Diabetic Cooking #GardenCuizine healthy soup #lowcarb #recipe

Diabetic Cooking

Diabetics can eat anything, but individuals must focus on limiting excess carbohydrates. This is something all Americans should pay closer attention too because carbohydrate control helps people all ages maintain a healthy body weight. Chicken and Rice or Chicken Noodle soup contain carbohydrates (noodles or rice) that can be replaced with spiral cuts of zucchini (zoodles). Who says you can't play with your food?

One 15 oz can of Healthy Choice Chicken Noodle Soup contains 24g carbohydrates and 780 mg sodium. Homemade Chicken Zoodle Soup saves you both carbs and excess sodium. Homemade soup has better nutrition and best of all contains no additives.

My healthy soup recipe will be posted following Inspira Health Networks upcoming Diabetic Cooking Class, which is scheduled November 5, 2015 at The Fitness Connection, Vineland, NJ. 

Related Links
Thyme for Chicken Zoodle Soup Recipe
Photo and blog post Copyright (C)Wind. All rights reserved.

Homemade salt-free, low fat, Chicken Broth #GardenCuizine #recipe

Homemade Chicken Broth
No Salt - Low Fat

Homemade chicken broth is not only inexpensive, it is super easy to prepare. Make it when you know you will be home for at least a few hours. Simply put all the ingredients in a stock pot, cover, simmer and walk away. The wonderful aroma will warm up your home and lure people into the kitchen to see what's cooking. Nothing you can buy has the richness and nutritional quality of homemade chicken broth.

Like many foods that once were a staple in home cooking, chicken broth has gone by the wayside of convenience. You'll find many low-priced brands of ready-made chicken broth. Keep in mind that you get what you pay for. Those broths are made for profit. 

Most store-bought broths are low in nutrients and made with dextrose and high sodium. Swanson's has over 850 mg of sodium in just one cup. Even low sodium, ready-made chicken broths are produced with added chemicals (necessary to maintain particular pH) that don't have to be listed on the food label.

Making Your Own Chicken Broth
There are a few methods to make chicken broth. One way is to boil a chicken until cooked, skim any scum that floats to the top, then remove the cooked meat for chicken salad or other recipes. Return the bones back to the stock pot to make chicken broth. That method leaves excess fat in the soup, which can later be removed after the stock is chilled and the fat firms up and floats to the top. 

Another method (shown below) is to roast the chicken first, remove the meat and use the carcass with a little meat left on the bones. 

Chicken bones added to a stockpot of water along with aromatic veggies (carrots, celery, onion), herbs and spices will yield a large pot of high quality chicken broth in just a few hours. The broth can be used immediately to make homemade soup or frozen for later use.

Yields: 4 Quarts Homemade Chicken Broth

Ingredients
16-18 cups Water
1 roast chicken carcass with some meat left on the bones
2 carrots 
2 celery sticks
1 large onion
5 whole peppercorns
3 bay leaves
few sprigs fresh parsley

Putting it all together
In a large stock pot add the water and chicken bones. Quarter the onion (can leave skin on) and chop the veggies into thirds. Add veggies to the stock pot along with remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer for 2 hours. Cover, leaving a little bit of the lid open to allow some reduction. Periodically stir, then strain into another large pot. Use as needed or pour into storage containers, label and freeze.

Related Links
Grow your own Bay Leaf tree
Stock, Broth and Bone Broth, What is the difference?

Photo and blog post Copyright (C)Wind. All rights reserved.

Healthy Snack: Fresh Fruit. Pears anyone? #GardenCuizine Nutrition Data Pears @Fruits_Veggies @eatright @kidseatright

Enjoy Fresh Fruit 

for a Healthy Snack

PEARS

Good source Vitamin C and dietary Fiber

We recently received a welcomed gift of a dozen fresh pears from a special friend. We allowed them to ripen at room temperature on our counter top and then put them in the refrigerator to slow down the ripening and preserve them long enough for us to eat them all. Ripe, fresh pears taste juicy and naturally sweet. 

