My kids love soda. What's not to love, right? Sugary sweet and delightfully bubbly and fizzy - it's a treat for sure! As it turns out, there's A LOT not to love about these drinks. Mass production processes and the desire for increased profits has led to the use of increasingly cheaper ingredients, as well as unhealthy preservatives, stabilizers and colorants that make the product more appealing and stable for long-term storage on grocery store shelves. Basically this all means these drinks are now full of GARBAGE - processed corn sugars, food dyes, artificial sweeteners, chemical preservatives and some even contain flame retardants (brominated vegetable oil)!! There's not a single ingredient in the majority of these products that I feel is safe for my children to consume. There are some companies out there that make sodas suitable for human consumption, but they tend to be pretty expensive and then many aren't much more than juice combined with cane sugar and carbonated water - which, honestly - you can just mix up pretty easily yourself at home. We used to let the kids have ginger ale when we'd go out to restaurants, thinking that since it had ginger in it, which is a natural anti-inflammatory, it would at least help to redeem some of the 'ickiness' of the sugar. But the popular 'ginger ales' of today are NOTHING like what they used to be. In fact, I'm not even convinced there's any actual ginger in them at all! And they're certainly not the tonic of health they used to be.
I know there are options for healthy 'fizzy' beverages, such as kombucha and water kefir, and I tried making water kefir a couple of years ago - it turned out ok - but it seemed to be a little bit cumbersome to me. Kefir grains are not always readily available and they can be a little expensive depending on where you live. I've done a bit of wine and beer brewing at home so I decided to look into methods for making natural sodas and learned that one common way of making homemade sodas is to use what's called a 'ginger bug'. I'm not entirely sure why it's called this, because it doesn't look like a bug, nor does it have insects in it - it's basically a wad of shredded ginger that becomes fermented. Maybe the 'bug' part refers to the wild yeast and bacteria that handle the fermentation? I don't know, but regardless of the strange name, this little wad of ginger makes a mean soda full of natural anti-inflammatory agents from the ginger, beneficial enzymes and probiotics to help restore gut flora and help keep your digestive system running like a charm!
There are many ways to make a ginger bug and although this process is based in science, there's a lot of room here for experimentation. You do not need to adhere to these measurements precisely but try to keep similar ratios of ginger/sugar. When feeding my bug I typically approximate the amounts so as not to dirty a measuring spoon. :)
Here's how I chose to start my bug:
Ginger Bug:
My Ginger Bug!
1 Pint Filtered, un-chlorinated water
2 TB Grated Ginger (Skin and all, wash well, preferably organically grown)
2 TB Unprocessed 'raw' sugar (Any sugar will work, but I used both coconut sugar and raw turbinado in mine)
1 TB un-sulphured molasses (for extra vitamins)
I put this all into a large quart-sized mason jar and stirred well to dissolve the sugar, covered with a folded-over cheesecloth and secured with a rubber band and the metal lid.
Stir at least twice a day to agitate the mixture and keep it active.
Every day for about 5-8 days add in about 2 tsp grated ginger and 2 tsp sugar.
I would add in extra molasses and a tablespoon of water about every other day just to replenish what might have evaporated.
Continue to stir every day, twice a day or more.
Keep in a moderately warm place where it will not be disturbed (my kitchen is about 78F)
The darker your sugar, the darker your bug - so if you're using a very light sugar and not adding molasses your bug might be much lighter in color than mine.
You'll know when your bug is ready when it's all bubbly on the top and you can hear it fizzing while stirring. It should smell gingery and sweet, maybe even a little yeasty like a beer.
I personally thought starting and keeping the bug going was a breeze, but there are a few things to keep in mind to help avoid issues:
Make sure if you are fermenting other foods (sourdough starter, sauerkraut, etc.) you want to keep SEVERAL FEET in between your concoctions to avoid cross-culturing.
A lot of ginger in the US comes from foreign countries and is irradiated before it hits the stores - organic foods are not irradiated. The irradiation process can destroy the natural bacteria and yeast present on the skin and prevent a bug from fermenting properly so try to choose organic ginger if possible or find some that's not irradiated.
Be consistent in feeding and stirring your bug to keep it active.
Make sure you're keeping a cheesecloth or other breathable cover over the top to keep out bugs and debris but allow excess CO2 to escape.
Once you've got an active bug, you can strain off the liquid (saving the solid part of your 'bug' to use again by replenishing with fresh water, ginger and sugar) and mix it into any number of recipes for natural sodas as the agent of fermentation (which is what makes the bubbles - the carbon dioxide is a byproduct of the fermentation process). I will post the recipe for the Ginger Beer I made with my bug as well as a Ginger-Pineapple Soda soon. Go get your bug started and stay tuned!...
I can't believe how excited I am about BREAD - it almost seems ridiculous to me. However, after years of avoiding it like the plague because of issues I have with gluten-intolerance, I am SUPER-thrilled to have found a way that I can enjoy bread again (in moderation of course, which is tough when it TASTES SO DARN GOOD!!!). Since I've never made a sourdough starter from scratch and have never baked bread with a wild yeast starter, I figured there would be some trial and error involved in the process. My starter was a breeze to get going, despite the fact that I was less than scientific in my overall procedure. I'm not a big fan of 'measuring' so I kind of estimated with my flour to water proportions but I still had a lovely bubbling starter after 5 days.
First bread attempt - kind of flat
My first attempt at making the bread, however was not quite as stellar although it was edible and looked sort of pretty in a rustic way. I used a mixture of rye, teff and sprouted barley flour combined with all-purpose flour and although I let it rise for almost 20 hours, not much rising occurred. I decided to bake it anyway to see if it would rise a little in the oven, as breads often do. Alas, no additional rising occurred. The bread was very heavy and dense, very sour for my taste and pretty flat, although it had a nice crisp crust. There were not many air pockets at all inside the bread, which was to be expected considering how little it rose.
Interior was very dense, just a few air pockets
After some research, I determined that the problem might have been the lack of gluten in the flour I used. Rye, teff and barley have low gluten content compared to wheat and this was evident when I kneaded the bread. I didn't get a good, smooth consistency and it seemed to be lacking in stretchiness overall. Based on everything I've read, it seems that gluten is what provides the structure for holding the air bubbles, so not having a sufficient amount of it really impacted the ability of my dough to rise. Rye flours tend to rise less but ferment more quickly, which explains why my bread was very sour and had a low rise. Back to the drawing board...
Let the dough rise in a warm spot covered with a damp towel
For my second trial I decided to stop overthinking it, (or maybe I actually decided to START thinking about what's really going on in this overall process?). I took a cup of my starter, mixed in about 2.5 cups of BREAD flour, a teaspoon of himalayan salt and about a cup of water. I dumped it all into my KitchenAid Stand Mixer
with the dough hook attachment and let it go to town for about 20 minutes, adding in a little extra flour when I thought it needed it (too sticky). At the end of 20 minutes I had what I'm used to seeing when I make bread, which is a clean mixing bowl and a nice, soft and stretchy wad of dough that was just slightly sticky to the touch, but not so sticky that I couldn't pat it into a nice soft, smooth ball without getting gunk all over my hands. I coated this ball lightly with oil and placed it back into the bowl to rise. Covered with a damp towel, I let it sit for about 8 hours until it was at least doubled in size.
After the 8 hours (or when doubled), I grabbed a large plate and spread a handful of bread flour on it, then scooped out my dough (which was quite loose, stickier and bubbly at this point) and dumped it onto the flour. I folded it over onto itself a few times, made sure it was coated in flour and then turned it upside down so the folded part was on the plate. I covered with the towel and then let it sit there to rest for another hour. During that time, I put my Cast Iron Dutch Oven (with lid)
into the oven and set it to 450F. Any large heavy pot with a lid that can withstand high temps will work for this, it does not have to be cast iron, but I LOVE my cast iron pot because not only does it make killer bread, it has so many other uses in the kitchen - I use it for all my soups, stews, gumbo, baked casseroles - it's the bomb. Plus, it's kind of heavy so I get a little workout in every time I use it, lol!
