Diego Jaramillo | Texas Homeowner

JARA

T E X A S Vol. 3 Issue 3

Feeling Fresh

The Farm-to-Table Trend

Spring Gardening 5 Steps to a Green Thumb

Cowboy Ciao’s Stetson Chopped Salad

Rich History & Scenery Texas Hill Country If your home is currently listed, this is not a solicitation for that listing.

Produced by UpscaleRealEstateMarketing.com • 877.660.0996

LOCAL VENUE

Get Gardening!

Texas Hill Country What is it about The Texas Hill Country that draws people to it? Is it the beautiful scenery, the rich history, or the unique attractions? The Texas Hill Country as a whole offers mysteries, discoveries, and romance that are hard to find in everyday life.

pring is here! Time to get out your gardening gloves, roll up your sleeves, and get dirty. But for those who are new to the gardening game, where to start? Follow these easy get-green tips for beginner (and experienced) botanists alike.

Take a photo … and let your imagination run wild. After you snap a few pics, bring your phone in by your computer. Imagine what favorite plants or colors you’d like to see in that space. Color is often of upmost importance when planning a garden, so try searching for “purple flowering plants” or “yellow flowering plants” to achieve the look you desire. Jot down the names of those plants that appeal to you and search for those. You’ll soon see if those do well in your area.

Source: TexasHillCountry.com

As we all try to eat more organic and healthy foods, many consumers are also paying more attention to taglines on groceries that read “no GMOs,” or genetically modified organisms. If you’re still unsure, GMOs are plants that have had their DNA altered genetically in a lab to achieve certain beneficial results, such as crops that are resistant to viruses or herbicides. The concern and ongoing debate is that little research has been done on these GMOs to see if they are healthy for consumption and if they are safe for the environment and ultimately our entire food chain.

S

Start with a clean slate. As soon as you can, get outside and pick up leftover winter debris. Sticks and leaves should all be bagged and put out by the street. Pull any lingering weeds. Now examine your gardens and determine what still looks in good shape … and what needs a major overhaul from last year.

Those looking to brush up on some history will find just that in each and every town or city they visit and those looking for a unique activity will find the same. Let’s not forget about the variety of foods The Hill Country has to offer.

snap peas, spinach, strawberries, sweet bell peppers (plus, hot peppers, kale, and collard greens).

Be a native son. It’s always best to work with native plants that thrive naturally in your zone (to determine your growing zone, log onto www.planthardiness.ars.usda.gov and enter your zip code). You can search for plants online that will do best in your particular climate or head to the bookstore to find resources on gardening in your zone.

Of course, a trip to your local nursery or garden center will be most beneficial as the experts there will know which plants will do well in your specific area, and which will not. Seeing the plants in person is always best as well.

Check your soil. Healthy plants need healthy dirt. To ensure you have that, bring a soil sample to a local gardening center or agricultural school or co-op to determine the pH level of your soil. Your plants may need additional nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium, to really thrive.

Map it out. Many garden plans can be found online—just look for a plan or map that appeals to you and is approximately the correct size for your garden. For true beginners, preplanned gardens can be delivered to your door with enough plants and variety to provide color and longlasting blooms throughout the growing season. All you have to do is dig the holes and remember to water them!

YOUR HOME

R

emember when organic foods could only be found at obscure natural grocery stores in “crunchy” college towns?

Fast forward to today and thanks to Whole Foods and other trendsetting chains, natural and organic foods have become ever-present, even vying for premier shelf space at most traditional grocery stores. Makes us wonder, what took so long?

Aren’t fruits, vegetables, and grains grown without conventional pesticides and other chemicals simply food the way nature intended it to be?