To encourage more family members enjoy fresh fruit daily try this healthy eating tip: after a meal or in between meals ask your family, "Who wants some Pears?" Then use a corer separator gadget to core the pear and make it blossom into individual serving slices. Serve on a small plate on the table and I guarantee you that your family will all want to be first in line for their fair share! 

One small pear is considered one carbohydrate serving (about 15 net grams carbohydrates) for those who are counting.

GardenCuizine Pear Nutrition Data: One small Pear (148g):  Calories: 86; Total Fat 0g; Sodium 1mg; total Carbohydrate 23g; dietary Fiber 5g (18% DV); Vitamin C: 6.2mg (10% DV);

Related Links
Pears and Diabetes: A Sweet You Can Eat
Photo and blog post Copyright (C)Wind 2015. All rights reserved. 

According to doctors @ForumHSPH, medications alone are not the answer @eatright @kidseatright @letsmove #GardenCuizine

 Diet Quality is Important

In researching science-based evidence to recommend and teach to others to help improve their diets and lifestyles to prevent disease, I came across a video by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health on Rethinking Cholesterol. New medications are being tested now. The distinguished medical professionals conveyed that medications alone were not the answer to obesity-related diseases such as high cholesterol - healthy diets and lifestyle for disease prevention is key. (Several of the forum participants were from Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, which is where my Uncle is now as he battles cancer.)

Check out this important quote from Dr Patrick O’Gara, Senior Physician, Brigham and Women’s Hospital; Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Immediate Past President, American College of Cardiology:

According to Dr. O'Gara, "...People need to know the benefit of exercise, maintaining a good body weight,and maintaining a good diet, learning about food. How to sit down with their family members and have dinner together, or how to go to the grocery store and then build on that..."

Lifestyle modifications including exercise and a heart healthy diet are, "...Key in prevention of disease and could prevent 90% of type II diabetes cases and 80% of heart attacks and 1/3 of cancers...", according to JoAnn Manson, Chief, Division of Preventive Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and Professor in the Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. She stressed her concerns of our current obesity public health crisis and more children being started on medications in grade school because of preventable chronic diseases.

For more information, you can watch the Harvard video on YouTube. Just know that food and exercise do matter. Keep exercising and cooking and eating healthy for yourself and for your family; you just may inspire others to do the same.

Watch for more GardenCuizine Heart Healthy Recipes coming soon!

Blog post Copyright (C)Wind. All rights reserved. Prayers to Uncle Richard and Aunt Joanne and the Johnson Family. This blog post is not intended as medical advice. Discuss all medications, options and concerns with your doctor.

Turkeys in our Backyard #WildlifeGarden Certified Wildlife Habitat #NJ #gardenchat

Pawpaw Fruit #GardenCuizine What is Asimina triloba? #gardenchat Eastern US Native

American Pawpaw Fruit

On a recent South Jersey Wildlife Garden Tour we explored Shoshana's garden, a homeowner in Cumberland County NJ. She greeted us with exotic Pawpaw fruits (Asimina triloba). I had only seen them in a garden catalog years ago and didn't know you could grow the trees in New Jersey.

According to Shoshana, "They sucker beautifully," meaning they can form a grove. Pawpaw trees produce the largest fruits native to North America. Typical to most fruits, pawpaw fruit is an excellent source of Vitamin C. Kentucky State University researchers report that nutritionally, pawpaw fruit has about as much dietary fiber as an apple and is most similar in composition to bananas. Rutgers New Jersey Agriculture Experiment Station reports that it's rare to see pawpaw fruit in markets and come to think of it, I never have.

The fruit Shoshana gave us weren't ripe yet (they ripen in the fall), so I don't know what they taste like; she said they taste good. Writers for Kentucky State University's Pawpaw research project* describe the taste as a blend of tropical fruits such as banana, pineapple and mango. Sounds delicious! I bet they would taste great in a healthy fruit smoothie.

Scientific studies in 1980's and 1990's by researchers at Purdue University discovered compounds from pawpaw bark extracts may have beneficial effects on killing cancer cells. Since then there has not been enough scientific evidence to make claims supporting the effectiveness of pawpaw for any condition.