Ta Da!
After about an hour, my dough had risen a bit again, but did not double in size. It was pretty late at night when I was making this, so had it been earlier in the day I might have allowed it to rise a bit more, but I honestly don't really think it was necessary given the results I had. I pulled the dutch oven out, removed the lid, sprinkled a handful of flour in the bottom of the pot to keep the bottom crust from sticking and burning and then fairly unceremoniously dumped in my dough and replaced the lid. It doesn't matter if you dump it in crooked or off-centered, it somehow seems to work itself out in the oven. I put the pot back into the oven and left it alone for about 30 minutes. After this time, my bread was done. Nice and brown, a gorgeously split and crispy crust and it sounded hollow when I tapped on it with a large knife. A lot of factors come into play here so you might need to put your pot back in for a bit or pull your bread from the pot altogether and place it back into the oven to bake a bit more.
Crusty, perfectly sour and delicious!
My final product came out PERFECT! Crusty and crisp on the outside with a great rustic look, just the right amount of bubbles in the center, slightly chewy and sour enough to let you know it's sourdough without making you pucker. As far as the crust is concerned, you can just let it do its own thing and bust open at random angles or you can put some quick slashes into the top either right before or immediately after you dump it into the pot. If you're going to be all artsy like that you will probably want to make sure you have a slightly firmer loaf so it'll take the slashes (knead in some additional flour before the second rise) before placing into the pot and you'll want to be more careful about getting it centered. I kind of like the natural look personally, but that's just me.
Although this bread took several hours in total to make, the amount of actual work involved was pretty minimal. Most of the time was spent waiting for the bread to rise. With a proper sourdough, this is necessary as it's where most of the flavor gets developed.
Next time I think I will mix up my dough before I go to bed so that it's ready to bake in the morning. Think that'll be a much better plan that trying to bake at midnight, don't you think? ;)
Gorgeous, inside and out!
If you're making this for a specific event you'll want to take into consideration the long rise time involved in the process - good things take time and wild yeast requires more time to work its magic than commercial yeasts. What you end up with, however, is a much healthier final product, loaded with enzymes and beneficial bacteria that actually help to restore gut health, and which lacks the large phytic acid concentrations found in 'modern' bread. Phytic acid is basically nature's way of protecting nuts, seeds, beans and grains out in the wild - all of these have an exterior coating which protect the seed so that it has time to sprout, but which is basically indigestible by humans. Phytic acid binds with key minerals present in the grain (or nut, seed, bean...) such as iron, calcium, magnesium, zinc, etc to form phytate, making these unavailable and effectively rendering a food product less nutritious. It also inhibits several enzymes that the human body needs to break down proteins and starches, which is why high-phytate foods cause such digestive distress for some people. Soaking or sprouting these items breaks down the coating, allowing them to be digestible - this is why many people who have trouble with regular wheat flour don't have the same issues with sprouted wheat flour. The fermentation process involved in making sourdough almost entirely eliminates the phytic acid contained in the flour, allowing the minerals to be absorbed and preventing any inhibition of enzymes required by the digestive process.
For more information on sprouting and soaking, I highly recommend these books:
Bread gets a bad rap these days especially with so many people having sensitivities and allergic responses to gluten. I think part of the reason is that in our over-processed and hurried society, we don't take the time to make bread the way our ancestors used to and we've rushed most of the beneficial components of bread right out of the loaf. Even when buying a loaf of 'traditional' sourdough from a bakery you'll find that it usually isn't made with a traditional wild yeast starter, but instead adds prepared activated yeast. I've been reading a fantastic book called Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats, which has in it a wealth of information on more traditional foods and their health benefits, along with the increasingly more processed foods prevalent in the typical American diet and their detrimental impacts to our health. I highly recommend the book, lots of great information as well as recipes for 'back to basics' foods, beverages, tonics, etc.
There are numerous health benefits to cultivating a wild yeast starter for use in bread-making, some of the more notable are:
The longer preparation time and soaking of the grain in the process of making the starter help to facilitate breakdown of the proteins in the grain into amino acids, making the grain more easily digestible and often causing less digestive distress for those with sensitivity to gluten.
Sourdough basically makes it's own natural preservatives in the form of acetic acid, which inhibits the grow of mold, giving the loaf a longer shelf-life naturally without requiring the addition of any other preservatives.
Sourdough has a lower glycemic index than most other breads, which means it has less impact on blood sugar and will not likely cause huge spikes in blood sugar levels immediately after consumption. This makes it a better choice for individuals needing to regulate blood sugar levels such as those with diabetes.
The lactobacillus bacteria produced as part of the fermentation process not only help to provide a happier digestive system by increasing beneficial gut flora, but they naturally produce lactic acid which helps to break down the phytic acid that is present in the grain. Phytic acid prevents absorption of certain minerals, so by reducing its presence, the lactobacillus are effectively making for a more nutritious loaf of bread.
As with most things in the kitchen, making a sourdough starter involves a little science, some artistic license and quite possibly a little witchcraft, lol. I don't tend to get too strict with regard to measurement but here are the approximations I used for my starter:
You want to use equal parts flour and water and if you're using measuring cups and not measuring by weight, which most people will probably do, you'll need more flour than water. Dry ingredients measure out differently by the cup than liquids. A cup of water is approximately 8oz whereas a cup of flour is approximately 4.5 oz. Given this, if you use 1/2 cup of water you'll probably need a little more than 3/4 cup of flour. So where I used flour, I just had the cup slightly heaping as opposed to measured flat in the cup. Not exactly scientific, but it worked.
Day One:
A slightly heaping 3/4 cup of flour (use a good quality flour, unbleached - I used wheat but you could use rye, barley, etc.)
1/2 cup filtered water (preferably un-chlorinated)
Add the flour and water to a large glass bowl and mix vigorously until it's completely combined.
My starter was pretty vigorous after only a day.
Scrape down the sides and make sure it's a uniform mixture. Should be pretty sticky. Cover with a towel and secure with a rubber band or loosely cover with plastic wrap. You want some air and wild yeast to get in but you don't want critters, dust or debris in there. Place in a warm, stable-temp location in your kitchen. Preferably 70-75 degrees F. The warmer your kitchen, the faster it'll ferment but you don't want to cook it so if it's too hot in there you might want to find another place to put it.
Days 2-5:
For the next 4 days you'll want to continue to feed the starter with the same ratios you used on day 1. Follow the same directions, each time stirring in the flour and water vigorously and covering with a towel or loosely with plastic wrap/a lid.
Day 3, my starter had larger bubbles.
I consulted myriad sources for starting and maintaining sourdough starter and they all seemed to recommend different intervals at which to feed the starter, some saying you needed to do it as often as every 4 hours. I don't know about you, but that sounded reminiscent of the days when my children were infants and I was up every few hours to feed them! I'm not that excited about bread that I'm going to care for my starter that often, so I only fed mine once a day. If you're noticing that yours isn't bubbling and frothing like it should be, then maybe you might want to try feeding it 2-3 times a day until it gets going. My kitchen is about 76 degrees and my starter was bubbling after the first day -
results will vary here depending on the flour used, your water source, your kitchen temp, etc.
What to expect along the way:
On day 2 you should start seeing a few bubbles in your mixture, although don't freak out if you don't. The bubbles are an indicator that the wild yeast on the flour and from the air have started consuming the sugars in the flour and are releasing carbon dioxide, which is what's making the bubbles. Your starter might just be slow for any number of reasons so be patient if you don't see bubbles right away. The mix should smell a little sweet and yeasty.
