Myths and riddles with B12 and making traditional pear jelly

One of the things in eating whole foods is that they don’t contain Vitamin B-12 (aka Cobalamin). B-12 is one of the largest and most complex vitamin currently known, and its central source is meat, eggs and fish. A slight deficiency of vitamin B-12 can lead to anemia, fatigue, mania, and depression, while a long term deficiency can cause permanent damage to the brain and central nervous system. Spooky stuff.
Read more at http://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/foods-high-in-vitamin-B12.php#slu8O7eUfquc7azH.99

 I had thought I would get my B12 from a supplement. I have second thoughts. Supplements seemed an odd choice as they are processed, manufactured,  and the whole aim of whole foods is to avoid processed foods.  The more I read about health food supplement producers they are linked to making synthetic drugs and performance enhancers so not so much my cup of tea, so to speak.

Super red berry oats with almonds

More B12 facts. An average daily intake for an adult is 2.8 micrograms (mcg). The supplements I looked at were 50mcg each which seems a bit odd for daily intake. Having read quite a bit more research,I see soy, rice, and almond milks per cup,each have 1mcg. So with breakfast smoothie or almond milk and oats, I get half what is needed each day.

Thai fish curry: aka B12 for DJ

I am not keen to fret over micrograms I have decided it is easier to eat fish once a week  or an egg here and there. Here’s the Thai fish curry I made on Friday night.

 There have been big winds during the week, and sadly I have lost yet another olive tree branch. I hate seeing this happen so I am glad I wasn’t here. So out with my trusty saw and pruning paste. Heartbreaking as this branch was laden with olives, one of the few in the North Olives of about 40 trees. Oh the pain of being a horticulturalist!

 This weekend I have cut back the raspberries and planted kale. There are still lettuces, chillies, capsicum, courgettes, herbs, lemons, mandarins and one last strawberry.  Autumn is here.

The last of our pears

Pear Jelly

I have made pear jelly using a Christine Ferber recipe via www.shesimmers.com using four of our pears. I decided to use sugar! This is an indulgence cos sugar is definately NOT vegan. So far the jelly hasn’t set even after boiling for half an hour with pectin.   So its more like pear honey! I do have this dream of making crystal clear pear jelly, where you can spoon it our of the jar - not pour it. I made it once and cant for the life of me recall what I did!

Batch number two with our final five pears. This looks better but doesn't look likely to set. Note for next year.....make like strawberry jam,use juicy pears and don't add water! Or maybe juice the pears and go from there.

Heading off to Minerva with the shovels

 The other excitement this weekend, is Minerva has at last found her feet! I made Minerva shortly after I met David and she stood proudly on our back deck. During the rennovations she was knocked over and her hair fell off, and her base broke. That was over ten years ago. At last she is standing by the eucalyptus tree with an infrastructure of concrete going down 500cm! Thank you David. 

David putting final touches with Minerva

During spring I plan to plant red poppies at her feet so in summer she will really be on show. 

Its been seven days now

And whole foods all the way. No dairy, eggs, fish, animal or bird products have passed my lips. No salt, no white flour or white sugar either. How about that! What have I noticed? Several things;

·      I am really enjoying this new way of eating

·      I have 0.5 kg lighter. Unintentional but good

·      I feel good and have lots of energy

·      I don’t have cravings and don’t feel hungry

·      I am liking eating Iranian and Turkish foods and am loving finding recipes

·      I am beginning to get a handle on the different food groups and how they go together nutritionally

·      I am enjoying black coffee!!! After being a dedicated latte drinker for many years

·      I am drinking less wine and less often

I am trawling whole food websites and collecting whole food recipes of things I am looking forward to making, and eating. This weekend I am trying a roasted tomato soup recipe Maddy had published in the Nelson Leader; go Maddy http://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/communities/9849151/Make-the-most-of-tomatoes

I think I am becoming food obsessed.

View from the cottage door

Friday night at the farm. We arrived a little later than usual this evening (6.30pm) to a beautiful still clear light autumn evening. All our hard work of the past seven years was on display. Proud moment. Here, with pictures.

the vegetable garden

Produce from the garden

Dinner is to be couscous with roasted vegetables.

the bbq chef at work

Veges roasting in the bbq

the Kale and zucchini went in last

the chopped mandarin and mint (both from the garden) ready for the couscous. I toasted some almonds, stirring all the time. The turned the heat off and added the saltanas, to warm them.

