Hello hello hello- Happy Autumn Colours,
The sun is shining and it's a crisp lovely morning out there. We're
just enjoying some morning tea on this lovely Saturday (restaurant
free- closed for the season!) morning getting ready to head out to
visit our farmer friends up at Stein Mountain Farm for the night.
Tomorrow it's off to Fountainview Academy Farm for an International
Feast and some of their lovely music. The season has slowed down
enough for farmers to get together and share stories.
Most of the harvest is in- our rooms are filled to the brink with
bright squash colours, potatoes curing, apples and pears mellowing,
tomatillos,eggplants, tomatoes, and peppers waiting preserving. We've
still carrots, sunchokes, and parsnips waiting digging (awaiting some
good frosts to sweeten them up) up and burying in our sunken sandy
space with beets and celeriacs for the winter. There's cabbages
awaiting krauting, leeks awaiting souping (and roasting and
omeleting), more greens awaiting salading (a never-ending bounty from
early spring to late fall).
Our firewood pile is ever growing, compost is still being hauled and
layered, and more garlic is being planted. We're quite excited about
this year's garlic planting. The past few years we've always produced
rather tiny bulbs of garlic- potent flavoured and excellent keeping,
though far from decent size. This year we're undertaking some rather
heavy laboured transformation of garden space. In a patch that has had
two cover crops through the season, we're preparing sunken beds.
Traditionally used for premium crops by many indigenous peoples in
semi-arid desert regions, sunken beds have many advantages over raised
beds or simply planting right in the ground. They trap more moisture
and retain it better (water that falls on the raised paths washes into
the beds), they aren't as affected by the drying winds we enjoy out
here, compost stays in the bed and doesn't fall away (like in raised
beds), the temperature is more moderated (raised beds simply bake and
dry out in our scorching environment). In preparing our garlic beds,
we're excavating clay soil from in front of our greenhouse, and
wheelbarrowing it to the garden to create raised paths. The beds (like
giant troughs) are filled with compost, forked, planted, and heavily
mulched with alfalfa hay. Excitingly, this excavation in front of the
greenhouse is bringing us closer to our dream extension sunken
greenhouse, where the insulation of the ground will keep the
temperature more regulated and allow for earlier and later crops. We
hope to heat the greenhouse with pipes running under hot horse manure,
which circulate in the greenhouse and keep it warm. Walter Harvey from
Snowy Mountain Orchards in Cawston heated a greenhouse this way last
winter where the temperature stayed to 20 degrees celsius! and
provided him with delicious salads all winter long.
This past season we already experimented with several sunken beds in
sandy new ground (where the digging was easier- the soil had never
been amended and so we simply dug a trench and piled it high for the
raised paths, then amended in the trenches) for our potatoes, corn &
beans (and volunteer tomatillos which worked wonderfully), and some of
our eggplants and peppers. All crops did great- the eggplants and
peppers had far healthier plants and produced more fruit than those
planted in raised beds! As well the sunken beds catch extra organic
matter- leaves and such. Fun fun fun.
So we're heading out next weekend to set up at a show in Kelowna
'Fabulous Finds' at Summerhill Pyramid Winery (with the most
delicious, most energetically charged organic wine we've ever
tasted!). The show happens Friday, November 5th from 4pm to 9pm, and
Saturday, November 6th, from 10 am to 4pm. The show is described by
organizer Rio Branner as showcasing 40 of the Province's best artisans
(we're honoured to have been invited!). It's sure to be a great event,
with organic wine and hors d'oerves offered, and lots of great stuff
to check out. We'll be setting up with our full selection of preserves
and tinctures, a freezer full of delicious prepared meals, fresh
baking, and of course Brandie & Char's Mountain Mommas incredibly
diverse original hand crocheted wooly goodies (toques, scarves,
mittens, slippers, creatures).
Hope to see you there!
Enjoy the lovely changing colours of autumn.
Peace,
Michael and Brandie Monkeys
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Friday, October 8, 2010
Warm Evening in the Nicola Valley
My how the weather has warmed.... the nightshades (peppers, eggplants, tomatoes) were all flowering today, hoping for summer to keep on keeping on..... We're enjoying a delayed frost with lots of treats from the garden still to munch on.
The restaurant is officially closed until the last weekend in May 2011. It was a great season, though now we're in full swing getting ready for winter.... Loads of firewood, compost hauling for the garlic to plant, cover crop planting, as well as all of the ongoing food processing. A small batch of baba ganooj was made this evening- in prior years we had more eggplants than we could handle- with this cooler summer we were left with a small fraction of the usual harvest (10% harvest on the nightshades!). Oh well- the leeks and celery, potatoes and winter squash, melons and peaches were all plentiful and delicious!
