Gardening Bug Bit!

This is what our first day of Spring looks like! We picked out seeds and got started on growing some vegetables indoors. 

I have never started my seeds indoors, but I thought it was time to try! I am not buying expensive lights or equipment, but just trying to sprout a few seeds in my south facing kitchen windows. Today I am planting beefsteak tomatoes and some sweet bell peppers. Both seed packets say to start indoors 6-8 weeks before transplanting into the garden, so I'd say I'm on target to plant sometime around the middle of May (after the last frost).

I am keeping it simple and hoping to sprout and transplant from the same containers. Greenhouses often start tons of seeds in flats and then transplant to larger pots, but I am thinking these medium size containers will work well. I also like that they are the kind that can just be planted into the ground and will biodegrade.

I found a tray from another planter and will use it underneath as a reservoir for watering.

I filled the containers with an organic potting mix (made specifically for seedlings, so it's nice and fluffy) and watered everything well to get the soil and pots saturated. 

Then I used a pencil to make small divots in which to plant the tiny seeds. I put two seeds in each cell in case one does not come up well. In the case that both do well, I will just thin them and keep the strongest seedling. Now I will just give them plenty of sunlight, keep them damp, and watch! Wish me luck!

Just on que, my first daffodil is blooming. Happy Spring!

Healthy Eats

In my quest to eat healthy, whole foods, I am often trying new recipes to satisfy our cravings with foods that taste good while they are good for us! I thought I would share a few favorites of late.

Healthy Dark Chocolate! Yes, these words can really co-exist! Where has this been all my life?

1/4 cup coconut oil
2/3 cup cocoa
4 Tbsp honey or agave


Melt oil in a saucepan. Mix in other ingredients. Pour into a small baking pan (I used a glass bread pan) and refrigerate for 10 minutes. Cut into small pieces.


This satisfied my sweet tooth like nothing healthy has before. My kids loved it too and ask me to make it often!

Healthy Carrot Cake Muffins. I got this recipe from melskitchencafe (here). I love that they are dense and moist, but made with healthy ingredients like applesauce, carrots, whole wheat flour, and honey!

Grilled Honey Kebabs. This one is from Mel too (recipe here). We just got a new grill and are loving all the possibilities! These were heaven on a stick.

Greek yogurt with honey is a staple around here for lunches and snacks. Any kind of fruit kicks it up a notch!


Are you sensing a theme here? HONEY! We love honey as a natural sweetener and use it in oatmeal, granola, baking, salad dressings, and sometimes even off a spoon. :) I have been buying organic honey in bulk at Costco, but I am currently researching suppliers of raw honey to gain the amazing benefits! Raw means it is unpasteurized and all the vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and antioxidants are still intact. To read more about the incredible health benefits of honey, go here.

Sunny Days

... are chasing the clouds away...

It's been so nice!!! I was feeling a little grumpy that the snow was already gone because it left brown ugliness in it's wake. But then we got out and started playing, and I remembered how FUN it is to be outside! It's a whole new world... a new fantastic point of view...

And then we found some signs of life! Ella spotted some little green daffodil spikes and sent the neighbor kids on a flower scavenger hunt to find them all around the yard. She even stole the camera from me to take pictures of them.
 

 

I hadn't planned on it, but I just couldn't keep my gardening instincts at bay and I had to start pulling up dead stuff. I always forget how much I LOVE gardening!

 

I don't miss these little buggers... and so it begins.

I took the chance to prune a little... pears are notorious for water spouts. Check out that one that takes up the length of the photo! It had to be put in it's place.

As I was putting my bucket away I noticed this little pot forgotten on a garage shelf... what a reward for being lazy and leaving it there all year! So I brought it inside to water and watch.

Trees

I have been thinking a lot about trees.

Wikipedia says, "In botany, a tree is a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, supporting leaves or branches."

The biggest trees I've ever seen were in Muir Woods in California. I visited there with my family on a summer vacation to San Fransisco when I was 19. Those ancient redwoods range in age from 400 to 800 years old, and grow up to 250 feet tall. I still remember the feeling of awe and reverence I felt in that majestic place.

Sometimes when I face challenges or trials, a favorite saying comes to mind and gives me hope:

"The strength of a tree lies in its ability to bend."

That has been very applicable for me in the last year as I have dealt with the diagnosis and treatment of thyroid cancer. Though scary and difficult at times, it has also been a time of great learning and I have bent in the winds of change. It has helped me recognize what is really important, both spiritually and physically.

I am more dedicated to exercise and eating right... and not for my outward appearance, but for my inward health. This larger, overarching view has given me greater determination and deeper motivation. 


I recently finished reading Alison's book (referred to in the last post) about creating lasting health, and I have so many new insights and ideas to implement. I love how on the last page she says, "Remember the old saying: The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The next best time is today." When it comes to making positive changes, now is the time!

The First Presidency message in the Ensign this month, The Best Time to Plant a Tree, uses the very same old proverb, relating it to becoming your best self, starting now. President Uchdorf says, "There is something wonderful and hopeful about starting now. There is something empowering about the fact that if we choose to decide now, we can move forward at this very moment. Now is the best time to start becoming the person we want to be--not only 20 years from now but for all eternity."

