07:00

This is a simple and delicious soup, courtesy of Gordon Ramsy's "Maze" cookbook. It is relatively fast soup to make,provides excellent colour and preps the palette delicately for more exciting dishes.

babka