Happy Lammas Day!

In Minnesota, we jam so much activity into these few short months of summer that it seems as soon as we have a moment to breathe, there's already frost on the ground. I'm sure I'm not the only one who turned the page of the calendar today, totally amazed that it's already August first!

In my garden, we're picking beans, zucchini, and a second round of sugar snap peas that have been appearing on the otherwise dead-looking vines as if by magic. The kale is still going strong, even after repeated pickings that started in May, and we're getting our first few tomatoes. On the whole, my garden has fulfilled my needs: I've been able to supplement our meals with fresh, pesticide-free produce that has been doted on from seed to harvest, and it's been providing me with the "soil time" I need: giving me the satisfaction of tending the tiny piece of land that's been entrusted to me.

However, this garden of also mine serves as a reminder of the fact that I am not, and probably never will be, capable of feeding myself on what I alone can produce. To keep a garden that would sustain just myself and my husband might be possible on our city lot, but to manage all of the logistics would mean a major lifestyle change for one of us, unless I can find a job that will let me take days off for all the canning, planting, drying and harvesting that would be required to see us through the winter.

Today is Lammas, the pre-Christian holiday celebrating the official start of the harvest season. Regardless of your faith, I think it's a great day to pay homage to the food we eat, and everything that goes into bringing that food from seed to table. The sad reality is, most of us wouldn't know how to feed ourselves if society suddenly collapsed one day; many of us don't pay much mind to the food we're putting in our mouths at any given mealtime. But even that bag of Doritos started as an ear of corn, which relied on soil, sun, and water to grow. Even though it might feel weird to say "grace" over a bowl of Doritos, the delicate balance that allows life to exist on this planet is worth being thankful for.

Chinese Medicine is based on Taosim, which teaches us that we are all part of one great reality; things cannot and should not be separated. By this logic, whatever we do to the earth is the same thing we do to our own bodies. Today is a day to remember that, especially as we eat. Eating mindfully and thankfully also helps us slow down and therefore eat less, make smarter choices, and feel more satisfied. A fresh carrot eaten on a picnic blanket beneath a shady tree will be far more pleasurable than a Big Mac scarfed down behind the wheel of your car, I guarantee it!

Bread is the traditional food of Lammas, as corn and wheat are traditionally harvested at this time. However, many people are intimidated by yeast breads, and gluten sensitivities make wheat-based breads problematic for so many. So, here's my favorite recipe for banana bread! It is (relatively) healthy, and if you're willing to add dark chocolate chips, it will satisfy your dessert craving while giving you a lot of nutritional bang for your buck!


Lammas Day Banana Bread 
(adapted from this recipe)

Dry
1 1/2 C whole wheat flour (or gluten-free alternative)
2 t baking powder
1/4 t baking soda
2 T flaxseed meal (this is the secret ingredient!)
2 T corn meal
1 t cinnamon
pinch salt

Wet
1/4 t almond extract (optional - I am obsessed with almond extract!)
1/4 C vegetable oil (can sub applesauce)
1/2 C Brown Sugar
1 C mashed bananas (about two whole bananas)
1/2 C Milk (or water)

1/2 C Chopped Nuts and/or chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350.

Mix the dry ingredients in a small bowl. 

Smash the bananas in a larger bowl and add wet ingredients, mixing until well-blended. 

Add the dry ingredients to the wet, a little at a time, mixing all the while. Add the nuts and chocolate chips if you'd like.

Pour into a greased loaf pan and bake 35-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.