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Grow Your Own Coffee – This is How You Can Grow Your Own Coffee Plant

The sowing of a coffee plant is possible all year round. Cultivation works best with fresh seeds, which ideally can be taken from the ripe coffee berries. After they have been separated from their somewhat harder shell and the silver skin that encloses them, they can then be planted about a centimeter deep in the ground. It makes sense to plant each bean in its own pot. Head cuttings can be obtained from a coffee bush and planted directly in soil. A sufficiently warm location is important in both cases. If the plant is large enough and has adequate root development, it can be transplanted into a larger pot.

Now a mixture of soil and substrate is good for you, as constant moisture should be guaranteed. Further repotting is usually required at most every two to three years. Soft rainwater is best for watering. A slightly acidic soil, which favors growth, can be achieved by occasionally adding lemon juice. Tropical and subtropical plants such as the coffee plant from Ethiopia should also be sprayed with water every day if possible, as this allows them to absorb moisture through their leaves. Warm summer rains are good care for the shrub, which otherwise cannot tolerate outdoor temperatures. In the colder months, you should water your Coffea less, but keep the humidity as high as possible.

The coffee plant likes temperatures between 20 and 25 degrees, making it the ideal houseplant. In winter, it also tolerates slightly cooler temperatures of around 12 to 15 degrees. A significantly colder environment or drafts should be avoided. It does well in a light location, not exposed to direct or blazing sun or cramped by other plants. You can prune your coffee plant irregularly if a bushier growth is desired.

It can take a few years for the plant to flower for the first time. A brush can be used to help pollinate the flowers so that pollination occurs evenly. But then coffee cherries, the fruits of the coffee plant, also grow. The green berries turn red within 8 to 12 months and can finally be harvested. If you do not want to roast the coffee beans obtained in this way or if the yield is too low, you can of course use them as new seeds and thus increase your local plantation.

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Naked Oats: This Type of Grain is so Healthy

Naked oats are closely related to the conventional oat grain, but are considered even healthier. Here you can find out what characterizes this type of grain and how you use it.

Naked oats and regular oats: That’s the difference

Naked oats belong to the genus of oats. This is a special breeding of the type of grain in which the grain is only loosely surrounded by a very fine husk. Unlike conventional oats, the indigestible grain husk falls off completely during threshing. Hulled grain varieties such as oats or spelt, on the other hand, have to be dehusked before further processing, which can easily damage the grain. Naked oat grains (and thus the seedling) remain intact after threshing, which is why they are particularly good for germinating. Naked oats are therefore also known as sprout grains.

Despite its special properties, naked oats are rarely cultivated because the grain is more susceptible to diseases and the yields are significantly lower compared to other varieties. Cultivation areas are mainly in Central Europe, where naked oats also grow wild, as in Portugal and Greece.

Superfood Naked Oats: The Nutritional Values

Naked oats basically contain the same nutrients as classic oats, but there are larger amounts of some valuable ingredients in the grain. A study published in 2016 by the Latvian Grain Research Institute found that naked oats contain more protein, unsaturated fatty acids, fiber and beta-glucans than regular oats. According to the study, the content of vitamin E is also higher in naked oats. The carbohydrate content, on the other hand, is lower than that of classic oatmeal.

Beta-glucans have numerous health-promoting properties. According to the Society for Nutritional Therapy and Prevention e.V., they regulate blood sugar levels and keep you full for longer. In addition, according to Harvard Public Health School T.H. Chan helps to build up the intestinal flora and prevent indigestion. Dietary fibers are important for a functioning gastrointestinal system and, according to the DGE, probably prevent certain lifestyle diseases. They also keep cholesterol levels low.

At around seven grams per 100 grams, the fat content of naked oats is also slightly higher than that of normal oats and is significantly higher in comparison to other types of grain. Unsaturated fatty acids are very healthy and are needed by the body.

