evolution

Its been along time coming, but Vitalis has been in need of a rebranding & makeover.
Fall is a good time for this.  As our trees change colour, leaves fall to the ground and decay; So too does the Vitalis of 2005.

Over the past few years, Vitalis as grown up and evolved.
Now Vitalis Nutrition Yoga & Adventures, we are proud to annouce the launch of a new image, website, blog and phase.

The adventures will continue......please visit http://www.vitalisnutrition.com/
There is a lot on the horizon.

With a warm heart,

Steph

Granola- Its best made at home

My personal opinion is that most conventional boxed cereals (the most profitable sector of the food industry) are not suitable for human consumption and should be used as packing material, much like Styrofoam.

As we get back to school and busy with work, breaking the fast from a good nights sleep should be done with a wholesome meal.  One of my favourites for the fall is homemade granola with fruit from the summer that I have dried (any will do).

8 cups of rolled oats

1-2 cups ground flax or hemp or bran

1.5 cups unsweetened shredded coconut

1 cup almonds

1 cup walnuts

1/4 cup sesame seeds

1 teaspoon of cinnamon

Mix in a bowl and melt

1 cup butter or coconut oil or a combo

1/2 to1 cup maple syrup

1 tablespoon of vanilla

Add to oat mixture & stir.  Spread over 2 cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes at 350, turn/ filp/ stir oats bake for another 10 cool. Return mixture to bowl.  Add:

2 cups of chopped dried fruit

Toss & store in an air tight container. 

putting up fruit

The Vancouver area didn't get as much or as quality fruit as last year, but we should still take advantage. In general the fruit was small but sweet.

This will be the last weekend for blueberries and it is time to hunt down the orchards and put in your order for apples and pears.

Excellent sources for ordering:

Garside farm
UBC apple festival (October 16-17)
Clover valley farms
Annies orchard
Silverhill apple orchard

Canning mayhem....

It has been non stopping canning for the past week (fermenting, pickling, jamming, jellying...)

Let me share with you one of my favourite recipes:

Pickled beans (awesome in a bloody mary!)
- 2 pounds green & yellow beans beans, fresh, trimmed
- 4-8 bulbs garlic, 2 per jar or adjust to taste
- 4 sprigs dill, adjust to taste
- 1/4 cup salt
- 2 1/2 cups vinegar (cider or white)
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 1 pretty hot pepper
- 16 peppercorns
- 8 cloves
- slice of lemon per jar (optional)


Serving Description: makes 4 pints or 2 quarts
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes

- Sterlize jars

- Place 1 to 2 heads (whole bulbs) of garlic and 1 to 2 sprigs of dill in hot pint jars. Pack beans lengthwise in hot jars, leaving 1/4-inch head space. Add pepper if desired.

- Combine water, vinegar and salt. Bring to a full boil. Pour boiling mixture into jars filled with beans, leaving 1/4-inch head space. Add peppercorns & cloves.

Wipe top edge of jar and place warmed lid on the jar. Add the band and tighten. Process 10 minutes in a boiling water bath. Remove and set on racks to cool. Do not set directly on a counter top after removing from hot water bath.
Allow at least 2 weeks for flavors to develop before eating.

REAL dill pickles- Lactic Acid style

Ingredients:

5 pounds of small organic cucumbers, unwaxed and unwashed. (fresh & crisp!) (ideally 2 to 4 inches long)
1 head organic garlic
3 dried sprigs of dill weed with heads
1 cup unrefined sea salt
16 cups of water (filtered)
10 peppercorns
6 liter glass jar or crock (Medalta crock # 3 will hold 5 to 10 lbs. of cukes


Soak (but do not scrub) cucumbers in very cold water for 5 minutes.Use hands to loosen any dirt. Clean and scald a very clean glass jar or crock with boiling water. Arrange cucumbers vertically in layers, inserting garlic cloves and dill weed here and there. Do not pack tightly.

Add salt to filtered or spring water and stir and dissolve. (no need to heat water) Pour brine over cucumbers and add peppercorns.

Cover and place in a cool, dark place to ferment.(Long cool fermentation creates the best tasting and best keeping dill pickles.