The restaurant is officially closed until the last weekend in May 2011. It was a great season, though now we're in full swing getting ready for winter.... Loads of firewood, compost hauling for the garlic to plant, cover crop planting, as well as all of the ongoing food processing. A small batch of baba ganooj was made this evening- in prior years we had more eggplants than we could handle- with this cooler summer we were left with a small fraction of the usual harvest (10% harvest on the nightshades!). Oh well- the leeks and celery, potatoes and winter squash, melons and peaches were all plentiful and delicious!
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Monkey's Spring Planting Menu
Happy plantings to you all...
The season is upon us!! Everything is wanting to grow!! The sun has warmed the soil- give it water and it'll burst to life!!
This is what we're feeling out here as we're filling our gardens with delectable veggies, herbs, fruits and flowers.... Treats for the eyes, nose, tongue, ears, and fingers. What a beautiful world that we live in...
Though our Month of May is busy planting and hauling compost, we'll be coming out to Vancouver in the first week of June, with our full menu as well as some last minute additions.... The Brocolli Raab is sizing up niceley with mixed lettuces interplanted and peas soon to come... Our salads of late are plentiful with wild and cultivated greens- Mizuna, Bok Choy, Wild and purple mustards, dandelions (and flowers!), alfalfa tips, red ruffled lettuce, pak choy, ox-eye daisy and whatever green edibles pop into the basket. We'll be sure to have fresh crisp mixed greens for our visit....
With our prepared food we use all in season and preserved organic heirloom veggies and fruits from our farm, neighbouring organic farms (including Sapo Bravo, Stein Mountain Farm, Earl's Court, and Fountainview), and from the wild.
Everything is wheat free using organic Spelt/Kamut/Rye/Corn Flour, and
organic whole grains and legumes (red quinoa, millet, buckwheat,
amaranth, barley; adzuki, navy, kidney and black beans, chickpeas;
french, green, and red lentils). We use Le Paludier unrefined Celtic
Sea Salt exclusively. All grains, beans, and nuts are prepared with
digestion and flavour in mind- always soaked overnight to remove the
phytic acid and undigestible sugars- the bean dishes cooked with kombu
seaweed and epazote. Our breads are sourdough and yeast-free, and our
baked goodies are prepared with soaked or sprouted spelt flour..... So
here's the menu:
ENTREES:
PIZZAS ~ Fresh Ground Sourdough Spelt Thin Crusted Handmade Pizzas.
Feel free to add Happy Day's Goat Feta, or Gort's Grassfed Gouda
Wildly Mushroom Medley~ A mushroom lover's delight........ wild
crafted morel & pine, certified organic shitaki & oyster, wood ear
fungus, onions, garlic & sesame atop heirloom tomato sauce.
Mediterranean Monkey ~ Thinly sliced FRESH Pomodori Vermilli tomato
(our overwinter keeper tomato), red, yellow & green sweet peppers,
onions & basil atop our rich heirloom tomato sauce.
RAVIOLI ~ Fresh milled Kamut flour, rolled out as thin and transformed
into delightful ravioli with dense sweet winter squash, sautéed
onions, and swiss chard- meltingly succulent- packs of ten
MILLET POLENTA~ delicious alternative to the traditional corn polenta
(actually, millet predates corn's arrival to Italy and likely would
have been an early polenta!). With heirloom tomato sauce, onions,
garlic, and chopped almonds. Gluten Free! 6 pieces.
SHEPHERD'S PIES~ Our version of these potato topped veggie pies- with
an Ogi crust (a fermented millet dish from africa that makes a
wonderful gluten free crust with a tangy cheese flavour! Very tasty)
In two flavours.... Half Pie orders.
~Mexican White Bean Pie- with just a touch of heat
~French Lentil Pie with veggies
MONKEY BURGERS- delicious complete protein veggie burgers-
~Zesty Spelt & Lentil Burgers with Zuchinni & Herbs 6pack
~Millet Burgers with mixed organic Nuts and Seeds. 6pack
~Mediterranean Barley & Adzuki Bean Burgers with dense winter squash.
6pack
MARINATED SALADS - A Fresh Flavour in Praise of Spring
~ Greens & Beans Salad - Kindney Beans, Fresh Spring Greens & Lacto
Fermented Green Bean & Carrot Pickles.
~Red Quinoa Tabouli - Ox-eye Daisy, Mint, Shallots, Garlic, Olive Oil
& our own Pear Cider Vinegar .
VEGGIE SIDES: Our delicious heirloom, open-pollinated & sometimes wild
veggies done
up just the way we love them!
~Spelt Stuffed Sweet Dumpling Squash- two squash halves stuffed with
sunflower seeds, whole spelt grain, and spiced just right!
~Spicy Stuffed Thai Long Eggplants ~ Whole Spelt Grain, Lentils
Onions. Bursting with flavour! 2pack
~ Sauteed WILD GREENS ~ Fresh from the earth, greens signal the fresh
growth of spring! Yumm..... add fresh panfried Mountain Monkey Goat
Paneer
~ Roasted Herb Crusted Zucchetta Wedges ~ Amazing long orange Italian
zuchinni, rolled in our Mountain Monkey herb mix & roasted to
perfection.
