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Natural Awakenings Central New Jersey

Palo-Santo-Candles

Zucchini Bacon

Jul 30, 2021 09:30AM ● By Anthony Damiano
Zucchini sliced and dehydrated to look like bacon strips

photo by Julie Peterson

2 medium zucchini
2 Tbsp grape seed oil
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp maple syrup
1 tsp liquid smoke
Pinch chipotle chili pepper powder
Freshly ground black pepper

In a large bowl, combine oil, soy sauce, maple syrup, liquid smoke, chipotle chili pepper powder and season generously with black pepper. Whisk to combine. Using a vegetable peeler or mandoline, slice zucchini length-wise into thin strips. Place strips in bowl and toss until coated in marinade. Let sit for several hours or overnight.

Place in a single layer on dehydrator trays, making sure not to overlap. Set the dehydrator to 145° F and let the strips dehydrate for 4 to 6 hours. Remove them when they are crispy. Thicker strips may take longer. Eat immediately or store in an airtight container.


Recipe by Chef Anthony Damiano at Counter Culture, in Vero Beach, Florida.


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Tick Talk

Spring officially sprung on March 21. We have turned our clocks ahead. We are looking forward to warm winds, sunny skies and the smell of fresh cut grass. The daffodils and tulips have recently bloomed and we are just starting with the yard work that comes with the warmer weather.  Sadly, another season has started ramping up.  Tick season.

•             The best form of protection is prevention. Educating oneself about tick activity and how our behaviors overlap with tick habitats is the first step.

•             According to the NJ DOH, in 2022 Hunterdon County led the state with a Lyme disease incidence rate of 426 cases per 100,000 people. The fact is ticks spend approximately 90% of their lives not on a host but aggressively searching for one, molting to their next stage or over-wintering. This is why a tick remediation program should be implemented on school grounds where NJ DOH deems high risk for tick exposure and subsequent attachment to human hosts.

•             Governor Murphy has signed a bill that mandates tick education in NJ public schools. See this for the details.  Tick education must now be incorporated into K-12 school curriculum. See link:

https://www.nj.gov/education/broadcasts/2023/sept/27/TicksandTick-BorneIllnessEducation.pdf

•             May is a great month to remind the public that tick activity is in full swing. In New Jersey, there are many tickborne diseases that affect residents, including Anaplasmosis, Babesiosis, Ehrlichiosis, Lyme disease, Powassan, and Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiosis.

•             For years, the focus has mainly been about protecting ourselves from Lyme disease. But other tick-borne diseases are on the rise in Central Jersey. An increase of incidence of Babesia and Anaplasma are sidelining people too. These two pathogens are scary because they effect our blood cells. Babesia affects the red blood cells and Anaplasma effects the white blood cells.

•             Ticks can be infected with more than one pathogen. When you contract Lyme it is possible to contract more than just that one disease. This is called a co-infection. It is super important to pay attention to your symptoms. See link.

https://twp.freehold.nj.us/480/Disease-Co-Infection

A good resource from the State:

https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/topics/tickborne.shtml

 

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