After 1 week, the cucumbers will be semi cured; some prefer them that way. However, it is only after 3-4 weeks that they become fully cured pickles (without pale areas, completely translucent green). Once a week scoop the scum (kahm yeast) that forms on top, and discard.

Pickles may be placed in smaller jars that are more convenient for storage. Scald 3 or 4 quart jars, pour off and strain pickling juice (discarding garlic and dill weed). Transfer pickles, fill quart jars with strained liquid, cover, and refrigerate.

Naturally fermented pickles will keep easily for a whole year (they acquire more taste as they age). In the middle of winter they will light up your tastebuds and provide delicious fixin's for sandwiches, and keep your digestion happy. Enjoy!

Pickle inspiration

This past weekend, my pal Susie and I flew to California, with a brief stay in San Fran and then down to Esalen Institute for 3 nights. It was an epic trip not only for the basking in the moonlit hot springs and yoga, but because we drove 20 miles across the bridge to Berkeley, for a side bar voyage to a legendary pickle shop.

I happened across the "Cultured Pickle shop" via a Diane a food blogger, writer and community food activist. She sent me this video and ever since, Alex Hozven, the chef/ pickler has been a celebrity of types in my world.

While there, I ogled her shop, the casks of fermenting cabbage, beets, seaweed, turnups, carrots and the 10 gallon glass tanks of fermenting kombucha that lined the walls were enough bring me to sheer joy. Cultured products like this are sold in store, to local restaurants & farmers markets (lucky bay area!)
Susie & I shared strawberry turnip kombucha & sassafras ginger kombucha.

Watch & enjoy.

Cots

My favourite thing to do with apricots is straight up fresh dried apricots...all season long. (They also make really decent smoothies.


My dehydrator of choice is Nesco's American Harvest, is was $60 at London Drugs.

Pitting

Its time!

Dried, frozen, canned, jammed, pickled, savoury, sweet, plump, juicy...
Oh how I love cherries.

Where to order:

Sweet: Michael's orchard, email: michael@driedfruitguy.com OR Organics at Home


Sour: Garside farm

Cherry Delight Smoothie (VEGAN)
1 cup frozen cherries
1 banana
teaspoon of cocoa powder
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/2 an avocado
a splash of water for desired consistancy

Salty flare on the road

While I had good intentions of writing earlier, the cool spring gave rise to summer quickly and Ive been on vacation and tending to weeds, with little time to spare. Let me share one my FAVOURITE road trip pit stops EVER (in honour of my pal Kristy who says the blog needs more protein).

If you don't road trip to the Oregon coast regularly, you should. It is known for it's awesome food, micro breweries, surfing, hiking- what else do you need?

Along route 101 just south of Nehalem there is a rustic RV park and Marina, which doubles as an unsuspecting LEGENDARY crab shack. "Jetty Fishery" serves up the freshest seafood with salty fisherman flare. Crabs & oysters arrive hourly.


I knew I wanted something, judging by the primal style eatting around me, mallets & fingers...However, I felt like a fish out of water standing there in my dirty hippie road gear not knowing how to order. I must have been a common sight, because I was greeted with a sense of humour and was sized up for my appetite.



We ordered 2 crabs to share and 4 oysters (the small ones). There were some the size of my arm. Steamed in bay water, accompanied with Coronas, we basked in the sun and our new find.

homestead inspiration

There is nothing like fresh oysters on the fire...

On a recent trip to my favourite gulf island- I stayed with my friends Kristy & Allan, Coco & Basha. For the past 3 years, I have watched them transform their parcel of land from a de-stumped pile of dirt into a ecotastic homestead. Their home & lives are worthy of several posts. Sustainable and rich with goodness, their lives are worthy of a blog itself- but here are a few morsels about my trip.

Although their home & farm are off the grid, solar power fuels all that is needed. This is inspiration; they have a fridge, freezer, oven, hot water and power tools running and there is energy to spare.