SOUPS, STEWS & STAND ALONE BEAN DISHES
Rich, Hearty & Delicious ~ always great with our Artisanal Sourdough
Breads. 750mL sizes.
~Smoky Amaranth Soup- with roasted anchos and tomatillos, sautéed
onions, garlic and chilies, epazote and toasted cumin.
~Summer Harvest Stew- delicious thick soup with lentils and spelt,
tomatoes and veggies...
~SEXY 6 BEAN Chili ~ A spring tradition, rich with chickpeas, black,
navy, kidney
beans, lentils, sauteed onions, garlic & mung bean sprouts.... with a
touch of heat to spice up your life!
~Potato Chowder- delicious east coast treat with navy beans, squash,
sautéed onions and garlic and herbs.
~Winter Jubilee!- A delicious purée of Roasted Squash, Beets,
Celeriac, Onions and Spices.
~French Lentil Soup- with lots of vegetables- carrots, beets, onions,
celeriac, and more.....
~Borscht- Always a favourite! With plenty of beets and flavour- rich
in iron and deeply satisfying.
~Monkey Dahl- with French, Green, and Red Lentils- spiced just right....
~Fireside Beans- A rare treat made only during the coldest days....
Beans kept cooking for several days continuously on our woodstove....
Haunting depth of flavour- Spiced with Star Anise, Cinnamon, Smoky
Pepper....
~Autumn Delight - Thick soup with Peas, tomatoes, sweet peppers,
onions, herbs and spices!
DESSERTS - All desserts are made with your better health in mind.
Freshly ground spelt flour, unrefined extra virgin coconut oil, fresh
tree ripened fruits from the farm, aluminum free baking soda, celtic
sea salt & your choice of panela (unrefined sugar), honey or fruit
sweetened. Spelt flour is either soaked overnight for your digestive
benefit, or sprouted spelt flour is used.
~ Stuffed Apples - Perhaps the last of the season.....Soaked &
dehydrated oats, MONKEY'S dried apples, cherries & pears, toasted
soaked almonds, walnuts & sunflower seeds, drizzled with coconut oil,
spiced nice & baked to golden perfection. Packs of five or eight.
~ Sour Cherry Matrimonial Squares- Full sour cherry flavour nestled
between layers of coconutty oats
~ Triple Layer Chocolate Cherry Cake - Rich, moist & delicious....
Decadant Black Cherries rest between layers of Dark Chocolate Cake.
mmmmm......
~ Strawberry Rhubarb Cake - A hallmark of SPRING. Fresh succulant
rhubarb pairs up with sweet red strawberries & toasted walnuts in this
amazing classic.
~ Monkey Cookies - Sprouted spelt flour, soaked oats, MONKEY'S dried
apricots & apples, toasted coconut, almonds, walnuts & sunflower
seeds.
~ Triple Berry Mini Muffins - Saskatoons, Black Berries & Mulberries
pair up to create this bite sized berry explosion!
BREADS & THE LIKE
~ Sun Seed Sourdough Rye - Freshly ground rye flour, cracked rye and
our year a half old sourdough culture make up this densely delicious
bread with lots of sunflower seeds. Thin sliced, it's excellent
anytime of the day. 1 or 2 pound loaves.
~ Skillet Corn Bread - Sauteed onions & chilies are baked into this
moist, freshly ground corn bread. Perfect with sexy six bean chili!
~Monkey Waffles- Whole Buckwheat and Millet are soaked overnight for
this delicious flourless and gluten-free waffle.... perfect popped
into the toaster for a snack on the run 6pk
~Granola- Prepared for maximum flavour and digestibility- Oats, nuts
and seeds are soaked overnight, then dehydrated, then mixed up with
our own dried fruits, and extra virgin coconut oil and baked to crispy
perfection- 500mL glass jar
~Berry Oat Bars- A mix of soaked oats, sunflower seeds, saskatoons,
mulberries, and strawberries... popped into the toaster oven and
topped with nut butter, these make a wonderful snack. 8pk
DELI STYLE CONDIMENTS in 250ml glass jars
~ Strawberry Salad Dressing - Brighten up your greens with this sweet
tart flavour sensation
~ Zesty Pumpkin Hummus - A Rich & Creamy Twist ....... Roasted
Pumpkin, Sunflower Seed Butter, Chickpeas, Garlic, Celtic Sea Salt,
Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Cumin & Corriander.
~ Crispy Nuts - Soaked overnight for maximum nutrient absorption &
easier digestion, then toasted to crispy perfection. A delicious mix
of certified organic almonds, walnuts, brazil nuts, sunflower seeds,
sesame seeds. Amazing out of hand or as a tasty topper for salads or
grain dishes.
