split pea soup

by Jackie Patti

As with most of the dead cheap meals series, this recipe requires bone broth. While ham broth is preferred, beef broth, chicken broth or my mock broth would work also.

A small amount of ham processed from a half ham or leftovers is needed too.

Hubby insists yellow split peas are the bomb and taste entirely different from the green ones; I don't think it matters much.

Though peas don't have to be soaked in order to cook quickly, it is worthwhile to soak them anyway to remove phytic acid. And pressure cooking reduces lectins, so we wind up removing most of the anti-nutrients that the Paleo Peoples have issues with.

morning routine - broth concoction

by Jackie Patti

It might seem this morning routine stuff is very complicated, but it seriously takes me less than a half hour to do the whole thing once the initial coffee has occured.

I make the lemon water with my vitamin C, then drink that while I make my veggie juice. I drink the veggie juice while I rinse the juicer, which pretty much has to be done right away.

And then I reward myself with my broth concoction, which is almost better than the coffee. If it had caffeine, it'd be perfect. ;)

more essential tools for disabled gardening - a place to rest

by Jackie Patti

If you are disabled, particularly if you have fatigue issues, it is critically important that you have somewhere to rest near your garden.

My "table" is an old wire spool with a handy hole in the middle. I say handy because you can out an umbrella in it and aim it against the sun. I do have an umbrella, but it is currently out back at my larger garden.

My seat is just a plain metal chair on a broken paving stone so it won't sink.

Here's why you need a designated resting spot...

pinto beans and rice

by Jackie Patti

Pinto beans and rice is a Southern favorite I prepare as one of our weekly Dead Cheap Meals. Of course, it goes best with a nice hot slab of buttered cornbread.

Ham broth is the preferred bone broth, though beef broth, chicken broth or even fake broth with gelatin can be used.

You also need a small amount of ham as per my method of processing a half ham or any diced leftover ham.

morning routine - vegetable juice

by Jackie Patti

After my coffee, I then drink my lemon water with vitamin C while I prepare my vegetable juice.

I've posted about how GAPS got me into a juicing habit previously. It seems to me an easy way to get a minimal amount of veggies in no matter what I do the rest of the day.

Because even after the coffee and the semi-shock of the lemon water, I am still not a morning person, I simplify my juice system by doing most of the prep in advance.

review of Perfect Health Diet, second edition

by Jackie Patti

I guess like most real foodies, I vaguely knew about the "Perfect Health Diet" long before I got the book.

Paul and Shou-Ching Jaminet took the basic Paleo diet, added to it what they call "safe starches" (which for most people means rice and potatoes), and came up with their unfortunately-named diet.

I say it has an unfortunate name because the name itself kept me from reading this book for quite a long time. I'd think, "Sure, YOUR diet is perfect, as opposed to paleo or primal or WAPF or GAPS or AIP or Wahls' protocol or even my own diet recommendations" and the implied hubris in there bugged me.

But I think I was misreading that all this time, as the adjective "perfect" modifies "health" not "diet". My reading comprehension was way off.

Paul regularly posts on Facebook and blogs on their own site and it's quite obvious he is not full of himself, but conversely open to ideas and discussion and extremely approachable.

My mistaken aversion to the book was unfortunate for me; this is the book I'd have liked to write myself, if only I had a couple years to devote to such a project and a couple graduate students to work for me.

Not having those resources, I am grateful to the Jaminets for this book.

first three essential tools for disabled gardening

by Jackie Patti

There are a few tools that are absolutely indispensable to disabled gardening in a raised bed.

The four shown in this picture include a 2-in-1 hoe & rake, gloves, a seat and hydration.