sourced from the earth

Here at home, we are celebrating Mother Nature by sourcing all things local. While Kevin and I work towards sourcing our nourishment from our own backyard, for now, we are blessed to be surrounded by local farms. Our small town of Honey Brook graces us with neighbors who stock our fridge with eggs, cheese, meat, produce and greenhouse plants.

Food runs a strong parallel to our business. We believe in the power of supporting local – we find comfort in having a connection to where we spend our money. We choose to support honest humans who prosper where they are gifted. It's fulfilling to make others feel good and blossom where they are meant to be.

This Earth Day, we slow roasted a farm fresh chicken from Hartz Natural Food Store for tonight's dinner celebration. Some say buying local or organic is too expensive. For us, making the life change required a slight shift in mentality: quality vs. quantity. We keep our portions humble to keep our body and minds wholesome. Additionally, we try to use every food scrap we can. The $12 chicken roast will provide dinner while the leftovers will make chicken salad and bone broth. Tomorrow I will simmer the bones with vegetable scraps (peels from onions, garlic, carrots, sweet potatoes; the tops of celery and beets; herb and broccoli stems etc) for an all natural broth that will be used in future dinner meals or homemade soup. My lovely midwife, Kate Aseron, published a cookbook that covers the basics of bone broth making along with a slew of other hearty recipes. You can find the Kindle version here.

Tell us: what is your favorite meal to serve up?

(dinner recipes follow)

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Chicken Root Vegetables Honey Butter Rolls

Ingredients

1 whole chicken

approx 4 pounds

1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)

2 teaspoons dry mustard

1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary

1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

2 teaspoons salt, pinch of pepper

2 tablespoons melted coconut oil

1/4 cup (or more) white wine

Directions

Combine all ingredients + half of white wine to make a loose paste. Use fingers to loosen the skin from the meat gently with your fingers. Smear half of the paste inside/directly on the meat. Spread the remaining paste evenly on the skin. Pour the remaining wine into the bottom of your roasting pan.

Roast chicken at 275 degrees until skin is golden brown and thermometer registers at 165 degrees F. Let rest at room temp for 10 minutes; slice and serve.

Ingredients

(4) tri-colored carrots, washed and sliced

(2) sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced

(1) parsnip, peeled and sliced

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

3 tablespoons coconut oil

salt + pepper

2 tablespoons maple syrup

nutmeg (optional)

Directions

Combine chopped vegetables, ACV, coconut oil and salt and pepper. Roast on 350 degrees F for approximately 30 minutes, opening the oven to flip occasionally. After 30 minutes, incorporate maple syrup and nutmeg and roast for additional 5-10 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Ingredients

1 cup warm milk (110-115 degree F)

2 1/4 teaspoon yeast

1/4 cup raw honey

1 large egg + 1 egg yolk

1/4 cup of butter or coconut oil, melted slightly cooled

1/2 tsp salt

3 1/2 cup flour (King Arthur preferred)

Topping

1/4 cup butter, very soft

2 tablespoons raw honey

Directions

Pour warm milk into large bowl with yeast and allow to sit for 10 minutes. Whisk in honey, egg, egg yolk, melted butter/coconut oil. Add in 3 cups of the flour with a rubber spatula, once incorporated, add remaining 1/2 cup. Pour dough onto working surface and kneed for approximately 5 minutes. Place into greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap; place in warm environment to rise until doubled (about 2 hours)

Once dough has risen, punch down and turn out onto lightly floured surface. Using a dough cutter (or knife!) cut into approximately 16 equal pieces and roll into ball. Arrange in either circular pan or 9x13 cookie sheet. Allow them to rise for another 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and bake the rolls for 15-20 minutes. Every oven is different, so keep an eye on them! When they have browned just right, go ahead and remove from the oven.

Brush or smear the softened honey/butter mixture on top of the hot rolls. Wait a few minutes to cool and enjoy! They are an absolute family favorite here.