Chocolate Pandesal with Nutella Filling is sure to be a hit with kids and adults alike. Soft, fluffy, and chocolatey, it’s a decadent baked treat everyone will love as snack or breakfast. […]
Category: Food
Happy Lammas – First Day of Autumn Harvest
La’au Lapa’au | Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Formula for Summer Wellness
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, summer is the time of Fire and Heart. Support movement, activity, expression and joy with Gan Mai Da Zao Tang. […]
Source: Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Formula for Summer Wellness
La’au Lapa’au | Edible Flowers from Culinary Herbs
By Peggy Riccio
During this time of “unintentional pausing” I have been diving even deeper into the world of herbs. I am growing a wider variety of herbs, watching herbal webinars and cooking demonstrations, and experimenting in the kitchen. Recently, I learned that flowers from culinary herbs are edible. “Edible” in this case simply means one can eat them — not that they are necessarily “tasty.” However, because the flowers are edible, regardless of their taste, they can be used for botanical color and decoration. Think of a painter’s palette with each paint symbolizing a culinary herb in your garden. Think of how that flower can add color and interest to your meals and beverages. Imagine how the flower would look whole, separated, or even minced. The following are great for adding botanical color.
View original post 568 more words
Foodstyles | Pineapple Upside Down Cake from Scratch – by Kawaling PInoy
Pineapple Upside Down Cake with moist yellow cake and caramelized pineapple and cherries. This classic dessert is pretty as it is tasty, and always a hit! […]
Source: Pineapple Upside Down Cake from Scratch – Kawaling PInoy
La’au Lapa’au | Safe Passage for Plants & Pollinators: Building GreenBridges™
By Debbie Boutelier, HSA Past President & GreenBridgesTM Chair
It’s summer and the living is easy for our pollinators. There is an abundance of blooming plants from which to choose. A little here, a little there, moving pollen around from plant to plant and increasing the abundance. It’s glorious now, but come later in the year, it will not be as easy. Our little miracle workers will be struggling to get enough to eat. I’m also reminded as I watch these miracle workers in action that all of this is threatened, and without our help a lot of the abundance may disappear forever.
What can we do to ensure that these summer miracles continue? We can construct GreenBridgesTM that will provide places of respite and offer safe passage for our native plants and our pollinators. The Herb Society of America offers a program to do just that. Get…
View original post 554 more words
La’au Lapa’au | A Day In the Garden – Urban Moonshine
GO INTO THE GARDEN EVERY DAY, NO MATTER WHAT.
That’s the promise I made at the start of the season. It will be a daily ritual, a practice to keep me in tune with the growth and health of the garden, and a sure way not to miss a bit of garden gossip. Like a bustling city full of honking horns, buses whizzing by, and street conversations half-heard, there is endless activity to observe. Cucumber beetles rapidly working to destroy the cucumber crop. Birds ravishing the cherry tree singing loudly to their friends to join in on the feast. Earthworms patiently turning the soil underfoot. Never a dull moment, but you need to go to the garden every day to keep up.
That has been my biggest lesson gardening this year. If you’re not there to enjoy the first ripe strawberries, the squirrels will be happy to take on that…
View original post 1,040 more words
Foodstyles | Vegan Golden Milk Ice Cream (No Machine)
Unique and refreshing vegan ice cream is a delicious golden milk variation for summer. This recipe doesn’t require an ice cream machine.
Red Velvet Mochi Waffles Recipe (Gluten Free)
This easy scratch made red velvet mochi waffles recipe will have you coming back for seconds. It’s delicious and fun. Making this your ultimate breakfast.
In Memorium …
It’s A Lavender Season! Lavender Association of Colorado
The cultivar of the Month
June 2020 Cultivar of the Month
Lavandula angustifolia ‘Hidcote Pink’
Hidcote Pink is another versatile lavender grown in Colorado. It is an excellent culinary variety. It produces an exceptionally sweet oil that several growers use in conjunction with other lavender essential oils to make unique blends. Planted with purple lavenders, the pink flowers make the purple flowers “pop” in the landscape.
Hidcote Pink is not really good for crafting as in drying it loses its pink color and dries to a brown.
Hidcote Pink plants are 30-40″ tall. Stems are in the 6-10″ range. Spacing the plants 36″ apart should allow them to remain separate over the years.
Hidcote Pink was developed by Major Lawrence Johnston in Gloucester, England, and became available around 1958. It is hardy in zones 5-9. It blooms once in the spring.