What is not caught from the sea or off the land- is foraged or pulled from the garden. (there are grocery store trips too). Their garden is an epic mater piece, enough to sustain them (produce wise) for the season. Potatoes bursting from tire (apparently its warmer in there), peas, squash, greens, tomatoes, cucumber, you name it! Herbs, berries, fruit & olive trees colour the landscapes too. New this year are the chickens- Coco took me to gather eggs in the morning.



On the eve on my stay we ventured down to the bay and plucked a few oysters from the ocean. We savoured them with gratitude & (with lemon juice & hot sauce).

Season's treasures..

Here in Vancouver, there are few things that should not be missed out on. All are best fresh and for a very short window. Take Advantage!

1. Salmon berries (Stanley park, The Endowment lands, Seymour river trail)
2. Asparagus (Hannah Brook Farm, trout lake farmers market, Saturday 9-2)
3. Rhubarb(Hannah Brook Farm, trout lake farmers market, Saturday 9-2)
4. Morel mushrooms (picked by hand- and sold at Hannah Brook Farm's stall, trout lake farmers market, Saturday 9-2)
5. Fresh greens (any vendor at the farmers market- added flowers are a nice touch)





(Steak from Home on the Range farm, new potatoes, morels and fresh salad from Hannah Brooke farms)


P.S 1 week until deliveries start from the CSA Nathan Creek Organics (dont miss out)

The Farmer's Market Santa Monica LA

So this is where most of our grocery store food comes from...



Santa Monica has an incredible farmers market. On a Sunday morning you can find the Main market a bustle with people, performers, ponies, surf boards and local folk enjoying the fruits of their land. While here I found & bought ripe & supple avocados, juicy oranges, tender strawberries and ripe cherries.

As well, turely finding ANYTHING here is possible due to length of their growing season and climate! There was also a diverse non produce compliment to the market...eggs, milk, butter, meat, (you name it)& tonnes of delicious food vendors. OHHH and masala chai to die for!

LA has a history in the green revolution & was a trail blazer in bringing back farmers market, click here to read more.

Latest visit to Nathan Creek Organic farm....

The farm is looking incredible. My friend Lesley, my dog Indy and I went to Langley to check out what was happening. We explored the budding garlic patch, the raspberry bushes,the greenhouse, the tree fort and the chicken coop. Indy explored a giant pile of rotting vegetable matter. But we call came home exhausted and excited for the growing season.

Nathan Creek Organic farm is still looking for members- sign up for a share soon!!

Diversifying Vancouver street food...FINALLY.

Appetite for change- GLOBE & MAIL

Street meat and diversity, together at last!!

This weekends article from the Globe & Mail shares Gregor Robinson's inspiration and interest in having Vancouver branch out and diversity our street food.

Which has long been an interest in mine.

Along the streets of Portland one walks past vendors cooking up and selling cuisine from around the globe: Ethiopian, German, Thai, Mexican...as well as donuts, smoothies, ice cream YOU NAME IT.

Gregor states, “Cities like Portland are way ahead for us on this, so we’re looking hard at how to catch up and make sure we have great food offerings on our streets,” said Mr. Robertson, whose résumé includes developing his own line of food products, the Happy Planet line of organic juices and smoothies. The Oregon city, he added, “has made it possible for a lot of different types of food to be available on the street, and let the market determine what happens, and I think they’re seeing good success from that.”

Visit Portland's food cart website

Who is as excited as me??

Vancouver compost pickup begins!!

Residential compost pick up: We've waited for this!

The city's plan is 2 phases:

1.In phase one, starting April 22, 2010, uncooked fruit and vegetable scraps, coffee grounds and filters, teabags, and eggshells will be allowed and collected bi-weekly as per your current yard trimmings collection schedule.
2.In phase two, in 2011, all food scraps (fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, dairy, bread, cereal products and food-soiled paper) will be allowed. It is expected that food scraps and yard trimmings will be collected weekly and garbage will be collected bi-weekly in order to minimize odours and insects from decomposing meat, fish and dairy scraps.

