Friday, April 27, 2012

A Look Back~Worth The Re-visit...

http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=15644207#editor/target=post;postID=2338884311627053825

Spring is a perfect time to make diet changes, it's time for lighter and simpler foods...eating in season is and can be the one best thing for good health in so many ways.

Ask me about this if you need direction....I'm here to help.

Bea Rigsby-Kunz
http://www.sagehillfarmsandvintagestore.com
931-438-8328

Sunday, April 22, 2012

GMO's And Herbs ?

Well...GMO's are in so many things we would never consider...well, some of us would-I've recently been accused of being paranoid...I thanked the messenger and went on my way happy in knowing I was informed...paranoid is a keen sense of wrong ~( at least according to me )

Back to the topic I started....'Cornstarch' is made of ....you guessed it...
And what's happening to our corn crops....right again...GM'd...

An ancient and perfect replacement for cornstarch is....'Arrowroot.'

This herb was used in ancient times and by the Native Americans as an antidote for poisoned arrows.

Arrowroot is a thickening agent-a white powder and I find the amounts to do the job is about the same as cornstarch.

For every problem...the Earth has an answer.

Hope your Earth Day was eventful~

Bea Rigsby-Kunz
http://www.sagehillfarmsandvintagestore.com
931-438-8328

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Earth-A Day-Make It Count



While ' Earth Day" is over-all, a very good reminder of our connection, responsibility, and or challenge...to nourish, honor, and constantly put back that which we take.

My wish is to see and to commit those efforts into every day thoughts and actions.

So...while anything we do tomorrow ( Earth Day ) will be appreciated by the strong and trusting lady...it is, the thoughts we embrace and the promises we make...and keep...that will bring lasting and useful results.

Thank you each for your gift of celebration and dedication~

Bea Rigsby-Kunz
Sage Hill Farms

Happy Earth Day~



Saturday, April 14, 2012

Herbs In The Kitchen For Taste And Wellness


                                                       
Herbal interest is, at the present time, undergoing a revival in America, but the science of herbal medicine dates back thousands of years. Archeological evidence exists to confirm from cave dwelling times that the poppy was used as a medicinal herb. Some of the earliest records appear to be 5000 years old in a Chinese Pharmacopoeia. Sanskrit writings of medical remedies date back to 1500 BC. Even Hippocrates –"Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food." – made great use of the plant kingdom for healing, including Mint, Poppy, Mugwort, Sage, Rosemary, Rue, and Lemon Verbena.

The purpose of herbal remedies is to stimulate the body’s own natural healing abilities by cleansing and rebalancing. Many herbs contain antibacterial and antiviral properties. The advantage of herbal remedies is their ability to rapidly return the body to a state of health without the damaging side effects; unlike synthetic drugs.

Herbs, correctly prescribed, can be combined to target, regulate, heal or tone any organ in the body, unless the tissue has been completely destroyed.

The earliest known records of medicinal herbs date back to 3,000 BC, from northern China. The herbs identified in those records; such as, myrrh and frankincense, are still being used today. At that time, however, herbalism was often misunderstood and thought of as folklore .

By the 19th Century herbalism was no longer looked upon as a means to good health-however, it was becoming fashionable to include herbs in the culinary manner.

While I believe in, and practice, a Holistic program for wellness-I can’t guide you in that arena…simply because I’m not qualified to do so.

I am qualified to share the benefits of herbs in the kitchen !

Always keep in mind that herbs in culinary usage is not just for flavor, each and every herb serves a higher calling that taste.`

Be aware also that tossing a couple of peppermint leaves into a pitcher of tea isn’t going to make a big difference in how you feel at the end of the day. But, if you plan your herb usage during the course of the day…it can and does make a difference.

3 to 4 cups of herbal tea-hot or cold, a few herbs in your dinner salad, rosemary or thyme in your baked chicken, and a good herbal blend of cayenne, garlic , onion, and sea salt on your bread or potato…now you’ve got some good preventive and/or maintenance going on.

Education is the key, and we aren’t talking going back to school for years…all you need do is read my website and blog, do some outside research, and apply…Presto…you are now on your way to a new feeling.

How well the good things work depends totally on your overall consumption and actions. If you are eating ‘junk’, drinking carbonated sodas, smoking, drinking more than 6oz of alcohol, or taking a plethora of prescriptions drugs…well, then it becomes the battle of Good versus Evil…..bad things can happen !

