Creative marketing efforts come and go. Having 2 blogs and 4 FB pages and Instagram and Twitter and Linked In and SoundCloud, and on and on and on….has gotten to be too much. Focusing all my future energy on my blog at MountainGirlPhotographyandDesign.com along with its corresponding FB MGPAD fan page and Instagram.
Check out the links! Here is to streamlining and productivity!
Cheers, Becca
Screen shot of MGPAD home page.
Source: poetry
Simple Royal Icing Recipe without Dye or Corn Syrup:
-Brew a strong cup of Hibiscus Retreat Tea, cool in fridge
-Bake your favorite batch of sugar cookies
-Slowly add 2 tsp. of tea to 1/2 cup of sifted confectioners sugar.
-Stir Vigorously.
-Add 1 and 1/2 tsp. of organic vanilla or almond extract, stir.
-You will get a light pink result, if you want it darker, add a few more drops of hibiscus tea, stirring.
-Brush onto cookies, let harden (takes a little longer) OR simply drizzle icing over cookies, sprinkle with sugar.
-Brew a pot of Awesome Organic Tea and share with your loved ones.
QUICKLY WANING is the of excitement snow days once brought. Happiness for my 5 year old, and not having to bundle her up like a marshmallow to go to school. Not so much joy flowing for mama and daddy. Snow days mean plowing and shoveling and keeping everyone generally occupied; cabin fever at bay.
Snow Covered Roads Keep Us Inside Dreaming Up Tea Inspired Recipes
ENTER: Baking.
But, oh, so tired. The 5 yr old’s internal alarm clock still went off at 6:30 A.M. No sleeping in for the weary.
So pancakes it is..but how do we improve on our favorite griddle cake? Hmm. Chocolate + Tea. A personal favorite combination of mine. (TIP: melt a couple chocolate chips in a spiced rooibos this Valentine’s Day. A low-cal dessert to follow the romantic meal that can not be beat!)
Back to pancakes, try this recipe. Pancakes for adults and the kiddos will love them too!
First, brew up 16 ounces of simmered stove top chai tea, recipe here. Be sure your liquid is 1/2 water and 1/2 milk (soy milk, etc, whichever you prefer. Make a little extra to sip while you cook. Cool the rest.
PANCAKE RECIPE:
2 Cups of your favorite mix (its ok, it really is, you just brewed up some authentic chai… no need to prove anything by making your own pancake mix.)
1 local egg
1 tsp. organic vanilla extract
1 tablespoon local honey
2 cups cooled chai tea brew
Handful of chocolate chips
Organic raw coconut oil.
DIRECTIONS: Add mix to bowl. Use a small bowl to beat egg, honey and vanilla extract together, add to dry mix. Pour in cooled chai tea, stirring as you go, until you get desired pancaked consistency, a little liquid-y with lumps, may need all 16 ounces of tea. Add chocolate chips. Stir. Or get your assistant to stir.
Let the kids help!
Pour by 1/4 cup fills onto hot griddle prepped with coconut oil. (This is truly the secret to ANY special pancake made in my house) Flip when bubbly. Don’t press. Stir batter again and continue. Makes 16 medium sized pancakes. If needed…drizzle with a bit of local maple syrup. Your bliss awaits. Now you are ready for a snowball fighting/fort building/sledding extravaganza like no other!
PSST… This is the PERFECT Valentine’s Day Breakfast!!!
***Updated photo coming soon, via my new mini food photography studio!
Sipping Tea Together Can be a Very Unifying Experience
Please excuse this delayed Valentines day post. (If you are still in the mood for some chocolate and roses, then our chocolate rooibos blend is for you, and thankfully there are a few bags of Valentine Fusion still on the shelves.) I must say:
ITS NEVER TOO LATE FOR A LITTLE LOVIN’
Recently I have re-discovered this truth along with my husband, over sipping some HOT tea. It should be an herbal blend, enough to spark a little interest (in the beverage and each other) so a spiced blend is always a good option. Add an almond cookie, scone or biscotti to the tray with hot brewed Luscious Lemon, sit cozy on the sofa, and talk as you sip..who knows where it will lead??
Exploring the Streets of Old Quebec
Now this emphasis on the sofa is reflective of the current economical conditions that have many of us spending more time at home then usual. Not all of us can have a romantic foray, say in a place like Quebec City, at the most romantic french cafe nestled on the cobblestone roads of the Old City. So since we can’t all TRAVEL for real as much as we like, lets travel through tea (Traveler’s Tea, wink, wink) and make a new discovery in each other.
In the meantime, please humor me and answer this question: What is the most romantic cup of tea you ever had? Looking forward to your response.
May your cup be full with delicious organic tea & LOVE, LOVE, LOVE…
Trekker’s Reprieve, a blend of gunpowder green tea, citrus and spices, gives a smoky depth to this venison chili.