Couscous ready to eat

The onion skins were all that was left!

The roasted vegetable

A still Wairarapa evening

So far so good

I am aware of more produce in the fridge that we are ever likely to eat. Hmmm. Fresh green beans, kale, carrots, onions, an array of dips, lettuce and courgettes (from the farm), and of course the full to overflowing freezer. I am aware too that I am not eating so much. I feel full rapidly. This is a good thing, cos portion size has been a challenge for me. I get a distinct feeling of being deprived – goes back to the days when Mum served a teaspoon of scrambled egg on half a slice of toast and that was our ‘cooked’ school breakfast. When ever I am faced with a small portion of food I have felt deprived. Broken that one at last.

The good news is that I have retained my weight. I was nervous I would put on weight with all the carbohydrates. So far so good.

I have been having a series of health checks recently. Eyes, clear and good. New frames though. Teeth….no fillings. Very glad. However, my blood test have shown I have a degenerative inflammation in my left sacroiliac joint. This explains the intense back pain I have had for the past year. The good news is that all the exercise I have been doing, and now this new eating regime, are going to assist. It won’t disappear, but I can do some things to ensure it doesn’t get worse. Very pleased about that! Also assisting is this whizz of a physiotherapist a friend recommended, Stephen, who is out in Johnsonville. So I am seeing him twice a week too. In six weeks we will see if the pain has lessened. Other elements of managing this is to have super duper posture. This means two new chairs for the farm. I am looking into this! No more slouching for me!

Buckwheat pancakes with blue berries and banana

On the food front, I am grappling with how to have fresh veges for each day, yet not have to shop often. Still working that out. I have discovered three new breakfast recipes in case I get sick of the rolled oats. One with Quinoa, one with buckwheat, and one with brown rice. 

Here we go: recipe from Ohsheglows

Dinner at Charlie Noble’s. This is one hot spot. Newly opened in Wellington’s Huddard Parker building, ex tenant being the NZRFU, Charlie Noble’s is a plan, elegant, and humming with people even at 6pm. http://www.charleynoble.co.nz  This was a christmas present from D and P, so we decided to make an evening of it. They arrived around 6m and managed to get a table; a banquette so slightly away from the groups that were warmly engaged with one another as the evening progress. Five of us had gathered and began with Italian prosecco. By 6.30pm we had caught  up enough to look at the menu, and the many delightful things on offer. I could see I could immediately there were several things I could eat without asking for this or that not to be included. Phew.

I chose FENNEL salad with radicchio, whitloof, hazelnut, and pear dressed in micro-greens, then had the PIGS TAIL (without the pigs tail) which was walnuts, blueberries, mandarin, currants, faro. Both were divine. Obviously there were secret dressings which I didn’t even try to work out. Fine food and a good evening with family and friends. These dishes were beautifully presented so I now have some ideas on presentation.

There's a squirrel in the house - preparing, roasting and freezing

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Sunday 17th

I have been overtaken by desire to prepare, roast, and make whole food dishes ready for the week ahead. As I plan possible menus for the week on Maddy’s Menu plan pages.

The ingredients

I remember I have ‘the new Persian Kitchen’ cookery e-book by Lousia Shafia. Persian/Iranian (and Turkish, Middle Eastern) food includes lots of whole food recipes. The first I try is Turkish Roasted tomato and red pepper dip.

Ready to roast

I keep a pretty well stocked pantry so I do happen to have pommegranite molasses, and smoked paprika. The shallot, garlic, parsley are from my garden. Tomatoes and red peppers I bought yesterday – I just love red food – so good to go. I imagine freezing some of this for lunches and dips. This has a lush roasted smokey flavour and I plan to serve it with cauli florets and carrot sticks.

Baked eggplant for babaganoush

I have already made Maddy’s bliss balls (some in the fridge, some in the freezer and some for work). And I have babaganoush (yes the original mousewood cookbook recipe) and humus (from my Masterton neighbour Jane) which I make already and have discovered small quantities of this freeze well. I am feeling industrious and really enjoying handling fresh crisp colourful produce. 

Dishes to do

 Then I made aash-e (a bean soup with Kale), another recipe from

Assh-e simmering

Louisa Shafia's the New Persian Cookery.  Again I had all the ingredients, having bought Kale yesterday at Commonsense organics. I plan to have this for dinner this evening and wonder what David will think. So far his view is he will probably eat as usual for breakfast and lunch, and whole food dinners, if I am cooking. So far so good.