It's Arbor Day - Plant Trees!

Happy Arbor Day everyone!

Arbor day is a holiday in which everyone is encouraged to plant new trees in yards, parks, neighborhood, and communities and to care for them. It was founded in 1872 by J. Sterling Morton In Nebraska. Arbor day is a holiday to celebrate trees, and to plant and care for trees and educate others about the importance of trees. On the first Arbor Day, April 10, 1872, an estimated 1 million trees were planted. It is celebrated in the US on the final Friday of April and on various other dates around the world.

Arbor Day is also celebrated in other countries including Jordan where it is celebrated on January 15th. Variations of this holiday are also celebrated around the world such as: "Greening Week" of Japan, "The New Year's Day of Trees" in Israel, "The Tree-loving Week" of Korea, "The Students' Afforestation Day" of Iceland, and "The National Festival of Tree Planting" in India.

The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The next best time is now.
~ Chinese ProverbImage via atlantaintownpaper

No matter where or when you celebrate this holiday, Arbor day is the time to appreciate trees both for their beauty and usefulness. Whether it is educating children about trees and what their provide (papers, furniture, oxygen...) or planting a tree in your backyard it is important to preserve and conserve our environment and world.

Here is a cool application "National Tree Benefits Calculator" that is available at arborday.org/calculator that allows you to see how your trees are impacting the environment and your wallet.

And here are two crafts for children to do on Arbor Day or any day:

Create this tree using paint and corks (you can also use q-tips or just your fingers)image via The Picky Apple

Here is also a neat way to teach kids about parts of a treeimage via A Little Learning For Two

Avocados !

Avocados are native to Central and South America, where they have been cultivated for over 10,000 years. Another name for the avocado is the "alligator pear," so-called because of its alligator skin texture and pear shape. The Aztec word for avocado was ahuacatl, which means "testicle tree". One tree can produce between 150 and 500 avocados per year.

Avocados will not ripen on the tree. They must be picked from the tree to initiate ripening. The leaves supply a substance that prevents ripening. The best way to store avocados is to leave them on the tree; they will store for 7 months or more when left on a tree!

Avocados are one of only a few fruits which contain beneficial fats. They also have vitamin B,K, and E. Not only that but they also contain more potassium than bananas! Here are even more reason for why you should eat avocados: prevent prostate cancer, oral cancer defense, breast cancer protection, eye health, lower cholesterol, stroke prevention!

There are several ways you can prepare avocados, you can use them in food recipes or even as facemasks.Brazilians add avocados to ice cream and Filipinos puree avocados with sugar and milk for dessert drink. Here is a simple recipe for guacamole and a dish that Amanda's grandpa used to make.

Guacamole via allrecipes

*Guacamole:
- 2 avocados mashed
-1 small onion finely chopped
-1 clove garlic minced
-1 ripe tomato chopped
-1 lime juiced
- salt & pepper to taste

~ mix all ingredients and chill for half an hour for flavors to blend

Image via kinsfarmmarket

*Grandpa's Recipe:
- Half the avocado and remove the pit
- Fill the pit with baby shrimp
- Drizzle with olive oil and vinegar
- and eat!

Earth Day

The name and concept of Earth Day was done by John McConnell. He proposed March 21, 1970, the first day of spring in the northern hemisphere. A month later a separate Earth Day was founded which is today!

April 22nd Earth Day began in the spring of 1970 by US Senator Gaylord Nelson. While this Earth Day was focused on the United States, in 1990 Denis Hayes took it international and organized events in 141 different nations.

Earth Day reminds us we all share the same planet. Sharing Earth means taking responsibility for what we use and how we use it. It is a day to think of the environmental challenges we face and how to solve them.

There are several ways to contribute to the Earth not only on Earth Day but everyday. You can recycle, plant trees, make a birdhouse or bird feeder, learn about the environment, have a garage sale or have a swap party, or even as simple as riding your bike instead of using your car.

No matter what you do on Earth Day always "Rethink,Reuse,Reduce,Recycle" everyday.

Mint!

Although this beautiful plant can grow all year round (depending on where you grow it), it thrives best in the Spring time.

The mint, also known as mentha, is part of the Lamiaceae family and is used for many different reasons. Some use mint for medicinal purposes, especially for relieving digestion related problems such as upset stomach, nausea, vomiting, and stomach cramps. Others extract mint into oil and use it for aromatherapy or a cosmetic scent. Mint is also used in toothpaste, soap, mouthwash, and chewing gum, and is rich in Vitamin A and C and contains a number of minerals including Potassium. Mint is also used in many recipes either for garnish or for the mint flavor, it can be used fresh or dried, and is used for sweet and savory dishes. One of our favorite ways to use mint is to add it to some hot water with a little bit of lemon and let it sit for about 15 minutes, it makes such a refreshing tea whether it is hot or cold.

Mint leaves by Mignonesia

There are endless recipes and ways of using mint for dishes. A personal favorite of ours is Tabbouleh, which is a salad we both grew up eating at home and is so delicious especially because of its fresh mint flavor. It is also a very simple dish that contains either bulgur or couscous (whichever one you prefer), tomatoes, cucumbers, finely chopped parsley, MINT, onion, and garlic, and is seasoned with olive oil, lemon, and salt. In order to make the best Tabbouleh you must get only fresh ingredients! Enjoy!

Our Homemade Tabbouleh

Green Almonds and Chickpeas!

Another reason I love this time of year, actually two reasons, is because of green almonds and green chickpeas.

Green almonds have this peach-like skin and translucent substance that surrounds the nut inside. They are only available for an 8-week period, from late April to mid June, making them very special for this time of year.

Photo courtesy of Flickr user bitter-sweet

There are probably many recipes that one can use the green almond for but the way I've grown up to eat it was to dip the tip of it in some salt and that is about it. Another yummy thing to do do is after washing them very well, soak them in water and lemon for a while!

Green chickpeas are also a great snack during this season. The beige, creamy peas that we know as chickpeas are left to ripen on the plant and then shrivel into the blonde pebbles that we buy in cans or bags for the dried variety. Fresh chickpeas are picked in their infancy.  They’re still green and encased in thin pods, much like edamame (soybeans in their shells).

Photo courtesy of Flickr user bitter-sweet

The way we prepare it is after washing them well, spread them in a tray and sprinkle some lemon and salt and place them in the oven for about 20-25 minutes. And then just enjoy eating them!