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Mountain Mama Wellness Box:  The food items listed below are what the  Mountain Mama Wellness Box members received.  For those of you who do not have a farm to home share/CSA, what are the food items you  have been eating?  Are you supporting local organic farmers at the farmers markets and in your area?  Are you purchasing more organic food in your life?   How is your green, red, orange veggie intake?  Are you eating too many potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, celery and not enough green veggies?  What new recipes have you tried this week?  Have you eliminated fast food from your life?  How about supporting a restaurant that supports local farmers?  Have you eliminated GMO food from your life?   Have you eliminated movie junk food out of your life?

A Parent challenge, how about you challenge yourself to not buy hot dogs, mac and cheese, sugary cereal, monster drinks, soda, non-organic chips, let go of my eggo, colored yogurt and colored candy?

Do you  have your kids in sports, how about giving your family a health challenge, by making a pact not to eat at the snack shack, turn down the little Debbie's snacks with a Capri sun, cheese and cracker sets, peanut butter Nabisco cracker, cheddar cheese fish crackers etc.. and never set foot into  an Izzy's?     

Health Challenge to all the coaches, the dance teachers, the school teachers, the martial arts teachers, you are mentors, you are around kids and some of  you for quite a few hours,   If the kids, teens and tweens see you eating crap, junk food, colored drinks, monster drinks, chips, candy, Izzy's, McDonalds, etc, you are teaching them bad health habits.  You should think about this.

Parents challenge those coaches, dance teachers,  public school teachers, martial arts teachers, gymnastic teachers etc.. a doughnut party is not cool,  Krispy Kreme, double not cool.  Ask them to look for healthier alternatives.

Someone needs to step up and be the leader.  Just take ONE of my challenges and take off with it.  Once you have developed a healthy habit then move on to the next challenge.  Imagine if you start and people see it, just maybe they will start and so on.

We will never have change in the world if you and I do not implement change in our own lives.  Period.  

Mountain Mama Wellness Box Items: 

Tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, collard greens, brassica stir fry, broccoli leafs (for wraps), nettle, kale, swiss chard, dandelion greens, onion, parsley, celery, green beans,lemon balm, tea mix of apple-mint, cleavers and lemon verbena, basil, zucchini and cucumbers. 

Adventure In Life

Life Is Either A Great Adventure Or Nothing

“The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.” 

What is your story from yesterday, today and tomorrow?

What story, what adventures will you be able to tell your grand-kids?

What story will you be able to tell your children?

Have you played?

Have you added spice to your life?

Are you living or are you just existing? 

Has time been put off over and over and the day is over

Have days been lost?

What story can you tell from that?

Live Like You Are Dying...... 

Broccoli Leaves 

Potato and Dill Broccoli Leaf Wraps Original Recipe

http://www.thewoodenspoon.net.au/recipes/potato-and-dill-broccoli-leaf-wraps-with-parsley-and-pepita-sauce/

This is what I did: 

Two cups potatoes (or sweet potato), chopped

1 large leek or two small chopped

4 garlic cloves, chopped or minced

2 cups (or more) collard greens chopped

1 organic sweet red bell pepper, chopped

2 tablespoons dried dill ( I did not have fresh dill)

sea salt and pepper to taste

You could also add some organic meat to these wraps.

SAUCE:

1/2 cup organic pumpkin seeds

1 big bunch parsley, chopped 

1 Small red mild pepper, chopped

1 tsp. organic onion granules

2 tsp. yellow mustard seed

1/4 organic hemp seed oil

1/4 cup spring water

a dash of apple cider vinegar

1 Tbsp. honey

Sea salt  ( or celtic) and pepper to taste 

FILLING: 

Boil the potatoes until they are lightly cooked.  Strain

Saute chopped garlic and leeks.  (if you are going to add meat, start it with the leeks and garlic) 

Add dill 

Add chopped red bell pepper, cook for a minute

Add chopped collard greens cook for a minute

Add potatoes 

Turn stove off and add: 

Juice of half of a lemon

sea salt and pepper to taste. 

Large Broccoli Leaves 

Steam broccoli leaves 30 seconds to a minute.  Should have a nice dark green color.  

Lay  the large broccoli leaf out, add your filling and wrap like a burrito.  