~Chinese 5 spice Green Chili Paste (125ml jar)- Spicy Paste to add
kick to any stirfry, simple cooked grains, soup or whatever meets your
fancy! Spiced with Licorice Root, Orange Peel (from Buena Fortuna
Botanical Garden in Baja, Mexico!), Cinnamon, Star Anise, and
Cardamom.
~Oaxacan Style Marinated Jalapenos- Whole Jalapenos, Onions and Garlic
in Olive Oil and Apple Cider Vinegar and Spices! We even eat these
with our Savoury Style Oats for Breakfast!.... as well as lunch,
dinner, snacks....
~Preserved Cherry Tomato Mix in Extra Virgin Olive Oil with fresh
basil sprigs- Delicate and delicious over salads or topped onto cooked
grain- only a few jars made.... 500mL jars.
CROCK FERMENTED SAUCES
Beneficial lactobacilli aid in the digestion & absorption of nutrients
& improve your intestinal flora. Recommended to eat with every meal!
Probiotics at their best!
~Heirloom Tomato and Chili Sauce- A Tangy Twist on Tabasco Sauce
~ Tangy Carrot Sauce - Rich, Creamy & loaded with Beta Carotene.
Wonderfully orange & slightly spicy, we love this creation on
everything from salads to sandwiches.
Chili Powders- spice jar size
~Fire Powder (Our Dried Fifteen Chili Blend to spice up your dinner
table!) Caution- Very Addictive!
~Poblano Power Chili Powder- Full Chili flavour without the heat.
De-seeded Ancho and mixed Chili Peppers, dried Garlic, and spices
SHELF STABLE TREATS FOR THE PANTRY ....... 250ml glass jars
~Ratatouille -Sauteed onions, garlic, herbs, tomatoes, peppers &
eggplants......... reduced in the oven to creamy perfection. Tasty
spead on toast or in soups, pastas, or grain dishes.
~ Heirloom Tomato Pasta Sauce - Rich ripe tomatoes cooked down to a
thick sauce with veggies and lots of fresh basil and garlic....
~Zesty Pizza Sauce- Thick with Tomatoes and Spices- perfect for
creating your desired Pizza - available in mild or spicy
~Tomatillo Salsa- Salsa Verde- Delicious Oaxacan Style Smoky Fruity
Condiment. Excellent addition to any Bean, Grain, Veggie Side. One of
our favourites!!
~September Sunrise Salsa - A Honey sweetened Orange Tomato
salsa....... sauteed peppers, onions, garlic, chilies & spices!
Available in hot or very hot!
~October Pepper Salsa- with lots and lots of fall sweet peppers. Not too spicy.
~ Plum Sweet Cucumber Relish- The Monkeys' Cucumber mix & fresh
veggies from the Garden & sweetened with tree ripened yellow & pink
plums!
~Honey Cucumber Relish- Sweet and Tangy! Fresh picked middle eastern &
lemon cucumbers, onions, sweet & hot peppers, combined with honey,
apple cider vinegar, garlic, celtic sea salt, tumeric & cumin.
Delicious served on veggie burgers!
~Monkey Red Sauce - Thick and delicious rich tomato, apples and
spices- Try it cooked with veggies, grains, or soups OR as a
interesting dipping sauce & ketchup alternative. Available in mild,
medium, or spicy
As well we have a new batch of Reishi Mushroom Tincture- made with
locally grown certified organic Reishi Mushroom, Alberta Vodka,
andWell Water from the farm. A great stress reliever, strong
anti-carcinogen, adaptogen, and immune booster. 25mL tincture bottle.
The flavours of desert grown food is so complex and mineral rich- our gardens supply so much incredible sustenance.
Send us an email if you're interesting in tasting some of our delectable dishes....
Peace,
Michael and Brandie Monkeys
The season is upon us!! Everything is wanting to grow!! The sun has warmed the soil- give it water and it'll burst to life!!
This is what we're feeling out here as we're filling our gardens with delectable veggies, herbs, fruits and flowers.... Treats for the eyes, nose, tongue, ears, and fingers. What a beautiful world that we live in...
Though our Month of May is busy planting and hauling compost, we'll be coming out to Vancouver in the first week of June, with our full menu as well as some last minute additions.... The Brocolli Raab is sizing up niceley with mixed lettuces interplanted and peas soon to come... Our salads of late are plentiful with wild and cultivated greens- Mizuna, Bok Choy, Wild and purple mustards, dandelions (and flowers!), alfalfa tips, red ruffled lettuce, pak choy, ox-eye daisy and whatever green edibles pop into the basket. We'll be sure to have fresh crisp mixed greens for our visit....
With our prepared food we use all in season and preserved organic heirloom veggies and fruits from our farm, neighbouring organic farms (including Sapo Bravo, Stein Mountain Farm, Earl's Court, and Fountainview), and from the wild.