I’m here to offer help…whatever way you need me. Let’s talk ~

EatWell~BeWell

Bea Rigsby-Kunz
http://www.sagehillfarmsandvintagestore.com
931-438-8328

Monday, April 09, 2012

All Those Eggs~~

Now that Easter is past, I know we all have at least a few boiled eggs left...don't allow them to go to waste...and don't let any doctor or nutritionist tell you they are bad for your health.  Not so...

Simple and easy way to enjoy...

Take a large leaf of Romaine lettuce
Layer avocado, sliced egg, thinly sliced onion ( spring scallions )
Salt ( Sea ) and fresh ground black pepper

Roll like you would a burrito...then slice across into bite size sections

Sprinkle with flax seed and drizzle a tiny bit of your favorite dressing ( or not )

Nut-Thins...crackers made from nuts ( these are pecans ) gluten free and so good and crispy.

Makes a yummy and healthy breakfast.

I had mine with chocolate coffee....

Tasty and very healthy~

To your awesome week ~

Bea Kunz
http://www.sagehillfarmsandvintagestore.com

Tuesday, April 03, 2012

Easter Blessings~

Easter was probably the earliest of the church’s annual festivals; it was fused with elements of pagan spring festivals celebrating new life. Folk customs attached to the festival date from pre-Christian times. Eggs, traditionally forbidden during Lent, symbolize new life. The Easter Bunny recalls the hare, the Egyptian symbol of fertility. Easter may have derived its name from the Saxon goddess Eostre, whose feast was celebrated each spring at about this time, or it may have come from the word oster, meaning “rising.”
Eggs are a symbol of fertility and spring renewal across many cultures. For Christians, eggs were traditionally forbidden during Lent and always eaten on Easter Sunday. During the Jewish Passover, a roasted egg sits on the seder plate.

Eggs  are very healthy-and when they are produced in a sustainable fashion even more so....why not keep the health benefits at 100% by using a natural dye to beautify them this Easter. This is so much fun and a great educational plug for the children .

Natural Dye Colors

First you need to determine your colors. Here are some of our favorite natural dyes:

Blue/purple: red cabbage (coarsely chopped), blueberries or blackberries (crushed), grape juice
Brown: black tea
Green: spinach, parsley
Orange: chili powder, paprika
Pink: beets (grated or canned with juice), cherries, cranberries, pomegranate juice
Yellow: yellow onion skins, ground cumin, ground turmeric, lemon or orange peels
(To make it simple, you can use just the primary colors of red, yellow, and blue; then mix the colors to create more colors.)

Directions on How to Dye Eggs

  • Remove eggs from the refrigerator about a half hour before boiling.
  • Boil your eggs in enough water to cover the eggs, 2 tablespoons of vinegar, and one of the above ingredients.
  • You can also try boiling the eggs and ingredients separately. Let the dye cool, strain it, and then dip the eggs for 10 to 20 minutes. (You can also leave the eggs in the liquid overnight for a stronger color.)
Boiling the eggs in the dye is our preferred method because it gives the eggs stronger color. With this method, the fun isn't in the dipping; it's just neat (not to mention educational) to see how different foods create different colors; the eggs "transform" without a magic wand!

Tie-Dyed Easter Eggs

Here's another idea that the older kids especially love—tie dye!
  • Hard-boil some large white eggs (use brown eggs for darker colors) and allow them to cool.
  • One way to color an egg with an interesting tie-dyed effect is to wrap a number of long rubber bands of various widths around the egg, covering the entire egg.
  • The rubber bands should be long enough to wrap around the egg a couple of times. (If the bands keep popping off, don't wrap them quite so tightly, or use thicker bands.)
  • Dip the egg into homemade dye.
  • Remove from dye and let dry.
  • Remove some or all of the rubber bands, then wrap them around the egg again and soak it in a different color until you have the shade you want.
  • Allow to dry and remove the rubber bands. You should now have a uniquely interesting egg.
  • Another way to create a tie-dyed look is by wrapping and twisting damp strips of cloth tightly around an egg.
  • Drop different colors of dye onto the cloth and let the colors blend together.
  • Let the egg sit until the cloth is dry, then carefully unwrap the egg.

Have a very blessed Easter holiday-if you are in my neighborhood...stop in and share an egg !

Bea Rigsby-Kunz
http://www.sagehillfarmsandvintagestore.com

Happy Easter ~