Top with the sauce

Share and sit with family and friends. 

Wrapping It Up

Ready To Eat 

 Collard Slaw

High in nutrients, including phytochemicals and antioxidants  dark leafy greens are good source of calcium especially when combined with lemon juice.  

1 bunch of collard greens, ribs removed, leaves rolled and sliced into thin ribbons

1 1/2 cups shredded carrots

1 unpeeled apple, shredded 

3 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice

2 teaspoons dijon mustard 

2 tablespoons live oil

1/2 tsp. sea salt 

Cut collard greens into ribbons and combine with shredded carrots and apple, set aside.  

In a large bowl, whisk together lemon juice, dijon mustard, olive oil and sea salt

Add collard greens mixture and toss to coat. 

Chill in frig for a few hours. 

Dandelion Leaf:

Dandelion leaf is good for the kidneys, high in B vitamins, restores and replenished energy, excellent source for calcium. High in vitamins and minerals including magnesium, iron and vitamins A and C.  

Here Are 10 Ways To Use Dandelion Leaf: 

http://www.thekitchn.com/10-ways-to-use-those-dandelions-recipes-from-the-kitchn-188774

7 HERB LONG-LIFE SOUP

A nourishing and restorative blend, soup.   It is an excellent broth to serve someone who is sick or recovering from illness.  Use fresh herbs whenever possible, if they are not available chopped dried roots will do.  

Pictured below is a broth I made.  I boiled a chicken carcass (last nights dinner) to make bone broth, I added Sunday's veggies scraps.  In this picture the scraps where leeks, collard green stems, broccoli leafs, garlic and one habanario pepper.

7-Herb Long-Life Soup:

Extra-virgin olive oil

2 onions, sliced or chopped 

2 - 3 cloves of garlic, chopped 

3 quarts filtered water OR Your own homemade broth 

8 large shiitake mushrooms (fresh or dried), chopped

4 ounces  fresh burdock root thinly sliced or 2 ounces dried 

4 ounces fresh dandelion root  thinly sliced or 2 ounces dried

2 ounces lycium berries

1 ounce  fo-ti (ho shou wu), cut and sifted 

1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger root 

1 ounce ginseng root 

Organic miso paste 

In large pot, heat just enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan.  Add the onions and garlic and saute until tender and golden

Add water or your broth and bring to a boil

Add the mushrooms and herbs, turn down the heat, and simmer over low heat for several hours 

When the roots are tender, turn off the heat and strain out the herbs.  If the herbs are soft you do not need to strain them out.  It is up to you. 

Add other seasonings and chopped vegetables as desired 

Pour into soup boils and add miso paste to taste.  Start with a tiny amount first (1/4 tsp.)

Do not boil the miso, as it destroys its valuable enzyme's  

Pickled Nettles: 

Serve with toast, feta, and olives, pickled nettles are a tasty treat. 

Fresh tender nettle tops

Place them raw in a quart pickling jar  

Fill the jar to the top with apple cider vinegar, being sure that no nettles surface above the vinegar 

Add a few garlic cloves 

Add a whole cayenne pepper

Cap tightly, and let sit for 8 - 12 weeks. 

Enjoy 

Create 

Special Garden Spots

Create Special Sitting Places and Enjoy A Cup Of Healing Tea

Create Incredible Meals Full Of Nutrition And Fun 

Create Memories, Watching As Many Sunsets As Possible 

Create As Many Memories As You Can In Nature, With Your Sense Of Smell 

Create Memories Of Having Fun For Others

Create Memories, Observe Nature

Create A Life That Is Full Of Beauty, You Can Create A lot Of Beauty In Your Life If You Follow The Instructions Below 

Create...............................

