Meatless Monday: LINK UP

Welcome to our first Meatless Monday PARTY!

Joining me today is Lydia from Lydia's Flexitarian Kitchen.

This party is LIVE for an entire month!!!  Each week you'll have another chance to add your meatless creations to the party.

On to my Meatless meal for the week...

Veggie "Spaghetti"
Ingredients:
Spaghetti Squash
organic pasta sauce
1/2 an eggplant, chopped
1/4 onion, chopped
garlic, optional

Directions:
Cook spaghetti squash accordingly.  
Check out "How to Cook Spaghetti Squash"

Saute onion and eggplant in coconut oil until cooked (approx 10 mins).  Add pasta sauce on medium heat for another 3-5 minutes.

Place cooked squash in a pasta bowl and top with veggie sauce.

Simple, easy and meat free!

The only "rule" to this party is that your recipe is completely meat-free.  I do ask that you try to share only recipes using real food.  We're all about healthy recipes here and I'd like to keep it that way.

REAL Food Friday # 44 with Features

Hello and Welcome to REAL Food Friday!
I'd like to thank all of the conscious bloggers who followed the guidelines and 
shared REAL FOOD recipes and organic gardening and posts. Thank you for sharing!

I have re-started Meatless Mondays here at Mary's Kitchen.
Would you like to join me for a link-up? Send me an email to
 mari_backtonature@yahoo.com

On to the PARTY!  We're your hosts
Lydia @ Lydia's Flexitarian Kitchen 
Marla @ Organic4 Greenlivings 
me...Mary @ Back to the Basics and Mary's Kitchen 
Please give a warm welcome to Heather @ Cook It Up Paleo 

<a href="http://maryshealthymeals.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="http://i1287.photobucket.com/albums/a627/greenmary_smith/REALFood1_zpsb7242283.jpg"/></a>  
If you're interested in co-hosting let us know! 

You can email Mary at mari_backtonature@yahoo.com

In case you missed "What is Real Food" here's a recap...

I know "Real" food may not seem like as much fun as the sugary, chemically, DIY recipes out there on the internet.  This is why REAL Food Friday is so unique.  This is the place to share your unprocessed, gmo-free, locally grown and/or fair trade posts.

We are trying to make a difference 1 recipe at a time!

Features:

Homemade Coconut Milk from Taste and See

Homemade Taco Seasoning (low sodium) from The Pajama Chef

Homemade Taco Seasoning from Jenn's Random Scraps

Start Your Day the Healthy Probiotic Way from Organic 4 Greenlivings

Last week I had to delete a few linked posts...

If your post includes items like *margarine, *granulated sugar, *food dye, packaged baking mixed with ingredients that you cannot pronounce (betty crocker, duncan hines, pillsbury) then it WILL be deleted.  These are garbage ingredients.  Sorry...Not real food.


Here's a great reference from Food Myths:

Link up your Real Food posts!  Processed and "junk food" posts will be deleted.
The party runs from Thursday at 7pm EST through Monday at Noon.

Please follow your hosts and consider adding the Real Food Friday button.

HUGE SALE: $1 and $2 Heirloom, Non-GMO Seeds

Do you have room for more seeds?

Ready to stock up for next season or next school year?

Don't forget to add Organic Wildflowers for the BEES!

Mary's Heirloom Seeds Using Coconut Coir Pellets for Seed Starting

Quick Links  Beans and Corn  Heirloom FRUITS  Heirloom GREENS   Heirloom PEPPERS Heirloom SEEDS Heirloom TOMATOES Specialty Heirlooms HERB Seeds Organic Wildflowers Seed Pack Combos SPROUTS SUPPLIES 2014 Planting Guide Mary's Herbal Organix Mary's Tincture Shop HELPFUL LINKS: Using Coconut Coir Pellets Using Diatomaceous Earth Plant Nutrients Which Plants are Heavy Feeders Tips for Transplanting Tomatoes Order Online and we SHIP! Find us at the Yellow Green Farmer's Market in Hollywood, FL Saturday and Sunday from 8am-4pm BOOTH #281 Join Our List Mary's Sprouting Kit with Seeds Organic Mung Beans