On day 3 you may or may not have bubbles, but most likely will unless your starter is slow. If you're not seeing any yet you may want to check your kitchen temp and considering a warmer, less drafty location. In my starter I had quite a few bubbles at this point and the mixture was starting to smell sour and not entirely pleasant - a little like sweaty socks. This is actually normal! Yum! Sweaty sock bread! The mixture should also look like a sticky, thick batter and larger in volume than the previous day. You will probably hear bubbles popping as you stir it.
On day 4 the starter will continue to get looser and larger in volume with more bubbles. It will also start to smell even more vinegary and sour and if you taste it, that will be reflected in the taste. This is normal.
On day 5 your starter should be ready to go - it should have doubled in volume, be nice and loose and airy with bubbles - almost frothy - and it will have a pungent odor. If your starter is not ready to go at this point, continue to feed it for a few more days using half the amounts you'd been using for days 1-5.
If your starter is ready but you're not, then you'll want to put a tight lid on the mixture, pop it into your fridge and store it until you're ready to use it, continuing to feed it once a week. During the feedings, you will probably see better results If you're starting to get 'too much' volume in the container, you can discard or use some of it and then continue to feed. You can keep your starter going indefinitely in this manner.
Notes:
Once it's ready to be used, you can pop the starter into your favorite recipe per the guidelines. I'm going to try tinkering around with the recipe on the King Arthur flour website to see how it comes out, since it seems pretty basic.
If you're fermenting anything else on your kitchen counters - like the Ginger Bug for Ginger Ale I've currently got brewing (recipe to be posted later) - you'll want to make sure you have several feet in between the concoctions so there's no cross-contamination with the yeast.
My son's birthday was yesterday and he couldn't decide what kind of cake he wanted so he told me to just 'surprise him'. I just finished reading this great book called the The Husband's Secret, which is set in Australia near the Easter holiday and in which a dessert called a 'Pavlova' is mentioned numerous times. After I looked up what it was - a light meringue-like cake typically served with fresh fruit and whipped cream or lemon curd, named after the famous ballerina of the same name - I decided to give it a try! I've never made any sort of a meringue before, so I figured why not try something completely brand new when it's my son's birthday and I'm already a bit pressed for time? Yeah, that's just how I roll.
I based my version partly on this recipe I found in Saveur magazine and about 20 other recipes I read through in various locations on the web. I have a little trouble following directions and thought 3 cups of sugar sounded absurd, so here's the ratio of ingredients I used:
For the Meringue:
10 egg whites
2 cups fine sugar
1 TB White Vinegar
1 TB Vanilla Bourbon Paste
1/4 C Cornstarch
Preheat the oven to 350F and grab a sheet of parchment paper. Draw a 9" circle on the parchment, - flip over a cake pan if you've got one and trace around the pan with a pencil. Turn the parchment over pencil-side down onto a cookie sheet.
Combine the cornstarch, vinegar and vanilla until well combined. It's going to make this really odd, sticky blobby mess that may kind of freak you out a little. Just trust me - it's really a strange consistency - it will pour slowly, but then if you try to stir it, it's almost like it's solid. I couldn't resist playing with it a little. Stop playing with it and set it aside.
Put your egg whites into a bowl and add in the sugar. Using a metal whisk (preferably one attached to some kind of stand mixer or other mechanical device) beat on low until sugar is dissolved into egg whites, then kick up the speed to high until soft peaks form (about 5-8 minutes). At this point, plop in the cornstarch goo and continue beating on high until glossy stiff peaks form - maybe another 5 minutes.
Spread the mixture gently onto the parchment, trying to keep it roughly the size of your drawn circle.
Everything in my process went perfectly until we got to the baking part. The directions said to place the sheet into the oven, turn down the temp to 215F and bake it for approximately 1 hour 15 minutes, then shut off the oven and leave the meringue sitting in there for another 3-4 hours until cooled.
Yeah - I did this, but then the ceiling of my cake eventually dropped and fell into the blob of the inside which was clearly not cooked. Could be that I used too many egg whites and not enough sugar, but who knows - I will have to research this a little more.
The top is missing because we kept picking it off and eating it - so good!
Thankfully, I've had enough of these little adventures to know that I need to have a backup on hand since what was going to be my son's cake was decidedly un-cakelike. Good old pound cake came to the rescue there - super easy to whip together - will post that recipe later.
So, not wanting to give up on this strange new dessert, I turned the oven back on, popped this pavlova thingy back into the oven and baked at 200F for almost 2 more hours and then I just let it sit again in the oven until it cooled. After all this, my final result was very strange in look and feel and yet oddly delicious and somewhat addictive.
As you can see, it's still a tiny bit gooey in the inside - still not completely done.
The exterior layer breaks off easily and is very crisp and melts in your mouth.
My kids call it the 'styrofoam cake' because the exterior of the cake has a texture and feel very similar to a type of styrofoam - not the rubbery kind used for coffee cups but the firmer, more brittle kind used for floral displays and crafts. The exterior of the cake is very crispy and brittle and the interior is somewhat like a marshmallow.
It melts in your mouth like cotton candy and is sweet but not overwhelmingly so and the entire thing tastes exactly like a well-toasted marshmallow. I think I'm going to pour some melted chocolate and graham cracker crumbs on it... mmmm.... A new twist on S'mores cake!! Deliciousness.... I will definitely do some more research and try again to see if I can get this to come out like it was supposed to, but for a first time FAIL it still came out pretty darn tasty!
If you're trying to shed fat and gain lean muscle, carb-cycling is one of the easiest and most effective ways to start seeing results fast. It sounds like a very complex plan, especially if you get into reading about some of the underlying processes such as ketosis, but the basic gist is that you're merely alternating days where you eat a very low amount of carbohydrates with days where you're eating a higher number of carbohydrates in order to promote fat loss by tricking your body into burning fat for fuel instead of the sugars from carbohydrates that it would normally use. The focus is on carbs because of all the macronutrients, those seem to have the greatest impact with regard to that layer of 'goo' that we all seem to want to get rid of - that little bit of something-something that's keeping your six-pack from showing (and we all have a 6-pack somewhere under those layers, regardless of how many crunches you do, or don't do...).
I will lay out more details in a future post, but there are many ways to do this carb-cycling thing depending on your goals and how quickly you'd like to see results. The more low-carb days you have in your plan, the quicker you will see results, however a plan with several days of low-carb eating is very difficult to maintain even in the short term and unhealthy in the long term as it's quite taxing on the liver. Carbs are an important source of energy for the body and low-carb days will likely leave you feeling tired, irritable, with little energy and possibly a headache. The body will adjust with time and these symptoms will lessen, but days where carbs are restricted will still be a challenge for most people.
To make things as simple as possible, I recommend either alternative high and low-carb days every other day OR eating mostly lowcarb and aligning high-carb days with your strength training workouts, which should be at least 2-3 days a week to maintain lean muscle mass. Shoot for eating 5 times a day (three main meals and two small snacks), roughly every 3 hours. On your low-carb days you should include a serving of protein, fresh veggies and an optional healthy fat at the three main meals. Snacks should be some type of protein-rich food with a veggie - think hard-boiled egg and some carrot sticks or almond butter on celery sticks. On your high-carb days, you can add in some type of grain or starchy veggies to each meal. Snacks can include fruit on these days. If you're jonesing for a buttered roll or a beer, save it for the high-carb days.
Depending on your goals, you may also want to add in one 'cheat' meal per week or every other week. I don't recommend going to McDonald's and gorging on a Big Mac Super-Sized meal, but if you've been wanting a reasonably-sized burger or a slice of pizza, the cheat meal would be when you'd have that. Just keep in mind that these cheat meals are designed to make your meal plan more sustainable for the long term, but they will also reduce the speed of your results. If you're trying to get shredded for an event that's two weeks away, you're probably going to want to opt for a plan that cycles in high-carb days infrequently and does not include a cheat meal.