Davert gives the following nutritional values ​​for 100 grams of organic oatmeal:

Calories: 332 kcal
Carbohydrates 55.7g
Protein: 10.7g
Fat: 7.1g
Fiber: 9.7 g
Tip: It is best to always buy organic oatmeal, as this protects you from chemical-synthetic pesticides and supports ecological agriculture.

How is naked oat used?

Naked oats are used in a similar way to regular oats. It is most commonly found in the form of oatmeal, which can be eaten raw or cooked. Alternatively, you can also buy the grain whole and process it further, for example to make fresh grain porridge. You can also serve the whole grains cooked as a healthy side dish: let the grains soak in twice the amount of water for a few hours and then cook the oats in the soaking water until they are done. That takes about three quarters of an hour. Like classic oats, naked oats are also gluten-free, but can be contaminated with gluten during harvesting or processing – look out for the word “gluten-free” if you have celiac disease. The grain is therefore only suitable for baking to a limited extent, as the binding gluten protein is missing.

You can also enjoy naked oats in the form of sprouts. The sprouted grains taste good, for example, as a topping for muesli and yoghurt or in salads. If you want to grow oat sprouts yourself, you should definitely use naked oats, as the grain remains intact after harvest and is still viable. Sprouted oat grains contain more vitamins and minerals and are even healthier than rolled oats, according to Harvard Medical School. One of the reasons for this is that they contain little phytic acid. Phytic acid binds the minerals and prevents the body from absorbing them.

Grow your own oat sprouts: this is how you do it

First, you’ll need a sprouting jar (a jar with a strainer lid that allows air to get in and the water to drain off easily). You can find tips on how to make a sprouting jar yourself in our guide.
Add about 2 tablespoons of whole oats to the jar. Also check that the grains of naked oats are undamaged, otherwise they will not germinate. Half a cup of grains yields about a cup of sprouts.
Fill the glass with cold water, swirl and pour off the water.
After the grains are rinsed, add about three times the amount of cold water (in relation to the grains). Let the naked oats soak in a warm place for about 5 hours. A temperature of 18 to 20 degrees Celsius is ideal.
After the soaking time, discard the water and rinse the sprouts again with fresh water.
Place the sprouting jar upside down in the drainer and leave it in a bright place for about two days. You should avoid direct sunlight. Rinse the kernels with fresh water at least twice a day during the germination period.
The sprouts are ready to eat after around two to three days. Rinse again with cold water beforehand. The sprouts will keep in the fridge for about two days.

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Palmito: This is What You Should Know About Hearts of Palms

Palmito is a tropical and healthy delicacy. In this guide you will find out exactly what is behind the exotic palm hearts and how healthy and sustainable they really are.

Palmito (also known as hearts of palm) is the edible pith found at the top of the palm tree. This so-called vegetation cone forms the base for the palm fronds. The heart of a mature palm can weigh up to two kilograms. The taste of Palmito is reminiscent of a mixture of asparagus and artichokes.

Palm hearts can be harvested from different types of palm trees, e.g. from Assai, Peach or Babassú palms. All palm trees require a tropical climate and grow primarily on the banks of rivers. In 2019, Ecuador was the largest palmito producer. They were followed by Costa Rica, Peru, Bolivia and Guyana.

Palmito: General characteristics of the hearts of palms

Harvesters have to chop down the palm trees to obtain Palmito. They then remove the leaf sheaths that surround the heart. A sustainable harvest is not possible with most palm varieties. The vegetation cone usually does not grow back and the palm trees cannot continue to live. There are only exceptions for special species, such as the peach palm. Here some hearts can be harvested without damaging the palm tree. It is usually not clear to customers which palm species the Palmito comes from.

Palm trees are often not grown separately and controlled for Palmito. Instead, the hearts are obtained, for example, from dead palm trees after a jungle clearing. On the Atlantic coast of Brazil, people often illegally enter forests and harvest palm hearts.

