Foods Alive Feature Recipe & Newsletter

A GIFT FROM NATURE

Our little town of Enderby is lit up and looking very festive in the snow.  Homes are framed with bright lights, LED lights, colored lights and figures of angels, deer, sleighs, and Santa’s.  My very favorite is the little toy train perched on a roof on the highway across from The Cliff’s Café.
Home made gifts, just like preparing home cooked meals require a little advance planning. I begin squirreling different moss varieties, fungi, tree beard, pine cones, decorative bark and slivers of curly birch.  By first snowfall I have a little pile of bush treasures stacked against the house. These become the accessories for our natural Christmas arrangements. Think of being a hunter gatherer and scope out the bush trails in your area in late fall. Or take a pair of clippers on your next ski at Larch Hills.  (I can be seen pulling tree beard off with my ski poles.)  The vibrant green colour is ever so lovely when tucked between branches and pinecones.
Bare Essentials for your table centre.   

  1. Cedar boughs, pine branches, blue spruce, mugho pines (lots of the garden varieties will have pine cones attached) and sprigs of golden or blue spreading cedars.  Just check around in your neighborhood during the day and than slip out at night with a pair of clippers…  (just kidding) I ask permission and just know which friends have lovely greenery.
  2. Pine cones.
  3. A big bowl.  Ceramic or glass, or a large serving platter.
  4. A glass oil lamp chimney, or a big candle.

Step one: Place an assortment of moss in the bowl in big slabs.
Step two: Poke a few branches of greenery around the perimeter. 
Step three: Place candle or the chimney in the center.
Step four: Stand back and see where you need to place a piece of bark.
Step five: Group pine cones by threes and tuck them in a hollow with their tips up.
Step six: Place a few of your favorite ornaments in the arrangements. I love ceramic figurines or corn husk angels.
Step six: Sprinkle water over all or place outside while it snows.
Step six: Congratulate yourself have a cup of tea and make another one for a friend.

TOASTED KALE CHIPS

1 bunch of green or purple kale
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil,
you can use your favorite blend of EFA oil blends.
Pinch of celtic sea salt
1 tbsp crushed garlic (opt.)

Strip kale off the stems.  Tear into fairly large size pieces.  Sprinkle, salt, oil and garlic over the kale and toss with your fingers. 
Place on dehydrator sheets and dry for about 3 hours @ 115 degrees.
You can toast this in the oven at a low setting for about 30 minutes.   The kale turns a rich dark green colour and is an amazing crispy and savory snack.  Place a bowl on the coffee table in your t.v room and watch it disappear.  Cool and store in an airtight container.