Today feels like a gross day at the farm.   It started off with, having to separate two very in-heat  male goats, that can't seem to stop mating with the females.  If you know anything about bill goats, you know how disgusting this can be and dangerous.  Both the billy goats were fighting, they had urine and sperm all over them.   It has been raining and the ground was very slippery!   My husband wrestled one down, then lost it in the transition of taking it, to it's new spot.  My daughter was trying to catch one, I eventually caught the bigger male by the horns (with one hand) while I was standing up on a pallet.  I did this so my husband could get the female away from him.  Trying to hold onto big horns that are  slimmed with goat products was not easy.  I lost hold of him.  This farm activity was way harder then chasing a greased pig, not to mention dangerous.   We eventually got them put away into a lush spot and they are calming down.   The older goat found some wild lettuce to eat, which, I was thankful for,  wild lettuce is a calming herb.   To keep things mellow I am going to feed them some relaxing herbs.  I will also  add some hops to their feed, because hops can slow down their libidos.   After that it was time to take care of the little baby goat that had her face torn up by a coyote.  I won't even go into details about what we have to do for that.   You will notice in the picture she has half of her ear gone.   This goat is  a trooper and is doing really well.    She has several more weeks of recovery, before her wounds will be healed.   I think, we all came to a conclusion, that we were stuck smelling like the billy goats for a few hours, no matter how many times we scrubbed with soap... 

Tomorrows adventures bring, taking the turkeys in to be processed....Life on the farm..

Because I have towed the line between life and death, lately, I find I struggle with being responsible. I want to play and take every moment in. I want life to feel slow. I want time to slow even stop while I sit up in the mountains and have tea with my husband, I want to sit with my kids more outside in the forest or on a beach. I want to go backpacking high up in the mountains with my family and get lost in its silence... I want to drive and experience more of this worlds beauty.
Today, I was reading a friend of mines blog, (Growing Wild Farm), I am very proud of her for realizing what is important in life, which is learning to "pause". No matter how hard you work, work never goes away, the lists are always lists. What is important in life is taking a pause, taking moments, and put play back in your life.
I love what my daughter Sophia's says, "What stories are you creating that you can share" What is your story? Is your story of staying inside, playing video games, watching movies, eyes glued to your cell phone? What story's are you going to be able to tell from that?
I will ask you again, through my daughters words (who will be 17 tomorrow) What is your story?
Here is a quote a friend of mine used in her blog. It is totally how I feel on a daily basis, even more so these last few months. ...
“I arise in the morning torn between the desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day.” -E B White
So, outside I go, to work, pause and then play.....

Why I choose to exercise and play outside....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blmv6gb9m64

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Lemon Verbena:  http://www.healthyliving-herbs.co.za/index.php/herb-articles/568-le...

More recipes for lemon verbena: http://oldfashionedliving.com/lemonverbena.html  

Lemon Rose Tea

Ingredients:

1/2 cup torn lemon verbena leaves

1/4 cup rose petals

4 cups filtered water or spring water

Honey 

Place 4 cups of water in a teakettle or medium saucepan and bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat to a simmer and add the lemon verbena and rose petals. Remove from the heat and steep for about 15 minutes. Return to the heat and simmer for 1 minute. Pour into individual tea cups or mugs, sweeten with honey and serve.

A robust, spicy herbal blend originating in India, Nepal, and Tibet, chai comes in literally thousands of varieties.  The following chai blend is especially formulated for longevity.  Serve it hot or chilled with froth steamed milk.  You can easily make frothy milk at home with an inexpensive kitchen device that looks like a french coffee press, or whip it in a blender. 

5 tablespoons black tea leaves

6 slices fresh ginger root, grated  or a tablespoon of dried ginger 

3 tablespoons cinnamon chips ( or 1 stick broken into small pieces)

1 tablespoon sliced fo-ti 

1 tablespoon sliced genseng root

1 tablespoon sliced licorice root

2 teaspoons cardamom, crushed

6 black peppercorns

4 whole cloves 

6 cups filtered water or spring water

 Local honey, from your local bee keeper 

Frothy milk of choice.  Please stay away from soy milk it is not good for you.  Also read your labels, rice milk has canola oil in it.  

Examples of milks:  Hemp, raw dairy, almond or coconut.  I use organic canned coconut milk.  Also read your labels on your milks.  Stay away from ones that add sugar.... 

1.  Gently warm the herbs and water in a covered saucepan for 10 to 15 minutes.  Do not boil

2.  Strain the mixture into a warmed teapot and add local honey to taste.  Pour the chai into large cup, add a generous heap of frothy milk, and sprinkle with nutmeg or cinnamon. 

Enjoy with a good book, or sit outside with nature.