Everything is wheat free using organic Spelt/Kamut/Rye/Corn Flour, and
organic whole grains and legumes (red quinoa, millet, buckwheat,
amaranth, barley; adzuki, navy, kidney and black beans, chickpeas;
french, green, and red lentils). We use Le Paludier unrefined Celtic
Sea Salt exclusively. All grains, beans, and nuts are prepared with
digestion and flavour in mind- always soaked overnight to remove the
phytic acid and undigestible sugars- the bean dishes cooked with kombu
seaweed and epazote. Our breads are sourdough and yeast-free, and our
baked goodies are prepared with soaked or sprouted spelt flour..... So
here's the menu:
ENTREES:
PIZZAS ~ Fresh Ground Sourdough Spelt Thin Crusted Handmade Pizzas.
Feel free to add Happy Day's Goat Feta, or Gort's Grassfed Gouda
Wildly Mushroom Medley~ A mushroom lover's delight........ wild
crafted morel & pine, certified organic shitaki & oyster, wood ear
fungus, onions, garlic & sesame atop heirloom tomato sauce.
Mediterranean Monkey ~ Thinly sliced FRESH Pomodori Vermilli tomato
(our overwinter keeper tomato), red, yellow & green sweet peppers,
onions & basil atop our rich heirloom tomato sauce.
RAVIOLI ~ Fresh milled Kamut flour, rolled out as thin and transformed
into delightful ravioli with dense sweet winter squash, sautéed
onions, and swiss chard- meltingly succulent- packs of ten
MILLET POLENTA~ delicious alternative to the traditional corn polenta
(actually, millet predates corn's arrival to Italy and likely would
have been an early polenta!). With heirloom tomato sauce, onions,
garlic, and chopped almonds. Gluten Free! 6 pieces.
SHEPHERD'S PIES~ Our version of these potato topped veggie pies- with
an Ogi crust (a fermented millet dish from africa that makes a
wonderful gluten free crust with a tangy cheese flavour! Very tasty)
In two flavours.... Half Pie orders.
~Mexican White Bean Pie- with just a touch of heat
~French Lentil Pie with veggies
MONKEY BURGERS- delicious complete protein veggie burgers-
~Zesty Spelt & Lentil Burgers with Zuchinni & Herbs 6pack
~Millet Burgers with mixed organic Nuts and Seeds. 6pack
~Mediterranean Barley & Adzuki Bean Burgers with dense winter squash.
6pack
MARINATED SALADS - A Fresh Flavour in Praise of Spring
~ Greens & Beans Salad - Kindney Beans, Fresh Spring Greens & Lacto
Fermented Green Bean & Carrot Pickles.
~Red Quinoa Tabouli - Ox-eye Daisy, Mint, Shallots, Garlic, Olive Oil
& our own Pear Cider Vinegar .
VEGGIE SIDES: Our delicious heirloom, open-pollinated & sometimes wild
veggies done
up just the way we love them!
~Spelt Stuffed Sweet Dumpling Squash- two squash halves stuffed with
sunflower seeds, whole spelt grain, and spiced just right!
~Spicy Stuffed Thai Long Eggplants ~ Whole Spelt Grain, Lentils
Onions. Bursting with flavour! 2pack
~ Sauteed WILD GREENS ~ Fresh from the earth, greens signal the fresh
growth of spring! Yumm..... add fresh panfried Mountain Monkey Goat
Paneer
~ Roasted Herb Crusted Zucchetta Wedges ~ Amazing long orange Italian
zuchinni, rolled in our Mountain Monkey herb mix & roasted to
perfection.
SOUPS, STEWS & STAND ALONE BEAN DISHES
Rich, Hearty & Delicious ~ always great with our Artisanal Sourdough
Breads. 750mL sizes.
~Smoky Amaranth Soup- with roasted anchos and tomatillos, sautéed
onions, garlic and chilies, epazote and toasted cumin.
~Summer Harvest Stew- delicious thick soup with lentils and spelt,
tomatoes and veggies...
~SEXY 6 BEAN Chili ~ A spring tradition, rich with chickpeas, black,
navy, kidney
beans, lentils, sauteed onions, garlic & mung bean sprouts.... with a
touch of heat to spice up your life!
~Potato Chowder- delicious east coast treat with navy beans, squash,
sautéed onions and garlic and herbs.
~Winter Jubilee!- A delicious purée of Roasted Squash, Beets,
Celeriac, Onions and Spices.
~French Lentil Soup- with lots of vegetables- carrots, beets, onions,
celeriac, and more.....
~Borscht- Always a favourite! With plenty of beets and flavour- rich
in iron and deeply satisfying.
~Monkey Dahl- with French, Green, and Red Lentils- spiced just right....
~Fireside Beans- A rare treat made only during the coldest days....
Beans kept cooking for several days continuously on our woodstove....
Haunting depth of flavour- Spiced with Star Anise, Cinnamon, Smoky
Pepper....
~Autumn Delight - Thick soup with Peas, tomatoes, sweet peppers,
onions, herbs and spices!