Dilution The Key To Using Essential Oils Safely
We…
View original post 739 more words
NIH Centers for Advancing Research on Botanical and Other Natural Products (CARBON) Program Announce New Research Awards
The Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) initiated the Centers for Advancing Research on Botanical and Other Natural Products (CARBON) Program in partnership with the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
in 1999, in response to a Congressional mandate.
The purpose of the CARBON Program is to promote collaborative, transdisciplinary research on the safety, effectiveness, and mechanisms of action of botanical dietary supplements that have a high potential to benefit human health and to support the development of methods and resources that will enhance the progress of this research.
The CARBON Program includes Botanical Dietary Supplements Research Centers (BDSRC), two Centers focused on enhancing methods and resources for research on the health effects of complex natural products, and pilot projects collaborating with the Centers. All the Centers are jointly funded by ODS and NCCIH, with additional funding from the National Institute on Aging (NIA) for the 2020-2025 project period…
View original post 279 more words
Health | Fruit and Herb-Infused Water Recipes
Introduce your family to the delicious, beautiful benefits of naturally flavored infused waters this handy guide!
La’au Lapa’au | What Is Bulbine?
Bulbine frutescens, B. latifolia (syn. B. natalensis), and B. narcissifolia
Family: Xanthorrhoeaceae (syn. Asphodelaceae)
INTRODUCTION
Bulbine species are geophytic (plants that have a subterranean storage organ known as a corm), aloe-like succulent perennials with rosettes of fleshy leaves. The amount of water stored above ground (succulence) in Bulbine species, however, may be more important for survival than the amount stored in the corm (geophytism).1 The Bulbine genus includes approximately 78 species2 with a highly disjunct distribution,1 occurring almost entirely in southern Africa,1,2 but with six species in Australia.3 This article concerns the most widely used African species: B. latifolia (syn. B. natalensis), known as broad-leaved bulbine,4 and as rooiwortel (“red root”) in Afrikaans due to its red-orange corm5; B. frutescens, known as stalk-bulbine,6 burn jelly plant, cat’s tail, and snake flower7; and B. narcissifolia…
View original post 4,651 more words
La’au Lapa’au | Herbal Companies Brace for Supply Chain Impacts of COVID-19
This article reports on market conditions as of mid-April 2020 for herbal ingredients and products. Crooked Bear Creek Organic Herbs {CBCOH} is not recommending any of the mentioned botanical ingredients as remedies to prevent or treat coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19).
On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, a global pandemic. By the end of March, about one-third of the world’s population was under some form of quarantine or public lockdown, and the virus has prompted a tsunami of disruptions to the global economy.1
The pandemic has had ripple effects across every economic sector, as companies and workers have halted travel and adapted to the new reality of “nonessential” business closures, supply chain interruptions, and nationwide stay-at-home orders. It is an unprecedented event for most people and has the potential to forever change life and business.
For the herbal products…
View original post 5,091 more words
La’au Lapa’au | Food as Medicine: Moringa (Moringa oleifera, Moringaceae)
Moringa oleifera is one of the 12 known Moringa species in the horseradish tree family (Moringaceae) that flourish in drier parts of the world.1 Nine species occur in eastern Ethiopia, northern Kenya, and Somalia, of which eight 
are endemic to Africa, and three species occur in India.1,2 Belonging to the Brassicales order, this plant family is distantly related to cruciferous vegetables like arugula (Eruca vesicaria ssp. sativa, Brassicaceae) and broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica, Brassicaceae) and contains many of the same nutrients and sulfurous phytochemicals.1,3 Moringa species grow as stout-stemmed trees or shrubs. Some species are known as bottle trees and have a large root system that enhances water storage and aids the trees’ survival during periods of drought.1 Members of the Moringa genus have corky gray bark and distinct bi- or tri-pinnately compound leaves that have conspicuous swellings, or pulvini, at…
View original post 4,254 more words
La’au Lapa’au | NAHA | Fennel: A Versatile Powerhouse of Nutrition
Fennel: A Versatile Powerhouse of Nutrition
By Marie Olson, RWP, NTP, CA
Fennel is an interesting and versatile plant. It has several uses culinarily, and also provides benefits herbally and aromatically.
Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) is a perennial herb that is highly aromatic. It has been described as having the flavor of black licorice, or anise (Pimpinella anisum), but many find it to be much milder, which makes it suitable for a variety of applications. There are three different plant parts that are used in cooking: The seeds, the stalk/bulb, and the fronds.