Of course, buying organic is not always possible for various reasons. What if you can only buy a few organic items each time you shop? Put these on your list of top fruits and veggies to buy organic because, according to the Environmental Working Group, they have the highest levels of pesticides: apples, celery, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, grapes, nectarines, peaches, potatoes,

With this renewed interest in how and what we eat, emerged the homegrown farm-to-table movement. Chefs around the country began preparing simple, rustic dishes with foods grown from local farms, some even from gardens right outside their own restaurant doors. You’d be wise to emulate this trend above all others, and try to keep processed foods out of your diet as much as possible (we know it can be hard when we’re all so busy!). The good news is that farm-to-table cooking employs easy, unfussy recipes that most anyone can make.

Bottom line: If you’re not on the farm-to-table bandwagon, you should jump aboard quickly. Eating freshly grown, unprocessed, and simply prepared foods is the healthiest food trend to come along in quite a while … which makes us think it’s not really a trend at all, but a return to dining the way nature intended. Here’s to your health!

Stetson Chopped Salad

LOCAL FLAVOR!

Outdoor enthusiasts might enjoy the many caverns scattered throughout the landscape or the various opportunities for camping and hiking. Artists and photographers enjoy the breathtaking views of nature, the mighty bluffs right down to the twists and turns of the many creeks and rivers.

Organically Speaking

2 oz 2 oz 2 oz 1 ½ oz ½ oz ½ oz ½ oz 1 oz

Israeli cous cous, (cooked & chilled) arugula, chopped Roma tomatoes, diced smoked salmon, diced Asiago cheese, crumbled pepitas, toasted black currants, dried sweet corn, air-dried

DIRECTIONS Combine cheese, pepitas and dried currants in a separate bowl. This Ciao ‘trail mix’ is one of the six components of the salad. In a shallow bowl, arrange the six rows with contrasting colors next to each other.

After presenting the salad, drizzle dressing on top and toss.

PESTO BUTTERMILK DRESSING ½c basil pesto 1 ea shallot, rough chop 1 cup aioli 1 cup buttermilk ½ tsp black pepper ½ ea lemon, juice only salt & pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Cowboy Ciao | CowboyCiao.com

Add first three ingredients to food processor and blend thoroughly. With motor running pour in buttermilk.

Add remaining ingredients to combine. Makes one generous pint.

LOCAL VENUE

Get Gardening!

Texas Hill Country What is it about The Texas Hill Country that draws people to it? Is it the beautiful scenery, the rich history, or the unique attractions? The Texas Hill Country as a whole offers mysteries, discoveries, and romance that are hard to find in everyday life.

pring is here! Time to get out your gardening gloves, roll up your sleeves, and get dirty. But for those who are new to the gardening game, where to start? Follow these easy get-green tips for beginner (and experienced) botanists alike.

Take a photo … and let your imagination run wild. After you snap a few pics, bring your phone in by your computer. Imagine what favorite plants or colors you’d like to see in that space. Color is often of upmost importance when planning a garden, so try searching for “purple flowering plants” or “yellow flowering plants” to achieve the look you desire. Jot down the names of those plants that appeal to you and search for those. You’ll soon see if those do well in your area.

Source: TexasHillCountry.com

As we all try to eat more organic and healthy foods, many consumers are also paying more attention to taglines on groceries that read “no GMOs,” or genetically modified organisms. If you’re still unsure, GMOs are plants that have had their DNA altered genetically in a lab to achieve certain beneficial results, such as crops that are resistant to viruses or herbicides. The concern and ongoing debate is that little research has been done on these GMOs to see if they are healthy for consumption and if they are safe for the environment and ultimately our entire food chain.

S

Start with a clean slate. As soon as you can, get outside and pick up leftover winter debris. Sticks and leaves should all be bagged and put out by the street. Pull any lingering weeds. Now examine your gardens and determine what still looks in good shape … and what needs a major overhaul from last year.

Those looking to brush up on some history will find just that in each and every town or city they visit and those looking for a unique activity will find the same. Let’s not forget about the variety of foods The Hill Country has to offer.

snap peas, spinach, strawberries, sweet bell peppers (plus, hot peppers, kale, and collard greens).