June 24, 2014 Lately I have been overwhelmed at all of the positive feedback!  Each and every day it is our goal to share organic growing and sustainable growing info. Now more than ever, growing heirloom, un-treated,  Non-GMO seeds is vital to seed diversity, the health of the earth and so much more. When we are able, we like to offer BIG savings on heirloom seeds and today is one of those days!  Please share! BIG Savings NOW through July 1st Ace 55 Tomato $1 Self-Blanching Cauliflower $1 Arugula $2 Ready for more??? Brussels Sprouts $1 Tom Thumb Lettuce $2 Black Beauty Eggplant $1 Roma Tomato seeds $1 Genovese Basil $1 Shipping on Heirloom Seeds is FREE! $6 minimum order All of the seeds listed are open-pollinated, non-gmo and non-hybrid, non-patented,  untreated, heirloom garden seeds. Mary has signed the Safe Seed pledge.

If you have additional questions please feel free to ask.  

We usually reply within a few hours (unless we're at the farmer's market). 
Thanks you and have a wonderful day!

Happy Planting,

Mary

Mary's Heirloom Seeds

Meatless Monday: Cabbage "Steak" and More

Hi again and welcome to another Meatless Monday!  Today is a NEW beginning for me but I'm not quite ready to go into details.  I'll share more as the week goes by.

From my very first Meatless Monday post a year ago
According to meatlessmonday.com
"Going meatless once a week may reduce your risk of chronic preventable conditions like cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity. It can also help reduce your carbon footprint and save precious resources like fresh water and fossil fuel.
Read about these benefits below. But keep in mind that just going meatless is not enough. That’s why we give you the information you need to add healthy, environmentally friendly meat-free alternatives to your diet each week. Further, if you do eat meat on other days, we strongly recommend grass-fed, hormone-free, locally-raised options whenever possible."


This recipe is one of the simplest EVER.  I've also decided to add a few features from Real Food Friday to give you a bit of inspiration.

Herb and Garlic Cabbage "Steak"

Ingredients:

Organic Coconut Oil
Garlic (fresh or dried)
Pepper
Cumin
Paprika
Cabbage

Directions:
Rinse cabbage very well.  Slice into "steak" rounds.  Drizzle cabbage with oil and sprinkle herbs.  

There are several ways to cook this delicious cabbage creation.
1. Bake at 400 degrees for approx 20 minutes
2. Cook over high heat for 5 minutes then low heat for approx 15 minutes
3.  Grill it  

Meatless Features from Real Food Friday

 GF Soaked Pizza Crust from Raia's Recipes

Raw Kale Shiitake Mushroom Salad from Urban Naturale

Mushroom and Onion Frittata from A Life in Balance

REAL Food Friday #43 with Features

Hello and Welcome to REAL Food Friday!
I'd like to thank all of the conscious bloggers who followed the guidelines and 
shared REAL FOOD recipes and organic gardening and posts. Thank you for sharing!

I have decided to re-start Meatless Mondays here at Mary's Kitchen.

This week I made another delicious creation!

Meatless on Monday from the Farmer's Market

On to the PARTY!  We're your hosts
Lydia @ Lydia's Flexitarian Kitchen 
Marla @ Organic4 Greenlivings 
me...Mary @ Back to the Basics and Mary's Kitchen 
Please give a warm welcome to Heather @ Cook It Up Paleo 

<a href="http://maryshealthymeals.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="http://i1287.photobucket.com/albums/a627/greenmary_smith/REALFood1_zpsb7242283.jpg"/></a>  
If you're interested in co-hosting let us know! 

You can email Mary at mari_backtonature@yahoo.com

In case you missed "What is Real Food" here's a recap...

I know "Real" food may not seem like as much fun as the sugary, chemically, DIY recipes out there on the internet.  This is why REAL Food Friday is so unique.  This is the place to share your unprocessed, gmo-free, locally grown and/or fair trade posts.

We are trying to make a difference 1 recipe at a time!

Features:

Harvesting Rosemary+Focaaccia Recipe from Making Our Sustainable Life

Vegan Pepperoni White Bean Pizza from Strength and Sunshine

Chocolate Mocha Chia Pudding from Cook it Up Paleo

Last week I had to delete a few linked posts...

If your post includes items like *margarine, *granulated sugar, *food dye, packaged baking mixed with ingredients that you cannot pronounce (betty crocker, duncan hines, pillsbury) then it WILL be deleted.  These are garbage ingredients.  Sorry...Not real food.