Edible Parts of Fennel
The fronds resemble dill (Anethum graveolens) in both appearance and flavor. That makes sense, since both fennel and dill are from the Apiaceae family, which includes celery (Apium graveolens), parsley (Petroselinum sativum), and coriander (Coriandrum sativum). It is also a relative of anise (Pimpinella anisum), which it resembles both physically and aromatically. The fronds are often used as a garnish…
View original post 656 more words
La’au Lapa’au | Free Herbalism Project 2020: Online Live Stream Edition
La’au Lapa’au | Black Pepper – Herb of the Month
Black pepper, Piper nigrum, is a ubiquitous spice that can be found on tables anywhere in the world where food is served. But what is the story behind this popular spice that is used in kitchens the world over? […]
Source: Black Pepper – Herb of the Month
Foodstyles | Vegan Jamaican Sweet Potato Pudding
Vegan Jamaican Sweet Potato Pudding is the vegan version of this popular dessert enjoyed in Jamaica and the Caribbean throughout the year! It is […]
Source: Vegan Jamaican Sweet Potato Pudding – Healthier Steps
Pantry Profile: Chives {Allium schoenoprasum}
With its bright green stalks and vibrant, lavender-pink and spiky blossoms, chives are a lovely ornamental plant and herb garden staple. Found fresh in the yard in summer and dried in cupboards in the cooler months of fall and winter, chives hold surprising medicinal and nutritional benefits. A member of the Amaryllidaceae family {Amaryllis}, which includes familiar alliums garlic and onions, chives have a mild and pleasant onion-garlic flavor.
Chives have played a role in medicine and protection for more than 5,000 years. The ancient Romans used chives to relieve sore throats, lower blood pressure, and increase urination, while Traditional Chinese Medicine turned to it for coughs, colds, and congestion. In the Middle Ages, it was a popular remedy for melancholy.
A traditional Romani custom was to use chives in fortune telling and to hang them in the home to ward off disease and evil influences. Planting chives in the…
View original post 638 more words
Home Gardening | The Art of Gardening For Beginners – Urban Moonshine
Are you fantasizing about starting a garden this year but not sure where to begin? Not to worry! There are many ways to participate in the gardening resurgence even if you don’t know the first thing about soil science, pollinators, or the difference between the 50 tomatoes to choose from on the seed rack at your local gardening store. Here are a few tips to get you started on your gardening journey.
Depending on your access to gardening space (tiny apartment or sprawling country farmhouse), free time, and available resources (how much money do you want to spend on this new gardening hobby anyway), you may want to start small or dig up your whole front yard and join the Food Not Lawns movement. All gardeners are welcome to the gardening club. As a start, I’m a big fan of growing sprouts in the kitchen as well as a…
View original post 1,111 more words
Home Gardening | First Vlog Up! Spring Garden With Monkshood
I’ve finally done it and I have gone ahead and and posted my first vlog… I went back and forth with it for a few days now and ultimately decided to just do it! That’s the first st […]
Idaho Dave’s Oven Fries
We know a guy named Dave from Idaho who knows his way around a potato! His oven fries are pretty killer.
Ingredients:
Russet potatoes
High heat oil (such as corn oil)
Salt
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 425. Cover a baking sheet with foil.
Carefully cut potatoes into fry sizes, being careful to make them all roughly the same size.
Rinse potatoes in a colander. Shake off excess water. Leaving potatoes in the colander, coat potatoes with oil, tossing to make sure they are completely coated.
Bake for 18-23 minutes, until potatoes are soft.
Leave potatoes in the oven. Turn oven to broil at 475. Check potatoes every two minutes to ensure they do not burn. When potatoes are sufficiently browned and crisped, remove from oven. About 8 minutes.
Salt liberally.
Enjoy!
~CPM
“No Mow May” Campaign Asks Us to Leave the Lawn Alone Until June to Help Save Bees
Not mowing in May results in more flowers and nectar all summer long for struggling pollinators. Wildlife organization urges us to leave lawnmowers locked up until June. April showers bring May flowers, and if you like food, you should leave those flowers alone. Not mowing in May results in a […]
Source: “No Mow May” Campaign Asks Us to Leave the Lawn Alone Until June to Help Save Bees
Vegan Foodstyles | Acclaimed Vegan Chef Launches Free Plant-Based Cooking Series for Kids
Chad Sarno’s Wicked Healthy Kids video series helps families make quick and easy vegan breakfasts, grab-and-go snacks, and packed lunches.
