January 2007 Archives

This recipe is from a jar of Jungle Products Red Palm Oil.

4 cups water
2 cups brown rice
1 Tbsp red palm oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne
1 tsp sea salt

Sauté the garlic in the palm oil until transparent. Add salt, cayenne, and cumin. Add water and bring to a boil. Add rice. Return to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cover. Cook until all water is absorbed.

Fruits or vegetables? What's in your garden?

I have decided to scale back the vegetable garden this year. Instead, I am planting more fruit trees and bushes. Why? For several reasons:

(1) I like fruit -- all kinds of fruit! Fruit fresh from the tree/bush/whatever is the best.
(2) I like growing perennials. I like to see them leaf out and bloom in the spring, with little or no effort on my part. Almost all fruits are perennials, and almost all vegetables are annuals (which means I have to start over each year).
(3) Most fruit grows on large plants (trees, bushes, etc.). I find it easier to care for large plants, as it is easy to control weeds around them. A thick layer of mulch works well. Small vegetables require careful weeding. (Strawberries are an exception to the large plants, but I have to grow those because they taste so good!)

I'm turning the backyard into a small fruit orchard. I have raspberries, cherries, peaches, plums, rhubarb, and strawberries right now, and I will be adding another plum tree, an apricot tree, blueberries, gooseberries, and more strawberries this year.

I'll still grow some tomatoes, peppers, and a few other vegetables this year, but not as many as last year.