For those interested in growing native Pawpaw fruit trees: the trees are attractive and small and can be considered "edible landscaping" - they bloom in the spring. The blooms are among my favorite colors, deep, dark, chocolate. 

Related Links

Kentucky State University Paw Paw Program

Jersey Local, Exotic and Native

Growing Pawpaws

Blog post and photo Copyright (C)Wind. All rights reserved.

Cumberland County Photo Tour of Private Wildlife Gardens South Jersey #GardenCuizine #gardenchat #getoutside

Cumberland County Photo Tour 

of Private Wildlife Gardens

August 2015

with Pat Sutton, naturalist 

and wildlife garden educator

Photos alone can not capture the beauty of nature. Getting outdoors remains the best way to experience the smells and sights of pollinators in action and to learn about where our food comes from, native plants, birds, insects and the importance of preserving open spaces and caring for our precious environment. 

Watch for additional photos that will be added during the next few weeks 

Happy Gardening!

photos Copyright (C)Wind. All rights reserved.

@NWF Gardening for Pollinators #GardenCuizine #gardenchat

Gardening for Pollinators

private garden #1

Yesterday we had the pleasure of meeting new friends and touring wildlife-friendly, private home gardens in South Jersey, sponsored by Citizens United to Protect the Maurice River. 

Our Cumberland County tour of private wildlife gardens began in the parking lot at the base of the Maurice River Bridge. Tall marsh grasses lined the river. The shining bright sun felt hot. When we arrived, our tour guide, Pat Sutton, was there to greet us.

Being an experienced naturalist and wildlife garden educator, Pat provided the group information on Gardening for Pollinators. She also gave us an informative itinerary with directions and information written by each gardener about their wildlife garden habitats.

Harry and I arrived early, giving us time to meet Pat and browse through a few select gardening books. The eager group of about 25 Master Gardeners and garden enthusiasts carpooled to each garden. First we traveled to Leesburg then on to Port Norris and Bridgeton, ending at a breath-taking riverside garden in Millville, NJ.  

At Janet's garden in Leesburg, hummingbirds and butterflies were everywhere. Surrounding her pool, instead of grass, were garden walks bordered by flowers that included masses of red salvias - more than any of the other gardens we visited. No wonder she gets so many hummingbirds!

Other blooms included: Tropical Milkweed, Agastache, Coral Honeysuckle, Joe Pye weed, Echinacea, Rudbeckia tribola and Verbena bonariensis. In early spring, she scattered 4+ large packets of mixed zinnia seeds that grew into a beautiful patch of colorful flowers that attract many pollinators. 

Along the fence was another butterfly magnet: bright orange Mexican sunflowers (Tithonia rotundifolia) growing over 5-feet tall. An easy-to-grow annual that you can start from seeds as early as February, according to Janet. We only have one Tithonia growing in our garden, thanks to a gardening friend (thanks Linda!!). Seeds can be harvested and saved for next year. 

yum yum milkweed!

In a garden bed near a rain barrel against the house many hungry monarch butterfly caterpillars were devouring the foliage of milkweed, the only plant they can eat. We also let milkweed grow wild in our yard just for monarchs.

We had a hard time pulling ourselves away from every garden, so much so that we ran over our time schedule and missed PEEK Preserve, Natural Lands Trust garden. Seriously, we could have spent an entire day at each location. We visited 6 gardens, all focused on gardening for pollinators and NOT using pesticides.

We've done garden seed swaps in the past, but never a tour of more than one garden at a time. My head is still spinning with all the new garden ideas and contact information! Special thanks to Pat, CU, and all the gardening hosts and hostesses who shared their gardens and expertise with us.  

I'll be making a few continuing blog posts about more NJ wildlife gardens; including, Barn Studio of Art. Check back for added photos and related posts.

Happy Gardening! 
Related Links
How to Create a Hummingbird and Butterfly Garden by Pat Sutton 
Recommended Nectar Plants by Pat Sutton 
Garden for Wildlife

Blog post and photos Copyright (C) Wind. All rights reserved.