Nutrients and Uses of Palmito

Palmito is a low-calorie and very low-fat vegetable: It contains just 28 kilocalories per 100 grams. 100 grams of palm hearts contain:

2.5g protein
4.6g carbohydrates
2.4g fiber
0.6g fat
Palmito is also rich in iron: just 200 grams of Palmito cover one to two thirds of your daily needs. Other micronutrients are magnesium, manganese, zinc, vitamin C and folic acid.

You can use Palmito raw or cooked in the kitchen. They have an aromatic, nutty taste and are suitable, for example, as an ingredient for salads, soups and wok dishes. You can also simply serve them raw with a light vinaigrette as a starter. Since they are slightly sweet, you can also use them pureed for cakes and desserts.

How sustainable are hearts of palm?

In Europe you can almost exclusively buy canned palmito in well-stocked grocery stores. As a rule, no more detailed information can be found about the growing conditions. It is also extremely difficult to get organic or FairTrade quality palm hearts. Even in online shops there is hardly any choice. Due to the lack of seals and transparency regarding social and ecological aspects in cultivation and trade, you should only use palm hearts in moderation, if at all. Because there is definitely criticism:

The environmental protection organization WWF is trying to introduce palmito in Argentina as an alternative to soy monocultures. To this end, the organization works with various small farmers. In Ecuador, however, the organization World Rainforest Movement criticizes that cultivation has led to a loss of biodiversity and more soil erosion and water pollution.
Another disadvantage is Palmito’s poor eco-balance: since they are imported from Central and South America, Palmito have to travel long distances to Germany. This causes a lot of CO2 emissions.

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Storing Cucumbers: This Way They Stay Crisp for a Long Time

If you want to store cucumbers, you should consider a few things. In this article you will learn what you need to know to keep cucumbers fresh for a long time.

Cucumbers consist of 97 percent water and are therefore relatively sensitive. If you store them incorrectly, they are prone to staining and mildew. In this article you will get many tips on how to store cucumbers properly.

Since the micronutrients are concentrated in and under the skin, you should eat cucumbers unpeeled. Therefore, use cucumbers of organic quality: they are free of chemical-synthetic pesticides.

In Germany, cucumbers are in season between June and September. During this time they are available from regional cultivation. Regional products have shorter transport routes and therefore have a smaller CO2 footprint. You can get unpackaged organic cucumbers at farmer’s markets, from direct sellers in your area or in organic boxes. You can find more information about the season of different vegetables in the Utopia Seasonal Calendar.

Storing cucumbers: You should pay attention to this

It is best to buy cucumbers unpackaged. The plastic wrap is meant to protect the cucumber. However, sometimes the cucumber starts to mold faster due to the condensation under the foil because it is packed airtight. However, opinions differ on this. You can also read online that cucumbers wrapped in plastic wrap last longer. From the point of view of environmental protection, however, unpackaged cucumbers are preferable to those sealed in plastic. More about this here: What is more sustainable: organic or unpackaged?

How to store cucumbers correctly:

Store the cucumber in a dark and cool place in the pantry or basement. Cucumbers do well at temperatures between ten and 13 degrees Celsius. Properly stored cucumbers can be kept for up to three weeks.
If you don’t have a pantry or basement, store the cucumber in the crisper of your refrigerator. This is better than storing the cucumber at room temperature. Cucumbers only last four to five days in the fridge.
Stored at room temperature, you should use cucumbers within a day or two.
Avoid storing cucumbers near apples or tomatoes. The cucumbers ripen faster due to the escaping ethylene.
Because of the high water content, you should not freeze cucumbers. The cold destroys the cell structure and the cucumber becomes mushy.

Storing Cucumbers: Store chopped cucumbers

Once you cut the cucumber, you should use it as soon as possible.

Place the sliced cucumber in a sealable container. You can also store small leftover cucumbers in a jar.
Store the container in the refrigerator and use the cucumber within a day or two.
Before the next meal, remove the dried part of the cucumber and wash it thoroughly again.

