Ella Does Squamish

2 bunches walnut-sized beets, with greens, about 10 in total

1/4 lb. good-quality slab bacon, cut into 1/2 in. dice (me:  suppose you could omit this if vegetarian)

4 cloves garlic; minced

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 lb. dry penne

4 tablespoons crumbled blue chees

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Trim and peel the beets.  Discard the stems and wash the greens.  Cut the greens into thin strips and cut the beets into 1/4 inch dice.  Cook the bacon over low heat until it is crisp.  Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon to drain on absorbent paper.  Discard the bacon fat.  Add the garlic and olive oil to the same pan.  Cook over medium heat until the garlic is pale gold.  Add the bacon and remove from the heat.  Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Add the beets to the boiling water and salt liberally.  It should taste like seawater.  Cook for 10 minutes.  Add the penne and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is very firm, about 6 minutes.  Add the beet greens and continue cooking until the pasta is tender but still firm to the bite, 3-4 minutes longer.  Drain the pasta and return to the pot.  Add the bacon and garlic mixture and stir over low heat to coat the pasta with the sauce.  Stir in the blue cheese.  Season with salt and pepper.  Serve immediately in heated bowls.  Serves 4.

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/4 tsp. sea salt

2 cups grated beets

1 1/4 cups sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

3 large eggs

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

4 1 ounce squares unsweetened chocolate

1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Place an oven rack in the centre of the oven.  Butter and flour a 9 by 13 inch baking pan.  Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together.  Beat the beets, sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla together until well combined.  Add the flour mixture to the beet mixture and beat until smooth.  Add melted unsweetened chocolate and mix until combined.  Fold in the chocolate chips.  Pour into the prepared baking pan.  Bake for 30 to 35 mins. or until toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.  Let cool to room temperature before cutting.  Makes 16 pieces.

3/4 cup desiccated, unsweetened, long shred coconut

1 1/2 teaspoon garam masala

1 pound, about 4 medium beets

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon black mustard seeds

2 dried red chiles

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger

sea salt

lime wedges

Combine the coconut and garam masala with 1/2 cup boiling water and stir well.  Peel the beets and shred them coarsely.  In a large fying pan or wok, heat the oil over medium high heat.  Add the mustard seeds and cover the pan.  When the seeds pop, add the dried red chiles, garlic and ginger.  Stir until they sizzle.  Add the grated beets and salt and mix well.  Reduce the heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally until the beets just start to turn tender.  Add the coconut mixture and continue cooking until the beets are tender.  Remove from the heat and adjust the seasoning.  Serve with the lime wedges.  Makes 4-6 servings.

1 1/2 pounds (680 g) beets, about 6 medium, peeled and chopped

1 cup (240 ml) chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon (15 ml) minced fresh ginger

5-6 cups sweetened cranberry juice, or enough juice to cover the beets by 1 inch (2.5 cm)

sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

3 tablespoons (45 ml) chopped fresh mint

1/2 cup (120 ml) sour cream

Place the beets, onions, garlic, and ginger in a large pot.  And the cranberry juice and bring to a boil.  Cover the pot, reduce to a simmer and cook for 45 minutes or until beets are tender.  Puree the soup in batches in blender.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  If the soup seems too think, thin it with a bit more cranberry juice or water.  If you are serving the soup chilled, cool and refrigerate.  If hot, bring to a simmer.  Combine the sour cream and mint.  Season to taste.  Add a dab to each serving of the soup.

Watched this documentary on DVD last night (thanks Alison).  Definately worth seeing the impact of global warming on earth.  Could not help but think about how much more could be done in this area if the resources currently deployed in war industries were re-deployed to address this issue.  For more information on the documentary see:  http://www.climatecrisis.net/aboutthefilm/

There is also an educational guide available for teachers at the above website - free!  See http://www.participate.net/educators/

A switch to compact flourescent light bulbs (CFLs) is a small change that can make a difference and these small changes add up.  For more information on CFLs see http://www.environmentaldefense.org/page.cfm?tagID=632&campaign=mts

Happened to catch this on television last night.  Here is the description of the documentary:

"Capitol Crimes"

"It’s a dizzying scope of perfidy and politics that boggles the imagination, and although Jack Abramoff and Tom DeLay have been brought down, the system remains as vulnerable as ever," says Bill Moyers. "The scale of corruption still coming to light dwarfs anything since Watergate. In one sense it’s the age-old tale of greed, but greed encouraged now by the way our system works. Deep in the plea agreements of Jack Abramoff and his cronies is the admission that they conspired to use campaign contributions to bribe politicians; campaign finance is at the core of the corruption. They took great pains to cover their tracks, and they might have pulled it off except for a handful of honest people, and the work of some enterprising print reporters, Senate investigators, and the ethics team at the department of justice. Following the money in this story leads through a bizarre maze of cocktail parties, golf courses, private jets, four-star restaurants, sweatshops - and the aura of chandeliered rooms frequented by the high and mighty of Washington."

for more information see http://www.pbs.org/moyers/moyersonamerica/capitol/index.html

http://www.dailymotion.com/visited/video/x6sfz_amazing-11-year-old