Man the pumps! We’ve sprung a leek.

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That’s right, folks, we’ve sprung a leek. Millions of them. They’re springing up and making the nearby woods smell earthy and oniony. Spring has sprung! No morel sightings yet, but the leeks are here in a big way. (They’re also known as “ramps” in other parts of the country. Maybe in your neck of the woods?)

Check them out in this photo. See all that lovely green stuff popping through last fall’s leaves? That’s them! I wish this could be a “scratch and sniff” photo, but technology hasn’t gotten there quite yet…

These yummies are great with fresh asparagus and morels, but we’re not that far into spring in these parts. So how ’bout these ideas?

Spaghetti with wild leeks

Wild leek and sausage risotto

Roasted chicken with wild leeks and potatoes

Wild leek & potato soup

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According to Traverse Magazine, here are some helpful wild leek tips:

  • Do preserve leeks by pickling, drying or freezing. Just blanch first for 2-3 minutes.
  • Do use both the bulb and milder leaves
  • Do use a tool like a long knife or dandelion digger to help loosen the root hairs that grow from the tip of the bulb
  • Do store, unwashed, in refrigerator for up to one week.
  • Don’t leave piles of leeks on the kitchen counter too long or your kitchen will smell like a bus in Rome on a midsummer day

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If you don’t have time to pick your own or can’t find them near you, consider ordering some Pickled Wild Leeks from Food for Thought.

Isn’t that a lovely photo? I can almost taste them. Enjoy!

Cyber news!

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Thanks for your patience this week, dear readers! Not too much posting from this Mamma, but I’m excited to report that you can now find us in Cyberspace at a much simpler URL: www.besquirrely.com. Yahoo! I’m also excited to report that I’ve been working on another blog idea, which I think you’ll find fun AND tasty. Coming soon to a Web site near you…

Oh! Before I forget, if you enjoy what you read and see here at besquirrely.com, will you please sign up to follow me on the right hand side? I usually post on Facebook when I’ve posted something you might like to read or see, but I’d like to get away from using that platform for promotion of this blog. Another reason is that sometimes I forget to post on FB that I’ve posted to the blog. (How many times can you use “post” in one paragraph?) Ha!

Another question. Is it worth it to use Twitter? What value would there be in that to you, folks?

Any big weekend plans? It’s spring again here–almost 60. Yes!

Best!

Waffle day!

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Happy Friday to you dear readers. True early spring in northern Michigan has made her appearance; the rooftops are white. Good thing I didn’t take the snow tires off yet. I’d like to send a big shout out to my inherent procrastination! Woot woot! What’s it like in your neck of the woods? If it’s 75 and sunny, just keep it to yourself.

When I wake up early (and STAY up), I’m usually motivated to make a nice “from scratch” breakfast instead of the usual stand-bys, which consist of some kind of egg & toast, peanut butter on toast or Grape Nuts with fruit. I was inspired by the “Healthy Start” yogurt waffles in this month’s Everyday Food magazine. (Don’t you love that publication? I always get something out of it.)

I don’t put the words waffles and healthy in the same category so maybe that’s why I was drawn to this recipe? Plus, we have some fresh maple syrup from Grandpa Jon’s 2010 tap so what better reason to wake up to freshly-baked waffles, right?

Yogurt Waffles

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
(Note: I used a mix of spelt flours and threw in a generous amount of flax seed meal instead of the flours listed)
1/2 cup rolled oats (not quick cooking)
3/4 t coarse salt
2 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
3 T melted unsalted butter, plus a bit more for the waffle iron
3 large eggs (farm fresh, if you’ve got ’em!)
1.5 cups plain, low-fat yogurt

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, oats, salt, baking powder and baking soda. In another bowl, whisk together brown sugar, butter, eggs, and yogurt until smooth.

2. Stir egg mixture into flour mixture and mix well to combine. Let batter sit 15 minutes.

3. Heat waffle iron according to its directions; brush with melted butter. Pour 1/2 cup batter onto iron and close; cook until waffle is golden brown and crisp, about 3 minutes. Repeat. Makes about 6 waffles. We like to make a big batch of waffles and freeze for another day.

They looked pretty, but did these “healthy waffles” taste any good? Let’s go and ask the expert, shall we?

On a scale of 1-10, Wren would give them about a 4. I gave them about a 6. When I slathered on a generous serving of peanut butter and a drizzle of pure maple syrup, they bumped up to maybe an 8. Go figure… They were pretty good, but I prefer a much crispier waffle. I believe it takes a lot of butter (like at least another stick+) to make a crispier waffle and “healthy waffle” would really be a silly notion. Sigh. “A” for effort!

Happy weekend to you! Any fun brunch or spring cleaning plans? Whatever you do, wherever you are, enjoy yourself.