Be a native son. It’s always best to work with native plants that thrive naturally in your zone (to determine your growing zone, log onto www.planthardiness.ars.usda.gov and enter your zip code). You can search for plants online that will do best in your particular climate or head to the bookstore to find resources on gardening in your zone.

Of course, a trip to your local nursery or garden center will be most beneficial as the experts there will know which plants will do well in your specific area, and which will not. Seeing the plants in person is always best as well.

Check your soil. Healthy plants need healthy dirt. To ensure you have that, bring a soil sample to a local gardening center or agricultural school or co-op to determine the pH level of your soil. Your plants may need additional nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium, to really thrive.

Map it out. Many garden plans can be found online—just look for a plan or map that appeals to you and is approximately the correct size for your garden. For true beginners, preplanned gardens can be delivered to your door with enough plants and variety to provide color and longlasting blooms throughout the growing season. All you have to do is dig the holes and remember to water them!

YOUR HOME

R

emember when organic foods could only be found at obscure natural grocery stores in “crunchy” college towns?

Fast forward to today and thanks to Whole Foods and other trendsetting chains, natural and organic foods have become ever-present, even vying for premier shelf space at most traditional grocery stores. Makes us wonder, what took so long?

Aren’t fruits, vegetables, and grains grown without conventional pesticides and other chemicals simply food the way nature intended it to be?

Of course, buying organic is not always possible for various reasons. What if you can only buy a few organic items each time you shop? Put these on your list of top fruits and veggies to buy organic because, according to the Environmental Working Group, they have the highest levels of pesticides: apples, celery, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, grapes, nectarines, peaches, potatoes,

With this renewed interest in how and what we eat, emerged the homegrown farm-to-table movement. Chefs around the country began preparing simple, rustic dishes with foods grown from local farms, some even from gardens right outside their own restaurant doors. You’d be wise to emulate this trend above all others, and try to keep processed foods out of your diet as much as possible (we know it can be hard when we’re all so busy!). The good news is that farm-to-table cooking employs easy, unfussy recipes that most anyone can make.

Bottom line: If you’re not on the farm-to-table bandwagon, you should jump aboard quickly. Eating freshly grown, unprocessed, and simply prepared foods is the healthiest food trend to come along in quite a while … which makes us think it’s not really a trend at all, but a return to dining the way nature intended. Here’s to your health!

Stetson Chopped Salad

LOCAL FLAVOR!

Outdoor enthusiasts might enjoy the many caverns scattered throughout the landscape or the various opportunities for camping and hiking. Artists and photographers enjoy the breathtaking views of nature, the mighty bluffs right down to the twists and turns of the many creeks and rivers.

Organically Speaking

2 oz 2 oz 2 oz 1 ½ oz ½ oz ½ oz ½ oz 1 oz

Israeli cous cous, (cooked & chilled) arugula, chopped Roma tomatoes, diced smoked salmon, diced Asiago cheese, crumbled pepitas, toasted black currants, dried sweet corn, air-dried

DIRECTIONS Combine cheese, pepitas and dried currants in a separate bowl. This Ciao ‘trail mix’ is one of the six components of the salad. In a shallow bowl, arrange the six rows with contrasting colors next to each other.

After presenting the salad, drizzle dressing on top and toss.

PESTO BUTTERMILK DRESSING ½c basil pesto 1 ea shallot, rough chop 1 cup aioli 1 cup buttermilk ½ tsp black pepper ½ ea lemon, juice only salt & pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Cowboy Ciao | CowboyCiao.com

Add first three ingredients to food processor and blend thoroughly. With motor running pour in buttermilk.

Add remaining ingredients to combine. Makes one generous pint.

JARA

T E X A S Vol. 3 Issue 3

Feeling Fresh

The Farm-to-Table Trend

Spring Gardening 5 Steps to a Green Thumb

Cowboy Ciao’s Stetson Chopped Salad

Rich History & Scenery Texas Hill Country If your home is currently listed, this is not a solicitation for that listing.

Produced by UpscaleRealEstateMarketing.com • 877.660.0996