Below you'll find some a printable guide to help illustrate which foods are 'better' choices when it comes lean proteins, veggies, carbs, 'Nature's Candy' (which is fruit and also a carb), dairy (a protein/carb/fat combo), fats, condiments/sauces and beverages.
Note: Dairy intake should be limited if not restricted altogether. Serving sizes for dairy items kind of depend on the type, so it can get complicated. For something relatively low-fat/low-sugar like low-fat cottage cheese, you can have as much as a cup for a serving. For hard cheeses such as cheddar, you'd be limited to just an ounce. Butter would follow the fat serving size, as would full-fat cream.
Needless to say, I was not a happy camper when I went out to survey my little organic garden beds one morning and discovered that something had turned them into a mess of patchy lacework. My kale, kohlrabi and brussels sprouts appeared to be the hardest hit and after closer inspection, I determined that the culprit was some little caterpillars. Although I was angry enough after all of the hard work I put into getting my garden up to douse the little buggers with something really nasty, I took a few moments to calmly reflect on my original intent - that being a healthy source of chemical and GMO-free veggies for myself and my family. And spraying nasty junk on the greedy little bugs, no matter how satisfying it might have been, would have destroyed my intent in one fell swoop. So - I set to work on some non-toxic (to humans) methods that would get rid of the pests without poisoning my family or the environment.
Here is the first spray recipe that I've tried and I have to say that it seems to be working fairly well. I happened to have these essential oils on hand thanks to some other natural projects of mine, so I was able to make this mixture quickly without having to go out and buy anything, but these oils are fairly common and can easily be found in most health food stores or online.
Recipe:
28 Oz Bottle (Reused an Empty Method Spray Bottle)
1 TB Bronner's Liquid Soap (Any biodegradable vegetable soap will do) - Tip: don't use any with tea tree oil it will burn the leaves of your plants.
10 Drops Orange Essential Oil (Lemongrass would also work)
20 Drops Neem Oil
5-6 Whole Cloves (Just put them in the bottom of the container)
10 Drops Cinnamon Leaf Oil
Fill to the top of the container with water.
Spray tops and underside of leaves. Repeat every few days and after watering/rain (I try to water at the bottom of the plant near the root so as to avoid washing off my spray). This mixture will help take care of many common pests such as aphids, mites, white flies, mealy bugs as well as nasty little caterpillars. I've also discovered that roaches and ants don't care for it either. I can attest to it killing the caterpillars, although as with any treatment, you will have to be diligent in keeping up with spraying to avoid re-infestation. You will also want to make sure you thoroughly wash your veggies before consuming. Nothing in this mix is toxic, but it will probably taste really disgusting and could cause some digestive upset.
Note: I have read that Neem can be toxic to bees and some other beneficial insects, so if you're using this spray on or near any plants require pollination, I would leave out the Neem oil.
I'm really not a mean person, so I did feel a little bad torturing these caterpillars in this manner, but with the rate of destruction in my garden I decided I had no choice. Here is a video of me testing out my spray. As you can see, it's not only effective, but works fairly quickly... I guess I feel a little better knowing that they didn't suffer too long.
1.5 Cups Quinoa (Uncooked - will yield about 4-5 cups cooked)
1 14 Oz Can Organic Black Beans
3 Ears White Corn, raw, cut the kernels off the cob
2 Cups Cherry Tomatoes Quartered
1 Orange Bell Pepper, Chopped
2 Avocados, firm, chopped
Dressing:
In a blender combine:
2 Chipotle peppers (canned in adobe sauce - I used Goya brand) - I also grabbed about 1 TB of the onions and sauce
1/4 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
1/2 Cup Olive Oil
1 Tsp Himalayan Salt
1/4 Tsp Cumin
1/8 Tsp Smoked Paprika
1 Large Clove of Garlic
1 Tsp Dried Oregano
1/4 C Agave Nectar
Cook the quinoa according to the package directions and then allow to cool. Add in the beans and veggies, pour the dressing in and combine until mixture is evenly coated with dressing.
Note: The dressing has a bit of heat to it- add in an extra chili pepper for more heat or use just one for less.
People have been eating fermented foods for thousands of years and in many cultures, these foods are a regular dietary staple. There is a great deal of evidence to support the health benefits of eating these types of foods, although most of them didn't come about for health improvement reasons per se, but were born out of the need for preservation and just the natural processes of decay (sounds gross, right? But that's nature for ya).
Fermented foods have been shown to improve digestion, boost beneficial gut flora, improve immune function and many studies have shown that these types of foods can help with common ailments such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Allergic Rhinitis, Atopic Dermatitis and even the common cold. Examples of fermented foods include wine, cider, beer, kefir, yoghurt, leavened bread and pickled vegetables. Most of the pickled and fermented foods you will find in the grocery stores have been pasteurized or processed to make them shelf-stable and thus, the health benefits have been eliminated or severely reduced in the process. Fortunately, it's easy to make your own pickled/fermented foods at home and actually kind of fun!
This week I decided to try out some pickled cabbage using a classic Russian technique for salted fermentation. There's a lot of room for experimentation with this type of recipe so don't worry about being too exact with ingredients. This process is part science mixed with artistic license so just relax and have fun with it. Here is what I used for my first try:
Picked Red Cabbage:
2 Small-Med Heads of Red Cabbage
5-6 Carrots
2-3 Cloves FRESH Garlic, minced (Optional)
2-3 TB Himalayan or other good quality salt, (anything but that processed white "table salt" garbage)
2 TB Whole Peppercorns (I used a tricolor blend) - (Optional)
2-3 Bay Leaves
1 TB Honey or sugar (Optional)
Shred or thinly slice the cabbage and carrots. You don't want the cabbage too thin or your finished product won't be very crunchy. I used the slicer/shredder function on my food processor for the cabbage/carrots and it took just a few minutes to get both heads evenly sliced/shredded with the perfect width, but if you prefer old school, a knife and a manual shredder will work just fine.
I placed the cabbage and carrots into a large stainless steel pot and mixed well - then I added in the salt and thoroughly massaged the salt into the mixture. I didn't really measure the salt but I used approximately 1/4 cup. You want the cabbage to be pretty salty but not overwhelmingly so. Spend a good amount of time mashing the salt into the cabbage, you really want to make sure it's dissolved and massaged in. You can smash it with a fist, squish it in your hands, whatever - just have fun with it - great way to take out some frustrations!
Mix the peppercorns, garlic and the bay leaves in and then smash the whole mixture down firmly into the bottom of the pot. I waited until after day 2 to add in the honey, and only because when I tasted the mixture it just seemed like it needed a tiny bit of sweetness. Cover the mixture with a plate and something heavy. I used some canned goods for this but a large clean rock would work or a couple jars of liquid, a small kettle bell, whatever you've got on hand. You can cover the pot with a towel or just use the pot lid if it fits over the weights.
Now comes the hard part! WAITING!! I really struggled with this part, because it smelled absolutely heavenly (especially with all that garlic) but this is where all the magic happens, so be patient! Place your pot in a spot where it won't be disturbed and where it will remain at room temperature. Fermentation will occur slightly faster the warmer the ambient temperature so just keep this in mind when you are determining how long to let it sit. It will take approximately 3-6 days or so for the cabbage to get to the point where it's ready to be eaten.
After the first day or two, there should be a visible quantity of liquid surrounding the plate (it won't be floating, but the cabbage should look like it has some 'sauce') - this is from the salt pulling the juices out of the cabbage. If your cabbage looks too dry, add in a little bit of water, just enough so that the liquid is visible around the edges of your pressing plate.
Every day, remove the weights and poke holes down to the bottom of the pot with the end of a wooden spoon to allow the mixture to off-gas. Replace the weights and lid and continue to let it sit. After about 2 days you might want to give it a taste to see if it needs more salt or spice - this is where I decided to add in my honey.
