Isn't this just peachy?

Peach season is finally here, and this year we visited Williamson Orchards in the Sunnyslope area west of Nampa. It's a family-run fruit and vegetable farm with lots of country charm.











Their outdoor produce market.












When there are twelve varieties of peaches available, it's not easy to decide. We settled on July Flame and Vista.











Buckets & buckets of peaches!















This is the only prepared vegan pie crust available at my Co-op. It's organic and there is a whole wheat variety as well. It's a great tasting crust, and when you're in a pinch it'll do just fine.








I was more than happy to test this 'Cinnamon Sugar Peach Pie' recipe for Julie Hasson's upcoming pie book. Here it is before the top crust was placed. For a cool step-by-step of this peachy pie, visit Boo's a veg-a-nut.

This peach pie is so delicious that I made it twice! It's an easy recipe with fabulous results -- just my kind. :)




We still had a plethora of peaches after making two peach pies! I was able to can 12 pint size jars, and freeze 2 quart size baggies.







and, I still had enough to make 'Kim's Peach-zza' from La Dolce Vegan! And don't let the title fool you, this does not count for dinner!
What could be more peachy than all this? One of our babysitters has been perusing my books, and told me she wants to go veg! She asked some questions, read this article, and borrowed my "Diet for a New America". It makes me hopeful to see people eliminating meat. How do you encourage propective veggies?

Apricot Season!

Mom called to say the apricots on her tree were ready, and to hurry up before all the birds got them. The girls and I arrived on the scene within hours. Our bags were already packed and waiting in the car with pectin, sugar, jars & lids. We had been anticipating apricots for weeks!







My helpers and I filled up two buckets, and there was still plenty for my uncle Larry & aunt Nancy, who were on their way to pick some also.
















Mom & Bill played with the girls (& took photos!) while I made a batch of apricot jelly.

















It was a little awkward in mom's kitchen, and lucky for me, aunt Nancy arrived just in time
to help with the batch of jelly. She shared some tips she's learned from a lifetime of preserving nature's bounty. For years, she fed a family of 12 almost entirely on what they produced or bartered. She really knows her stuff, and it was a pleasure to have this opportunity.





We used the recipe inside the pectin box, and it yielded 11 pint-sized jars. I gave a jar to Mom & Nancy.









When we got home, I made another batch of apricot jelly, only this time I added a can of crushed pineapple, juice and all, as suggested by Mom & Nancy. This batch yielded 10 pint-size jars.

If you'd like more ideas and info on apricots, see this post at The Vegan Diet.




Our apricots produced 2 batches jelly, and a full dehydrator.

I was looking forward to the dried apricots, but was disappointed that most had mold on the underside. Did I wait too long before drying the fruit? Was I supposed to do something to the fruit first? Anyway, it's buggin' me because I want to dry some peaches next week, but don't want to waste anymore. Dehydrating tips anybody?

Lakeside Lavender Farm Festival

We went to the Lakeside Lavender Farm festival this morning.


I read directions to Art as he drove along the country roads -- it was a short drive from our home.









This is the path that leads to a farm house with lavender fields on either side.












There were lots of interesting areas for the girls to explore. They were running here & there and literally rolling around in the grass.

I grew up on and around farms like this, so it pleased me to share this type of experience with them.







This festival was extra delightful because it was void of commercialism. This is a family farm, and you get the feeling that you are invited to help and partake in the harvest.









They say lavender can ease stress, induce relaxation, refresh, and even invigorate. It's called a "mood balancing herb" that possesses a sedative and calming effect; as well as an uplifting, refreshing and rejuvenating effect on the psyche.

Look at the uplifting effect it had on my oldest daughter!





Here you see it's calming effects...

and our basket full of lavender goodies!










LAVENDER
* sachets
* jelly
* lip balm
* tea cookie recipe & lavender buds
* bundles - snipped fresh by me!

They had lots more homemade lavender things: lotion, oil, spritzer, relaxation pillows, soap, cookies, honey, ice cream, already dried lavender, and more.




I picked up just enough for me, and a couple friends. One was hand delivered, and the other by mail.
I'm marking my calendar for next year, and I hope they continue this festival for many years to come.
Happy 7 * 7 * 7 !!! I guess today there will be lots of lottery tickets sold and many weddings to attend. For me, I got "lucky" with lavender. :)

It's Cherry Season!

The G'parents were visiting from California over the Father's Day weekend, and we decided to go pick cherries. This was the first time picking fruit from trees (other than the backyard variety) for my city in-laws, but this brought back fond childhood memories for me. I would hang-out at the top of the ladder, picking & eating all my tummy could hold as a youth in my uncle's orchards. My mother would fill the bathtub with our bounty waiting to be canned, frozen, or dried.



