Living Homegrown Podcast with Theresa Loe

What? We can eat the hostas??  Yep, you can - If they are grown organically, of course. In this week's episode, host Theresa Loe interviews author and foraging expert, Ellen Zachos on the subject of foraging our own backyards. Learn exactly which common garden plants are edible AND learn how to prepare those foods after you harvest. You will learn: Important safety tips when it comes to foraging, Why starting in the backyard is a good idea, Which common plants are safe (and delicious) to eat, The one plant people are shocked to learn is edible, Why eating daylilies makes you a better gardener, Which tuber flavor changes dramatically with each species, The surprising plant with 4 edible parts, Which evergreens are safe to eat and how to do it. IMPORTANT: Always be absolutely certain of a plant's identity before consuming. Many toxic/poisonous plants look similar to the safe varieties. You must be careful and not assume everything is safe until you have it properly identified. As always, you can get all the links mentioned by going to www.LivingHomegrown.com/93 as well as a full transcript of the episode. 

Direct download: 93_LivingHomegrown_Podcast.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:58pm PDT

This episode is a Q & A session featuring several listener questions and answered by host Theresa Loe. You learn: If sterilizing is necessary when bottling up homemade liqueur, The biggest worry when infusing alcohol, Which "proof" is best when making liqueur infusions, The trick to getting a clear vinegar, Is it possible to reuse the fruit of one food project for another, How does homemade Greek yogurt work and Do you need a yogurt maker or not. All that and more - Plus you can go to www.LivingHomegrown.com/92 for a full transcript and all the links and resources mentioned in the episode.

Direct download: 92_LivingHomegrown_Podcast.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:12am PDT

Learn how to enjoy all sorts of garden harvests including fruits, veggies, flowers, seeds, pods and roots. If it has a harvest, there is a way to utilize it!  In this week's episode, host Theresa Loe interviews garden designer and author Stefani Bittner about her new book Harvest. Stefani co-wrote the book with Aletha Harampolis and together they create a book that is filled with gorgeous images, delicious recipes and tons of tips for adding a harvest to your life. You learn: How to create a useful and beautiful garden, Food safety in urban gardens, How to use all parts of the plants, A recipe for making a shrub (no - not the garden shrub! The drink!), How to garden through the seasons, How easy it is to add productive plants to your landscape. PLUS...You can enter to win a free copy of Harvest simply by going to the show notes and leaving a comment!  Two winners will be chosen - so leave your comment by March 16, 2017. Also, in the show notes there is a PDF download of Stefani's special quince paste recipe. She was nice enough to share!  Just go to: www.LivingHomegrown.com/91 and the recipe and a full transcript will be waiting for you. And don't forget to leave a comment!!  Tell Theresa what productive plant you are ready to grow next!  Your comment automatically enters you to win a free copy of the book directly from the publisher. Enjoy the episode. 

Direct download: 91_LivingHomegrown_Podcast.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:12pm PDT

This episode is all about flavor enhancers. It doesn't matter if you grow your own herbs or buy them fresh at the farmer's market, nothing beats the fresh taste of herbs in your cooking. But sometimes, you can't have fresh herbs at your fingertips. The good news is that there ARE ways to preserve those flavors for later so that when you find yourself in a pinch - those flavors are at the ready!  Host Theresa Loe has covered preserving herbs in different ways on other podcast episodes (which are listed in the show notes). And today, she covers two more methods that you can use: Herb Salts and Herb Butters. You learn: How to preserve herb flavor in salt, The best salts to use and why, Her favorite herbs to use, Two herbs you should NOT use, Why citrus is the perfect "secret ingredient", A method for freezing herbs that is very versatile, and How to take advantage of those flavors. As always, you can get more free information, links and a full transcript at www.LivingHomegrown.com/90 as well as a free downloadable recipe sheet with the recipes of the day.

Direct download: 90_LivingHomegrown_Podcast.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:02pm PDT

1