DIY Yard

Homemade Compost Accelerator

Help! The Compost is full and you’re having a hard time turning yard waste. It’s usually jam packed after the winter thaw and you’re antsy to prepare the flower beds and pots. The less soil you need to buy the better, right? 4 ingredients help speed up the process, great results in a few days.

Homemade Compost AcceleratorDownload

When the Compost is mature (no smell), you can feed your plants Compost Tea. Just fill half of a big bucket with non-chlorinated Water (or let it sit overnight) then add a couple of shovels of Compost. Let it seep a few hours, then serve your green customers, they’ll love it. That’s the simple recipe, if you want to spend more, you can add unsulfured Blackstrap Molasses, Kelp & Fish Fertilizer too.

Homemade Lawn Food

I used to spend $40 for FABULAWN, a time released lawn fertilizer. Luckily Chemistry Cachet came up with this strange concoction ofBeer, Baby Shampoo, Epsom Salts, Club Soda and Ammonia. Cool thing about Alexis, she explains the function of each ingredient and assures us that it is not toxic to pets. I was a bit nervous to try it at first but I use it monthly without burning the grass. I don’t have a fertilizer container that attaches to the hose so I’m the funny lady that dilutes and applies it manually with a giant watering can. I have to repeat this a couple times despite having a tiny lawn. I have the sprinkler set up before I start so I can quickly finish the process unbeknownst to nosy neighbors. Since we’re semi-desert scorching hot here, I mow my clover-grass lawn early, fertilize and soak well with the sprinkler before it gets too warm.

Homemade Lawn FoodDownload

Roasted Tomatoes

I love the Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten has such a love affair with food. Her Roasted Tomatoes recipe is simple, but spot on. Great served with slices of Bocconcini and snipped fresh Basil.. You can use them as a salad garnish, a pizza topping, or a sun-dried tomato substitute in a pinch.

When the Tomato Harvest is going well or your Tomatoes on hand are getting too ripe or wrinkly for serving, that’s when I roast my Tomatoes. I’ve used Tomato Slices and Grape Tomatoes cut in halves or thirds. To minimize Lectins, I try to squeeze out as many seeds as possible before roasting. To avoid messy clean ups and aluminum exposure, I line the baking sheet with foil then parchment paper. The Tomatoes become concentrated and carmelized in 25 to 30 minutes but I flip the Tomatoes over every 10 minutes to prevent scorching..

If you roast many trays, you can dehydrate them at 135 degrees. When the Tomatoes are completely dry, store in Mason Jars. I pop in a non-toxic desiccant packet (saved from supplement bottles) to help keep them dry.

roasted-tomatoesDownload

Guacamole

Holy Guacamole !  Food Network’s Alton Brown of Good Eat’s fame has a really good recipe for Game Day !  Great with The Better Chip Beets and Sea Salt tortilla chips.  Spinach & Kale and Jalapeno are good choices too.

I didn’t change the recipe one iota.  But if you want to double or triple the recipe, just click on this guacamole link to download a PDF.

To prevent browning, use barely ripe Avocados and press saran wrap on the surface of the dip and seal around the edges.  The Good Eat’s Guy says to let it sit for 2 hours at room temperature before serving.  Good Luck with that, I’m diggin’ in.

 

 

Healthy Balls !

Healthy Balls rolled in toasted Coconut

Whose Balls are Better ?!

6 Pack Abs guy, Mike Geary,  referred his readers to Healthy Cookie Dough Balls by Danette May then he came up with a new and improved version, Healthy Balls !   Just reach into the freezer for a chocolatey, chewy treat to tide you over. Mike claims there’s enough to last you a week, NOT !

My Healthy Balls PDF includes theses substitutions:  Kaizen grass-fed chocolate stevia sweetened protein powder, Carob Powder, Hemp Hearts and toasted Coconut.