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Join us as we launch Turtle Island Tales, a place to share the ingredients for a healthy family, inc

21/11/2025

Hi Turtle Island Friends!

Igmu caught the scent of something savory from the oven, Bison & Wild Rice Stuffed Peppers, a warming dish filled with seasonal goodness and traditional ingredients. 🌶️🦬🌾

🥣 Ingredients:

• 2 bell peppers (halved)
• ½ lb ground bison (or elk, venison, or grass-fed beef)
• ½ cup uncooked wild rice
• ½ cup shredded carrots
• 1 Tbsp wild garlic

Method:

1. Simmer wild rice in 1 cup water (about 45 mins).

2. Brown bison with wild garlic, then stir in shredded carrots.

3. Soften bell peppers in boiling water (10 mins).

4. Fill peppers with bison & rice mix. Top with extra carrots.

5. Bake at 350°F for 10 mins. Serve warm!

Want to spice it up? Add chile powder, salsa, or a drizzle of hot sauce to make it your own.

🌀 What’s your favorite way to cook with wild rice or bison?

19/11/2025

Hey Turtle Island Friends!

Igmu found the perfect pile of leaves to leap into and we think you should too! Leaf pile jumping is more than just fun, it's a great way to get moving, use your imagination, and enjoy the outdoors with your family.

Before you jump:

✅ Check the pile for sticks or hidden rocks
✅ Wear cozy clothes that can get a little messy
✅ Invite a friend or sibling to join the fun!

What shape can you make your leaf pile? A circle? A heart? A giant cat paw like Igmu? 🐾

Let us know in the comments what kind of leaf pile you love to make! 🍃👇

14/11/2025

Behind the scene!

Grandma Darnell was on set this week with Igmu and special guests Jake and Erika from Montana PBS! 🐾🎥

It’s been a joyful, creative whirlwind as we wrap up the final three films of the season. So much laughter, learning, and love go into each story we share.

Stay tuned… these new tales are something special. 💫

12/11/2025

Hi Turtle Island Friends!

Igmu couldn’t resist the sweet, aroma in the kitchen today… 🍯🍿 Our friends at Indigikitchen shared a treat that’s perfect for cozy fall gatherings: Sunflower Butter Popcorn!

✨ Here’s what you’ll need:

• ¼ cup popcorn kernels
• Oil + salt
• ½ cup honey
• ⅓ cup maple sugar
• ½ cup sunflower butter (no added sugar)
• ½ tsp vanilla

🥣 Method highlights:

1. Pop your kernels on the stove.

2. Mix honey + maple sugar, boil for 2 mins.

3. Stir in sunflower butter and vanilla.

4. Pour over popcorn and coat well. Let cool.

This snack is sweet, crunchy, and filled with meaning.

🌀 What traditional ingredient do you love seeing in new ways?

07/11/2025

Hey Turtle Island Friends!

Igmu wandered into the kitchen and found something zesty sizzling on the stovetop Zoodles Pad Thai, brought to life by our friends at Indigikitchen! 🥢🌿

This vibrant dish swaps traditional noodles for spiralized zucchini, blending fresh garden flavors with the bold kick of chili, garlic, and fish sauce. It’s a beautiful fusion of Indigenous ingredients and global inspiration.

🌱 Ingredients:

For the sauce:

• 2 Tbsp maple vinegar
• 2 Tbsp fish sauce (or to taste)
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp chili garlic sauce

For the Pad Thai:

• 2 medium zucchini (zoodled)
• 2 Tbsp avocado oil, divided
• ½ lb shrimp (or your preferred protein)
• ½ red bell pepper, sliced thin
• 3 wild onions, sliced
• 1 egg
• ⅓ cup roasted peanuts
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro (optional)

🔥 Cooking steps:

1. Mix the sauce ingredients and set aside.

2. Sauté zoodles in oil for 2–3 mins, then rest and drain.

3. Cook shrimp in the same pan, then add veggies + egg.

4. Stir in zoodles and sauce; cook until just heated.

5. Top with peanuts and cilantro. Serve warm!

6. This dish celebrates balance: spicy, savory, crunchy, and light, all in one skillet.

🌀 What garden harvests are you turning into meals this season?

05/11/2025

“To honor all of creation and treat all beings with respect.”

This month, we reflect on Respect, one of the sacred Seven Grandfather Teachings shared by many Indigenous Nations. Respect calls us to walk gently, to listen deeply, and to recognize the spirit and value in all things.

It lives in our words and actions in how we speak to others, how we care for the land, and how we carry ourselves. To live with respect is to live in right relationship with the world around us.

As the season turns, may we move with humility, gratitude, and care for the people, the land, the stories, and the responsibilities we each hold.

31/10/2025

Hi Turtle Island Friends!

