Date Palm and Olive Orchards Meet Local Honey Farms: October 2009

Monday, October 5, 2009

How to Tame the Hubbard Beast (Squash)

This one is relatively small, compared to the average size for a hubbard squash. I placed it in the sink, washed it off and decided to tackle its demise in the sink, because it seemed more stable in the sink than on the counter.

I used my sturdiest knife and was able to pierce the surface with relative ease, but I could not continue sawing with only the strength of my arms. So I got my household hammer and hammered near the handle on the dull side of the knife blade. I left most of the blade plunged inside the squash, and hammered it all the way around the squash.

It was a very tough job, but I got it open, however roughly. I used this dipper to scoop the seeds out.

You can throw the guts away, or you can clean the seeds, wash them and then dry them with a paper towel.

Toss them in olive oil, sprinkle them with some sea salt and toast them at 350 degrees farenheit until golden brown and crunchy. They are great for snacking.

This is what the tamed beast (cleaned squash) looks like.

Wrap them each in two or three layers of foil, you may like to place them on baking dishes or pans to catch potential drips. Bake them at 350 degrees farenheit until soft. I baked mine about 2 hours.

Then I scooped the pulp out and mashed it some more. I measured it into freezer bags, 2 cups per bag and froze it until I want to use it. It is excellent as a soup base, to thicken and flavor the broth. I also use it in muffins, waffles, cheeseless macaroni and cheese, pumpkin custard. It gets very creamy if you puree it in the food processor. I have even been known to eat pureed winter squash with I Can't Believe It's Not Butter spray and maple syrup or brown sugar.

Apple Cider Waffles

Dry ingredients:
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
2/3 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup brown rice flour
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon, or to your taste

Measure all dry ingredients, except cornstarch, into the bowl.
Fluff them by whisking them all together.

1 cup Blue Diamond Original Almond milk

1 cup apple cider or apple juice

1 pre-measured serving cup of applesauce, or 1/2 cup of apple sauce from a larger container

Dissolve the cornstarch in the almond milk before adding it to the dry ingredients. Add the cider and the apple sauce.

Just blend it all with a wooden spoon.

Be careful not to over-mix the batter.

Cook them according to the cooking instructions from your waffle maker's manufacterer.

Serve it with I Can't Believe It's Not Butter spray and pure maple syrup, or caramel sauce would even be nice, since it is an apple flavored waffle. A cup of black coffee is a fabulous companion to wash the sweetness down.

Note: applesauce replaces oil, and cornstarch replaces eggs in any recipe.

A Treasured Saying from Imam al-Ridha (A.S.)

He, peace be on him, has said: “May (Ayyār) is thirty-one days; the winds become clear there in; it is at the end of the season of spring; one must refrain from salty foods, thick meat such as heads and beef, and yogurt; entering the bathroom at the beginning of day is useful therein; and sport before lunch is reprehensible therein.”

As for May (Ayyār), it is at the beginning of summer, so the digestive system cannot bear heavy foods, especially when one reaches old age, for having thick meat leads to dreadful damages such as high blood pressure, and the like.

He, peace be on him, has said: “June (Huzayrān) is thirty days; the power of phlegm terminates therein; the time of the yellow bile comes; one must refrain from tiredness and eating abundant meat; one must smell musk and ambergris; it is useful to eat cold vegetables such as endive and purslane, to eat greens such as cucumber, purgative manna, ripe fruit, to use soured things; of the meat is goat and young goat; of the birds is chickens, dull-yellow partridge (tahiyujj), francolins; yogurt and fresh fish.”

As for June (Huzayrān), it is the first of the months of summer; bodies become weak therein, for they face intense and bitter heat. The Imām, peace be on him, has emphasized that one must:

1. avoid tiredness.

2. avoid having abundant meat.

3. eat vegetables and fruit, for they are light, and not heavy.

He, peace be on him, has said: “July (Tammūz) is thirty-one days; heat becomes intense therein; water goes down; one must drink cold water before breakfast, eat cold, fresh things, and digestible foods (like those mentioned in June); one must smell cold, wet flowers with agreeable scent.”

As for July (Tammūz), it is the heaviest of all the months of the year and the most harmful of them toward man. That is because of the intense heat which occurs when water goes down. The Imām has stressed that one must use cold things and eat light foods lest the digestive system should be affected by them. He has also focused on that one must smell cold flowers with pleasant scent, for they have a good effect on the digestive system.

He, peace be on him, has said: “August (Āb) is thirty-one days; the simoom (hot wind) becomes intense therein; cold becomes exited at night; the north wind blows; temper becomes good through patting and moistening; it is useful to drink yogurt; one must refrain from having sexual intercourse and laxative, decrease sport, and smell cold flowers.”

Like July (Tammūz), August (Āb) is hot; cold becomes intense out of the weakness of bodies because of the intense heat, hence the Imām has made it recommended to use cold thins which decrease the intensity of heat.

Eat What is in Season

006.141
YUSUFALI: It is He Who produceth gardens, with trellises and without, and dates, and tilth with produce of all kinds, and olives and pomegranates, similar (in kind) and different (in variety): eat of their fruit in their season, but render the dues that are proper on the day that the harvest is gathered. But waste not by excess: for Allah loveth not the wasters.
PICKTHAL: He it is Who produceth gardens trellised and untrellised, and the date-palm, and crops of divers flavour, and the olive and the pomegranate, like and unlike. Eat ye of the fruit thereof when it fruiteth, and pay the due thereof upon the harvest day, and be not prodigal. Lo! Allah loveth not the prodigals.
SHAKIR: And He it is Who produces gardens (of vine), trellised and untrellised, and palms and seed-produce of which the fruits are of various sorts, and olives and pomegranates, like and unlike; eat of its fruit when it bears fruit, and pay the due of it on the day of its reaping, and do not act extravagantly; surely He does not love the extravagant.

In Case Anyone Wants to Know

Properly nourishing a family is a big responsibility, when taking into account the nutritional needs of growing boys and a hard-working husband and father. Vegan recipes are mainly for me, and non-vegan recipes are for my family, although I share my dishes with everyone. I have special nutritional requirements for two reasons. One is that I experience terrible hormone problems when I eat non-organic fruits and vegetables and excessive meat, eggs or dairy. Second, I had to have my gall bladder removed last year, so I eat either fat free or very low fat foods because foods that are high in fat cause me to have severe pain in the right side of my abdomen, where the liver drips bile to break down the fats in people who no longer have their gall bladders. The only two fat sources I usually consume are organic unrefined coconut oil and organic extra virgin olive oil, and those I use very little. So my biggest challenge is that all of us eat well while simultaneously respecting my own health issues. I have a profound belief that most health problems can be avoided and/or treated nutritionally.

Date Palm and Olive Orchards Meet Local Honey Farms

Monday, October 5, 2009

How to Tame the Hubbard Beast (Squash)

Apple Cider Waffles

Friday, October 2, 2009

A Trip to the Farmers' Market

Followers

About Me

A Treasured Saying from Imam al-Ridha (A.S.)

Blog Archive

Eat What is in Season

Foods Mentioned in the Holy Qur'an and Hadith

In Case Anyone Wants to Know

Labels

Websites that Inspire My Nutritonal Choices