For more info visit The city of Vancouver site

On the window sill

Two weeks ago I planted 4 varieties of heritage tomatoes seeds(Tomatillo, Peacevine, Green Zebra & Legend). All of which I bought at the seed sale at Van Dusen Gardens. I trustingly placed my pots on the window sill while feeling I was gambling with these tiny seeds.
Becuase I:
1. Am an amateur
2. Have never planted seeds this early
3. Have never planted heritage tomatoes

I kept the room warm and the soil moist(soil: a mix of compost and dry sand). Much to my surprise, the seeds sprouted energetically within 3 days.

Its not too late to plant your own.
I am looking to trade a few for other varieties...any swappers out there?

Kombucha

A fermented tea beverage- and what the New York Times states has “become incredibly trendy lately in the 20-to-30-something, foodie, intelligentsia set”. Dr. Daphne Miller, a family practitioner and professor of nutrition and integrative medicine at the University of California, San Francisco says “Kombucha is like their Coca-Cola.”

I have been drinking kombuchca since 2005. When I travelled to LA in 2006- I saw it sold in the grocery store (GT's Kombucha). It tasted amazing. Flavours like mango, ginger or greens. I was in love. Upon returning to Vancouver I phoned GT's myself and asked how we could get some of this stuff up here. Due to its fragility and our stringent "raw" foods laws- I was told it was impossible.

Vancouverites- if you want the real thing you are going to have to make it yourselves. The stuff on our shelves, unlike those of the US is still pasteurized- unless they are finding a way around it (if they are Id like to talk to them...).


Great links:

Kombucha attracts Following and Doubters- NY times

Kvass and Kombucha- Weston A Price Organization


Recipe:

2 litres of boiling water
160 grams white sugar (approx 1 cup)
2-4 tea bags (black or green tea)
1 healthy Kombucha organism (mother)
1 cup of Kombucha fermented brew (past tea) as a starter

NOTE: Keep the same proportions and vary the amounts to suit your own family's needs.
Method
use clean utensils
wash hands thoroughly
pour boiling water over the sugar into a glass, porcelain or pottery container
stir to dissolve the sugar
add the tea bags and leave to infuse (approx 15 minutes)
remove the tea bags and allow to cool to "baby bottle" temperature
add the mother brew to the cooled tea mixture and then float the Kombucha on the top, cover tightly with cloth.


NOTE: If you need a mother (kombucha culture) please contact me

Time to buy into the farm!

Beans growing at Nathan Creek Organic farm

There are many CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) projects in the lower mainland. If you enjoy eating local organic produce (which you likely do reading this blog)- there is an achieved blog post about CSAs with a list of most around the city- please read the comments, as readers added to it (September 19, 2009).

The farm I am part of is called Nathan Creek Organic Farm- and it was and is incredible and life changing.
To apply fill in this application form and mail it to the farm.
My favourite things about owning a share:
Stephen's (The farmer) willingness to teach the wonders of farming
Going to the farm and coming home with a rubbermaid full of zucchini
Getting dirty
Endless greens
Succulent plums and apple pears

Goat Shares

Word has it that in addition to Cow Shares in Vancouver, found at Home on the Range- there is a farm called Misty Meadows, 604-792-3933 which has goat shares available.
Many people with cow milk sensitivities find that goat milk is easier to digest.

For more info, reasons & benefits to being involved in a milk share check out:

1. Books like Devil in the milk, The untold story of milk or Milk, Money and Madness- All can be found on Amazon.com.

2. The real milk campaign

3. These articles

Milk Homogenization & Heart Disease

Milk: it Does a Body Good?

Real food rules...another reason to choose whole foods

The myriad of recalled (non) foods this week, tainted with salmonella, should be another reason to avoid ambiguous ingredients like artificial flavorings, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, milk ingredients... or anything else for that matter that doesn't make sense!!

CBC News - Consumer Life - Recall of tainted food additive grows

Here are 2 simple rules:

1. If is doesn't look like food (closely derived from something that grows- plant or meat)- don't eat it!

2. If you can leave it out in the open indefinitely and it wont mold...don't eat it! Obviously there is no nutrition in it if mold wont touch it (eg. modern cereal, crackers, cookies ...)