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Storing Aubergines: This Way They Stay Fresh for a Long Time

If you want to store eggplants, you should consider a few things. In this article you will find out how to recognize fresh aubergines and at what temperature you should store them.

Although aubergines are warm-loving vegetables, they can only be stored for a limited time at room temperature. We explain how to store aubergines correctly and what you should pay attention to.

Aubergines belong to the nightshade family and originally come from India. Also known as eggplant, this vegetable is very common in Mediterranean cuisine. Aubergines come in many different colors and shapes, with the dark purple version being the most well-known in this country.

If possible, use organic aubergines for cooking: They are free of chemical-synthetic pesticides and come from more sustainable agriculture. If you get the aubergines from regional cultivation, you also avoid long, energy-intensive transport routes.

Aubergines are in season in Germany between August and October. You can get unpackaged organic aubergines at farmers’ markets, directly from farmers or in organic boxes.

Storing aubergines: You should pay attention to this

When you buy eggplants, you should pay attention to the quality and degree of ripeness. A ripe eggplant has a shiny skin and is firm. If you press gently, it gives slightly. If the aubergine doesn’t yield to pressure, it’s unripe and tasteless. On the other hand, if it is too soft, it will soon spoil. Aubergines taste best when you prepare them fresh. However, you should not eat eggplants raw.

How to store aubergines correctly:

Store eggplants in a dark, cool place in the pantry or basement. Temperatures between ten and 13 degrees Celsius are well suited. Properly stored aubergines stay fresh for around three to four days.
The fridge is actually too cold for aubergines. If you don’t have a pantry or basement, you can still store the eggplants in the crisper of the refrigerator, which is better than storing them at room temperature. It is best to wrap the eggplants in paper to absorb excess moisture. Alternatively, you can place them loosely in the crisper in your fridge. Aubergines stored in the refrigerator quickly become stained and soft. You should process them within a day or two.
Eggplants stored at room temperature are best prepared on the same day or the next day at the latest.
Don’t store eggplants near apples or tomatoes. The escaping ethylene allows the aubergines to ripen more quickly.

Store sliced aubergines

You can store cut aubergines in the fridge until the next day before they spoil.

Place the sliced eggplant in a sealable container.
Keep the container in the fridge and use the leftover eggplant quickly.
Then remove the dried part of the eggplant and wash the fruit thoroughly again.
Aubergine slices turn brown in the air within a short time. It is therefore better to overcook them immediately and not to keep them raw. You can store cooked aubergine dishes in the refrigerator for two to three days.

Store eggplants in the freezer

To store eggplants for a particularly long time, you should freeze them. Eggplants can be frozen for up to nine months.

Wash the eggplants thoroughly.
Cut the vegetables into cubes.
Blanch the eggplant pieces for three minutes.
Immediately cool the vegetables in ice water.
Drain the aubergine pieces well in a hair strainer. Alternatively, you can pat them dry with a tea towel.
Place the blanched cubes in a freezer container. You can also freeze aubergines in jars.
Label the freezer container so you can remember what’s inside later.
Also write the date. This will help you keep track of your freezer.
Frozen aubergines are particularly good for soups, sauces and spreads.

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Drying Rose Hips: This is How You Can Preserve Them

If you dry rose hips, you can also enjoy the delicious vitamin bombs out of season. We will show you some methods and also tell you what is important when collecting rose hips.

Collecting rosehips: That’s what matters

Before you can dry rosehips, you must first collect them; The fresh fruit is usually not available for purchase. You can harvest rose hips from October. At this point, the small fruits are ripe enough and you can dry them easily. They will not lose quality in the coming weeks either. However, from December they can begin to ferment.

You can collect rose hips either in your garden or in nature. To be on the safe side, you should wear gloves when harvesting. You may remember school pranks and the itch a crushed rosehip leaves on your skin. With gloves you are on the safe side. Also, to avoid stains, don’t wear your best clothes.

