To Venus and Part Way Back

So this is an editorial that I've been holding out on for months. We shot this back in May when the garden was perfectly Spring. It's my favorite time of the season when everything is super green and budding and has yet to seen the ravages of the Oklahoma heat. My homegirl Medeia Starfire is the photographer behind the lens this time and we shot on location at The Herban Fortress. It was a lovely, dewey afternoon as we wandered around the garden, smelling herbs, discussing modern feminism and playing with crystals . She is an artist, writer and photographer positioned in Seattle, but an Okie native to the bone. Jewels featured are heirloom vintage and Fortress Armor, which is a line of jewelry that I curate with hand - mined quartz and one of a kind custom pieces. Everything is organically grown by me and my partner. This is my home base for authoring all that I do. The epicenter, the mother ship, the lab from which I write, create, love and parent.

Kombucha Home Brewing Workshop | 2

I'm really excited about teaching my second workshop over the simple, sustainable practice of home brewing your own Kombucha. I did my first one about a year ago. I've had a crazy love affair with this curious, effervescent beverage for many years. A friend of mine gave me a raw chunk of culture one summer and showed me how to brew and I was immediately hooked. I loved watching it grow and change into something incredible. I loved watching it become a powerful medicine in my tool box. I love things with a super status. Like other super foods, Kombucha is a raw, fermented probiotic drink that supplies tons of antioxidants, organic acids, living bacteria, minerals and detoxifying compounds to our bodies. It heals the gut and the digestive tract while balancing ph. It creates a pristine environment inside the body and out. Human skin radiates. 

The origins of this ritual are ancient and rooted in longevity. It has been part of Asian, Russian and German culture for centuries. I'm a firm believer in taking control of my health and creating a lifestyle brand that is uniquely written just for me. I think that when we own our wellness and our recovery efforts, we harness the power of the will, channeling it into our core as it materializes into the chi. This is the true path of a seeker. Knowledge is never wrong or wasted. As we learn to take possession of our practices, we learn that the gift is increased tenfold by sharing it with others. 

These photos show the process of bottling which was captured beautifully by Greer Inez of Mama Hussy. She's the bad ass behind all of the best photography on my blog where I make it into the shots. She spent the day with me documenting, step by step, the monthly ritual of flavoring, juicing and secondary fermentation.

The first step is to uncover my finished homebrew to sample and bottle for a second fermentation. I'm also peeling the ginger root with a paring knife and getting it ready to be juiced into liquid gold.

This is a nicely brewed, fizzy batch that was mature and ready to bottle. The layer on top is the baby which formed during the brew process. I like to let mine go about three weeks. The bubbles are the co2 that has developed from the fermentation and the combination of tea, sugar, yeast and culture.

I always use freshly juiced ginger in mine, which is totally a personal preference. Raw ginger is really spicy and very intense when juiced compared to infusing with the whole root.

Removing the culture from the brew before you strain it requires clean hands and a piece of clean cotton. I use old t-shirts and cut them up for my filters and jar covers.

Straining is not necessary as you can drink the brew straight away as soon as the culture is removed. There will be some chains of yeast that float around which is normal and occasionally little bits of culture that have started to form. They're actually good for you but it's really just a textural issue. Straining makes a smooth, refreshing drink that is delicious alone, flavored or even as a cocktail mixer.

I have a lot of different juices that I like but I usually stick to my favorites which are cherry, bluberry and pineapple. You can use any of your favorites, just make sure it's something high quality and not from concentrate. Organic is always best. I re - use my store bought Kombucha bottles because they're glass and have a lid that screws on air tight. Allow your capped bottles to sit on the counter at room temperature for 2-3 days and this will trap the co2, creating a carbonated drink. Then refrigerate them and enjoy.

This is how they look when they're ready to start all over. You brew new tea and sugar, add some starter tea retained from the previous batch, and drop the culture in. Two weeks later, you've got a delicious Kombucha that is awesome to have around at all times, especially to offer your guests!

Other than my children, my garden is my greatest accomplishment. It's really my sanctuary where I am totally at ease, confident, relaxed, meditative, happy and content. I have made horticulture my life's work for nearly 20 years. Growing things is truly second nature to me. I've used my blackberries to sweeten my Kombucha. It's tart! Garden to table philosophy is certainly the epicenter of a sustainable practice around here. Our waste is our compost and our compost makes food for us. The cycle has no end or beginning, just a continual dance of symbiosis. I have no formal teaching or experience. I am guided by my instinct and my own power doubled.

My youngest is my little shadow outside, always right behind me with a shovel or an intelligent question. He loves being in the natural elements just as much as I do. We love to pick berries, pull weeds, turn compost and plant seeds together. I can't imagine a greater feeling of pride. My oldest however, is entirely on the opposite end of the spectrum and is creative and conceptual beyond measure. He lives in his ethereal mind which one day, will make it's way outside. I'm hoping he will design me a state of the art greenhouse. That would be just about perfect.