Confessions. It’s been a while, hasn’t it?

  • I’ve been thinking A LOT about spring cleaning, but the first word that comes to mind is drudgery. I’m working first on changing my attitude toward cleaning in general and hoping this attitude change will propel me into–at the very least– a more content cleaner. More about this in a future post…
  • Orange is still my favorite color. A friend told me that she heard on NPR that orange is the new black. Uh oh! Is it time for me to find a new favorite color?
  • My running and yoga have been going pretty well lately. Turns out carrying less weight on a midget frame does indeed help one to move and twist more happily and easily. Revelation!
  • Sunday night we’re going out for the first time sans Wren. All week I’ve been stressed out about it. Will she starve to death without the boob? No. Will she be unhappy? Possibly. Will she survive without me for an evening? Yes. But I still worry. Will I enjoy myself? Probably not a lot. Sigh. Will this get easier? Yes. So I know I have to do it, but I’m not feeling very good about it. Geesh.

Best!


cyber-break!

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Just wanted to let you know that I’ll be posting lightly for the next few days so I can catch up on some work for the real world.

Just a few things I feel compelled to share with you in the meantime…

  • We harvested the microgreens I planted a little while ago. Success! We had a delicious salad, which accompanied some easy (but rich!) baked scotch eggs. I think scotch eggs are the perfect use for leftover hard-boiled eggs from the Easter dye-fest. What’s your favorite use?
  • Planted some thumbelina zinnia seeds yesterday. A colorful mini jump-start to summer on our window sill, yahoo!
  • I’ve never been to Ireland, but the last few misty, foggy, ultra green days transport me to my imaginary Ireland. It’s really nice there. What’s it like in your neck of the woods?

Best!

toad in a hole squirrel-style

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I’m on an egg kick. Last week, Grape Nuts. This week, eggs. I was up early this morning so I thought it’d be fun to do a quick version of “toad in a hole” eggs for breakfast rather than just a fried egg and toast. But remember, be squirrely, right?! So here they are, toad in the hole squirrel-style eggs. Can you help me with a better name for these, geesh?

Happy Tuesday to you! What kind of squirrely things will you be up to today, dear readers?

A real Fun Guy.

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We’re soaking up the sun while we can because a bunch of wet stuff is coming our way. Or so “they” say. Honestly, dear readers, I’m looking forward to it. One word. Morels! I’m actually not a huge fan of eating morels, but the hunt is awfully fun. It’s just a great excuse to get lost in the woods for a few hours. And there’s so much mystery surrounding where you might happen to find them. Every year this seems to get even more confusing with new advice from just about everyone in northern Michigan. But NO ONE shares where they actually find morels, but they might share clues with you. If you’re lucky.

Supposedly helpful clues I’ve heard. Ground that’s been disturbed by a wild fire. Sandy soil. Near rivers, but not near a bog, silly. Six weeks after the ground thaws, but not if it’s been too dry. Never in clay unless there’s organic material nearby. Not near pines, but hardwoods, but not maples. Mostly oak and poplar. Right after a warm rain, but don’t wait too long. And be careful of those false morels! Are you confused yet? Whew. Last year, we found some right in our yard amongst some rocks at 605. And a friend found some in mulch that had just been delivered to her driveway. Boy that Mother Nature does love to keep us on our toes, doesn’t she? Crazy lady.

Maybe this weekend we’ll get out and look in our favorite spots. Chris likes to say, “Ash, you can always look!” He likes to say this throughout the year just to be funny and it always makes me laugh.

In the meantime, isn’t this illustration of a morel just lovely? You can order it through Etsy here.

Still got the Bunny on the brain? I think I’ve got the Bunny on the butt, if you know what I mean. Better get out for a run to burn off some of those mini Cadbury Eggs. Oof.

Happy Monday to you! Speaking of Monday, has the “meatless Monday” trend caught on in your nest? Thinking about it a lot. More on that in a future “ponderings of a wanabee vegetarian” post.

Best!

Happy Easter! And a bribe.

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Happy Easter to you!

I was inspired by this lovely photo and rushed to dye some eggs in a crunchy way before the Easter bunny arrived. Aren’t these colors divine?

So I followed these directions…

How To Make Vegetable-Dyed Eggs

Keep in mind the effect of the dyes varies depending on how concentrated the dye is, what color egg you use, and how long the eggs are immersed in the dye. I used half a purple cabbage, shredded, to dye four eggs. Err on the side of more rather than less when creating your dye.

Hard boiled eggs at room temperature, or white and brown eggs, preferably not super-fresh
Purple cabbage (makes blue on white eggs, green on brown eggs)
Red onion skins (makes lavender or red)
Yellow onion skins (makes orange on white eggs, rusty red on brown eggs)
Ground turmeric (makes yellow)
Red Zinger tea bags (makes lavender)
Beets (makes pink on white eggs, maroon on brown eggs)
Oil (canola or olive)
White vinegar

Clean the eggs so there are no particles sticking to their shells.