THIS IS AN AWESOME RECIPE I just developed and got the approval of the husband and the 4 year old, so I must share! Its quick and uses 1 pot! There are so many ways to incorporate the seasonal fall veggies and farmers markets finds along with delicious, healthful green tea. Best of all, this is also gluten free! The shining tea star for this recipe is Organic Trekker’s Reprieve, which adds a little somethin-somethin to the chile that you just can’t put your finger on. The smokiness of the gunpowder green tea with the spices in this blend are a perfect match for this hot dish. (Kinda like me and my hubby….)
***Looking for photos? I will be updating shortly, with photos taken in my new food photography mini-studio!
You will need the following (I used all organic or homegrown ingredients tonight).
1 tablespoon of EVOO
1 pound of ground venison provided by your strapping hunter husband if possible. (Replace with extra veggies if you are not a meat eater.)
2 Onions, chopped
2 Green peppers, chopped
2 Garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 medium squash, diced
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can red kidney beans
2 small cans of tomato sauce
2 cups of chicken (or veggie) broth
3 heaped teaspoons of Trekker’s Reprieve. (It is blended with cinnamon, orange peel and mint) Sounds crazy, but it adds an incredible flavor.
1 tablespoon of organic local maple syrup
1 tablespoon each of cumin and coriander, both ground
Salt and pepper to taste
To cook:
1. Brown onion, garlic and green pepper in olive oil. (about 10 min)
3. While veggies are browning, bring 2 cups of broth to boil, take off heat, and steep tea.
4. Push veggies to perimeter of pan, add venison and spices, brown and stir well. (another 10 min)
5. Add diced squash and cook (about 5 min)
6. Strain tea infused broth into mixture.
7. Add tomatoes and sauce, cook for 5 minutes, add kidney beans.
8. Stir in maple syrup, salt and pepper, bring to low boil then back down to a simmer.
9. Simmer for 10-15 minutes (the longer the better)
10. Serve over brown rice pasta along side a glass of fresh pressed apple cider for a gluten free, hearty, healthy, and most importantly DELICIOUS MEAL.
The label says it all….
There comes a time in one’s adult life when we must choose our health over our tastebuds. Yet there is no need to deprive ourselves of the wonderful flavors that often hide behind the gluten, sugar and fat: vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, blueberry, chocolate…
WHEN PRESENTED WITH A MORE THEN MOUNTAINOUS problem, most often a matter of the heart, my late Great Aunt Frances used to say to my mom, and other love-lorn women I’m sure, “Make a cup of tea and roll with it”.
ROLL. WITH. IT.
Move over Freud & Dr. Phil, there is a new Dr. Joyce Brothers in town! (Actually she is no longer with us, but her spirit and the memory of her is one to be reckoned with.)
Mark and I with Aunt Frances and Uncle Mike, 2003ish
Which brings me to the point. Some times problem solving is as simple as sipping a steaming cup of tea. (Organic loose tea, preferably) The act itself, brewing tea, becomes a calm inducing ritual, forcing one to chill out while waiting for the water to boil, and then another waiting period while the tea brews. These moments lend themselves to self-reflection. We slow down, get back our grasp of reality. Maybe this isn’t as big a problem as we think. Maybe the solution is a phone call away to a close friend or loving relative.
Better yet, share this ritual with a friend. Sitting across from one another, mug in hand, wrap your fingers, prayer like, around the warm ceramic, and step outside of your own troubles for a moment, focusing on the person across from you. Listen intently. Punctuate the conversation with brief sips of tea, a reprieve from the seriousness of your talk. Once the vessels have been drained of their healing liquid, you will feel better. Yes better.
Guaranteed.
Just Try It. Start Here: OrganicTravelersTea.com
Sun Parting the Clouds while Exiting the Adirondack Park
This is blog for those who sip the infamous botanical infusion (tea), and those who have yet to start, for those looking to cook just a tad more healthy for their families.
So here goes:
First lesson: Peek on the back of your latest tea purchase…is there “flavorings” or “extracts” listed at all? No matter if the word organic or all natural is in front of these tell-tale terms. What DOES matter is that this means you are no longer drinking pure tea. You are drinking tea that has been flavored with over processed agents or alcoholic extracts(and yes,these could have a “natural” base…but think of all the “natural” things of every day life that we would NEVER consider steeping in hot water and drinking for an afternoon pick-me-up). Worse yet, the big guys get huge batches of tea, SPRAY flavorings, add a few pretty fruit pieces, and make a TON of money.
Hmmm…maybe they ARE on to something.
Just Kidding. My father raised me with integrity…Back to the point, where CAN one find pure tea, with no added flavors, natural OR artificial? Its difficult. So I started blending, and eventually marketing, my own blends. Check it out: www.organictravelerstea.com The place to go for pure tea blended only with organic ingredients.
Sip in Peace!
siporganically 