Simple Sunday

When I put in an eight hour day at the Bed & Breakfast, on my feet, baking scones, cooking breakfast for 20 guests, and turning over eight rooms, I don't have much energy by the time I walk home at 4pm.  At least it was a warm and sunny February day, even if I had to spend the whole day inside.  Working at the bed & breakfast on the weekends is always fun, a lot of work, but it's worth it when you meet so many wonderful people from all over the world. 

So when I got home all I had the energy to do was start some mung bean sprouts for the week.  I usually pour about an inch of beans into a quart sized large mouth mason jar.  I went to my local hardware store and bought a few feet of mesh screen that I cut into circles slightly larger than the lid ring. That way you can easily screw the lid back onto the jar and rinse the beans right through the screen.  I rinse them 2-3 times a day until the have sprouted to about an inch in length.  Then, transfer them to the fridge.  

Use these yummy sprouts on salads, soups, stir-fry, eggs, anything you like!  I love making these over the winter when there is a limited supply of fresh vegetables around.  They are an easy way to get something really green and crunchy into your diet.

Waking Up

Somedays, the second I step out the door, the birds tell me that Spring is coming.  Do you know that sound, smell, and feel that spring is right around the corner?  This morning in particular, the birds sounded so freakin happy chirping away up in the big maple tree, the grass was damp, the air was warm and humid, and the sun was slowing burning off the thin clouds that stretched across the sky.

My compost pile looks like a big sleeping bear quietly hibernating in the back of my yard. Collecting my kitchen scraps and laying green material (food scraps) onto brown material (straw and leaves that I store in the ground cellar) and layers of dirt throughout slowing keeps the pile growing.  It doesn't seem to be going anywhere right now, but once the weather warms up, it will start to 'move' a lot more quickly.

I need to keep something green and edible in the house while it is cold and gray outside.  I seeded this little organic leaf lettuce into a window box planter. They stay warm on the radiator and get a little sunlight (not enough this time of year) through the big kitchen window.  They won't get huge or thick, but it's just the sight of them growing big and tall in just a matter of days is what is most exciting.  I will soon trim them off and through them onto a salad or in some soup.  They are more like sprouts than lettuce greens, but still just as delicious!

There's also no harm in attempting to grow a pineapple top. I cut this little guy up for dinner the other night and instead of composting the green top of the fruit, I potted it up in some succulent soil mix.  We'll see what happens, I will keep you updated!