Depending on where you collect the rose hips, you can also make sure to pick closer to the top of the bush. The lower berries are significantly more dirt and exposed to the odd dog. Never pick all the rosehips from a bush, as they are an important food source for birds in winter.

You should wash the collected rose hips thoroughly. If you like, you can cut the berries lengthways and scrape out the seeds. But that is not absolutely necessary: ​​rosehip seeds also provide many vitamins as well as valuable omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.

Drying rose hips: In the oven or in the dehydrator

You can dry rose hips either in the oven or in the dehydrator. This is the best way to go about it:

Place the washed rose hips on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or on a rack in the dehydrator. Make sure that the berries are not too close together: otherwise they will only give off the moisture to each other and it cannot escape properly. If you plan to dry a large batch of rose hips, it’s better to use multiple trays.
Set the oven or dehydrator to 40 degrees Celsius. If you’re drying the rose hips in the oven, you should also place a wooden spoon between the oven door and the oven. This will remove the moisture from the oven.
Once in the oven or dehydrator, the rose hips take about eight to twelve hours to dry, depending on their size. This time is reduced if you have already air-dried them a little beforehand.
The following applies to this method: the hotter, the faster. However, if you set the devices to more than 40 degrees Celsius, the rose hips lose valuable vitamins during drying.

Unfortunately, the energy consumption is very high due to the long time in the oven or in the vending machine. It is more sustainable to dry the fruit in the sun or on a heater. So you don’t use any additional electricity when drying. This method is also gentler on the rose hips, which means you retain more vitamins.

Drying rose hips: In the sun or on a heater

If you dry rosehips in the sun, you should choose a sheltered place – otherwise birds may snatch the fruit. You can place a fine sieve or discarded curtain over the hips to protect them, or place a fruit bonnet over them.

If you store rose hips on the heater, you have a lot less to worry about. During the autumn rosehip season, your heating is probably on anyway – and birds won’t get in your way in the apartment either. If you have pets, you should still be careful and maybe choose a high-level heater for drying. While rose hips are not harmful to dogs and cats, you want some of the fruit yourself. A nice side effect of this method is the fruity scent that develops when the rose hips dry.

Rose hips dry without an oven: Further information

If you want to air dry rose hips, it is best to place them on some newspaper or a kitchen towel on an oven rack. In this way, warm air also reaches the berries from below. With the heating method, it is sufficient if you dry the rose hips on newspaper or a cloth. The same applies here: it is better to leave a little more space between the fruits so that the moisture can really escape. Also, if the fruit touches, mold can form in those places.

The rose hips need several days to dry both on the heater and in the sun. You should turn them regularly so that they dry evenly on all sides. If in doubt, it is better to dry the rose hips a little longer. This reduces the risk of them still being damp on the inside and mold forming later.

After drying, it is best to store the rose hips in an airtight container. Store the jar in a cool, dark place, for example in a storage room or in the basement. The dried rose hips will keep for several months.

Use of dried rose hips

You can enjoy dried rose hips, for example, as a tea, as a topping for muesli or as a small snack in between. You can also make rosehip powder yourself from the dried fruit. In addition, dried rose hips are suitable as a special ingredient for smoothies or sauces. They add a great fruity component to savory dishes in particular.

In small amounts, dried rose hips are also suitable as an addition to dog food and provide your four-legged friend with important vitamins. And of course you can also simply use dried rose hips to decorate autumn or winter arrangements, Advent wreaths and the like.

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Make Matcha Tea: It Tastes Best with this Technique

Make matcha tea perfectly is considered a high art in Asia. Because green tea is very healthy and is becoming more and more popular with us. Here’s how to brew it properly.

Making matcha tea: This is how the powdered tea succeeds

Brewing Matcha tea is a little more complex than with conventional teas. In order for the tea to be nice and creamy, there are a few things to consider. Because to be able to prepare it, you need a bamboo spatula, a bamboo whisk and a matcha bowl (a set is available from **Amazon, for example).