DESSERTS - All desserts are made with your better health in mind.
Freshly ground spelt flour, unrefined extra virgin coconut oil, fresh
tree ripened fruits from the farm, aluminum free baking soda, celtic
sea salt & your choice of panela (unrefined sugar), honey or fruit
sweetened. Spelt flour is either soaked overnight for your digestive
benefit, or sprouted spelt flour is used.
~ Stuffed Apples - Perhaps the last of the season.....Soaked &
dehydrated oats, MONKEY'S dried apples, cherries & pears, toasted
soaked almonds, walnuts & sunflower seeds, drizzled with coconut oil,
spiced nice & baked to golden perfection. Packs of five or eight.
~ Sour Cherry Matrimonial Squares- Full sour cherry flavour nestled
between layers of coconutty oats
~ Triple Layer Chocolate Cherry Cake - Rich, moist & delicious....
Decadant Black Cherries rest between layers of Dark Chocolate Cake.
mmmmm......
~ Strawberry Rhubarb Cake - A hallmark of SPRING. Fresh succulant
rhubarb pairs up with sweet red strawberries & toasted walnuts in this
amazing classic.
~ Monkey Cookies - Sprouted spelt flour, soaked oats, MONKEY'S dried
apricots & apples, toasted coconut, almonds, walnuts & sunflower
seeds.
~ Triple Berry Mini Muffins - Saskatoons, Black Berries & Mulberries
pair up to create this bite sized berry explosion!
BREADS & THE LIKE
~ Sun Seed Sourdough Rye - Freshly ground rye flour, cracked rye and
our year a half old sourdough culture make up this densely delicious
bread with lots of sunflower seeds. Thin sliced, it's excellent
anytime of the day. 1 or 2 pound loaves.
~ Skillet Corn Bread - Sauteed onions & chilies are baked into this
moist, freshly ground corn bread. Perfect with sexy six bean chili!
~Monkey Waffles- Whole Buckwheat and Millet are soaked overnight for
this delicious flourless and gluten-free waffle.... perfect popped
into the toaster for a snack on the run 6pk
~Granola- Prepared for maximum flavour and digestibility- Oats, nuts
and seeds are soaked overnight, then dehydrated, then mixed up with
our own dried fruits, and extra virgin coconut oil and baked to crispy
perfection- 500mL glass jar
~Berry Oat Bars- A mix of soaked oats, sunflower seeds, saskatoons,
mulberries, and strawberries... popped into the toaster oven and
topped with nut butter, these make a wonderful snack. 8pk
DELI STYLE CONDIMENTS in 250ml glass jars
~ Strawberry Salad Dressing - Brighten up your greens with this sweet
tart flavour sensation
~ Zesty Pumpkin Hummus - A Rich & Creamy Twist ....... Roasted
Pumpkin, Sunflower Seed Butter, Chickpeas, Garlic, Celtic Sea Salt,
Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Cumin & Corriander.
~ Crispy Nuts - Soaked overnight for maximum nutrient absorption &
easier digestion, then toasted to crispy perfection. A delicious mix
of certified organic almonds, walnuts, brazil nuts, sunflower seeds,
sesame seeds. Amazing out of hand or as a tasty topper for salads or
grain dishes.
~Chinese 5 spice Green Chili Paste (125ml jar)- Spicy Paste to add
kick to any stirfry, simple cooked grains, soup or whatever meets your
fancy! Spiced with Licorice Root, Orange Peel (from Buena Fortuna
Botanical Garden in Baja, Mexico!), Cinnamon, Star Anise, and
Cardamom.
~Oaxacan Style Marinated Jalapenos- Whole Jalapenos, Onions and Garlic
in Olive Oil and Apple Cider Vinegar and Spices! We even eat these
with our Savoury Style Oats for Breakfast!.... as well as lunch,
dinner, snacks....
~Preserved Cherry Tomato Mix in Extra Virgin Olive Oil with fresh
basil sprigs- Delicate and delicious over salads or topped onto cooked
grain- only a few jars made.... 500mL jars.
CROCK FERMENTED SAUCES
Beneficial lactobacilli aid in the digestion & absorption of nutrients
& improve your intestinal flora. Recommended to eat with every meal!
Probiotics at their best!
~Heirloom Tomato and Chili Sauce- A Tangy Twist on Tabasco Sauce
~ Tangy Carrot Sauce - Rich, Creamy & loaded with Beta Carotene.
Wonderfully orange & slightly spicy, we love this creation on
everything from salads to sandwiches.
Chili Powders- spice jar size
~Fire Powder (Our Dried Fifteen Chili Blend to spice up your dinner
table!) Caution- Very Addictive!
~Poblano Power Chili Powder- Full Chili flavour without the heat.