@RutgersNJAES @birdsblooms @Garden4Wildlife @pollinators Cumberland County SJ #gardenchat #GardenCuizine

Stay tuned for photos and video featuring wildlife friendly private gardens in Cumberland County. Our tour guide will be NJ native plant expert, naturalist, birder and book author - Pat Sutton. According to Pat's blog, many of the private home gardens were planted with wildlife in mind, designed to attract butterflies, moths, hummingbirds and other birds, as well as insect pollinators. And, to enjoy wholesome foods such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains we need important pollinators!

Hummingbirds pollinate wildflowers as they move flower to flower. Late August into September is peak hummingbird migration time. We'll be pointing our cameras towards the birds and blooms and promise to zoom in on ruby-throated hummers as they visit their favorite nectar plants.

This South Jersey Cumberland County Wildlife tour was planned for Master Gardeners by Citizens United to Protect the Maurice River (CU). 
Related Links
Pat and Clay Sutton 
Hummingbird Garden Nectar Plants by Patricia Sutton
Rutgers Master Gardeners Program
Photo and blog post Copyright (C)Wind. All rights reserved.

Today in Our Garden @birdsblooms #NJ #gardenchat Growing food teaches us not to waste food or water

Today in Our Garden

Use it or lose it!
Food Appreciation

Our gardens exhaust us during August. Now is about the time every season when we slack off in the fight against fast growing weeds and make time to enjoy the birds and blooms. We also start collecting seeds for next years plantings and are busy canning and preserving in the kitchen.

As we think about all there is to do... food is ripening at a rapid rate. Use it or lose it!

• Picking and preparing fresh, organic, homegrown foods gives us a total appreciation for our food and our environment.

Vegetable gardening also makes me wonder: Would people eat less if they grew and prepared their own food? We know scientific studies show that people do eat more fruits and veggies when they garden, but would they eat less overall?

Tomatoes
Heirloom tomatoes are ripening faster than we can pick them! Favorites include Chocolate Cherry tomatoes (shown). Harry cooked our first homegrown San Marzano tomatoes and made 5 quarts of pasta sauce so far with more tomatoes cooking down now. We freeze the quarts.

As gardening cooks, we want to savor and not waste what we plant and harvest. Cooking down a stockpot full of homegrown, ripe, plum tomatoes (with added basil, garlic and onion) made us realize that it sure takes a lot of tomatoes to make just one quart of sauce.

Onions
Garden space needed for growing onions has made us appreciate the abundance of onions always available at the market. We picked our first Ailsa Craig onions yesterday. Most green tops died back and the onions easily pulled up from the soil.

We probably should have picked the onions sooner. And, we weren't sure what to do about the dirt on them? We rinsed the dirt off. The onions are now air drying on a table outside. As you can see, their shape is teardrop and not large and round. 

The fun of gardening includes learning from other gardeners. Stay tuned for updates on how to grow bigger and better onions. If you already know - please share.

Grapes
One of our best years! Mom even helped pick the grapes off the stems. We picked 13.5 lbs. from one, established red grapevine, which made 12 pints of organic grape jelly.

Cow Peas
Cool beans: Fagiolo Nano Dolico -dall'occho: Italian black-eyed peas climbed up into our tomato vines this year - another garden first for us. I didn't realize they climbed. The pods hang like green beans and can be eaten green or left on the plants to brown. I've been picking them as they turn brown and plan to make Hoppin John with homegrown black-eyed peas for good luck in the New Year. 

To release the peas, rub your finger along the pod edge. If the bean is dry enough, the edge will split like a zipper and the beans can easily be dumped out.

Acorn Squash
Look what I found this morning! We have acorn squash growing from rotten squash rejects that were tossed in the beds last Fall.

Happy and Healthy Gardening! 

Related Links
Backyard Gardening, Grow Your Own Food, Improve Your Health 
GardenCuizine Recipe Baked Nutty Acorn Squash

Blog post and photos Copyright(C)Wind. All rights reserved.