For the matcha tea you also need:

two to four bamboo spatulas or one to two heaped teaspoons of matcha tea powder
75 ml hot water (about 80 degrees Celsius)
1. Soak bamboo whisk

The bamboo broom, called “chasen” by professionals, should be placed in warm water for a few minutes. This makes it smoother and the tea can be whipped better.

2. Matcha powder sift

Matcha tea is only available as a powder. So that no annoying lumps form during the preparation, you should first pass the powder through a fine sieve. This way you can be sure that the tea will have a nice consistency and an even taste.

3. Mix the paste

Now put the powder in the bowl. The more tea you use, the thicker and creamier the matcha tea will be in the end. Pour in some of the hot water. With the Chasen you start beating the tea into a paste.

4. Brew tea

You don’t stir the matcha tea, but open it in a W-shape. To do this, draw a W in the matcha bowl in short, quick movements. Keep your wrist as loose as possible. Gradually add the rest of the water.

5. Enjoy

The matcha tea is ready when the consistency is even and the surface is creamy. Finally, carefully guide the chasen along the inside of the bowl. Now you can enjoy the tea.

That’s why matcha tea is so healthy

Unlike classic green tea, matcha tea uses the entire leaf. During production, the tea leaf is ground and pulverized. In this way, important nutrients are retained that are lost in conventional tea during production.

Matcha tea is particularly rich in antioxidants that protect cells from free radicals. It also contains a variety of vitamins. These include vitamin B1, B2 and B3, but also vitamin C, E and K. Nutrients such as calcium, potassium and beta-carotene also make it so healthy.

Matcha tea has a distinctive green color that can vary somewhat depending on the variety. You can recognize high-quality tea by the fact that it does not taste bitter, but rather has a slight sweetness.

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Calabash: This is How You Can Plant and Use the Bottle Gourd

The gourd is a real eye-catcher in the garden because of its special shape. We will show you how to plant and use the bottle gourd.

The calabash belongs to the climbing plants and is also called bottle gourd because of its unusual shape. This shape is mainly created when the pumpkin grows hanging down. The gourd originally came from North and South America. There, the pumpkin species is not only used in various recipes. The dried skin of the gourd is good for making various vessels and even musical instruments.

Planting calabash: this is how you do it right

The bottle gourd thrives primarily in countries with a Mediterranean climate. If you want to plant gourds in your own garden, it is best to prefer seeds to plants indoors. You will find a large selection of organic seeds for the calabash in well-stocked gardening shops.

Preparing calabash from seeds: From April you can germinate bottle gourd seeds in small flower pots with a diameter of about ten centimeters. You should only plant the early seeds in the garden when there is no longer any danger of night frosts, which is usually the case at the beginning of May.

Fill the flower pots with plenty of potting soil. Make sure the soil is peat-free to protect the bogs.
Put one seed in the center of each pot and cover it with a thin layer of soil.
Then place the growing pots in a bright and warm place, for example on the windowsill. Always keep the soil slightly moist for the next few days.
After a week you should be able to see the first cotyledons. Now move the calabash seedlings to a slightly cooler spot where the temperature should be between 16 and 20 degrees Celsius.
Before you plant the little bottle gourds in the garden, you should harden them off a bit. To do this, place the pots outside on warmer days.

Before you plant the calabash in the natural garden or vegetable garden, you should observe the following information:

The right location: A sunny and warm location is a must if you want to successfully establish the bottle gourd in your garden. For example, a garden bed in front of a hedge or a stable fence is best. Especially the latter can be a practical climbing aid for climbing plants.
The right soil: gourds need a lot of nutrients to develop their fruit. You should therefore dig up the soil at the location one to two weeks beforehand and dig up plenty of compost under the soil.
Planting calabash in the garden:

First dig sufficiently large planting holes for the young gourds. Leave at least 40 centimeters between each hole.
Lay a drainage layer of pebbles at the bottom of the holes so that the irrigation water runs off better later.
Now place the pumpkin plants that you have brought forward in the holes and fill everything back up with soil.
Finally, water the gourds with plenty of rainwater.