De-seeded Ancho and mixed Chili Peppers, dried Garlic, and spices
SHELF STABLE TREATS FOR THE PANTRY ....... 250ml glass jars
~Ratatouille -Sauteed onions, garlic, herbs, tomatoes, peppers &
eggplants......... reduced in the oven to creamy perfection. Tasty
spead on toast or in soups, pastas, or grain dishes.
~ Heirloom Tomato Pasta Sauce - Rich ripe tomatoes cooked down to a
thick sauce with veggies and lots of fresh basil and garlic....
~Zesty Pizza Sauce- Thick with Tomatoes and Spices- perfect for
creating your desired Pizza - available in mild or spicy
~Tomatillo Salsa- Salsa Verde- Delicious Oaxacan Style Smoky Fruity
Condiment. Excellent addition to any Bean, Grain, Veggie Side. One of
our favourites!!
~September Sunrise Salsa - A Honey sweetened Orange Tomato
salsa....... sauteed peppers, onions, garlic, chilies & spices!
Available in hot or very hot!
~October Pepper Salsa- with lots and lots of fall sweet peppers. Not too spicy.
~ Plum Sweet Cucumber Relish- The Monkeys' Cucumber mix & fresh
veggies from the Garden & sweetened with tree ripened yellow & pink
plums!
~Honey Cucumber Relish- Sweet and Tangy! Fresh picked middle eastern &
lemon cucumbers, onions, sweet & hot peppers, combined with honey,
apple cider vinegar, garlic, celtic sea salt, tumeric & cumin.
Delicious served on veggie burgers!
~Monkey Red Sauce - Thick and delicious rich tomato, apples and
spices- Try it cooked with veggies, grains, or soups OR as a
interesting dipping sauce & ketchup alternative. Available in mild,
medium, or spicy
As well we have a new batch of Reishi Mushroom Tincture- made with
locally grown certified organic Reishi Mushroom, Alberta Vodka,
andWell Water from the farm. A great stress reliever, strong
anti-carcinogen, adaptogen, and immune booster. 25mL tincture bottle.
The flavours of desert grown food is so complex and mineral rich- our gardens supply so much incredible sustenance.
Send us an email if you're interesting in tasting some of our delectable dishes....
Peace,
Michael and Brandie Monkeys
Hello hello everybody out there,
What a wondeful time of the year we're in.... May is a busy busy time on the farm and we're loving it. We're spending each and every day out in the roasting desert sun, digging beds and planting gardens- experimenting with different methods of watering and mulching for maximum water retention with less frequent though deeper watering... We're itching to plant our first bed of early heirloom tomatoes- there's a nice mix of Jaune Flamée, Red Calabash, Golden Muscat, Isis Candy, Stupice, Persimmon, Black Russian, and Green Zebra- all bursting out of their pots and over a foot tall yikes!
We'll be planting this bed in our top garden, in between a bed of cucumbers and a bed of Zucchinis (and Zucchettas!!). We're planning to dig two trenches in a raised bed thick with compost (llama, rabbit, and chicken) and plant the tomatoes as deep as up to around their top four leaves, removing the lower leaves to allow for a larger root mass. We'll then mulch the trench with an inch of black gravel (conveniently from the base of the mountain across the road from the farm). Posts will be pounded within the bed to string up the tomatoes, pruned to three main branches. We're expecting earlier tomatoes with a greater yield and denser flavour due to less watering and more heat generated from the gravel...
Today we planted our 'Beach Pyramid' Garden- a patch composed almost entirely of beach sand! Last year we hauled compost, dug trenches, planted a variety of potatoes (purple, red, yellow and white) and mulched heavily with hay from the goat yard (mixed with precious goat compost).... The potatoes did amazingly and we enjoyed them all winter long- the rest are sprouting like crazy and asking to be planted this week....
Today after pulling up the Rye cover crop, mixing in a truckload of five year old cow compost and making terraced beds, we planted a mighty mix of roots and toots.... Beets- Golden, Chioggia, Detroit, Ruby Queen, Cylindra, and Patsy's Red; Kohlrabis- Purple and White Vienna; Carrots- Long Orange Improved, Nantes Corless, Scarlet Nantes, Amsterdam Gold, Nuova Kurota, and Purple Dragon; Radishes- French Breakfast, Easter Egg, Tasty Red, and Lo Bok; Summer Turnips- Purple Top and Goldette; and a lovely mix of flowers- Zinnias, Sunflowers, Purple Poppies, LionsMane Dagga, Angel Trumpet Datura, Cosmos, Marigolds, and Hollyhocks.... we still have a lovely Castor Bean to plant on the edge of the path to our shallow bay on the river where you can float about on a scorching summer afternoon...
The rest of the month is busy busy busy with onion planting for at least an hour every night, bed prepping, opening up new land- picking rocks and digging beds, and planting planting planting.... The greenhouse is exploding with forty-five varieties of heirloom tomatoes, twenty types of sweet peppers, more of chili peppers, eight varieties of eggplants, celery and celeriacs galore, flowers and herbs, cucumbers and melons, tree and grape cuttings and planted apricots and hazelnuts, hops and more! We keep having to move trays of plants from the big greenhouse to the little one, then outside to 'harden off'- face the wicked wind and brilliant sun...