I decided my cabbage was done at the 4 day mark. When yours is ready, jar it up and refrigerate. It's ready to be eaten immediately, but will keep for quite some time in the fridge.
NOTE: The peppercorns will soften during the fermentation process and will add in a nice spicy bite to the cabbage, especially if you use a mixed blend like I did. The amount I used was a bit spicy so if you don't like pepper/spice then I recommend adjusting this - either reduce the quantity, use a bit of ground black pepper instead, or leave it out completely.
I like to eat this just plain by itself, but it's also good dressed with a little Olive Oil, vinegar and fresh herbs. Makes a great topping for rueben sandwiches or on a burger. All kinds of possibilities!!
Just sent my kids off to school armed with their homemade valentines for their classroom parties and got to thinking about how grateful I am that we moved to a new school that actually allows 'real' parties! Our previous school district had this rule - which I personally disagree with vehemently - where kids were only allowed to bring in 'healthy' treats for school celebrations. No cookies, cupcakes, candy, etc. - ever! Now, I understand when you have upwards of 20 kids in a class how it could get a little out of hand to have every kid bringing in cupcakes and candy for his/her birthday - so I can see how they might want to curtail that. But to disallow holiday party treats altogether? That's just wrong!!! Holidays and special occasions are MEANT to be celebrated! This is when kids SHOULD be having cupcakes and candy and potato chips and fruit punch - and not every day after school...
The obesity crisis in this country didn't happen overnight and it sure as heck didn't happen as a result of kids (or adults) having a cupcake or two at a holiday party. The health issues we face have come from our society systematically and consistently increasing portion sizes, increasing sugary food intake, decreasing exercise and increasing the amount of time spent in sedentary activities like watching TV and playing video games. I believe that these schools that disallow 'treats' at parties are sending the wrong message. Their hearts are likely in the right place and they're trying to help educate the kids on healthy eating habits - but I believe knowing WHEN to allow yourself a treat is actually a healthy habit! And frankly, if they're THAT concerned with kids' health and wellness, they'll start taking a look at their own school lunch menus - CRAPAPALOOZA!! But that's a topic for another time...
Don't be afraid to allow yourself a little treat today! Remember, it's not the occasional treat that makes people unhealthy and unfit - you aren't going to get 'fat' from one day where you have a few cookies or a brownie, or even an entire pan of brownies. What matters are the little things that you do (or don't do) on a daily basis to manage your health and fitness. The cumulative effects of not taking 15-30 minutes to workout, of eating an extra serving at dinner, of having dessert EVERY DAY, of binge drinking every weekend, etc. - those little things done consistently over time are what will cumulatively make the difference between achieving or not achieving your health and fitness goals...
So go ahead, celebrate this holiday and allow yourself an indulgence! Enjoy something you love, but don't often have - and take the time to truly SAVOR and appreciate it - and then carry on with your healthy habits...
Looking to start eating a little cleaner? Join my 7-Day Challenge! With some simple guidelines and easy recipes, you will be well on your way to a healthier, happier you after just one short week!
Here's the recommended meal plan for the week of 2/3. Feel free to shift meals around to suit your personal preferences! For every meal there is a meatless option provided - any kind of bean can be substituted in any recipe in place of the meat, chicken or fish. You may also use meatless crumbles, tofu, tempeh or just add in more fresh veggies! Steam or roast them to bring out their flavor. :)
General Guidelines:
Eliminate ALL processed foods - generally speaking, if it comes out of a box or a bag, it's probably not good for you. Exceptions to this rule would be certain grains, seeds, nuts, etc. - anything that's a 'whole' food, but that goes through some limited processing before market. Obviously no one expects you to grow and roll your own oats! :)
Flip your plate around to include a higher percentage of fresh produce
Meat, fish, poultry, eggs consumed should be fresh, natural and from a humane source - you are what you eat, do not consume the negative energy and disease absorbed by animals that have been mistreated or fed poorly.
Avoid or limit dairy, use plant-based milks wherever possible.
Limit fats - avoid refined fats altogether and opt instead for cold-pressed fruit and nut oils such as olive and coconut. Organic butter from grass-fed livestock is acceptable but not a preferred choice.
No bread during this week and going forward limit intake. Gluten is a glue and blocks up your digestive system. Opt for lettuce or collard wraps instead of bread/buns, serve your burgers/veggie burgers over a salad - think outside the 'bun'…
Avoid refined sugars and limit intake of all sugars. Use coconut sugar, maple syrup, agave nectar, honey where a sweetening agent is required and eat fresh fruit or make a fruit smoothie when you are craving a sweet treat
Drink lots of pure filtered water
Avoid alcohol during this week and limit yourself going forward. Red wines and craft beers are the best choice over distilled spirits and sugary mixed drinks.
Shopping List:
Baking Goods
brown rice syrup, agave nectar or coconut sugar, 2 teaspoons for Spicy Thai Shrimp Salad
chopped pecans, 1/2 cup for Overnight Oatmeal
Pure Maple Syrup, 1/4 cup for Hawaiian Chicken Kabobs
pure vanilla extract, 2 teaspoon for Purple Blueberry Rice
raw almonds, 66 for Cinnamon Apple Slices With Raw Almonds
rolled or steel-cut oats (not quick-cook), 4 cups for Overnight Oatmeal
slivered almonds, 1 cup for Tossed Romaine and Orange Salad With Chicken (or Chickpeas)
vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon for Overnight Oatmeal
Beverages
lime juice, 11 tablespoons for multiple recipes
orange juice, 1 cup for Tossed Romaine and Orange Salad With Chicken (or Chickpeas)
tomatoes with juice, 1 can for Turkey Chili with Corn and Black Beans
water, 2 cups for Veggistrone
Canned/Jar Goods
black beans, 2 can for multiple recipes
canned garbanzo beans, 3 cup for Quinoa with Chickpeas and Tomatoes
chickpeas (optional in place of chicken), 2 can for Tossed Romaine and Orange Salad With Chicken (or Chickpeas)
crushed tomatoes, 1 can for Slow Cooker Vegetarian Chili
kidney beans, 1 can for Mexican Bean and Rice Salad
kidney or pinto beans, 1 15-ounce can for Veggistrone
low-sodium vegetable broth or chicken broth, 8 cups for Veggistrone
pineapple chunks, 2 cups for Hawaiian Chicken Kabobs
red kidney or black beans, 3 cans for Slow Cooker Vegetarian Chili
roasted red peppers, 1 cup for Roasted Vegetable Medley
Salsa -, for Fish Tacos
seasoned chili beans, 1 can for Turkey Chili with Corn and Black Beans
tomato sauce, 1 can for Turkey Chili with Corn and Black Beans
tomato sauce, 1 15-ounce can for Veggistrone
vegetable stock, 1 cup for Slow Cooker Vegetarian Chili
Dairy
eggs, 22 for multiple recipes
freshly grated Parmesan cheese, 10 tablespoons for Veggistrone
