Jelly

I am so excited to show you my first EVER canning efforts!

We went out in the yard and foraged some dandelion greens (wilted and served with vinegar = delicious!),

some dandelion blossoms,

some of our borderline invasive mint.

We soaked the dandelion blossoms in water overnight to extract as much of the dandelion goodness as possible!

Keelin was very helpful with washing the mint! Smelled so fresh.

Mint in the jar before we filled it with water!

I can smell it just looking at this picture.

Spicy tomato jelly,

dandelion jelly,

mint jelly!

All perfectly set, all delicious, all properly sealed in the jars!

I can't believe how easy it was to can my own jelly!

If this first timer can experience success, anyone can!

My favorite of the jellies, the "lively" tomato jelly on a slice of my homemade bread!

Recipes :

Dandelion Jelly

Boil 1 quart  of fresh dandelion blossoms (no stems) in 1 quart water for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir juice. Measure out 3 cups of the dandelion juice, add a teaspoon of lemon juice and 1 package of pectin, powdered works best for this recipe. Add 4.5 cups of sugar and boil until gelled. Pour into sterilized canning jars and leave 1/8" of headspace. Wipe the rims well, add lids and rings. 5 minute water bath and you're done! Just wait for the tops to pop!

Note: I cut this recipe in half and it made four 4oz. jelly jars full of jelly! Thanks to Jill at Domestic Reformation for inspiring me!

Tomato Jelly

(makes 6 medium glasses full)

Combine 1 3/4 cups of organic canned or jarred tomato juice, 1/2 cup of fresh strained lemon juice, 2 teaspoons of Tabasco sauce , 4 cups of sugar in a pot  over high heat until it reaches a full boil. Stir in one 3oz. package of liquid fruit pectin and bring to a full boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, stir, and skim off any foam for about 3 minutes. Pour into sterilized jars, leaving about 1/8" of headspace. Wipe jar rims, adjust lids and rings. Water bath for 5 minutes, then remove and wait for the lids to pop, signaling a good seal!

Note: I used more Tabasco sauce that the recipe called for and it was delicious. I just seasoned to taste and we enjoyed it pretty spicy!

Mint Jelly

Crush 1 1/2 cups of firmly packed mint leaves, fresh. Add 2 1/4 cups of water into saucepan with mint leaves and boil of medium-high heat for 3 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand for 10 minutes to extract the minty goodness! Strain through a cheesecloth. Measure out 2 cups of the infusion into a large saucepan. Add 3 1/2 cups of sugar, and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Boil at full, rolling boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and immediately add in one 3oz. package of liquid pectin. Stir and skim for about 5 minutes. Pour immediately into warm, sterilized jars leaving about 1/4" of headspace. Seal with hot lids and rings, waterbath for 5 minutes, then let set!

Note: I let my mint soak for a whole afternoon after it was cleaned, crushed, and boiled. Most recipes I read also said to add a couple of drops of green food coloring, but I opted to leave it out. I didn't feel any need to add color to something already so yummy- it wouldn't have enhanced anything but the look.

Do you have any delicious jelly recipes or fruit preserve recipes to share? I'd love to hear them!

Smoothies!

Quite a few people have expressed interest in knowing how I make my smoothies...

This is how I start my day most mornings and I looove them!

I start with the same basics, give or take one!

Almond or coconut milk, probiotic powder (immune system boost, anyone?!), raw honey (helps me fight off seasonal allergies), and flaxseed oil (yummy, healthy fats)!

The ground flaxseed is what I use when I'm out of fresh kale, which I prefer (but sometimes can't find at the farmer's mnarket), but I love both!

I usually use some plain, organic yogurt, too- but I was out the morning I took these photos!

This day, I used a bunch of frozen strawberries that my dad froze last year, a whole peeled kiwi, two whole peeled bananas, and a handful of frozen pineapple that I cut and froze last week!

I really enjoy using fresh fruit, but if I do, I use ice to thicken the smoothie!

I try to spend time weekly cutting fresh fruit, freezing it, and using the frozen fruit- makes the smoothies super thick and amazingly refreshing!

Here is what it looks like!

I just put in the fruit, put in the dry ingredients, pour on the milk and/or yogurt and blend until smooth!

It packs a nutritional punch, starts my day off properly, and the whole family loves them!

Some other goodness that I like to pop in the blender:

- avocados (give the smoothie the same consistency as a banana!)

- using juices instead of almond milk (orange is my favorite!)

Happy 24th Birthday to me!

Well, March 13th is my birthday :) I'm officially a 24 year old now. Next year, I will be a quarter of a century old! Halfway to fifty!

That might make some women cringe, but I'm loving the aging process. I like what it's doing to my heart, my mind, and even my body. I much prefer my mommy curves to my super skinny 18 year old figure. Sure, it's harder to find cute jeans, but I'm good with that! ;)

I had dinner tonight with some of my girl friends to celebrate. From left: Emily with her son Hayden, Jessica with her daughter Emily Kay, Courtney with her son Riley, and me holding my Jackson! Keelin was with her dad this weekend, and we certainly missed her!

If you look carefully at this picture, you can see a little bit of my teeny baby bump! 15wks


And in this one, Jessica is taking the picture and Kristin is out from behind the camera! Tonight was a joint celebration, since Kristin's birthday is ten days before mine! :)

I feel so lucky to have fun girl friends. And my belly is still super happy about my Steakhouse Salad. A big, delicious salad with bleu cheese (that I HATE when people refer to as "blue cheese." Spell it properly or don't eat it!), tomatoes, portobello mushrooms, and a little bit of steak on top! It hit the spot without being overwhelming. It came with some fried onion rings on top, but I passed those off to one of my friends. Fried food and onions both give me serious digestive upset :-/ Even though I enjoy the taste, I will regret it for dayssssss after.

After we ate, a few of us went to the grocery store. It was really nice to walk and talk while we shopped for delicious, healthy foods! I love being pregnant and grocery shopping. It's just more fun that way! :) I got some Izze (the sparkling blackberry) and two kinds of vegan, non-dairy sorbet (blood orange and mango) as a birthday treat for myself... and yes, I am indulging as I type.

I'll update tomorrow with a post about my birthday gifts from my husband, Tim. Two rain barrels and 5 new baby chicks!!