Seedy Saturday

A Welcome sign that spring is on the way, Seedy Saturday was this weekend at Van Dusen Gardens.
Presented by the BC Master Gardeners Association, this is a celebration of heritage varieties of seeds and plants and organic gardening featuring more than 30 growers, seed companies, info booths, mushroom cultivation packages, a heritage Seed Swap and more fabulous exhibitors!!
Admission is by donation.

If this is a new event to you- it is a must visit for next year.
In the mean time, some of the vendors are listed below and you can order supplies & seeds from them directly.

Saltspring seeds
Brother Nature
West coast seeds
Twining Vine Garden

Fermentation

Hopefully, you are familiar with beer and sauerkraut... but what about chutney, kimchi,

miso, yogurt, kefir?

 

Traditionally, fruits and vegetables were fermented for preservation purposes.  This was not 

only practical but beneficial to your health, in moderation.  Coined “alchemy” by the Greeks, 

fermentation is a technique of preserving food without freezers or canning.

 

Fermentation is the process of bacteria breaking down fruit and vegetable starches into

lactic acid.  The results are foods with increased available nutrients, which also aid digestion.

 

Lactic acid is a natural preservative that inhibits the bad bacteria and promotes the good,

the same that are naturally in your gut. Salt, an important ingredients is added to the

mix, inhibiting the bad bacteria and creating a hospitable environment for the good.

 

Consider our use of condiments, (ketchup, mustard, soy sauce??):

The addition of a small amount of fermented product to accompany a dish, for flavour

and digestibility of the meal. (Quiz at bottom of blog)

 

What dish commences the Japanese meal?

What usually partners with sausages?

What accompanies dalh in India?

 

Today the idea of condiments has been hijacked by Heinz and Kraft, whereby fermentation

is skipped and replaced with distilled vinegar, simulating flavour but NOT nutrition.

 

Lacto fermented condiments are surprisingly easy to make.

1.      source some high quality fruits or vegetables

2.      wash & cut up fruits or vegetables, mix with salt herbs and spices

3.      pound them briefly to release juices and then press into an airtight container

4.      Add water or not

5.      Leave for a few days to weeks at room temperature and voila!

Fermentation is an artisan craft that does not lend itself to industrialization.  

Results are not always predictable.

Luckily you don’t need to experiment/ trouble shoot alone in your kitchen.  Thomas Hicks 

of the Urban Ashram here in Vancouver can teach you how its done in one of his regular 

fermentation workshops. www.urbanashram.ca

Next Workshops: 

Feb 24, 7 pm - Learn to Make Kombucha; salt and salt free Sauerkraut; Fruit and Veg 

Kimchi  and Fermentation Principles $40

March 3, 7 pm - Learn to Make your Own Cheese, Yogurt, Butter, Buttermilk, Ghee, 

Chocolate Ghee, what do to with whey, baking with dairy and eat dinner $40

A season of rewards

I canned a lot of food this summer and it wasn't until now that it felt so right to dig in and enjoy, (unfortunately this is not my pantry!)

Preserving in this fashion- food stored in an air tight environment, has a long history. One which I learned about from Blaine Pearson, owner of the Preservery.

Blaine tells me that "Romans preserved foods in honey and thousands of years later- we are finding jars filled with ancient foods”. In more recent times in North America, back in the days on the farm, people were forced to put food up to feed their families over the winter months. Preserving via canning made a modern re appearance.

However today, Because of the convenience of the supermarket, we no longer need to store our food in this fashion and as a result canning has become a lost art.

Blaine believes in small batch preserves as well as buying or sourcing produce as close to its kitchen as possible directly from the people who produce it. Noting that our growing season is limited, we can take advantage of the produce that is in season, capturing the nutrients for a later date.

Unfortunately the Preservery sold out of there pumpkin marmalade, strawberry chamomile jam, strathcona blackberry jam, green tomato relish and citrus blueberry conserve- but get on the mailing list for updates on next seasons divine creations.

Michael Schmidt Acquitted in raw milk case

A landmark win for real food, food security, small scale farms, farmers and us, raw milk drinkers!!  

Michael Schmidt was acquitted in a Newmarket court this morning of 19 charges of distributing raw milk and raw milk products.

Justice of the Peace Paul Kowarsky upheld the legislation, but said in this case Mr. Schmidt did not break the law because he was distributing to joint owners of cows and not the public at large.