unsweetened soy, coconut, almond or hemp milk, 4 cups for Overnight Oatmeal
Deli
hummus, 8 TB for Hummus With Carrots & Celery
Meat
chicken breast halves, 2-3 for Tossed Romaine and Orange Salad With Chicken (or Chickpeas)
chicken breast halves, 2-3 for Tossed Romaine and Orange Salad With Chicken (or Chickpeas)
cooked turkey or tofu, 2 Cup for Veggie Omelet Muffins
ground turkey, 20 oz for Turkey Chili with Corn and Black Beans
of lean ground bison (you can use, I pound for Brown Rice Bison Meatloaf
Oils & Dressings
apple cider vinegar, 1/2 cup for Hawaiian Chicken Kabobs
Cider vinegar, for Fish Tacos
coconut or olive oil spray, for Fish Tacos
Cooking Spray, for Egg white Omelet
ketchup (optional), 1/4 cup for Brown Rice Bison Meatloaf
olive oil, 2 teaspoons for Slow Cooker Vegetarian Chili
olive oil, 1 tablespoon for Spicy Thai Shrimp Salad
pure maple syrup, 2 tablespoons for Overnight Oatmeal
pure maple syrup, 2 tablespoons for Overnight Oatmeal
red wine vinegar, 4 tablespoons for Tossed Romaine and Orange Salad With Chicken (or Chickpeas)
rice vinegar, 2 teaspoons for Ginger Garlic Green Beans
soy sauce, 1 tablespoon for Ginger Garlic Green Beans
toasted sesame oil, 1/4 cup for Hawaiian Chicken Kabobs
Pasta/Rice/Beans
brown rice, 3 cup for multiple recipes
brown rice, millet or quinoa, 8 cups for multiple recipes
purple or black rice, 4 cups for Purple Blueberry Rice
quinoa, 3 cup for Quinoa with Chickpeas and Tomatoes
Prepared Meals
dried cranberries, 1/2 cup for Tossed Romaine and Orange Salad With Chicken (or Chickpeas)
Produce
asparagus, 1 pound for Asparagus Salad with Shrimp
bell pepper, 1 for Slow Cooker Vegetarian Chili
bell pepper, 1 cup for Spicy Thai Shrimp Salad
blueberries, 4 cups for Purple Blueberry Rice
broccoli, 2 head for Roasted Vegetable Medley
butternut squash, 12 ounces for Slow Cooker Vegetarian Chili
Cabbage, for Fish Tacos
cabbage, 3 cups for Veggistrone
carrot, 1/2 cup for Brown Rice Bison Meatloaf
carrots, 4 cup for multiple recipes
carrots, 2 for Slow Cooker Vegetarian Chili
cauliflower, 3 cups for Veggistrone
celery, 2 1/2 cup for multiple recipes
celery, 2 stalks for Slow Cooker Vegetarian Chili
celery stalks, 4 for Hummus With Carrots & Celery
chopped fresh spinach or one 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, 4 cups for Veggistrone
cilantro leaves, 1/4 cup for Mexican Bean and Rice Salad
doz corn tortillas or iceburg letttuce leaves, 1 for Fish Tacos
fresh asparagus, 2 bunch for Roasted Vegetable Medley
fresh basil, 1 cup for multiple recipes
fresh berries or other fruit, 4 cups for Overnight Oatmeal
fresh parsley, 1 Tbsp for Asparagus Salad with Shrimp
fresh parsley, 1 1/2 teaspoon for Quinoa with Chickpeas and Tomatoes
Fresh Spinach, 1 Cup for Egg white Omelet
garlic, 1 teaspoon for Mexican Bean and Rice Salad
garlic, 17 clove for multiple recipes
garlic cloves, 4 for multiple recipes
ginger, 1 tablespoon for Ginger Garlic Green Beans
green beans, 1 pound for Ginger Garlic Green Beans
Green beans, 2 cups for Veggistrone
green bell pepper, 1 for Mexican Bean and Rice Salad
green bell pepper, 1 cup for Veggistrone
head romaine lettuce - torn, 2 for Tossed Romaine and Orange Salad With Chicken (or Chickpeas)
herbs (optional), for Egg white Omelet
jalapeno peppers, 2 for Mexican Bean and Rice Salad
just ripe avocados, 2 for Baked Salmon with Avocado Mango Salsa
kale, 2 cup for Veggie Omelet Muffins
Large Carrot, 4 for Hummus With Carrots & Celery
leeks, 2 TB for Egg white Omelet
lemon juice, 1 Tbsp for Asparagus Salad with Shrimp
lemon zest, 2 teaspoon for Overnight Oatmeal
lime, 1 for Mexican Bean and Rice Salad
limes, 2 for Baked Salmon with Avocado Mango Salsa
mandarin oranges, 6 cans for Tossed Romaine and Orange Salad With Chicken (or Chickpeas)
mango, 2 for Purple Blueberry Rice
onion, 3 for multiple recipes
onions, 1 large for Hawaiian Chicken Kabobs
onions, 4 1/2 cup for multiple recipes
or 1 mango, 2 for Baked Salmon with Avocado Mango Salsa
parsnip, 2 for Roasted Vegetable Medley
red bell pepper, 2 for multiple recipes
red bell pepper, 2 cup for Veggie Omelet Muffins
red onion, 1/4 cup for Baked Salmon with Avocado Mango Salsa
ripe Avocado, 1 for Fish Tacos
seeded and thinly sliced cucumber, 1 cup for Spicy Thai Shrimp Salad
serrano chile, 1 for Baked Salmon with Avocado Mango Salsa
small apple, 3 for Cinnamon Apple Slices With Raw Almonds
small roma tomato, 1 for Egg white Omelet
tomato, 3 for Quinoa with Chickpeas and Tomatoes
tomatoes, 1 14-ounce can for Veggistrone
tomatoes (roma), 2 for Veggie Omelet Muffins
whole kernel corn, 1 can for Mexican Bean and Rice Salad
yam or sweet potato, 2 for Roasted Vegetable Medley
yellow corn, 1 can for Turkey Chili with Corn and Black Beans
zucchini, 1/2 cup for Brown Rice Bison Meatloaf
zucchini, 4 for multiple recipes
Sauces & Spices
Asian sesame oil, 1/2 teaspoon for Ginger Garlic Green Beans
bay leaf, 1 for Veggistrone
chili powder, 2 tbsp for Turkey Chili with Corn and Black Beans
crumbled dried basil, 1 tsp for Brown Rice Bison Meatloaf
crumbled dried oregano, 1 tsp for Brown Rice Bison Meatloaf
crushed red pepper, 1/2 teaspoon for Spicy Thai Shrimp Salad
cumin, 1 tbsp for Turkey Chili with Corn and Black Beans
dark chili powder, 2 tablespoons for Slow Cooker Vegetarian Chili
fresh ground black pepper, for Brown Rice Bison Meatloaf
green pepper, 1/2 cup for Brown Rice Bison Meatloaf
ground cinnamon, 3/4 tsp for Cinnamon Apple Slices With Raw Almonds
ground cumin, 5 teaspoon for multiple recipes
Ground Turmeric, 1/2 Teaspoon for Egg white Omelet
Italian seasoning, 2 Teaspoon for Veggie Omelet Muffins
mixed chopped fresh herbs, such as basil, 1/4 cup for Spicy Thai Shrimp Salad
oregano, 1 tsp for Turkey Chili with Corn and Black Beans
red pepper flakes, 1/4 teaspoon for Slow Cooker Vegetarian Chili
red pepper flakes, 1 tbsp for Turkey Chili with Corn and Black Beans
Salt and black pepper to taste, for Asparagus Salad with Shrimp
Salt and pepper, for Fish Tacos
salt and pepper to taste, 3 pinch for Quinoa with Chickpeas and Tomatoes
salt to taste, for Mexican Bean and Rice Salad
sea salt, 1 tsp for Brown Rice Bison Meatloaf
sesame seeds, 1 1/2 teaspoon for Ginger Garlic Green Beans
soy sauce or Braggs Aminos, 1/2 cup for Hawaiian Chicken Kabobs
soy sauce or tamari, 1 Tbsp for Brown Rice Bison Meatloaf
Seafood
6-ounce salmon fillets, 4 for Baked Salmon with Avocado Mango Salsa
fish sauce, 4 teaspoons for Spicy Thai Shrimp Salad
Fresh Shrimp, 1 pound for Spicy Thai Shrimp Salad
fresh shrimp, cooked, 1/2 pound for Asparagus Salad with Shrimp
Fresh White Fish (grouper, cod, tilapia, mahi, etc), 1 lb for Fish Tacos
Uncategorized
chicken breast halves, 8 for Hawaiian Chicken Kabobs
Makes: 4 servings Prep Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 10 mins
Ingredients
1 pound asparagus, woody stem ends removed
1/2 pound fresh shrimp, cooked, shelled
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp fresh parsley, minced
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 cups brown rice, millet or quinoa, cooked
Notes / Directions
1. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and salt it well. Add the asparagus to the boiling water and boil for 3 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the asparagus to a bowl to cool. Add the shrimp to the pot of boiling water. If they are pre-cooked, remove after 30 seconds—this is just to warm them. If the shrimp are uncooked, boil them for 2-3 minutes, until cooked through. Remove the shrimp and add them to a large bowl.
