http://www.dandelionpath.com/index.php en laurasee@emmasbridaljewelry.com Copyright 2008 2008-08-31T02:12:00-05:00 http://www.dandelionpath.com/index.php/jewelersbench/the_omnivores_hundred_dandelion_path_edition/ http://www.dandelionpath.com/index.php/ jewelersbench/the_omnivores_hundred_dandelion_path_edition/#When:01:12:00Z While visiting one of my favorite blogs, ”Almost Fit” I found a fun little activity to participate in. It’s originally taken from the Very Good Taste blog. Here’s what VGT has to say about it: “Here’s a chance for a little interactivity for all the bloggers out there. Below is a list of 100 things that I think every good omnivore should have tried at least once in their life. The list includes fine food, strange food, everyday food and even some pretty bad food - but a good omnivore should really try it all. Don’t worry if you haven’t, mind you; neither have I, though I’ll be sure to work on it. Don’t worry if you don’t recognise everything in the hundred, either; Wikipedia has the answers.” Here’s what you do: 1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions. 2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten. 3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating. 4) Optional extra: Post a comment at http://www.verygoodtaste.co.uk linking to your results. The Dandelion Path Omnivore’s Hundred: 1. Venison - Not yet. I’ve had some in my freezer for a few months that I got from a friend. I just need to figure out how I want to cook it up! 2. Nettle tea (This is very nutritious by the way. I like to drink it with dandelion & mint) 3. Huevos rancheros 4. Steak tartare 5. Crocodile Does alligator count? If so, I just had some in Florida this spring. 6. Black pudding 7. Cheese fondue 8. Carp 9. Borscht 10. Baba ghanoush 11. Calamari 12. Pho 13. PB&J sandwich 14. Aloo gobi 15. Hot dog from a street cart (I’m trying to avoid all hot dogs now because of the nitrites) 16. Epoisses 17. Black truffle 18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes 19. Steamed pork buns (I’ve had barbeque, YUM, but I don’t think I’ve had this) 20. Pistachio ice cream 21. Heirloom tomatoes (Just had some this week) 22. Fresh wild berries (blueberries we found while camping as a kid. They were SO good!) 23. Foie gras (I know liver is super good for you but I can’t stand the taste! I would be willing to at least TRY this however) 24. Rice and beans (Haitian rice & beans is our all-time favorite meal around here) 25. Brawn, or head cheese 26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper 27. Dulce de leche (Dear friends from the Dominican Republic used to make this for us and it is SO yummy!) 28. Oysters 29. Baklava (This was what was served the day of my home-birth as well as my first birthday! Homemade is the best!) 30. Bagna cauda 31. Wasabi peas 32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl (Haven’t had this but it sounds delicious!) 33. Salted lassi 34. Sauerkraut 35. Root beer float 36. Cognac with a fat cigar 37. Clotted cream tea 38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O 39. Gumbo (didn’t like it though) 40. Oxtail 41. Curried goat 42. Whole insects (This is actually a nightmare of mine! I know some cultures eat them but I’m scared to death to try!) 43. Phaal 44. Goat’s milk 45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more (I’d taste it if someone else was paying for it ;) 46. Fugu (I’m too nervous they wouldn’t get the poison out!) 47. Chicken tikka masala 48. Eel 49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut (Hey, when the sign says, “HOT & FRESH” who couldn’t resist one of these on occasion?) 50. Sea urchin (as long as it’s cooked) 51. Prickly pear (not sure if I’d try this one. Isn’t it spikey?) 52. Umeboshi 53. Abalone 54. Paneer 55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal 56. Spaetzle 57. Dirty gin martini 58. Beer above 8% ABV 59. Poutine 60. Carob chips 61. S’mores (I actually prefer each item separately though) 62. Sweetbreads 63. Kaolin 64. Currywurst 65. Durian 66. Frogs’ legs (I couldn’t eat these after seeing that Muppet movie! You gotta love Kermit!) 