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Here is my two cents on the “everybody has some food allergy/reaction/diabetes” epidemic we seem to be facing: Our bodies have “allergies” to these things because we aren’t eating food! Most of what we put into our mouths is not real food!

Even the wheat berries used for making homemade flour, has been genetically modified to contain more gluten. No wonder so many can’t tolerate gluten anymore. We weren’t meant to digest so much of it! Diabetes and Hypoglycemia run rampant in our country, even among youth, but almost everything under the grocery store lights contains refined sugars! Margorine is disgusting, I want butter made from real cream! Even our fresh fruits and veggies are sprayed with so many chemicals either to make the bugs not eat them or to make them ripen on the shelves or to prevent them from rotting on their way to the store. Corn and soy products are being genetically modified so that deer even pass thru the fields without taking a bite. And then taking that same corn and soy and turning it into every conceivable “food” product. Go read your labels in the pantry. How many things in your pantry contain either soy or corn? Soy is a great food and all, but contains estrogen. Why are we raising our young ones on such a food? Boys are becoming more feminine (which I know is not only due to soy but the lack of real men today) and girls are starting puberty earlier than ever before.

I’m sorry I got on my soapbox today, but I’m just so frustrated every time I hear of another strict diet or health concerns. Eat real food!! Most of us aren’t going to be able to erase our previous eating mistakes, but we can prevent it from getting worse. We can demand healthier food by shopping wisely (and locally). We CAN make a difference. Need some more convincing? Watch Supersize Me for the effects of this SAD (Standard American Diet) food and then watch Food, Inc. (you can get both from Netflix) for the reality of the food industry.

Stepping down now and hoping I got you thinking about exactly what you are putting in your mouth.

Every week brings in some new interesting produce to try. We received peas, swiss chard, garlic scapes and zucchini this past week along with the normal fair of greens. The kids had fun shelling the peas, but weren’t crazy about eating them. I thought they were yummy! The swiss chard was a bit bitter for me, but I will try again this week. And I added chopped garlic scapes to a big pot of veggie soup.

We also got some large beets last week, so I tried my hand at pickling them. I studied some recipes and then created my own.

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Pickled Beets

Boils beets until tender. Then cool and remove ends and skins.
I then sliced them with a crinkle cutter so they would be pretty.

In a saucepan, boil:
1 cup cider vinegar
1 cup white vinegar
3/4 t canning salt
1 cup apple juice

Slice some onions and throw those and the beets into saucepan with vinegar solution. Let cook for about 3 minutes.
Place beets in hot jars and pour brine over the beets. This was enough brine to do 3 pint jars.

Water bath for 30-45 minutes depending on your altitude. I did it for 45 because we are at 6000 feet.
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We are getting cherries this week for pie making. Yum! I’m ready for another week of enjoying the harvest!