Onion and Fig Chutney

 

Ingredients

2 onions sliced

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp ginger

100ml red wine vinegar

125ml balsamic vinegar

Pinch nutmeg

Juice of whole lime

1 lemon grated and juice

1 orange zest

250g muscovado sugar

12 figs , chopped

1/3 cup raisins

Instructions

MAKE THE ONION AND FIG JAM

 Simmer sliced onions in large deep pan with oil in medium heat before they get golden brown. Then add the rest of the ingredients. Stirring every few mins for 25 min. Add raisins, chopped figs, until the onions caramelize, and the figs break down will take about 25min, Stir well. Cook mixture until it gets nice and jammy. Remove from heat, bottled in prepared bottles and cool. Set aside or store in the fridge until you are ready to use it.

Served in cheese and tomato toasted sandwich.

View from my kitchen window today, cows in the fields. Life is good.

 

"Could you just love me like this?"

 

The Road not taken

 

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10 Herbs and Spices With Health Benefits

Garlic Can Combat Sickness and Improve Heart Health, improve bone health, good for your gut, supports brain health, protect cancer, fights high blood pressure, and offers immune support. Throughout ancient history, the main use of garlic was for its medicinal properties.

Sage Can Improve Brain Function and Memory. Sage gets its name from the latin word “Salvere, which means to save”. Treats inflammation, antioxidant properties, strengthens immunity, improves bone health, menopausal care, skin care, manage diabetes, aids in digestion and manage cholesterol.

Turmeric Contains Curcumin, a Substance with Powerful Anti-Inflammatory Effects to the point where it matches the effectiveness of some anti-inflammatory drugs. Turmeric has been used in alternative medicine as a possibly effective aid in reducing blood cholesterol, reducing osteoarthritis pain, or relieving itching caused by chronic kidney disease.

Holy Basil Helps fight infections and boosts immunity, inhibit the growth of bacteria, yeast and molds. Holy basil is commonly used by mouth to help with anxiety and stress. It is also used for diabetes and high cholesterol. But there is limited scientific research to support these and other uses. Not to be confused with regular basil or Thai basil.

Cayenne Pepper Contains Capsaicin, Which Helps Reduce Appetite and May Have Anti-Cancer Properties. Cayenne pepper has been used for a variety of ailments, including indigestion, confusion, tremors, gout, fever, flatulence, sore throat, haemorrhoids, and menorrhagia in women, nausea, tonsillitis, scarlet fever, and diphtheria.

Cinnamon is loaded with antioxidants that protect your body from oxidative damage caused by free radicals. Lowers blood sugar levels and has a powerful anti-Diabetic effect. Cinnamon may improve some key risk factors for heart disease, including cholesterol, triglycerides and blood pressure.

Peppermint has been used in alternative medicine as a possibly effective aid in treating irritable bowel syndrome, breast-feeding discomfort, heartburn, migraines, tension headache and to reduce spasms during endoscopy and colon exams. Peppermint has also been used to treat nausea and recovery after surgery. However, research has shown that peppermint may not be effective in treating these conditions. Other uses not proven with research have included dental plaque, bad breath, hot flashes, pain caused by shingles, itchy skin, toothaches, infections, muscle pain, and others.

Ginger It belongs to the Zingiberaceae family, and is closely related to turmeric, cardamom and galangal. Ginger appears to be highly effective against nausea, effective against exercise-induced muscle pain, Osteoarthritis. This area of research is relatively new, but ginger may have powerful anti-diabetic properties. Chronic indigestion (dyspepsia), menstrual pain.

Fenugreek has been used in alternative medicine to treat heartburn, high cholesterol, weight loss, upset stomach, constipation, "hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis), gout, sexual problems, fever, baldness, to increase the production of breast milk, and other conditions. However, these uses have not been proven with research.

Rosemary Can Help Prevent Allergies and Nasal Congestion. The active ingredient in rosemary is called rosmarinic acid. Rosmarinic acid is a plant-based compound found in a wide variety of spices such as sage, lemon balm, oregano peppermint, thyme, basil, marjoram, perilla,  but most well known for being the active ingredient in Rosemary and Perilla Oil.

https://www.health.com/food/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22536283/

https://globalhealing.com/natural-health

https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/herbs-and-spices

A WINTER FRIEND

                                                                 

A WINTER FRIEND

AND THEN IT IS WINTER
You know the time has a way of moving quickly and catching you unaware of the passing years. It seems like yesterday that I was young, just married, and embarking on my new life with my mate. Yet in a way, it seems like eons ago, and I wonder where all those years went.

I know that I lived them all. I have glimpses of how it was back then and of all my hopes and dreams. But, here it is... the winter of my life, and it catches me by surprise... How did I get here so fast? Where did the years go and where did my youth go? I remember well seeing older people through the years and thinking that those "older people" were years away from me and that winter was so far off that I could not fathom it or imagine fully what it would be like.

But, here it is...my friends are retired and getting grey... they move slower and I see an older person in myself now. Some are in better and some worse shape than me... but, I see the great change... Not like the ones that I remember who were young and vibrant...but, like me, their age is beginning to show and we are now those older folks that we used to see and never thought we'd be.

Each day now, I find that just getting a shower is a real target for the day! And taking a nap is not a treat anymore... it's mandatory! Cause if I don't on my own free will... I just fall asleep where I sit!

And so... now I enter this new season of my life unprepared for all the aches and pains and the loss of strength and ability to go and do things that I wish I had done but never did!! But, at least I know, that though the winter has come, and I'm not sure how long it will last... this I know, that when it's over on this earth... it's over. A new adventure will begin!

Yes, I have regrets. There are things I wish I hadn't done... things I should have done, but indeed, there are also many things I'm happy to have done. It's all in a lifetime.

So, if you're not in your winter yet... let me remind you, that it will be here faster than you think. So, whatever you would like to accomplish in your life, please do it quickly! Don't put things off too long!! Life goes by quickly. So, do what you can TODAY, as you can never be sure whether this is your winter or not!

You have no promise that you will see all the seasons of your life... so, LIVE FOR TODAY and say all the things that you want your loved ones to remember.. and hope that they appreciate and love you for all the things that you have done for them in all the years past!!

"Life" is a GIFT to you. The way you live your life is your gift to those who come after. Make it a fantastic one.

Remember: "It is Health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver."

~Your kids are becoming you......but your grandchildren are perfect!
~Going out is good.. coming home is even better!
~You forget names... but it's OK because other people forgot they even knew you!!!
~You realize you're never going to be really good at anything.... especially golf.
~The things you used to care to do, you no longer care to do, but you really do care that you don't care to do them anymore.

~You sleep better on a lounge chair with the TV blaring than in bed. It's called "pre-sleep."
~You miss the days when everything worked with just an "ON" and "OFF" switch...
~You tend to use more 4 letter words ... "what?"..." when?"...???
~Now that you can afford expensive jewelry, it's not safe to wear it anywhere.
~You notice everything they sell in stores is "sleeveless?!"
~What used to be freckles are now liver spots.
~Everybody whispers.
~You have 3 sizes of clothes in your closet.... 2 of which you will never wear.

~But "Old" is good in some things:
Old Songs, Old movies ...
and best of all, our dear ...OLD FRIENDS!!

Stay well, "OLD FRIEND!"

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Roses from my garden.