Finally, Some Harvesting is Done!

We might have 25 percent of this year's crop in the bins now. Harvest is going to be a long, drawn-out affair. Dennis was born Sept. 25, 1950, and his mom tells us she and Dad were only half finished with harvest when her time came. We aren't even close to half done yet. Of course, the farm has grown these last 69 years, but so has the machinery, which has advanced such that considerably more can be done in a comparable amount of time. We are being held up by Mother Nature and her gifts of untimely rains.

So I try to get my gardening done in the down times from the main harvest. I've brought in lots more tomatoes. I made a quick sauce with them a few days ago. Onions, shallots, and gypsy peppers were sauteed in coconut oil. The ripe tomatoes had the stem ends cut out, the blossom ends were lightly scored with an "X," and they were dipped in boiling water to loosen the skins. Once the skins were removed, they were quartered and added to the onions. A couple carrots were grated and added. There were a few late ears of corn, so they were laid into the sauce and pushed down until covered. Once those were cooked through, they could have the corn cut from the cob (for the picky guy), or eaten as is (me). It made a nice side dish to go with the hot dogs (always a quick and easy meal when you have to quit combining because the crop "got tough").

Now frosts and possible snow (that nasty four-letter word) are threatening. I'll be dragging out the old truck tarps and the ancient blankets to cover the tomatoes, peppers, squash, and cucumbers at night. Dennis says he'll help since he's taking me away from my garden to run the grain cart when we are able to cut wheat.

I still have to dig the gladiolus bulbs and the dahlia tubers to store over the winter. Those just won't survive a Montana winter in the ground. The geraniums need to be dug and potted to come inside for the winter. And of course there's still carrots and potatoes to dig, but they can be dug after a frost or even snow.

I do have all my succulents and amaryllis inside. The dining room windows are filled with the amaryllis and the "mother of 1,000 babies." They like the sun from the south. That "mother" plant was given to me some years ago, and that's what I was told it was, I don't know any other name for it. Babies form along the edges of its leaves, fall off, and root themselves wherever they land. Dozens of them start in whatever plant is near them. The babies can also be pulled off, dropped into a baggie with a bit of water, and they'll form roots so they can be planted later. If anyone wants starters, I can supply you.

A corner of our bedroom now houses most of the succulents as well as my kaffir lily. There are also a couple of cactus from Arizona: one I brought home from visiting friends near Yuma, the other is an agave from Dennis' sister at Lake Havasu City. They like the sun from the west, which I supplement with a grow light.

The next Whole Life Challenge starts this Saturday, so I'm again searching out sugar- and wheat flour-free recipes to satisfy my sweet tooth during the six weeks it runs. I tried a recipe a friend shared on Facebook for sugar and flour-free oatmeal cookies. They were edible, but only just. I won't keep that recipe. But the following two are quite tasty and I will make them, even when not on the challenge.

Almond Flour/Chocolate Chip Scones

2 C almond flour

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/3 C dark chocolate chips

1 large egg, beaten

1/2 tsp vanilla

1Tbl raw honey (up to 3Tbl)

Oven at 350°. Blend dry ingredients together. Mix the wet together, then into the dry, using a large spoon, then by hand. Form into a 1" thick disc. Cut that into eight wedges. Space the wedges apart on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes, then cool for 5 minutes. Store airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze.

I'm pretty sure I'll add chopped or sliced almonds to the dough next time, or maybe some poppy seeds. Perhaps a 1/2 tsp of baking powder to get them to raise a bit more. I did use carob chips.

Banana/Chocolate Chip Muffins

1/4 C extra virgin olive oil

1/4 C raw honey OR maple syrup

3 eggs

1 C mashed ripe banana (2)

1 Tbl vanilla

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

3/4 tsp sea salt

3/4 tsp baking soda

3 C almond flour

1/2 C cacao powder

2 Tbl ground flax seeds

1/3 C mini dark chocolate chips

Oven at 350°. Line a muffin tin with paper liners (can use a mini muffin tin). Combine the wet ingredients until well mixed. Combine the dry ingredients, less the chips, in a mixing bowl. Add the dry to the wet to make a batter, but don't overmix. Fold in the chips. Use 1 Tbl batter for mini muffins, 3 Tbl for regular-sized ones. Bake 15-20 minutes until cooked through (use toothpick to test). Let cool completely to set. Store airtight on counter up to three days, in the fridge for one week or in freezer up to three months.

I used maple syrup, which, along with honey, I'm allowed on the Kickstart level, which is the least restrictive. I don't want to work too hard to be healthy! Again, I used carob chips. I think my mint-flavored ones would work nicely. I'll probably add chopped walnuts or pecans to the batter.

I really like doing the Whole Life Challenge. It doesn't just focus on your diet, but includes mobility, exercise, making sure your drink enough water and get enough sleep every day, plus a weekly well-being practice. You self-grade every evening, posting comments each evening on how your day went.

Just focusing on what you aren't supposed to eat never worked for me, it just made me want the forbidden foods. And really, there are tons of healthy foods to eat that don't have added sugars or other fillers. Plus I feel like if I'm paying good money for this, I'm more likely to actually follow it since I've paid for it! Anyway, I encourage you to check it out if you feel like you would like to get in better shape or could lose a bit of weight, or both. (I'm not being paid to endorse them. ) They're all very supportive, even when you backslide.