2. Slice the asparagus spears thinly on the diagonal until you get close to the tip. Cut the asparagus tips off in one piece. (They look prettier that way.) Put the asparagus in the bowl with the shrimp. Add the remaining ingredients and toss to combine. Add salt and black pepper to taste. Add more lemon juice if desired, to taste.
2 cups rolled oats (not instant or quick cooking) 2 cups unsweetened plant-based milk (almond, rice, hemp, etc.) 1 teaspoon lemon zest 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/4 cup chopped pecans, walnuts or almonds 2 peaches or apricots, pitted and sliced 2 tablespoons agave nectar (optional)
Notes / Directions
Combine oats, milk, zest and vanilla in a bowl, cover and refrigerate overnight. The next morning, scoop oatmeal into bowls and top with pecans, peaches and a drizzle of agave nectar. You can also parse out the oatmeal into pint-sized canning jars for a grab-n-go breakfast! Serve cold or heat briefly prior to serving.
Makes: 4 servings Prep Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 10 mins
Ingredients
Olive oil
4 6-ounce salmon fillets
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 or 1 mango, not overly ripe
2 just ripe avocados
1/4 cup red onion, minced
1 serrano chile, minced
2 limes, juiced
Notes / Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. While the oven is preheating, prep the mangos. Either peel and then cut away the mango flesh from the core seed, and then cut the mango into 1/3-inch cubes, or follow the instructions here on How to Cut a Mango. Set the cut mango aside in a medium bowl.
2. Line a roasting pan with aluminum foil. Spread some olive oil on top of the foil. Coat the salmon fillets with olive oil and lay, skin side down, on the foil lined roasting pan. Sprinkle with salt. Place in the 400°F oven and cook for 10 minutes.
3. While the salmon is cooking, prep the other ingredients. Cut the avocados in half. Remove the seeds. Score the inside of the avocados with a small knife in a cross hatch pattern. Scoop out the avocado pieces and add them to the bowl with the cut mango pieces. (See How to Cut and Peel and Avocado.) Add the minced red onion, serrano chile, and lime juice to the bowl. Sprinkle with a little salt. Gently fold the ingredients together.
I pound of lean ground bison (you can use
1 cup brown rice, cooked
2 egg, beaten
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1 Tbsp soy sauce or tamari
1 tsp crumbled dried oregano
1 tsp sea salt
fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp crumbled dried basil
cooking spray
1/2 cup carrot, shredded
1/2 cup zucchini, shredded
1/4 cup ketchup (optional)
Notes / Directions
This serves 6
1. Preheat oven 350 degrees
2. In large mixing bowl combine all ingredients with a pair of clean hands. Place in a loaf pan that has been prepared with a light coating of non-stick cooking spray. Spread ketchup on top (optional). Bake for about an hour. Remove from oven and let it cool 10 minutes before cutting.
A wonderfully easy gluten-free vegan meatloaf that can be made from pantry staples. Whole wheat flour can be substituted for brown rice flour if you do not have a gluten allergy.
Ingredients
15 ounces black beans, drained and rinsed
1 whole onion, diced
2 whole garlic cloves, minced
1 whole carrot, minced
2 whole celery stalks, minced
1 cup mushrooms, coarsely chopped
1 cup quinoa, cooked
1 tbsp italian seasoning
3 tbsp brown rice flour
2 tbsp ketchup
2 tbsp tamari
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a standard bread pan and set aside. Mash black beans in a large bowl and combine all ingredients until evely combined. Transfer to pan and pat down firmly and tightly using a spatula. Bake 45 minutes to one hour, until firm and browned on the outside. Allow the loaf to cool and firm up before serving, about 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Spray pan again and add beaten egg mixture and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook, pulling up the edges with a heatproof silicone spatula, allowing uncooked eggs to run into pan, until the bottom is golden brown and the top begins to set, 1-2 minutes.
4. Add reserved veggie filling. Using the spatula, fold up 1/3 of the omelet. Roll the omelet over onto itself, then tilt the pan and slide omelet onto a plate.
Can also make this a frittata instead by adding the veggies to the eggs and following the directions in step 3, skipping step 4 and leaving unfolded.
1 lb Fresh White Fish (grouper, cod, tilapia, mahi, etc)
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
1 doz corn tortillas or iceburg letttuce leaves
coconut or olive oil spray
Salsa -
1 ripe Avocado
Cabbage
Cider vinegar
Salt
Notes / Directions
1. Prepare the salsa. Either use store bought or make your own. (See above link for Mango Salsa, which is especially good with fish.)
2. Prepare the cabbage and avocado. Thinly slice cabbage. Put in a small serving bowl. Sprinkle with cider vinegar (about a Tbsp) and salt (about a tsp). Mix in the vinegar and salt. Peel avocado and remove seed. Chop and reserve for later.
3. Heat the tortillas if you are not using lettuce wraps to make the tacos. Unless you have made fresh tortillas from scratch, you will need to soften them somehow. One way to easily soften and heat a tortilla to simply heat it in the microwave for 20-25 seconds on high heat, on top of a napkin or paper towel to absorb the moisture that is released. We often will heat two tortillas at once in the microwave, heating them for a total of 40 seconds.
4. Cook the fish. Soak the fish fillets in cold water for at least one minute. Pat dry with a paper towel. Heat a large stick-free skillet to medium high heat. Add a couple of teaspoons of olive oil to the skillet. Place fish on skillet. Cooking time depends on the thickness of the fillets. A thin fillet may take only one minute on each side to cook. A thicker fillet may take a couple of minutes. Fish should be still barely translucent when cooked. Break off a piece and test if you are not sure. Do not overcook the fish. Remove from pan when done to a separate plate. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
5. Assembly. I think tacos are best when you assemble them yourself. Place the plate of tortillas, the plate of fish, the salsa, the cabbage, and the avocados on the table and let everyone assemble their own.
1. Cook beans in a 6-quart pot of boiling well-salted water, uncovered, until just tender, 6 to 7 minutes. Drain in a colander, then plunge into an ice bath to stop cooking. Drain beans and pat dry.
2. While beans cook, mince and mash garlic to a paste with a pinch of salt, then stir together with soy sauce, ginger, vinegar, and oils in a large bowl.
3. Add beans and toss. Serve sprinkled with sesame seeds.
Makes: 8 servings Prep Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 20 mins
Ingredients
1/2 cup soy sauce or Braggs Aminos
1/4 cup Pure Maple Syrup
1/4 cup toasted sesame oil
8 chicken breast halves, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into 2 inch pieces
2 cups pineapple chunks, chunked
skewers
1 large onions, cut into chunks
1 red bell pepper, cut into 2 inch pieces
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 zucchini, cut into chunks
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
Notes / Directions
1. In a shallow glass dish, mix the soy sauce, vinegar, maple syrup, sesame oil and garlic. Stir the chicken pieces (or Tempeh/Tofu) veggies and pineapple into the marinade until well coated. Cover, and marinate in the refrigerator at least 2 hours.
2. Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
3. Lightly oil the grill grate. Thread chicken, veggies and pineapple alternately onto skewers. Grill 15 to 20 minutes, turning occasionally, or until chicken juices run clear (or tempeh/tofu is browned and slightly crisp)
2 cups brown rice, cooked
1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
1 onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced
1 lime, zested and juiced
1/4 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
salt to taste
Notes / Directions
1. In a large salad bowl, combine the brown rice, kidney beans, black beans, corn, onion, green pepper, jalapeno peppers, lime zest and juice, cilantro, garlic, and cumin. Lightly toss all ingredients to mix well, and sprinkle with salt to taste.