Source: Acclaimed Vegan Chef Launches Free Plant-Based Cooking Series for Kids
Bill Gates Donates $15 Million to Campaign Pushing GMOs on Small Farmers Around the World
The Gates Foundation is funding a campaign to “end world hunger” by promoting GMO technology. The organization has hired 400 “science ambassadors” to influence agricultural policy in 35 countries. In the last four years, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has donated a total of $15 million to two global […]
Source: Bill Gates Donates $15 Million to Campaign Pushing GMOs on Small Farmers Around the World
La’au Lapa’au | Sorrel – Herb of the Month
Sorrel (Rumex acetosa), a tart, lemony herb, is used today primarily in cooking. However, you may have to grow your own sorrel or visit a farmer’s market or specialty store in early spring if you want to make any recipe with it. […]
Source: Sorrel – Herb of the Month
Current Events | Florida Farmers are Selling Directly to Consumers to Avoid Produce Dumps
Farms that normally serve restaurants, amusement parks and cruise lines are transforming into community supported agriculture Last month, Florida farmers let countless tons of produce rot in their fields after the restaurants, theme parks and cruise lines they normally serve this time of year were suddenly closed due to nationwide […]
Source: Florida Farmers are Selling Directly to Consumers to Avoid Produce Dumps
La’au Lapa’au | Green Tea
Green Tea
Botanical name Camellia sinensis (L.),
Family Theaceae.
Also Known As: Tea Plant, Tea Shrub
TCM Name: Lu Cha
Meridians: Spleen, Kidney, Heart, Liver
Key TCM Actions & Medicinal Uses: Promotes Bodily Fluids/Quenches Thirst. Clears Heat/Dissolves Phlegm/Promotes Urination: headaches, dizziness, heat stroke. Enhances alertness/Boosts Mental Clarity: meditation, focus, sleepiness, refreshes the mind.
Origins: Camellia sinensis (or tea plant) is used to make most traditional caffeinated teas, including black tea, white tea, oolong tea, and green tea. This plant originated near the southwest region of China as an evergreen forest shrub. The leaves are glossy green with serrated edges and are similar in both shape and size to a bay leaf. As the story goes, tea plant was first stumbled upon by accident in 2737 B.C.E. The emperor at the time was boiling water in his garden when a leaf from the overhanging…
View original post 1,813 more words
Home Gardening | How to Grow Lemons At Home And Never Buy Them Again (Video)
In general, people who eat fruits as part of an overall healthy diet have a lower risk of chronic diseases. Fruits are rich in numerous nutrients, such as fiber, vitamin C, folate, and potassium. Citrus fruits are the favorites of many. Their taste is usually a combination of sweet, sour, and bitter, which makes them a fantastic […]
Source: How to Grow Lemons At Home And Never Buy Them Again (Video) – Healthy Food House
Day 48: Locking it Down with CPM (social distancing)
At CPM we are loving social distancing! Maybe we’re a little crazy, but hear us out:
Social distancing is our favorite. We would like people to stand 6 feet away in perpetuity. We do not mind waiting outside Costco for a few minutes, because once you get inside, it’s not overly crowded. There is no long checkout line. No one asks you if you want a credit card, solar panels or DirecTV. People don’t bring their entire family. There is no social hour by the books. There aren’t hordes of people blocking aisles waiting for a tiny piece of frozen pizza (there is also no wanton waste associated with handing out millions of samples every day).
Ever stood in a line when a person behind you is clearly sick but stands 12 inches away? Or someone came to work sick and coughed all over your workstation, and then you got…
View original post 221 more words
La’au Lapa’au | Moringa
Moringa
Botanical Name: Moringa oleifera
Common Name: Ben oil, Benzoil tree, Drumstick tree, Horseradish tree, Moringa, Mulaka, Sajna, Saragva, Shajmah, Shevga, Sujana, Sundan
Family: Moringaceae
Ayurvedic/ TCM: Shigru
Habitat: The moringa tree, also known as “miracle tree,” “drumstick tree,” “horseradish tree,” “mother’s best friend,” “miracle tree,” “the never die,” and “ben oil tree,” is a deciduous species, native to southern Asia and Africa, although nowadays it thrives in both dry and humid tropical and subtropical forests of many countries around the world. The moringa tree prefers elevations below 1,970 feet (600 m), but it can grow up to 3,940 feet (1,200 m) in tropical areas.
Plant Biology: The moringa tree is really a woody, perennial shrub that can be 16-32.8 feet (5-10 m) tall, with a trunk diameter of about 18 inches (45 cm). The bark is usually pale, grey-white, and usually smooth. The pale green moringa…
View original post 1,864 more words
Permaculture | Food for Thought, Literally
