Way Beyond The Measuring Cup (an Irregularly composed newsletter from Charli Vogt)
Vol. 5 No. 2, Fall 2010

    Over the years the focus of my life has changed.  At first, I was a nurse and cared for people in that way.  Now I teach people how to take better care of themselves and their families.  Join me in classes, including Gluten-free cooking, Canning, Fermentation,  Making Your Own Medicine, & Nonviolent Communication. See the schedule below.
From the Kitchen to the Medicine Cabinet:
    I often teach a class called  “From the Kitchen to the Medicine Cabinet”.  This class keeps evolving as I learn new things that truly help our health and well-being. Here are some new things I’ve learned that I would like to share with you.
    Blueberries are some of the strongest antioxidant foods that exist.  How good is that news?  Antioxidants seem to prevent and treat cancer and coronary heart disease, among other things.  A ½ cup serving each day of blueberries gives you what you need.  They also provide fiber for healthy bowels.
    Collard greens are full of carotenoids, Vitamin C, Folate, Calcium, Potassium and fiber.  Nearly all of the greens are particularly good for you.  At the end of this newsletter is a recipe which allows you to hide lots of Chard in a dish even your picky eaters will love.
Nonviolent Communication: Starting September 15th, 7-9 PM
    People ask me often why “Nonviolent Communication” as taught by Marshall Rosenberg, has that name.  Why isn’t it called something like compassionate communication, or loving communication, or something else less violent?  The theory of Nonviolent communication came from Gandhi, who named his movement “nonviolent”.  Dr. Rosenberg wanted to continue this legacy.  “Nonviolence means allowing the positive within you to emerge”, says Arun Gandhi (grandson of Mohandas K. Gandhi).  Join our small practice group on Wednesday evenings to learn techniques which can help to allow your own positive within to emerge.  Wednesday evenings, 7-9 PM.  Donation from $5-12 each evening is suggested.  No one is turned away for lack of funds. 
Cooking Classes: You may find details about the classes at my website: www.BeyondTheMeasuringCup.com   
Here are the dates for this Summer and Fall
August 22nd, 1:00-3:30 PM Putting Food By: Canning Fruit and Vegetables
September 8th, 6:30-8:30 PM Cooking Once a Week
September 12th, 1:00-3:30 PM Putting Food By: Canning Fruit and Vegetables
September 30th 6:30-8:30 PM Cooking Grass-Fed Beef
October 7th, 6:30-8:30 PM Fermenting sauerkraut, and other things
October 28th 6:30-8:30 PM Making Your Own Medicine
November 17th 12:00-1:00 PM From the Kitchen to the Medicine Cabinet
November 18th, 6:30-8:30 PM Gluten Free Desserts for the Holidays
FYI:   I always need helpers for the cooking classes.  I accept the first person who contacts me.  If you volunteer you attend the class for free. Volunteering involves you being there ahead of time and staying a short time at the end of the class to help clean up in addition to assisting during the class itself.

This recipe is one of the best for packing in as many vegetables as you can and camouflaging them so that even the picky eaters will love it.
Chard Frittata (serves 4)
This is good cold as well as a supper or breakfast dish.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease an 11X7 inch Pyrex baking dish
3 T olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped       
Put olive oil in a large skillet and add onion, Cook over med-high heat until the onion is soft, about 3 min.
½ C. Pine nuts
2 large cloves garlic, minced
Add pine nuts, & garlic, cook for another minute
1 medium bunch of Swiss Chard, cut into bite sized pieces
1 green bell pepper, seeded, ribs removed, chopped (optional)
2 medium tomatoes, coarsely chopped (about 1 cup) or ½ c. canned diced tomatoes
Add Swiss Chard, green pepper, and tomatoes, and cook , stirring often, until the vegetables are tender, 8-10 minutes
4 eggs
1 t. salt
½ t. black pepper
Crack eggs into a separate large bowl and beat them with the salt and pepper (sometimes I add a little cayenne pepper). 
After the vegetables are finished cooking, temper the eggs with some of the warm vegetables from the skillet by adding the vegetables a little at a time, stirring slowly to heat the eggs after each addition.  Continue doing this until all the vegetables have been stirred into the eggs. Pour  the vegetable-egg mixture into the baking dish.
1 c. grated Monterey jack cheese (may use mild cheddar)
Sprinkle the top evenly with the grated cheese.  Bake for 15-20 minutes, until bubbles appear around the edges and the eggs are set and puffy.  Serve immediately.