As well we're getting ready for the Grand Opening of the new season for the Monkey in the Garden Restaurant on the farm... We'll be opening up on the Last Day of May- Sunday, May 31st. We'll be making delicious Sourdough Spelt Crusted Pizzas, Tender Salads freshly picked from the gardens with thick strawberry dressing, Goat Milk Fruit Smoothies, Triple Layer Cakes, strong fantastic Cappuccinos and lots more! There'll be a last chance plant sale (gotta plant those gardens!) and tours of the farm! It's going to be a grand event!
Until next time- Happy Planting!
Peace,
Michael and Brandie Monkeys
What a wondeful time of the year we're in.... May is a busy busy time on the farm and we're loving it. We're spending each and every day out in the roasting desert sun, digging beds and planting gardens- experimenting with different methods of watering and mulching for maximum water retention with less frequent though deeper watering... We're itching to plant our first bed of early heirloom tomatoes- there's a nice mix of Jaune Flamée, Red Calabash, Golden Muscat, Isis Candy, Stupice, Persimmon, Black Russian, and Green Zebra- all bursting out of their pots and over a foot tall yikes!
We'll be planting this bed in our top garden, in between a bed of cucumbers and a bed of Zucchinis (and Zucchettas!!). We're planning to dig two trenches in a raised bed thick with compost (llama, rabbit, and chicken) and plant the tomatoes as deep as up to around their top four leaves, removing the lower leaves to allow for a larger root mass. We'll then mulch the trench with an inch of black gravel (conveniently from the base of the mountain across the road from the farm). Posts will be pounded within the bed to string up the tomatoes, pruned to three main branches. We're expecting earlier tomatoes with a greater yield and denser flavour due to less watering and more heat generated from the gravel...
Today we planted our 'Beach Pyramid' Garden- a patch composed almost entirely of beach sand! Last year we hauled compost, dug trenches, planted a variety of potatoes (purple, red, yellow and white) and mulched heavily with hay from the goat yard (mixed with precious goat compost).... The potatoes did amazingly and we enjoyed them all winter long- the rest are sprouting like crazy and asking to be planted this week....
Today after pulling up the Rye cover crop, mixing in a truckload of five year old cow compost and making terraced beds, we planted a mighty mix of roots and toots.... Beets- Golden, Chioggia, Detroit, Ruby Queen, Cylindra, and Patsy's Red; Kohlrabis- Purple and White Vienna; Carrots- Long Orange Improved, Nantes Corless, Scarlet Nantes, Amsterdam Gold, Nuova Kurota, and Purple Dragon; Radishes- French Breakfast, Easter Egg, Tasty Red, and Lo Bok; Summer Turnips- Purple Top and Goldette; and a lovely mix of flowers- Zinnias, Sunflowers, Purple Poppies, LionsMane Dagga, Angel Trumpet Datura, Cosmos, Marigolds, and Hollyhocks.... we still have a lovely Castor Bean to plant on the edge of the path to our shallow bay on the river where you can float about on a scorching summer afternoon...
The rest of the month is busy busy busy with onion planting for at least an hour every night, bed prepping, opening up new land- picking rocks and digging beds, and planting planting planting.... The greenhouse is exploding with forty-five varieties of heirloom tomatoes, twenty types of sweet peppers, more of chili peppers, eight varieties of eggplants, celery and celeriacs galore, flowers and herbs, cucumbers and melons, tree and grape cuttings and planted apricots and hazelnuts, hops and more! We keep having to move trays of plants from the big greenhouse to the little one, then outside to 'harden off'- face the wicked wind and brilliant sun...
As well we're getting ready for the Grand Opening of the new season for the Monkey in the Garden Restaurant on the farm... We'll be opening up on the Last Day of May- Sunday, May 31st. We'll be making delicious Sourdough Spelt Crusted Pizzas, Tender Salads freshly picked from the gardens with thick strawberry dressing, Goat Milk Fruit Smoothies, Triple Layer Cakes, strong fantastic Cappuccinos and lots more! There'll be a last chance plant sale (gotta plant those gardens!) and tours of the farm! It's going to be a grand event!
Until next time- Happy Planting!
Peace,
Michael and Brandie Monkeys
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Monkey in the Garden featured in ZR's Hot Pursuit 2008
Big thanks to Zahir and Allison for bringing their group to our Restaurant!
Friday, March 20, 2009
Welcome to our Blog!
Hello fellow monkeys!
Welcome to the Monkey in the Garden blog.
We are just getting used to all this technology, but check back soon as we will be posting all kinds of fun and exciting updates from the land of Monkey in the Garden!
eee eeee aaaa aaa!
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