My New Favorite Summer Beverage

Have you ever tried sun tea? I hadn't. I didn't understand what difference it would make to brew tea in the hot sun for a few hours versus brewing it in the normal way.

Not coincidentally, I didn't much like iced tea either, unless it was sweetened. Last month on the way to a party my husband picked up a gallon of unsweetened iced tea from Trader Joe's. (Yes, we all know I love that store.) As I drank glass after glass I couldn't help commenting on how good it tasted, and how surprised I was that it didn't need a sweetener to be enjoyable.

This, apparently, is the difference between sun brewed iced tea and regular brewed iced tea, as my husband was quick to point out. Well, it's true. Brewing tea at a lower temperature in the sun releases the flavor of the tea leaves, but doesn't get hot enough to release the bitterness of the tannins as well.

Every few afternoons I put 4 of the large Lipton Iced Tea bags in a gallon glass jar and let it sit in the sun for a few hours on our patio. Once it's chilled it is a truly refreshing drink. And for a lot less than the Trader Joe's version. One $2 box makes approximately 5 gallons of iced tea.

May I also point out that it has no calories and many antioxidants as well?

The perfect everyday summer beverage for me. Aside from water of course.

Image by all things michigan

The Farmer's Garden

Do you garden and grow more food than you can eat? Do you wish you could eat garden fresh produce without needing to garden?


Here's a cool solution for every one.

The Farmers Garden, where you can buy sell and trade locally grown backyard produce. It's free to register and post adds on the site and easy to browse adds to find others in your area with produce to sell. I'm hoping someone with a garden in my area will register soon. Maureen Farmer, the creator of this site, is a master gardener who built this site as practice while learning php. Thanks for the great idea and service Maureen.

Coconut & Lime Rice Pudding

Usually when I think of rice pudding, I think of a comforting, wintertime food. Not so with this scrumptious take on an old favorite! The lime gives it just the right touch for a summertime treat.

Coconut milk is full of the healthy kind of fats, namely lauric acid, which is needed for brain development and strong bones, making this a particularly good recipe for children and pregnant or nursing mothers.

I used coconut milk for the entire milk amount. I love the subtle flavor, but if you want less of a coconut taste, just use regular milk for half. I have found that I prefer the refrigerated coconut milk that comes in a carton over the canned coconut milk, but either will work beautifully. I used the So Delicious brand.


Coconut & Lime Rice Pudding

• 1/3 cup white rice
• 3 1/4 cups milk
• 1/3 cup raw sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons lime zest

Soak rice in cold water for 30 minutes. Drain.
In a saucepan, bring milk, rice, sugar and salt to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 45 minutes, or till thick and creamy, stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat and stir in lime zest.

Serve warm or chilled.

Empty the Fridge Frittata

It is so thrilling to be a part of the Real Food Revolution! My mind has been whirling with all the possible recipes and ideas to share here. Truly, the most difficult part is knowing where to begin, especially since I don't want to disappoint anyone's high hopes after Carrien's glowing introduction. *gulp*

So let's just start with a recipe that I have been making every week, shall we? It has the ease of a no-crust frittata, the moistness of quiche, all with the simplicity of an oven omelet.

I love this recipe for many reasons. It's easy, gluten free, very flexible, and can be made ahead. I often have moms and children over for brunch and its a cinch to whip up the night before, bake partway and then refrigerate till morning. Soon before our friends arrive, I bake it the rest of the way. There's no need to limit it to breakfast though, as it also makes a tasty dinner when paired with a soup or salad.

This is one of those recipes that is great for using up the little odds and ends that seem to gather in my fridge, like bits of meat, veggies, herbs and cheese.

Feel free to use less or more of any ingredient. Believe me, I really just throw this all together and it has always turned out delicious.

Empty the Fridge Frittata

Main ingredients

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 8 to 12 eggs
• 1/2 cup to 1 cup sour cream, yogurt, or milk
• salt and pepper

Possible Additions

• Cooked meat (optional) - bacon, ham, chicken, hamburger, sausage.. I've even used leftover roast beef
• Fresh veggies - red or green pepper, spinach, zucchini, tomato, onion (raw or sauteed)..
• Fresh herbs - basil, parsley
• Cheese - sharp or mild cheddar, mont jack, feta...

Grease a pie dish generously with butter.
In a separate bowl, beat eggs and dairy. Season and stir in desired additions.
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes to 1 hour, depending on how many eggs you used, or till set.
Serve warm. This recipe is even delicious cold.

Introducing...

I a super excited to announce that the real food revolution has a new writer. I'll still be here, writing as infrequently as ever. [cough] In addition Tamra will be adding her thoughts and considerable expertise on healthy eating, and preparing real food on a budget. I've already tried some of her recipes and can tell you they are worth checking out.

If we're lucky perhaps she'll also tell us how she taught her kids to cook so that they are now a big help to her in the kitchen.

So look forward to her contributions in the coming weeks. I'm expecting great things.

Tamra also blogs at tamragirl.com, Klaty.com, is landscaping and planting french style vegetable gardens in her story book looking house, tends to her goat farm, and is mother to 6 children.

Cookware Giveaway

I was contacted by the PR people about this cookware giveaway. I thought I would let you all know in case you wanted to try and win some fancy new cookware. Just click the image to link over to the contest. Good Luck.

Baked Beans

I make these baked beans that I think are pretty good. I brought them to a wedding reception a while ago, BBQ themed, and a lot of other people seem too as well. They aren't as sweet as most of the store bought varieties. I'm always trying to duplicate the beans they make at this little BBQ and smokehouse place in Vancouver called Memphis Blues Barbecue House. The best. beans. ever! Oh, and the BBQ is good too.

Whenever someone asks me for the recipe I respond, "Oh, I just use the basic baked beans recipe from the More-With-Less Cookbook. And then I put in less molasses, use tomato sauce instead of ketchup, way more mustard and I add BBQ sauce and extra onions. And I use the crock pot." Then they look at me blankly and repeat their question, "Could I have the recipe?"

Apparently I didn't really give it to them after all. Well here it is. I shall try to record all of the changes that make it my recipe. You're welcome Barb.

Baked Beans

2 lb Navy Beans

4 qts water

Put in the crock pot and turn on low over night. *

In the morning drain, saving liquid.

Add 1/2 cup molasses

1 15/16 oz can of tomato sauce

1/2 cup prepared mustard

1 cup BBQ Sauce (without High fructose corn syrup of course)

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

5-6 dashes hot chili sauce

1 tbsp salt

1 tsp fresh ground pepper

1 large onion, chopped fine

1 tbsp minced garlic

2 bay leaves

Enough bean liquid to cover.

Stir together. Put lid back on crock pot and let cook on low for at least 4 hours.

Serve when ready.

Beans are very forgiving. If you taste it and think it ought to be sweeter, add more molasses. If you want it more tart, add more vinegar. Etc. You can adjust at the end if you need to. So tweak it until it's the way you like it. And then everyone will be asking you for your recipe.

* You can actually skip this step and cook it all together from the start in the crock pot, it just takes longer to finish then when starting with cooked beans. And you may want to soak them first.

**************
My friend Atara uses the basic recipe, she bakes it in the oven as intended. She puts a small ham in the middle and puts sauerkraut all over the top as it bakes. It tastes amazing. The ham is so tender when it's done. And the sauerkraut really compliments the flavor. I keep meaning to try this with my recipe to see how it turns out. At least the part with the ham.


photo by rick