Mr. Schmidt, a 54-year-old Durham region dairy farmer, and his supporters (seen above after an earlier court appearance) say milk is healthier before it is pasteurized, Canadian health officials deem it unsafe for public consumption.

Ontario's Health Protection and Promotion Act makes it illegal to "sell, offer for sale, deliver or distribute milk or cream that has not been pasteurized or sterilized." Consumption is legal, however.

For National Post coverage link here

Food for Haiti

Are you interested in donating to a charity assisting in relief efforts in Haiti?

If so...visit the United Nations World Food Program

Preserving Heritage species....

Rare breeds frozen in time- the misfits of modern argibusiness

story from the New York Times

Where once there were thousands of options, the food industry has selected a few high yielding seeds to plant the majority of our crops with. The same goes the story for livestock.

Meet chip (picture above).  He is a Tennessee fainting goat.  He lives on a farm preserving 45, 000 sperm and embryos from heritage animals.  He is also unofficial mascot of the Swiss Village complex, a facility in New Port, USA.   

Why is this important?

1. For biological diversity

2. It is a safety valve for diversity

3. We are dangerously interbreeding

4. Because 93% of the milk we drink is from 1 species of cow and 1 single bull

5. Because heritage breeds thrive on smaller farms, like the urban farms of the future

6. These animals fit in to the locavore movement

Raw milk controversy

There has been a long controversy over the sale and consumption of raw milk in Canada & the US. Pasteurization of milk began in 1886.  This method of heating milk to temperatures between 71.1- 138 degrees Celcius slows the growth of bacteria, slows enzyme activity and prolongs shelf life. 

Raw milk can be legally purchased in California, New Mexico and Connecticut. There are raw milk cow shares available around North America.

Where can you find raw milk? 

What is the controversy all about?

First off:  Most milk found in the grocery store is milk from conventional cows.  Cows are often ill from close living conditions, improper diets and consecutive pregnancies which tax their immunity, leading to the use of antibiotics. Furthermore, hygiene at large farms is often not adequate (E coli is present in feces). To protect everyone from harmful bacteria- which has the opportunity to grow over the time milk is shipped,  THIS KIND OF MILK SHOULD BE PASTEURIZED!

Second off: There are a handful of local dairies which are smaller in operation, where cows roam the fields and eat grass.  Cows are not ill, no antibiotics are used. Bacteria counts are lower.  Milk is a living food.  Often, milk is directly sold to customers.  WHY SHOULD THIS MILK BE PASTEURIZED?

Why chose raw milk from local dairies with grass fed cows?  Raw milk is...

A whole food

A complete Protein

Full of enzymes- specialized proteins that aid digestion, promote immunity, organ function,

Rich in lactoferrin (iron building protein)

Full of lactose- digestion of lactose creates an environment that inhibits bad bacteria growth

A source of excellent fats- Saturated, O3, O6- supports body function, hormone production

Rich in CLA- raises metabolic rate, boosts muscle growth, reduces insulin resistance, lowers allergic reaction

A source of vitamins and minerals- needed for daily functioning & detoxification

Why avoid store bought conventional pasteurized milk? This type of milk...

Supports an unsustainable and unhealthy practice for cows, humans and the environment

Has higher bacterium counts

Is void of nutrients and enzymes

May have additives like skim milk powder

May be fortified with vitamins A & D, which are present in natural quantities in raw milk

Could be homogenization and is linked to inflammation, allergies, heart disease

If this topic interests you please read Ron Schmid's book- The untold story of milk

On December 18th 2009, the Fraser Health Authority drove around to the depots of Home on the Range farm in Vancouver dumping out milk (Link to news coverage).   Members of Home on the Range, own the cows, therefore this milk was property!   Furthermore, and even a more pressing issue- If you own your body- you have the right to choose what you eat.  Prohibiting the consumption of raw milk is a violation of human rights (Canadian Charter of Human rights, Section 7).  

For more information on the fight for raw milk visit Michael Schmidt's blog a dairy farmer and raw milk activist in Guelph Ontario.

What are your thoughts?