I was only able to get two lame photos before my battery died, which I'll include just because they remind me of the experience. This is when we first arrived, eventually Cliff grabbed a bucket and filled it up, as did Art and myself. Some of the trees were so heavy with fruit the branches hung low enough for the girls to pick, which produced some red faces, hands, and shirts. None of us could resist snacking on the cherries! As one of the few fruits with true seasonality, the cherry's fleeting presence makes it all the more sweet to eat. So don't let cherry season pass you by.

I had to run to Williams-Sonoma to get a cherry pitter to help with the task. It's a handy (& necessary) tool that cost $12 -- well worth it, and it also works on olives. One by one I extracted the pit from 20 pounds of cherries! (they only cost $22)

I froze 10 bags with 3 cups of cherries each, and still had some fresh cherries to use in recipes and just eat plain.



For breakfast, I made 'Mocha Chip Muffins' from Vegan with a Vengeance (p. 51) and simply added about a half cup chopped cherries.

I raised the "chocolate bar" by using Zen Soy chocolate pudding and chocolate Silk.

These muffins were enjoyed by all, and I really love the combo of sweet juicy cherries and semi-sweet chocolate.



I wish you could smell this aroma, which was even more fragrant than the orchard from which they came. I wanted to make something that featured cherries, used few ingredients, and was easy to make. This is the beginning of my
'Cherry Pie Filling'
4 c. fresh pitted Cherries
1/2 C. Water
1/2 C. Sugar
2 Tbsp. Arrowroot Powder

In a saucepan, bring the cherries and water to boil. In a separate bowl, mix the sugar and arrowroot powder, add that to boiling cherries until thickened. Cool in the fridge.

I put one tablespoon of the cherry filling in puff pastry squares, folded them over, sealed with water and a fork pinch, & then baked for about 12 minutes.

G'pa enjoyed his Father's Day dessert with a scoop of So Delicious vanilla.






The girls painted t-shirts for dad & g'pa, who wore them to the antique car show downtown.

This weekend, Art's CA band, The Scumbagz, will be in town playing a fundraiser for Boise Community Radio and the ACLU of Idaho. Several other local bands will also be performing and Art will be DJing as well. I plan to prepare some food for the band (one is vegetarian and the others are open minded) and I hope they like it. I'd love to hear your "band munchies" suggestions! and, I have some left-over, frozen cherry filling -- Any ideas? I hope you have a fabulous weekend, and I think I'll have some time to blog hop to your place while the band records in Art's home studio. Until then, keep cooking & sharing vegan food! Happy Summer Solstice! (The first day of summer & longest day of the year)

Planting Trees

I'm really going to miss these six little trees. I found them about a year ago - volunteers sprouting around the yard. I knew they had to be pulled, but wanted them to live, so I transplanted them to terra cotta pots, and babied them all year long. They've grown so much, but the pots had become root bound. Mom said they'd take them on their property. My mom is a tree freak, I guess that's where I get it. Here they are ready to go.



Each of the six trees we planted represented each of us: Mom, Bill, Liv, Abi, Art, & I. Here I am holding my tree, which was planted East of Arts, and North of the girls.

Trees are green machines that act as natural filters of our air. Through the process of photosynthesis they absorb carbon dioxide (principle contributor to global warming) from the atmosphere and store it in their trunk, branches, leaves, roots, soil and foliage, while releasing oxygen back out - like magic.

Here's Mom holding her tree. She was pretty excited about it all! lol!

But, "First", she said, "we'll need energy, so I'll make lunch -- and I even have something that you'll like, Vicki!"

I admit to being very skeptical about that.





We went in the kitchen, and she pulls this box from the garage freezer all secretive. "Shhh, don't tell Bill, he doesn't know they aren't meat hamburgers. He likes a more manly meal, you know."

I didn't ask her to explain, I just sliced avocado, tomato, and pickles while she leafed the lettuce and toasted the whole wheat bread.
She was right, I really liked that lunch a lot. You know, I think she's getting it!


A "non-manly" meal didn't seem to hold Bill back from digging 6 holes in the ground! He never mentioned the switch-a-roo. Maybe he can't tell the difference? Maybe he knows, but won't let on because he prefers Boca? Who knows who has the other one fooled, but it's a funny game they play!

See Jolie back there running around?




Both girls helped plant their trees, and theirs are directly South of mine.

The brown paper bag was planted along with each tree. We were all quite proud of ourselves for being so green, and I can't wait to go back and see how our trees are fairing.






The Nez Perce reservation in Lapwai, Idaho, have begun a very cool program. The native people are creating jobs and restoring their lands by planting trees as carbon offsets.

Love Trees is another cool carbon offsetting tree program. Give a tree. Plant a tree. Hug a tree.

He who plants a tree
Plants a hope.
~Lucy Larcom, "Plant a Tree"