67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake 68. Haggis 69. Fried plantain (This goes very well with the rice & beans) 70. Chitterlings, or andouillette 71. Gazpacho 72. Caviar and blini 73. Louche absinthe 74. Gjetost, or brunost 75. Roadkill 76. Baijiu 77. Hostess Fruit Pie 78. Snail 79. Lapsang souchong 80. Bellini 81. Tom yum 82. Eggs Benedict (I can’t believe I haven’t had this yet) 83. Pocky 84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant. 85. Kobe beef 86. Hare 87. Goulash 88. Flowers (some nice ones are violets, roses & nasturtiums) 89. Horse 90. Criollo chocolate 91. Spam (Unfortunately I think I HAVE had this!) 92. Soft shell crab 93. Rose harissa 94. Catfish 95. Mole poblano 96. Bagel and lox (Had the bagel but not the lox) 97. Lobster Thermidor 98. Polenta (I just made this for the first time a few weeks ago and hope to make it again!) 99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee 100. Snake 2008-08-31T01:12:00-05:00 http://www.dandelionpath.com/index.php/jewelersbench/eco_friendly_wallpaper_remover/ http://www.dandelionpath.com/index.php/ jewelersbench/eco_friendly_wallpaper_remover/#When:00:40:00Z Well, this weekend we are removing the very LAST of the wallpaper in our house in preparation for painting! I’m very excited about this as I’ve wanted to paint for awhile. I wanted to make sure we used something healthy and eco-friendly though for taking it down. What we did was peeled off the first layer and then sprayed what was left with a vinegar & water mix. After letting it soak for a few minutes we scraped it off with a car window ice-scraper made of plastic. It worked great! We had considered renting a steamer to remove it but this worked so well I’m glad we didn’t bother with that. I can’t rave enough about vinegar! I use it for cleaning all the time too! Green Living 2008-08-31T00:40:00-05:00 http://www.dandelionpath.com/index.php/jewelersbench/book_review_i_love_dirt/ http://www.dandelionpath.com/index.php/ jewelersbench/book_review_i_love_dirt/#When:17:10:00Z Most of us (adults as well as children) don’t spend the time outdoors that our ancestors did in the past. Because of this we’ve grown rather disconnected from the wonders of nature. Research has demonstrated how beneficial being outdoors is for children’s mental & emotional well-being and yet we may still neglect this part of our lives. Jennifer Ward has put together a marvelous little book that gives all sorts of creative ways to interact with and explore our environment. Most of her suggestions are simply ways to open our eyes to the details around us. She alerts us to things we may not have noticed before. I know I especially need this. I want to spend time outdoors with my daughter but I oftentimes don’t know what I should be doing out there with her. After reading her book I now have lots of options! Most of her ideas do not require any special equipment other than the five senses. While reading, several art/craft projects did come to my mind that would compliment nicely the activities she mentions. I appreciate how the book is organized by the seasons, so you can just turn to the section that applies to you at the time. In my efforts to live a more simple yet deep life, this book will be most helpful. I plan on purchasing this as one of my primary resources for Emma’s home-school Kindergarten this year.  Green Living, Gardening, Parenting, Book Reviews 2008-08-29T17:10:00-05:00 http://www.dandelionpath.com/index.php/jewelersbench/book_review_gooses_story/ http://www.dandelionpath.com/index.php/ jewelersbench/book_review_gooses_story/#When:14:30:00Z Here in an excellent children’s book that I highly recommend. It’s the story of a goose with one leg who struggles to survive and to fit in with the other geese. I love that it’s a true story! This book is inspiring for both children and adults. I even found myself tearing up at the end! Parenting, Book Reviews 2008-08-28T14:30:00-05:00 http://www.dandelionpath.com/index.php/jewelersbench/the_importance_of_eye_contact/ http://www.dandelionpath.com/index.php/ jewelersbench/the_importance_of_eye_contact/#When:22:16:01Z Life can become so busy sometimes that we mulit-task and tend not to make eye contact when speaking. This can be especially tempting when relating to our children. But the truth is, our children desperately need to make contact with us. This is true right from birth when a baby is able to bond with his parents through their loving gazes. Through our eyes we can convey approval or disapproval. It also gives us the chance to make a connection with our kids. It shows them they’re important and that we value what they have to say. I tend to fall into the trap of multi-tasking often and have to remind myself to stop what I’m doing and give my full attention to my daughter. This is an important skill between adults as well. It can become easy to neglect sitting down with our spouses and having an eye-to-eye conversation with them. The day gets busy, we concentrate on getting our tasks done and find at the end of the day that we haven’t spent any quality time with them. May we not neglect this valuable human connection.  