On a spiritual note, I heard a youth talk in church a few weeks ago that has stuck with me. The young woman related having a testimony of the gospel to a tree, saying the large main branches represent our testimony of the basic doctrines of the gospel, such as the life and mission of Jesus Christ, the Book of Mormon, the First Vision, and so on. Everything else branches off from those basic principles.

I can't believe I had never thought of it that way before, with my love of all things horticultural. Now I recognize that indeed, my testimony of every little thing about the gospel--from tithing to visiting teaching to family history--depends on nourishment from the bigger branches. And in turn, the strength of the big branches comes from the trunk, which I think of as my soul, getting nourishment from my roots of personal worship such as prayer, scripture study, obedience, and service.

The banyan trees I saw in Hawaii are certainly an exception to the rule.... they root from the branches as well as the trunk! 

Speaking of family history, this is another tree I am exploring... my family tree. Mike's and my love for family history work is growing as we discover more about those who have come before us. It reminds me a little bit of chocolate cake... one bite leaves you wanting for more!

We both recently received histories from family members, and that is where the true gems are-- in the stories. It's funny when we are both devouring new information and trading it with each other... "Did you know my great great great grandpa came from Switzerland and married his first wife on the ship in her nightgown? ... and later he was the president of the Swiss German mission twice? ...and he was the mayor of Paris, Idaho? "

Mike would respond, "Did you know my grandpa was really good at gymnastics? ...and he chauffeured prophets and apostles while on his mission?"

Then me again, "My great great great grandma came from Wales, where her ancestors once owned Dunraven Castle!" My girls especially loved that story, claiming their right to be real princesses.

The most rewarding moments of all are when we can go to the temple and do work for our family members, connecting them together in bonds that will last for eternity.

Another quote comes to mind... "Climb a tree--it gets you closer to heaven." -Anonymous 
 

Colorful Foods

Even thought it's winter and my garden is frozen, I am trying hard to eat lots of produce. My Grandma Jensen taught my Dad who taught me that it's important to eat all the colors of the rainbow.

Even though I've heard that all my life (recognize the rainbow platter? I've done it before), I never really knew why until I read a new book written by my sister-in-law, Alison, called "The Fix: How a More Integrative Body-Mind Approach Creates Lasting Health."

She explained it so well when she wrote:

"Flavonoids are plant pigments, but ingesting flavonoids is not at all the same as eating crayons! Flavonoids protect plants from microbes, insects, and fungi, and so it's not surprising that they inhibit bacteria and viruses in humans. They are also known to help modify certain cell responses, thus boosting health, and additionally acting in ways that are anti-allergic or anti-cancer. Some flavonoids you may have heard of include catechins, which are found in green tea, and quercetin, found in apples.

Carotenoids are also plant pigments that are known to aid the immune system in addition to having many other positive effects on the body. Lycopene is a carotenoid (tomatoes, watermelon, and pink grapefruit) associated with prostate health as well as with it's potential for preventing breast cancer.

Now it makes more sense why you'd want to fill your plate with colorful fruits and vegetables -- these colorful pigments promote good health."

And that is just a tiny taste of how great her book is! It explains complicated subjects in a way that makes it easy for unscientific people (like me) to understand and incorporate into life, and describes why things we do and don't do are so important to our health. It is refreshing and encouraging and makes me want to be better, because now I understand the why behind it. She is also really funny and I love her hints of humor throughout.

I really feel like she wrote it for me at this time. She addresses the disconnect between conventional medicine and alternative medicine and helps you integrate the best of each. She talks about prevention and increasing overall health, and finding root causes of problems rather than suppressing symptoms. 

Basically I am very grateful to her for her timely advice for me personally, and I think everyone should read it! It is amazing and will help anyone identify one or more things they can do to better take care of themselves. 

Yummy Black Bean and Sweet Potato Burritos

We all know I am not a food blogger, but I do love to share a good recipe when I find one.

These black bean burritos start with roasting some veggies to perfection. The recipe calls for sweet potatoes, which would be perfect for this time of year, but I didn't have any on hand. I did, however have lots of butternut squash to use up from the garden, so I tried it. Having had it both ways, I think they are interchangeable!
 

Another change I made to the recipe was using coconut oil for the roasting. Not only does it smell and taste divine, but it's also better for you. You can see the veggies were still steaming when I took this picture, and it was all I could do to not eat the whole pan!

Nevertheless, I continued on and added the black beans and cheese, and rolled them up in tortillas to bake to perfection. Check out Mel's link for the recipe!

The Tomato Hornworm

Meet our giant caterpillar, otherwise known as the tomato hornworm.

I had no idea we had a problem until I was cleaning out the garden and throwing tomato plants away. My sister pulled up while I was working, so I threw my gloves on the ground and didn't come back to them until the next day. Imagine my surprise when I tried to put my glove on and this thing was filling up an entire finger!!! Needless to say, I am pretty sure my neighbors heard my squeal.

I have never seen a tomato hornworm here in UT, but I did have them once in Las Vegas when I tried to grow tomatoes in my backyard. They are hard to see because of their color and they tend to feed on foliage inside the plant, so if your tomatoes are as overgrown as mine were, good luck finding them!

I guess he didn't do enough damage for me to notice, or perhaps again I just had too many tomatoes. I did read that marigolds planted nearby help to deter these monster pests, so my garden will be really colorful next year!