A blog of art, photography, food and writings.

Saturday, May 19, 2007

KEY WEST DAWN

"She is bringing a torch for the world flower."
5 x 6.5"

by Rena Williams, watercolor artist
Auburn, Alabama

Rena Williams's Blog
Rattling Gourd Gallery website

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Friday, May 18, 2007

A DISTURBING SIGHT

Every day I take my dog on a walk in and around my neighborhood. During these outings I look at everything in my path from the trees and flowers to the sidewalks and roads. For many months now I have noticed a very disturbing sight: dead bees at my feet. They lay still, bodies silent with wings extended, and they appear so often that I feel a sense of sadness knowing something is amiss in our environment.

There are many theories as to why this is happening, including pesticide use, genetically engineered food, mites, and fungi. But one thing is for sure; the populations are dropping at an alarming rate.

Bees are much more important than just producers of sweet honey for our morning toast; they are biologically vital for cross-pollination, and many life forms rely on this act in order to receive fruits, vegetables, and nuts as food.

Read more about Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD):

Celsias website

Organic bees survive CCD

Monday, May 14, 2007



A NEW TWIST ON PIZZA

photos by Sumi L.

Last week I wanted to make pizza, but didn't want to use tomato sauce as the typical first layer. So I decided to use chopped spinach as a base and then put on my toppings of choice. The pizza came out well and it was breeze to make.

Note: This version easily becomes vegetarian with the omission of the sausage or ground turkey.


Spinach Pizza
serves 3-4

olive oil
2-3 cloves garlic, sliced
1 16 oz. package, frozen, chopped spinach
salt to taste
1 12-inch whole-grain pizza crust
Italian sausage (your choice), crumbled and cooked, or, about 1/3 pound ground turkey sauteed and seasoned with chopped garlic, salt, pepper, oregano
grated mozzarella or crumbled feta cheese
sliced red onion
dried oregano

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

In a 10-12 inch frying pan, pour some olive oil and lightly saute garlic 1-2 minutes. Add spinach, stir occasionally until softened and cooked. Add salt to taste. If necessary, drizzle more oil over spinach. With a large spoon, spread spinach mixture over pizza crust up to the edges. Top with sausage or turkey, cheese, red onion. Sprinkle with oregano. Bake 10-12 minutes, or until cheese is melted and the crust is golden.

Other variations might include:
tomatoes
cubed pineapple with red onions
sliced olives

When I make pizzas, I always think of contrasting colors, such as green topped with red, or red topped with white etc. It's also fun to experiment with different types of onions from yellow to white. How about just a spinach and onion pizza? Or white on white--white onions, white cheese (goat, feta, mozzarella), and then a bold dash of oregano? The sky's the limit when it comes to making this American favorite!

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Thursday, May 10, 2007

CACTUS

photo by ©Bruce I. Lissak

Monday, May 07, 2007

TIGERS & STRAWBERRIES

No, it's not a new springtime dish with a fusion flair. Nor is it the title of a heart-pounding adventure novel laced with romance. It is, however, the name of a food blog I came across today and enjoyed browsing through very much.

Foodie, Barbara Fisher, delves into everything from making Kashmiri Wild Mushroom Curry to preparing napa cabbage for homemade kimchee. She writes on her experiences, shares her opinions, and deftly covers topics like kitchen tools and holiday fare. Her entries will entice, inspire, and motivate even the most timid cook. And for those of you who truly love spending time in the kitchen, after reading some of her postings you're sure to start gathering ingredients together for one of her recipes.

How about Aztec Gold Brownies made with chipotle chilies? I can't wait to try this unique creation. Barbara Fisher's Aztec Gold Brownies

There are many posts (archives go back to January 2005), so set aside some time to look around.

I invite you to visit her blog:

Tigers & Strawberries

Friday, May 04, 2007

MAGNOLIA LOTUS

by Rena Williams, watercolor artist
Auburn, Alabama

Rena Williams's Blog
Rattling Gourd Gallery website

Visit Sarojni's website
Email Sarojni

Thursday, May 03, 2007

WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT ON GOING ORGANIC

Samawellness.com is out to spread the word on natural living and sells products online that are earth, home and family friendly. One of the company's owners, Shivani Gupta, has given me permission to post one of her recent blogs.

10 Good Reasons to Go Organic

by Shivani Gupta

1. Organic products meet stringent standards
Organic certification is the public’s assurance that products have been grown and handled according to strict procedures without persistent toxic chemical inputs.

2. Organic food tastes great!
It’s common sense – well-balanced soils produce strong, healthy plants that become nourishing food for people and animals.

3. Organic production reduces health risks
Many EPA-approved pesticides were registered long before extensive research linked these chemicals to cancer and other diseases. Organic agriculture is one way to prevent any more of these chemicals from getting into the air, earth and water that sustain us.

4. Organic farms respect our water resources
The elimination of polluting chemicals and nitrogen leaching, done in combination with soil building, protects and conserves water resources.

5. Organic farmers build healthy soil
Soil is the foundation of the food chain. The primary focus of organic farming is to use practices that build healthy soils.

6. Organic farmers work in harmony with nature
Organic agricultural respects the balance demanded of a healthy ecosystem: wildlife is encouraged by including forage crops in rotation and by retaining fence rows, wetlands, and other natural areas.

7. Organic producers are leaders in innovative research
Organic farmers have led the way, largely at their own expense, with innovative on-farm research aimed at reducing pesticide use and minimizing agriculture’s impact on the environment.

8. Organic producers strive to preserve diversity
The loss of a large variety of species (biodiversity) is one of the most pressing environmental concerns. The good news is that many organic farmers and gardeners have been collecting and preserving seeds, and growing unusual varieties for decades.

9. Organic farming helps keep rural communities healthy
USDA reported that in 1997, half of U.S. farm production came from only 2% of farms. Organic agriculture can be a lifeline for small farms because it offers an alternative market where sellers can command fair prices for crops.

10. Organic abundance – Foods and non-foods alike!
Now every food category has an organic alternative. And non-food agricultural products are being grown organically – even cotton, which most experts felt could not be grown this way.

Samawellness website

Wednesday, May 02, 2007

MATILIJA POPPY

photo by ©Bruce Lissak