Proper care for the gourd

The bottle gourd is quite undemanding in its care and therefore also well suited for gardening beginners: inside. So that you can bring in the first successful pumpkin harvest from the end of August, you should consider the following tips:

Watering: Even if the gourd needs a lot of water, you should definitely avoid waterlogging. Especially on hot summer days you have to water the pumpkin plant, preferably in the cooler evening hours. Always aim the water jet directly at the roots, because wet leaves and flowers can quickly become moldy. You can also mulch calabashes from mid to late June so that the soil at the location retains moisture better.
Fertilizer: In order to be able to develop its flowers and fruits properly, the bottle gourd needs many additional nutrients. Therefore, enrich the soil at the site with compost every two weeks if possible. Horn shavings or plant manure are just as suitable as fertilizer.
Climbing aids: Even though gourds are climbing plants, they need some support to climb up. Therefore, put a stable climbing aid in the ground shortly after the harvest, to which you can tie the pumpkin plant.
Be stingy: The fewer flowers there are on your pumpkin plant, the larger the fruits that will later develop from them. So if you want to grow particularly large bottle gourds, you should remove some flowers. Concentrate on the first flowers at the ends of the shoots.
Harvesting: When the annual pumpkin plant slowly begins to wither at the end of August, you can harvest the bottle gourds. If you want to be on the safe side, you can tap the pumpkin’s skin lightly. If the tone sounds dull and hollow, the calabash is ripe. In the last few weeks before harvest, you should protect the pumpkins from the blazing sun with a damp cloth. This will prevent the shell from getting unsightly cracks.

You can use the bottle gourd in so many different ways

In their countries of origin, the calabash has long been used as a container for liquids or even as a musical instrument. If you want to paint and carve the gourds, the first thing to do after harvest is to dry them.

Drying and processing bottle gourd:

Find a warm, dry place for the gourds where they can air dry. Do not use additional heat sources such as fan heaters.
Place pumpkins that will stand on their own on a firm cloth-lined surface.
All other gourds should be hung up by tying some gardening raffia around the neck.
As soon as the seeds rattle loudly when you shake them, the pumpkin is dry.

You can process the dried bottle gourd into various items:

drinking bottles
vases
lamps
Musical instruments for children, for example rattles

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Frothing Almond Milk: This is How It Works

Unlike soy milk, for example, almond milk does not froth well. But with a few tricks or special barista versions, it still works. We will explain to you what is important when it comes to almond milk foam.

Almond milk is particularly popular among allergy sufferers because it is free of lactose, soy protein, milk protein and gluten. However, due to the cultivation of almonds, almond milk is not the most environmentally friendly milk alternative. Because of the taste, many still use almond milk. The problem: it usually doesn’t foam well because it lacks enough fat and protein.

There are now special barista versions of almond milk on the market that are suitable for frothing. We present selected products to you. We will also explain how you can make your own almond milk and how you can use a few ingredients to make it a barista edition.

Froth almond milk – you can do it with special products

In general, normal almond milk is not well suited for “latte-style” coffee: either it cannot be frothed at all or it forms unpleasant flakes in the coffee.

In the meantime, however, the trade has followed suit and offers some barista versions of almond milk that are especially suitable for frothing. However, most of these products contain additives and are not available in organic quality:

For example, there is Joya’s barista almond milk, which contains maltodextrin, the stabilizer gellan and lecithins as well as dipotassium phosphate as an acid regulator.
Alpro also has a barista almond milk in its range, but it also contains other additives: In addition to sugar, fructose, acidity regulators and the stabilizers gellan and guar gum, it also contains flavors.
EcoMil’s barista almond milk is available in organic quality and with higher-quality ingredients: it contains cane sugar, tapioca starch, sunflower oil, pea protein, natural vanilla flavoring and the stabilizer gellan gum.
The fact that Barista almond milk products require so many additives shows that “normal” almond milk is otherwise difficult to froth. With a good milk frother, you can also achieve good results with the spelled-almond drink from Natumi or the almond drink from Alnatura. Both products contain no unnecessary additives and are available in organic quality.

