Meadowbrook School in Rapid City receives grant to encourage kids to move more

Getting kids moving is so important to overall health. Nice to see an elementary school in Rapid City moving in the right direction. As reported by the Rapid City Journal, Meadowbrook School will receive a $168,000 state grant to expand education and infrastructure to encourage its students to walk and bike to school. Nice!

Now, if we can just look at those school lunches...

Six items or less .. it's a clothavore challenge!

Okay, another fun game. We've done the uber-locavore project, "Eat what is in your house ALREADY before trotting off to the grocery store" and the "Eat on $25 a week challenge". Here's something new!

What if you only had SIX items hanging in your closet and that was all you could choose to wear from for a month? According to the website, http://www.sixitemsorless.com/, there are some exceptions to the game: undergarments, coats, socks, shoes, work out clothes, pj's and accessories. Work-out clothes, hmmm... the issue is that you would actually have to work-out if you were wearing them.

What does this have to do with being a locavore? Well, locavores are interested in being smart with our time and resources. Who wants to waste a thing! So if I only have a few things in my closet, choosing an outfit will be a snap. It will be the month of the clothavore! Now, not only will I still be a regular at Crow Peak Brewing Co., I will look the same for a month sipping my frosty pint of IPA. Nice!

Why would you want to self-limit yourself (again, I am sure there is a therapist out there to tell me why I like to do these little challenges)? I think it's about freedom and thankfulness. When we have less choices, we actually have MORE freedom. IMHO with less, you don't spend time dealing with all the "stuff" which can equal more time to do what is really important to you. The second benefit is thankfulness. When we don't have as many choices, we become thankful for the choices we do have. I learned this first hand in my $25 a week challenge.

The fine people at http://www.sixitemsorless.com/ have already done this once and will be set for the second experiment mid September. Of course, you can do it yourself but it's really more fun with others.

Are you in?

You can sign up here.

Beet Greens!

Fresh Spearfish beet greens from Gage's Gardens

Popped these beet greens on top of pasta.  Delicious!

Don't toss your beet greens!  This recipe from www.simplyrecipes.com and is so delicious (I changed it just a bit).  My beet greens came from a huge pile of greens at Gage's Gardens and most of the stems were small and totally usable in this recipe.  Make sure to ask for them.  Any woody stems and those leaves that needed to go, went into my compost pile out behind the shed in the backyard.

Beet Greens

1 lb beet greens (I used one very packed plastic grocery bag full) - you can use the stems if small
1 tbl bacon fat and one piece of crispy bacon
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 large minced garlic clove
3/4 cup water
1 tbl sugar
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/6 cup cider vinegar

1.  Wash greens in sink filled with cold water, drain and do it again.  Cut into bit sized pieces.
2.  In a large skillet, cook bacon until lightly brown with the bacon fat.  I know, this sounds weird but makes it extra good.  Add onion, cook over medium heat about 5-7 minutes, stirring a bit until onions start to brown.  Stir in garlic and add water to hot pan to loosen any brown particles from the bottom of the pan (really scrape).  Stir in sugar and red pepper. Bring mixture to boil.
3.  Add the beet greens, gently toss in the onion mixture so the greens are well coated.  Reduce to low, cover and simmer about 10 minutes until the greens are tender.  Stir in vinegar.

Add this mixture to pasta and wow, a full meal!

Gluten Free Pizza

We just had gluten free pizza at the new BeauJo's in Rapid City and I was amazed at how CRISPY the crust was! It was served on a circle of parchment paper sort of wrapped around the crust. I am going to try it!

I've been making gluten-free pizza for several years. We used to buy pre-made crusts at our local Good Earth but it just got so expensive so we only purchase the pre-made versions in a pinch. I've played with many combinations but always start with this mix to sort of mimic regular wheat flour.

Here's the rest of the recipe for two pizza crusts. I use pizza stones.

1. Preheat to 425. First, grease each pizza stone. I use hard coconut oil using a coffee filter which I like because there are no pieces of paper towel left on my stone.
2. Sift together - the flour mix above, 1/2 cup chickpea or fava bean flour, 1/2 cup quinoa or teff flour, 2 tsp xanthan gum, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp baking powder. You can add other dried spices too -- I've used red pepper, basil and oregano with success. Just make sure they are gluten free.
3. Then measure out 1/2 cup of olive oil and mix into dry ingredients, first with a fork and then with your fingers to get everything mixed together - do it quickly, because the olive oil will start to glob together in big globs if you linger (from the heat of your hands). Your goal is 'little pebbles' of olive oil in the flour.
4. Measure out about 1 cup of water and mix into flour and stir. It will be slightly sticky. If it's too dry, just add a bit more water. Form two balls.
5. Put each ball on a pizza stone and use a rolling pin or your fingers to work the dough to the edges. It will be sticky so use some flour mix on your rolling pin or fingers.
6. Prick with fork and bake for 10 minutes. Then add toppings and bake another 25 or so minutes. Keep an eye on it.

Cut in pieces, this freezes very well.

My next experiment will be trying out parchment paper in search of a crispy crust!

Yarrow

Native in my Spearfish garden is yellow yarrow and I love it. It's bright yellow and such a happy plant. I know it's more like a weed but I plan to move it around in a few places. I infused some of the yarrow blossoms in distilled water and am using it like a face tonic. It's more drying so better for oily skin and I like it! It's really refreshing. Yarrow has a distinct fragrance and you either love it or hate it. Love it!

Crow Peak Brewing Company news!

We love our local brewpub, Crow Peak Brewing Company in Spearfish and we are what you'd call 'regulars'. Not only is the beer excellent but the atmosphere and people are the best. Here's some great news about Crow Peak about to start canning and distributing their beer. Congrats!

Red poppies run amok

My garden is doing so well this year. I think it's because of all the moisture but man, I am enjoying the bounty. When you let your garden to go seed, you get quite a display the next year. Sometimes good, usually packed! These red poppies are prolific and so pretty. I am saving seeds to share and letting just a few have their way. Right behind the red poppies is the sunflower forest, perfectly planted by the birds. Love the wild range of color!