FLOUR

     I made these Morning Glory Muffins yesterday.  I have wanted to try this recipe ever since I saw it a few months ago in my daughter's copy of Paleo Comfort Foods, Homestyle Cooking for a Gluten-Free Kitchen, by Julie & Charles Mayfield.

     First of all, these muffins are delicious, wholesome and naturally sweet.  Part of what makes them special are some of my favorite ingredients: grated carrot and apple, raisins, coconut, honey, cinnamon and vanilla. The bits of carrot and fruit help to make them moist and good warm or cold.

     These muffins are considered a Paleo food item because they are made from real,  unprocessed ingredients. What makes them gluten-free is the use of almond flour instead of regular wheat flour.  The texture of the almond flour is naturally different, but does not take away from the enjoyment of eating these muffins.  You may have noticed in the grocery store that the price of gluten-free flour, including almond flour, is more expensive.  If anyone is interested there is a link below that may help to cut the cost of buying almond flour/meal.  The site explains how to grind almonds to make your own product at home.

    My reasons for making the muffins have to do with my desire to eat healthier in hopes of lowering my cholesterol.  I also would like to maintain my weight, if not lose a few pounds.  Also our daughter follows a gluten-free diet and I thought learning to make this recipe would give me another food choice I could make for her when she visits.

      The first link below is by the cookbook authors and includes the entire recipe and a sweet story of its origin.  Enjoy!

Morning Glory Muffins, a Paleo/Gluten-Free recipe

For recipe:
www.paleocomfortfoods.com/recipes/morning-glory-muffins/ 


Information about almonds:
www.simplywholefoods.com/2013/09/19/4-simple-steps-to-making-your-own-almond-flour/ 

& FLOWER 

     I have some garden chores I like to complete early each spring in order for my beds, shrubs and trees to look good and grow as well as possible.  I've only worked in one bed so far thinking I had time before things began full scale blooming.  Now this week our temperatures are up and we have rain.  I look around in our town and there are flowers and blooms everywhere .  I've got to get busy!  I know I referred to these activities as chores, but to me they are necessities.  I believe many of you home gardeners probably feel the same.  Enjoy getting ready for the bloom!

These are dead stalks from lilies last summer.  I left them in this bed to provide a little more mulch or cover for the winter.  Now they need to be composted. 

Early each spring I cut back all of my liriope or lilyturf to just a couple of inches above ground.  The plants appear fuller and less like they have suffered when they do grow back.

 

This is a white Knockout Rose bush.  As you can see, there is a lot going on in this mass of shoots and branches.  I plan to prune this bush so that none of the branches are intersecting and inhibiting growth.  At least I will attempt this.  Sometimes this task is not easy with a Knockout Rose.