The most important tip: Only cold almond milk can be frothed at all. Almond milk is best straight from the fridge.

Make barista almond milk yourself: recipe ideas

If you want to froth regular almond milk, a few other ingredients can help. As a basic ingredient, you can either use store-bought organic almond milk or make your own almond milk.

To add more proteins and fats to the almond milk and give it more stability, you can try the following ingredients:

About 50 grams of soaked cashew nuts or a heaping tablespoon of cashew butter in one liter of almond milk give the vegan milk alternative more protein and fat. Then, blend the milk in a high-speed blender and strain it through a nut milk bag. Then the almond milk can be foamed a little better.
Alternatively, you can also add vegetable cooking oil. But it takes quite a lot for that – about 90 milliliters of oil to 1 liter of almond milk. Rapeseed oil or sunflower oil are suitable.
To increase the protein content, you can add a tablespoon of protein powder to the almond milk – preferably in addition to the vegetable oil. Pea protein or hemp protein, for example, are recommended.
Additionally, you can add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of guar gum, locust bean gum, or gellan gum to almond milk as a stabilizer. This makes the almond milk creamier and easier to froth.
Tapioca starch, locust bean gum or psyllium husk powder are suitable natural thickeners.
You can also add lecithin to prevent the frothed almond milk from flaking in the coffee. This emulsifier prevents the individual ingredients from separating from each other. In addition to soy lecithin, you can also use sunflower lecithin.
It is also important that the almond milk is as cool as possible before frothing and that you use a good milk frother (e.g. from Memolife**). With the appropriate ingredients such as cashew butter, oil, protein powder and stabilizer, the almond milk should also be frothed with an ordinary mini milk frother.

Alternatively, you can also switch to another plant-based milk as a milk substitute: soy milk and spelled milk are particularly easy to froth. Oat milk is also available in selected barista editions that use few additives.

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Cooking Tips

Open and Core the Pomegranate – This is How It Works Without Mess

Opening a pomegranate doesn’t seem that easy. We’ll show you how to open and core a pomegranate without the mess – and thus benefit from the vitamins and minerals it contains.

Perhaps you have left numerous stains on your clothes or on the wall when opening a pomegranate. The bulging pomegranate seeds explode when you try to loosen them from the shell; stubborn red stains on clothing, furniture and walls are therefore not uncommon.

We’ll show you two methods on how to open and core the pomegranate – without any mess.

Open and core the pomegranate: the tapping method

For this you need:

a sharp knife
a spoon
a bowl
cutting board
With this method, you place the pomegranate on a cutting board and carefully cut it in half with a sharp knife.
Take one half and hold it cut-side down over the bowl.
Use the round side of the spoon to tap the shell vigorously (!) until all the seeds have come loose. This way the kernels won’t get crushed and will keep their shape.

Open pomegranate underwater

For this you need:

a sharp knife
a cutting board
a bowl of cold water
Halve the pomegranate with the knife.
Hold one half in the water.
There you carefully remove the cores with your fingers. Should a core explode due to the pressure when removing it, the water prevents the hard-to-remove juice from sticking to the wall and clothing.

Pomegranate: ruby red vitamin bomb

Once you have opened the pomegranate, its ruby-like pits are not only beautiful to look at, they are also very healthy. This is due to the ingredients, which – as with pineapple or cranberries – not only have an anti-inflammatory effect, but also have an antioxidant effect. You can enjoy the seeds, which are 85 percent water, raw or process them into juice.

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