Wheatless Foodie

Most the the "gluten free" foods I consume are foods that are naturally gluten free, like fruits and vegetables.  I especially like fresh, homegrown or locally grown vegetables. When our vegetable garden is producing more than we can eat fresh, I like to store the excess in the freezer.  This allows us to enjoy our fresh homegrown vegetables throughout the year.  Since we don't grow all of the vegetables we like, I also purchase commercially frozen vegetables throughout the year.  I appreciate this convenience, but there is no comparrison between the taste of commercially frozen vegetables and homegrown vegetables, even after they've been frozen. Processing the vegetables for the freezer requires submerging them in boiling water for a short time (blanching) before freezing.  This kills any bacteria that may still be on the vegetables after washing and deactivates the enzymes can cause the quality to degrade while the vegetables are in the f...

I was blessed to grow up with grandparents. Their loving care and nurturing guidance continue to influence me even now. My grandparents grew up on farms, he in Nebraska, and she in Kansas. Being unable to support their family of four on the farm, Grandpa took a job as a mechanic at Lockheed in Southern California during World War II. Grandma soon followed with their two daughters (my mother and aunt). They never returned to the farm. The farm, however, would always be a part of them. Some of my earliest memories are of Grandpa’s vegetable garden. Even in the smallest suburban backyards, Grandpa always found a spot to grow some vegetables, at least some salad greens and a few tomatoes if nothing else. Yesterday was the first day of Spring. Here in northwest Washington, it was a beautiful day to work outside. It was almost warm, nearly 60 degrees, and not raining. My long suffering husband of a farm girl wannabe spent part of the day digging up the vegetable garden so I could start...