2. Refrigerate salad for 1 hour, toss again, and serve.
2 cups purple or black rice
2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 mango, peeled and cubed
Notes / Directions
Combine rice, blueberries and 4 1/2 cups water in a medium pot over high heat. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer. Cook until rice is tender, about 35 to 40 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in vanilla extract and mango and serve.
Makes: 3 servings Prep Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 20 mins
Ingredients
1 cup quinoa
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups water
1 cup canned garbanzo beans, drained
1 tomato, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tablespoons lime juice
4 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 pinch salt and pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon fresh parsley, chopped
Notes / Directions
1. Place the quinoa in a fine mesh strainer, and rinse under cold, running water until the water no longer foams. Bring the quinoa, salt, and water to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the quinoa is tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
2. Once done, stir in the garbanzo beans, tomatoes, garlic, lime juice, and olive oil. Season with cumin, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley to serve.
2 tablespoons coconut oil, divided
1 yam or sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 parsnip, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 cup carrots, thickly sliced
1 zucchini, cut into 1 inch slices
1 bunch fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 cup roasted red peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, chopped roughly
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 head broccoli, chopped into 2 inch pieces
3 cups brown rice, millet or quinoa, cooked
Notes / Directions
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
2. Place the yams, parsnips, and carrots into a large baking pan or casserole dish. Toss to coat with 1 TB of melted oil. Coconut oil has a very low melting point you can just dump the solid oil on top of the vegetables, place the pan in the oven for a few minutes and then pull it back out to stir and coat with the oil.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, then add the zucchini, broccoli and asparagus, and drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Continue baking until all of the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes more. Once tender, remove from the oven, and allow to cool for 30 minutes on the baking sheet.
3. Toss the roasted peppers together with the garlic, basil, salt, and pepper in a large bowl until combined. Add the roasted vegetables, and toss to mix. Serve immediately or save for later and serve at room temp/cold.
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 bell pepper, diced
2 tablespoons dark chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 can crushed tomatoes
3 cans red kidney or black beans, rinsed and drained
12 ounces butternut squash, peeled and diced
1 cup vegetable stock
Notes / Directions
NOTE: Sauteing the vegetables before adding them to the slow cooker creates a layer of flavor. Do not skip this step.
--
Heat the oil in a saute pan, then add the onions, carrots and celery. Saute for four minutes, until the vegetables start to soften. Add the garlic and bell pepper, stir and saute another 2 minutes.
Add the spices and cook for one minute, stirring constantly. Remove the pan from heat.
Add the vegetables and the remaining ingredients to the slow cooker and stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for six hours.
20 oz ground turkey
1 onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
1 tbsp red pepper flakes
1 can tomatoes with juice, diced
1 can tomato sauce
1 can yellow corn
1 can black beans, rinsed
1 can seasoned chili beans
Notes / Directions
Brown turkey in large skillet or large, but shallow pot. After 1 minute, add onion, red bell pepper, and spices.
Cook until turkey is no longer pink.
Add canned ingredients and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 30-45 minutes or until onions and peppers are soft.
If you have some wiggle room, garnish with light shredded jack and/or cheddar cheese, dollop of light sour cream, fresh cilantro, crushed tortilla chips, etc.
Makes: 6 servings Prep Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 20 mins
Ingredients
8 eggs, Use 4 whole/4 Whites Only
1 Cup cooked turkey or tofu, diced
1 cup red bell pepper, diced
1 cup onion, diced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons water
1 cup kale, chopped
1 Teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 tomatoes (roma), diced
Notes / Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray 8 muffin cups with coconut or olive oil or line with paper liners.
2. Beat eggs together in a large bowl until well combined. Mix in all other ingredients. Pour egg mixture evenly into prepared muffin cups.
3. Bake in the preheated oven until muffins are set in the middle, 18 to 20 minutes.
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups onions, chopped
2 cups celery, chopped
1 cup green bell pepper, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups cabbage, chopped
3 cups cauliflower, chopped
2 cups carrots, chopped
2 cups Green beans, chopped
8 cups low-sodium vegetable broth or chicken broth
2 cups water
1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
1 14-ounce can tomatoes, diced
1 15-ounce can kidney or pinto beans, rinsed
1 bay leaf
4 cups chopped fresh spinach or one 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1/2 cup fresh basil, thinly sliced
10 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Notes / Directions
1. Heat oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven (8-quart or larger) over medium heat. Add onions, celery, bell pepper and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 13 to 15 minutes. Add cabbage, cauliflower, carrots and green beans; cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 10 minutes more.
2. Add broth, water, tomato sauce, tomatoes, beans and bay leaf; cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until the vegetables are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Stir in spinach and simmer for 10 minutes more.
3. Discard the bay leaf. Stir in basil. Top each portion with 1 tablespoon cheese.
2 tablespoons lime juice
4 teaspoons fish sauce,
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons brown rice syrup, agave nectar or coconut sugar
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 pound Fresh Shrimp, peeled, cooked
1 cup bell pepper, yellow and/or orange bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 cup seeded and thinly sliced cucumber
1/4 cup mixed chopped fresh herbs, such as basil, cilantro and/or mint
Notes / Directions
Whisk lime juice, fish sauce, oil, syrup/agave/coconut sugar and crushed red pepper in a large bowl. Add shrimp, bell pepper, cucumber and fresh herbs; toss to coat. Serve in lettuce cups.
2 15 ounce cans of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon good olive oil
1 tablespoon tahini
2 or one clove of garlic, finely grated
Water to adjust consistancy
Sweet hungarian paprika to garnish
A strong blender or food processor.
Notes / Directions
1. Drain and wash the chickpeas, add to blender or food processor.
2. Add grated garlic, olive oil, tahini, lemon juice, and about 2 tablespoons of water.
3. Puree until there are no whole chickpeas, and the hummus is a thick paste.
4. Remove from bowl of mixer and garnish with a sprinkle of paprika. You could drizzle some olive oil and toss some chopped tomatoes on top of it if you desire. Serve with pita bread.
This dish makes a lovely addition to a middle eastern appetizer platter, the centerpiece for a tray of veggies, or an amazingly filling snack. You can add all sorts of things to your hummus (see the variety of different pre-made hummus in the grocery store for inspiration!)
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by Sandor Katz
with the dough hook attachment and let it go to town for about 20 minutes, adding in a little extra flour when I thought it needed it (too sticky). At the end of 20 minutes I had what I'm used to seeing when I make bread, which is a clean mixing bowl and a nice, soft and stretchy wad of dough that was just slightly sticky to the touch, but not so sticky that I couldn't pat it into a nice soft, smooth ball without getting gunk all over my hands. I coated this ball lightly with oil and placed it back into the bowl to rise. Covered with a damp towel, I let it sit for about 8 hours until it was at least doubled in size. 
into the oven and set it to 450F. Any large heavy pot with a lid that can withstand high temps will work for this, it does not have to be cast iron, but I LOVE my cast iron pot because not only does it make killer bread, it has so many other uses in the kitchen - I use it for all my soups, stews, gumbo, baked casseroles - it's the bomb. Plus, it's kind of heavy so I get a little workout in every time I use it, lol!
, which is set in Australia near the Easter holiday and in which a dessert called a 'Pavlova' is mentioned numerous times. After I looked up what it was - a light meringue-like cake typically served with fresh fruit and whipped cream or lemon curd, named after the famous ballerina of the same name - I decided to give it a try! I've never made any sort of a meringue before, so I figured why not try something completely brand new when it's my son's birthday and I'm already a bit pressed for time? Yeah, that's just how I roll.
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