To prepare a colored dye, first chop the cabbage, chip or peel away the dry skins from the onions, or shred the beets. In a stainless steel saucepan, boil enough water to generously cover the number of eggs you’ll be dyeing. Add the dye matter and bring to a boil, turn heat down to low and simmer, covered, for 15-30 minutes. Dye is ready when it reaches a hue a few shades darker than you want for your egg. Examine a sample in a white dish. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature (I put the pot on my fire escape and it cooled off in about 20 minutes).

Pour mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into another stainless saucepan, or into a bowl then back into the original pan if that’s all you have. Stir in the vinegar. For the dyeing, it’s best to use a pan with a flat bottom, like a Dutch oven. Arrange the room-temperature eggs in the pan in one layer and carefully pour the cooled dye over them.

Place in refrigerator until desired color is reached. Massage in a little oil to each, then polish with a paper towel. Keep in refrigerator until time to eat (or hide.)

And of course I tweaked these directions and used what natural things I had around – some green tea, some other fruity herbal tea, a bit of raspberry juice and some turmeric. Looks pretty good so far, right?

Well, here they are. I’m a bit disappointed because they don’t quite look like the inspirational photo, but they’re growing on me. It’s just that I’m not really a pastel kind of a girl. Sigh. There’s always Photoshop!

So for a bit of fun after a bit of disappointment, I decided to start a new Easter tradition. I had the ingredients already, but I just hadn’t quite gotten around to making them. But I needed a good chuckle and I guess I needed a few chemicals too after the crunchy egg dyeing experiment sooooo..

Voila! An orange squirrel on a stick! How’s that for a new Easter tradition?

So here’s the bribe you’ve been waiting for, dear readers. Nothing like a bribe on Easter, eh? The first six people to comment on this post AND let me know what topics you’d like me to explore in future blog posts… that’s right, you guessed it! I’ll send you an orange squirrel on a stick. Note: you WILL be chastised if you ask me what the ingredients are. This is an orange squirrel on a stick; this is not a health food.

Have a wonderful Easter or fun pagan ritual, whatever you choose. Enjoy!




Cash for stroller clunkers!

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As if I needed another reason to love Sweet Pea, the lovely baby/kids/Mamma store in downtown Traverse City. But they gave me one more reason to be a devoted shopper so I had to share it with you, dear readers and fellow bargain hunters…

Bring in an old stroller and they’ll give you $25 toward a new one!

Now that’s something to smile about on this rainy day, eh?!

Family Wisdom Conference!

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What are you doing on Saturday, April 17? We hope to be checking out the Family Wisdom Conference in Traverse City. There are so many interesting sessions that it’ll be difficult to pick which ones we’ll go to… music, yoga, finger plays, oh my! Register by April 13 to secure your complimentary lunch from The Dish. Let me think about it for a minute… um, ok!

Check it out!

Family Wisdom Conference on Saturday, April 17

Welcoming Words and Slide Show Presentation set to Live Music by Kat Eldred 9:00-9:30

Session I ~ 9:45-10:45

Giving Birth Naturally with Kathi Mulder, CPM. What does a natural, physiological birth look like? Using Midwives as care providers, learn how to plan for natural birth in & out of hospital, including water birth.

Cleansing from Within with Jena Hullman, DC. We strive to clean up our lives, our homes, our cars… what about our bodies? A non-toxic body improves our physical, mental and emotional self. Learn easy whole-body internal cleansing ideas, recipes and programs.

Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine with Jill Donberg, MAcOM. Among the oldest healing practices in the world, Oriental medicine can do more than relieve symptoms. Learn the facts about its uses, benefits, and see how it can teach you about yourself. The session will close with an acupuncture demonstration.

Healthy Foundations: Talking with Your Child About Healthy Sexuality with Janna Deering. Learn about healthy sexuality & development from birth throughout childhood, how to answer sensitive questions, how to teach about appropriate public and private behavior, and how to become an “ask-able” parent or care-giver.

Music Together with Georgia O’Brien.  A hands-on demonstration of Music Together curriculum and classes will be provided for families of young children. Be prepared to move and shake with your kids, because making music as a family is what it’s all about!

Children’s Stories and Fingerplays with Rosie Flickinger. Wigglers Storytime is sharing the love of books and reading through stories, songs, fingerplays and fun. For preschoolers, their families & friends. Storytime lasts about 30 minutes followed by snacks and a craft.

Session II ~ 11:15-12:15

Elimination Communication with Zane Kathryne Schwaiger & Kristen Burgess. Can babies use the toilet? E. C. is a practice used by families all over the world to help babies eliminate out of their diapers. We will talk about our experiences with our own babies and share some helpful tips for successful infant and toddler pottying.