Parenting 2008-08-27T22:16:01-05:00 http://www.dandelionpath.com/index.php/jewelersbench/america_freedom_to_fascism/ http://www.dandelionpath.com/index.php/ jewelersbench/america_freedom_to_fascism/#When:18:02:00Z We have this idea that the government is looking out for us and exists for our benefit. I know enough about the FDA and CDC to know this is quite questionable. The idea that the IRS might also have problems didn’t come as much of a surprise to me. There is a LOT of corruption in our government I’m sad to say. There’s a lot of money in it so that explains why. Did you know we are not required by law to pay an income tax? It’s a shocker huh? I found this documentary to be very informative. As much as I don’t like politics I can’t ignore this issue. I’m currently working out what my role should now be as an American citizen. America: Freedom to Fascism - Director’s Authorized Version After watching the movie, I did some reading into this and apparently there have been many cases where people have been charged with “willful failure to file” and have been found “not guilty.” Then there are those that have been found “guilty” and have gone to prison. My question is, if the law is clear-cut about this, why are there mixed results in the courts? It’s enough reasonable doubt to make me very wary of the government’s authenticity. Activism 2008-08-27T18:02:00-05:00 http://www.dandelionpath.com/index.php/jewelersbench/blueberry_pie/ http://www.dandelionpath.com/index.php/ jewelersbench/blueberry_pie/#When:23:16:00Z This morning Emma & I went blueberry picking for the fourth time this summer. She begged me to make a blueberry pie, so I told her if she picked enough berries I would. I had already decided to make Haitian food tonight as a treat so the pie added one more treat to the evening! For the pie crust I used the recipe in “Nourishing Traditions” by Sally Fallon. I can’t recommend this book enough! If you’re at all interested in eating healthily this book is a must read! Her pie crust recipe uses butter and egg yolk instead of shortening. I love this recipe because it’s healthier and much easier to roll out.  In the Kitchen, My Life 2008-08-15T23:16:00-05:00 http://www.dandelionpath.com/index.php/jewelersbench/grape_sicles/ http://www.dandelionpath.com/index.php/ jewelersbench/grape_sicles/#When:18:22:00Z Need a healthy, easy & cool summer snack? Grape-sicles are one of my favorites! Just throw some grapes (organic is best if you can find them, but if not try to stay away from grapes grown in Chili) in the freezer and by the next day you have frozen grape treats! This is an especially great treat for kids! I’m planning on saving some to eat during my home birth in November. Yum! In the Kitchen 2008-08-15T18:22:00-05:00 http://www.dandelionpath.com/index.php/jewelersbench/wordless_wednesday_water_lily/ http://www.dandelionpath.com/index.php/ jewelersbench/wordless_wednesday_water_lily/#When:10:38:00Z Wordless Wednesday 2008-08-13T10:38:00-05:00 http://www.dandelionpath.com/index.php/jewelersbench/cravings/ http://www.dandelionpath.com/index.php/ jewelersbench/cravings/#When:00:31:00Z Have you ever found yourself craving real healthy food after eating processed junk food for a time? That’s how I feel sometimes. Lately I haven’t set aside time to be with God. I’ve tried to go each day on my own steam. It doesn’t take long before I find my focus gets off and I race towards priorities that aren’t what I truly value. I get to this point where I literally CRAVE to be in God’s presence; I miss Him! It’s like I’ve been surviving on processed canned food and can’t take it any longer. While it doesn’t immediately kill me I certainly don’t thrive on it. This brings new meaning to the saying in the Bible “Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see how good God is. Blessed are you who run to him.” Psalm 34:8 (The Message) This is SO true for me. He is SO good! Wholesome, tasty and satisfying food at last!  My Life 2008-08-09T00:31:00-05:00