Here's a great reference from Food Myths:

Link up your Real Food posts!  Processed and "junk food" posts will be deleted.
The party runs from Thursday at 7pm EST through Monday at Noon.

Please follow your hosts and consider adding the Real Food Friday button.

Growing Bee Balm From Seed and MILKWEED!

Check out the latest from Mary's Heirloom Seeds!

Mary's Heirloom Seeds What's NEW? Don't Miss Out! Did you know we've added several NEW pages both at Mary's Heirloom Seeds and our blog Back to the Basics? It's true! In case you're just tuning in, we've been steadily adding to our 2014 Planting Guide. For your viewing pleasure we've made a special page with all of the growing info in one easy place. Check out Mary's 2014 Planting Guide Helpful Links BEANS and CORN Heirloom Fruits Heirloom GREENS Heirloom PEPPERS Heirloom SEEDS Heirloom TOMATOES HERB Seeds Wildflower Seeds Specialty Heirlooms Seed Pack Combos SUPPLIES PLANT NUTRIENTS Mary's Tincture Shop Mary's Herbal Organix Join Our Mailing List Mary's Heirloom Seeds 2104 Tyler Street Hollywood, FL 33020 (954) 654-3501 Find us at the Yellow Green Farmer's Market Booth #281 Saturday & Sunday 8am-4pm A few of our favorites Purple Top Turnips Chinese 5-Color Pepper Italian Dandelion Helpful Links: Growing from Seed Grow Your Own "Medicine" After sending out the NEW Seeds Announcement we had to make a correction.  We have increased the quantity of Lemon Bee Balm to 50 seeds per pack!!! We have also added Tropical MILKWEED and English Lavender organic seeds. Growing Bee Balm from Seed from Back to the Basics Why Grow Bee Balm #1 for the BEES! Bee balm attracts pollinating insects such as bees, and predatory insects such as beetles, centipedes, spiders, bees, and butterflies, which "will eat the herbivorous insects and parasites that eat your plants." #2 to repel Mosquitoes!  Bee balm's scent is an effective mosquito repellent, but generally works best when its leaves are crushed to release the fragrant oils #3 beneficial for Tomatoes!  Bee balm, planted in proximity to your tomato plants, will improve "both the growth and the flavor of tomatoes." Lemon Bee Balm   Growing Bee Balm from Seed Space plants 18 to 24 inches apart in rich, well-drained soil.  Although it will tolerate drought, bee balm will do much better if it gets adequate moisture. Sow seeds at the surface and push gently into soil, needs light to germinate, with no more than 1/8" deep in seed starting formula. Keep evenly moist to dry- not soaked. Seedlings emerge in 14-25 days. Bi-annual plant that blooms in the second year, with the first year devoted to root growth. Bee Balm seed does not require any cold treatment, but germination will improve with several weeks of cold stratification. Germinates in two to three weeks at a rate of 60 to 70 percent. TRANSPLANT seedlings after all danger of frost has passed, then plant out in light soil 10" apart. Caring for Bee Balm Every 3 or 4 years, dig up and divide the plants. Discard the old center section and replant the outer roots and shoots. Bee balm can get powdery mildew. To avoid mildew, plant where there is good air circulation and avoid overhead watering. Also cut back plants in the fall, remove old stems, and clean up old mulch. Companion Plants of Bea Balm Bee Balm is a companion to flowering veggies that depend on bees and other pollinators.  Plant Bee Balm in the center of the garden and surround with veggies such as Tomatoes, Peppers, Eggplants and Squash. You may also enjoy  5 Reasons to Plant Wildflowers  NEW Varieties for your Garden! *added today* Tropical MILKWEED Butterflies love this plant, and it provides a great food source for them! Commonly called Mexican Butterfly Weed, Blood Flower or Tropical Milkweed, these showy plants have blooms in the colors or red, orange and yellow. English Lavender Sweetly fragrant blooms and evergreen blue-green foliage! The richest in essential oils, this is one of the most aromatic Lavender plants of them all. Reaching 24 to 36 inches high, it boasts 2 1/2 inch, linear, downy leaves on strong stems.

All of the seeds listed are open-pollinated, non-gmo and non-hybrid,

non-patented,  untreated, heirloom garden seeds.
Mary has signed the Safe Seed pledge.