Getting Your Children to Follow Directions with Jerry O’Hearn MA, LLPC. Do you find yourself telling your child to do something several times? Does your comply only when you “yell” at him/her? Jerry will discuss giving Good Directions and demonstrate simple, practical steps that you’ll be able to apply immediately.

Maximizing Your Family’s Potential Through Health & Wellness with Kurt Froese, DC. Learn how simple lifestyle habits such as proper nutrition, exercise, coping with stress, and family unity can have a profound impact upon a family. Maximize your family’s human potential through these simple wellness measures!

The Revolution Has Been Funded. How a Bush Era program provides the funding to act locally and have an impact globally with Bill Watson. Learn more about SEEDS and its 21st Century Community Learning Centers which works with at risk youth and families in ten high needs schools in five counties. SEEDS After School teaches green collar job skills while working to connect disconnected students to the environment, improve academics and provide them with the support and life skills they need to be successful.

Vermicompost for Kids (and Adults!) with Angela Stricker. This session is a hands-on introduction to the world of worm composting. Learn what worms eat and why everyone should have worms.

Yoga for Kids with Kyna Getsinger. We will stretch, move, play and sing with yoga for kids and babies.

Lunch 12:15-1:15. Repeat Performance of Slideshow, 12:30-1:00

Session III ~ 1:15-2:15

Boys, Boys, Boys with Heather Shumaker. Perplexed by the boys in your life? Learn to help active kids—especially boys—channel energy. Learn how to talk and listen to boys. What are the benefits of rough-and-tumble play? Take home ideas to make your home or school more boy-friendly.  This session is focused on the preschool age group, and may benefit parents of girls as well as boys.

Good Weeds…. Medicine in Your Own Backyard with Anne Hughes, FNP. Plants are gentle, yet effective healers. In this session you will learn to identify and safely use plants that grow where you live. With a little advance planning and a few square feet of soil, you can plant a medicine garden for yourself and your family.

Momma-Baby Bellydance with Kim Barnes. New moms & moms-to-be connect to your growing & changing body in ways that empower and make you feel good about yourself. Improve balance, coordination, muscle tone and have a great time while preparing for or recovering from your own personal birthing experience.

Resources for Living with Food Allergies & Other Restricted Diets with Nessa Butler. Restricted diets due to allergies or other issues can be frustrating and expensive. This session will provide some basic info about discovering allergies and food intolerances in your own family, and what to do once you know what to avoid. We will focus on recipes; ingredient sourcing, breastfeeding the allergic child, and helping kids cope physically, mentally and emotionally.

Why Music? with Susan Raguse and Traverse Community Music. Susan and her team of teachers and students will discuss the personal and educational value of music lessons, answer audience questions and demonstrate various instruments in an interactive ” musical petting zoo” that children will be able to see and “try”.

Creative Dramatics for Children with Mychelle Hopkins. Traverse City Children’s Theatre Director, Mychelle Hopkins, will lead participants in some creative dramatic exercises and theatre games. Information will be given on various youth and family-friendly programs offered by TCCT and the Old Town Playhouse.

Session IV ~ 2:45-3:45

Mothering the Mother: Benefits of Doula Care with Megan Rizzo, Melissa Waterstripe & Sairy Franks. Three local doulas will discuss the benefits of doula support for women, their partners, and families during pregnancy, labor, birth and the postpartum period. If you are pregnant, you deserve a doula and we’ll show you why!

Cooking From Your CSA Share with Jennifer Welty. Grow your culinary talents! In this session you’ll learn easy techniques to prepare delicious meals using fruits and veggies from your CSA share or other local food source. Learn the basics of food preservation through freezing, pickling, drying, canning and jelly making.

Homeopathy for Family Health with Heidi Kistler. This session will cover a brief overview of Homeopathy, which includes the Homeopathic principles and how Homeopathy works. It will also include descriptions of some of the more widely used remedies and how they work with certain conditions.

Free & Low-Cost Family Outings in Northern Michigan Panel with Jenika Burden, Kristi Weadock, Pam Darling & Ethan Scott. Representatives from Traverse City Kids, TART Trails, & Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore will provide a variety of practical & engaging activities for children to experience in the Grand Traverse region.

How to Draw Animals Using Simple Shapes and Letters with Russ Ryba. Kids will learn how to draw funny-looking cartoon animals using simple shapes and letters. Children as well as adults and parents are welcome. Materials will be provided. Clear space on the refrigerator to show your amazing creations when you get home!

Kid’s Fitness for the Mind & Body with Brandi Johnson. Children discover exercises they enjoy by experimenting with movement. Learning health habits can be simple and playful!