Igmu discovered a golden treasure in the kitchen this Halloween, Pumpkin Purée! 🎃

Whether it’s from a can or made fresh at home, pumpkin purée is packed with fiber, vitamin A, and that rich, earthy flavor we love in fall recipes. It’s perfect for more than pie think soups, smoothies, muffins, and even savory dishes.

✨ Tip: Roast your own pumpkin for a deeper flavor! Sugar pumpkins (also called pie pumpkins) work best. Just slice, remove seeds, roast until soft, then blend until smooth.

Here are a few ideas to try:

🍲 Stir into chili for extra creaminess
🍞 Add to cornbread batter
🍌 Mix with banana in morning smoothies
🌾 Combine with cinnamon and oats for a warm breakfast

🧡 What’s your favorite way to use Pumpkin Purée?

29/10/2025

As October comes to a close, we take a moment to honor the quiet strength of Wisdom one last time this season.

Igmu curled up beneath a golden tree today, watching the leaves drift down like soft reminders. Each one a whisper: “You’ve learned. Now carry it gently.” 🍂

Wisdom doesn’t always speak loudly, it lingers in the choices we make, the stories we share, and the ways we care for ourselves and our communities. If it arrived for you through a conversation, a challenge, or a moment of stillness, may it guide your path ahead.

🌀 Before we welcome November's new teaching:

🌿 What moment this month helped you grow?
🌿 How will you carry Wisdom into tomorrow?

24/10/2025

As the leaves change, there’s nothing cozier than a bowl of homemade soup simmering on the stove. Igmu found a recipe from our friends from Indigikitchen that’s perfect for today: Pumpkin Lentil Soup, hearty, comforting, and packed with flavor.

This plant-based dish blends seasonal ingredients like pumpkin and sweet potato with warming spices and creamy coconut milk. A nourishing option for family dinners or batch cooking for the week!

🧄 Ingredients

- 1 medium onion, minced
- 2 garlic cloves, pressed
- 1-inch piece ginger root, grated
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 1–2 tsp ground cumin (adjust to taste)
- 1 (13 oz) can coconut milk
- 1 (32 oz) carton vegetable stock
- ¾ cup lentils, washed and drained
- 1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into chunks
- 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin purée

Instructions

1. Mash garlic and ginger into a paste using a mortar and pestle (or the back of a spoon).
2. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large pot. Sauté onion until translucent.
3. Add garlic-ginger paste and cook for 2 more minutes, stirring constantly.
4. Stir in coriander and cumin; sauté another minute.
5. Add coconut milk, vegetable stock, lentils, sweet potato, and pumpkin purée.
6. Simmer on medium-low for 40–50 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sweet potato is tender.

What’s your favorite way to use pumpkin in the kitchen? Share with us below!

22/10/2025

Hey Turtle Island Friends!

Tamfula is a traditional Choctaw dish made with ground corn and simmered low and slow often all day over the fire. Today, it can still carry that same spirit, even if we make it in a modern kitchen. ✨

Basic Ingredients:

- 3 cups ground corn or cornmeal

- 6 cups water or chicken broth

Boil in a large pot for 3 hours or cook in a crock pot on high for 4 hours. Stir often early on and add liquid as needed.

💡 Want to make it heartier? Here are some favorite add-ins:

1. Cooked pinto beans
2. Green chiles
3. Diced hickory nuts or turkey
4. Onions, sweet corn, sweet peas
5. Garlic, black pepper, or even a sprinkle of cinnamon

Tamfula is delicious as a side, stirred into soups, or topped with salsa. It’s a dish that connects us to the land and to tradition with every bowl.

17/10/2025

Hi Turtle Island Tales!

Wisdom doesn’t always speak loudly, it lives in the pauses, the choices made with care, and the moments we choose understanding over reaction. This past month, Igmu found that the more he watched and listened, the more there was to learn from the world around him.

Now that we’re in October, we carry these lessons forward. The season has shifted, but the roots of Wisdom remain.

🧡 What part of Wisdom are you taking with you into this new month?

Each teaching builds upon the last. Stay with us as we welcome the next one on the path.

15/10/2025

Hi Turtle Island Friends!

If you’ve got chili peppers in the garden, you’ve got a simple, powerful spice ready to go! Homemade Chili Pepper Flakes!

Dry them, grind them, and you’ve made your own chili flakes, perfect for adding a kick to pizza, eggs, roasted potatoes, veggies, or meats. 🌶️

Once the peppers are fully dried:

✅ Snip off the stems
✅ Grind in a small coffee grinder (under $20 at most stores!)

Once ground, store your flakes in a small glass shaker bottle. No additives. No preservatives. Just pure pepper power. 💥

Do you dry and store your garden peppers too? Tell us your tips below! 👇

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