XOXO

Raw Almond Milk + Meal + Flour

I never realized how easy it was to make my own almond, or any nut milk for that reason, until I did it once. Super simple. All you need is a blender and a  Rawsome Nut Milk Bag.  You can also use a couple of layers of cheesecloth if you do not have one of these. But get one! Not only does this organization donates a portion of profits to The Bumi Sehat Birthing Center and Yayasan Widya Guma Orphanage in Bali, Indonesia where the bags are made fair trade.  This is an awesome sustainable ritual because you can take the leftovers and turn them into meal and flour for your pantry. They're just different textures. If you've ever tried to buy organic almond flour, it can be expensive. Meal is more coarse and obviously, the flour is finer and better for crusts and pastries. Want to WOW your next round of guests? Make a seasonal cobbler with almond flour left over from making milk and serve them together! The flavors compliment each other nicely. You can refer back to two of my favorite recipes that I blogged earlier this summer where I used the meal. The Almond Thumbprint Cookies and Blueberry Crumble Bars are both vegan and gluten free!

INGREDIENTS
2 cups of raw, organic almonds soaked overnight in filtered water and drained
4 cups filtered water
1 tablespoon raw honey
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon bee pollen
pinch of sea salt
omit the honey and vanilla if you want it unsweetened

DIRECTIONS
Put all of the almonds and just enough water to make a slurry in a blender. Add the remaining ingredients and slowly the rest of the water. You can add more water if you want your milk to be thinner. It's a personal choice.  Pour the mixture through the nut milk bag or cheesecloth set over a bowl or widemouth jar. Your leftover solids will be your meal + flour. Preheat your oven to 250 degrees. Turn your wet almond meal out onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Turn once. After everything has come to room temp, jar it or put it in the food processor for to make flour. Store in the refrigerator. The milk will keep for about 5 days.

ENJOY!!

Garlic Peppercorn Dill Pickles

This is about as simple as pickling gets. I've eaten almost the entire jar in two days. I love tons of fresh garlic, whole peppercorns and the dill seed from my garden. A tip for texture: The longer you let your jar sit at room temperature, the softer they will be. I let mine sit overnight in order to form a seal and then I popped them in the refrigerator for a day to get cold and crisp. So delicious and good for you!

INGREDIENTS
For a quart canning jar
2 cups white vinegar
2 cups filtered water
2 medium cucumbers cut into slices
3|4 teaspoon kosher salt
lots of fresh garlic (to taste)
whole peppercorns
dried dill seed and | or  fresh dill
red pepper flakes or diced jalapeno for heat


DIRECTIONS
Bring the water and vinegar to a boil on the stove top. Turn off the heat and dissolve the salt. Put the garlic, peppercorns, dill and peppers into the bottom of your jar. Pack in the sliced cucumbers tight. Pour the hot brine into the jar, leaving 1|4 inch at the top. Screw your lid tight.

At this point, a seal will form and the jar can be stored for up to 6 months in your pantry. If you want crisp, garlicky pickles, I recommend only letting the jar sit room temperature about a week. When you put them in a cold refrigerator, the pickling process slows down considerably and the flavors are stronger. It's entirely a personal preference. They can be safely consumed 24 hours after a seal has formed. You will know it has because the button on the canning lid will be pulled down and it will pop when it is opened.

ENJOY!

Whole Grain Drop Biscuits

So, this is my favorite adaptation of a buttermilk biscuit without the buttermilk. The secret is to swap it out with plain greek yogurt. It still has that tart, sour flavor that hits your old fashioned spot, but of course, it's better for you. These are made with whole grain flour and I added some flax | chia meal to ramp up the nutrition. These can be made like drop biscuits on a sheet pan or added to the top of a pot pie or casserole for a really tasty crust. I've done it both ways and it's super delicious. 

I like to make these on the weekend for brunch when I have extra time and mouths to feed. There is something very satisfying about making dough or crust with a traditional pastry blender. You can use a food processor if you want to shave off a minute or two but my methodology in the kitchen is to really put my heart into every step of making something from scratch. A pastry knife is a multi - bladed tool with a solid handle and a curve. It's all one piece and is used for cutting cold butter into flour. You'll find a picture of mine below.  

Try setting your table for your next meal with some fresh picked flowers in a simple arrangement.  Use a nice vase and a tablecloth to brighten up and contrast your plate. Make your ritual something beautiful and artistic. You will likely take more pride and thought in what you are putting into your body, and I bet your food will taste better too.

INGREDIENTS
1|2 cup whole grain flour
1|4 cup almond flour or pastry flour
handful of flax | chia meal
3|4 teaspoon baking powder
1|4 teaspoon baking soda
1|4 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons non - gmo canola oil
1|2 cup plain greek yogurt

DIRECTIONS
Preheat your oven to 350. Mix the flours, baking powder, soda and salt in a bowl with a whisk. Cut the butter into chunks with a paring knife and add it to the dry ingredients. Using a pastry knife, cut the butter into smaller pieces by rocking back and forth until it resembles coarse corn meal. You can use a food processor for this step if you do not have one. Add the oil and the yogurt and mix until just combined. If you over mix at this step, your biscuits will not be light and flaky. They will be dense and tough instead. You just want everything incorporated. Use a non - stick baking sheet or parchment paper. Drop the batter in mounds. Don't worry about making them round. They will turn out perfect and crunchy on top by doing this. Bake for 20 minutes until they are golden brown on the edges. This recipe makes 6 biscuits.

Serve with your favorite recipe - they go with just about everything!

ENJOY!