Dehydrator Delight

I have to say first that I can't believe it has taken me this long to buy a good dehydrator!  Last week I got an Excalibur unit.  I got the one without the timer and saved quite a bit, then bought a digital timer ($6) that plugs into the wall that you then plug the unit into.  Voila, timer!  The unit I bought is the Excalibur 9 tray .


I also purchased teflon sheets that were $15 for 9 sheets rather than $10+ each for the name brand sheets.  One thing I really love Amazon for is that you can read so many product reviews that you can make an informed decision on whether something is a good deal or not.

My first foray was to make  Adams-bbq-kale-chips.  When I decide to make something I quite often find myself  making substitutions as I never seem to have everything a recipe calls for. 

Adam’s BBQ Vegan Kale Ribs
1 bunch of kale
pinch of Himalayan crystal salt
pinch ground pepper
 ½ teaspoon cayenne
¼ cup raisins
¼ goji berries
¼ sesame seeds
¼ cup brazil nuts
1 teaspoon ground caraway seeds

I didn't have raisins so I used organic dried blueberries/cranberries, I had no brazil nuts so used hazelnuts and rather than caraway I used sesame seeds.  These were SO good that as soon as I tasted the first one I started a new double batch.

I found a great recipe for Cheezy Kale Crackers that was the second thing into the dehydrator.  My husband Mitch and I really enjoy crackers so will be making a lot of these.  As usual, I changed it up to accommodate what was in the cupboard :-):

• Sesame seeds rather than flax
• Cayenne rather than the smoked paprika and chipotle.  These 2 will go on the next shopping list

I made a variation as well cause that's how I roll:

• 1 cup mixed ground amaranth and oat bran
• 1 cup water
• 2 cups cashews, soaked over night, drained and rinsed
• 1 bunch dandelion greens
• 1 cup coconut fibre
  
• 3/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 1 large clove fresh garlic
• Himalayan salt and pepper to taste

These are both really tasty but I think next time I will press seeds into them when I roll them out.  
 Endless possibilities!  I love playing in the kitchen.  Here's to good health!!

Beet and Apple Pulp Relish

When I juice I have a constant internal debate about what to do with the pulp.  Sometimes it goes straight on the compost pile but more often I seek ways to use it.  Carrot/Apple cake and dog cookies are the most often made goodies but here is a new one that is fantastic.  Use it on meat (if you eat it) but great on salad and my fave way... on homemade lentil loaf. Experiment with different spices... if you like sweet relish try adding a bit of coconut syrup.  Happy eating :-)

Beet and Apple Pulp Relish

• 2 cups beet and apple pulp from juicing
• 2 star anise pods
• 1 tbsp whole cloves
• 1 tsp unrefined sea salt
• ¼- ½  cup whey (I use whey that is left over after making cheese or yogurt)

• Instructions

1. Add whole cloves, salt and star anise to pulp and mix well.
2. Pack into a mason jar.
3. Add whey
4. Ferment in jar for a minimum of 3-4 days.
5. After relish has cultured, remove it from the jar and pick out the star anise pods and whole cloves. Mix well to make sure that anise/clove flavor is distributed.
6. Place in frig – will keep several weeks

How to Make Sauerkraut

Ingredients ·         1 medium head of cabbage ·         1 to 3 teaspoons salt and 1/4 cup whey Instructions Chop or shred the cabbage depending on the desired consistency of the final product. Sprinkle with salt. Work the cabbage with your hands, potato masher, or kraut pounder until there is plenty of liquid and the cabbage is a bit mushy. This portion of the process usually takes about 10 minutes. Add the whey and mix well. If using a starter culture instead, add the culture as specified by the instructions that came with the culture. Stuff the cabbage into the fermenting container, pressing the cabbage underneath the liquid. (If necessary, add a bit of water to ensure sufficient liquid). Ideally all the cabbage should be submerged under the liquid. Allow the sauerkraut to culture for 3 to 10 days at room temperature. A longer fermentation period can be used if desired. Please note: if using a starter culture, be sure to allow the sauerkraut to culture for the specified number of days indicated by the instructions that came with the culture to ensure full bacteria development. Once the sauerkraut is finished, move to a new storage container if desired. Store the sauerkraut in the refrigerator or in a root cellar after the culturing process. Many people find that aging the sauerkraut in the refrigerator or root cellar for 4 to 6 weeks improves the flavor. I added 2 large beets to this batch and they are 1.89L canning jars Variation: Prior to culturing, add shredded carrots, apple, kale or other vegetables for a more complex flavor.

A Recipe For Cold Winter Days

FRESH is best, BUT.....

I seem to be forever in search of the perfect way to have my daily wheatgrass juice.  FRESH is best but busy lives don't always allow for that.  I grow my own wheatgrass and at any one time I have 3 trays in different stages of growth on the go.

It's easy to grow, but I'll be the first to admit that the grinding of it is a giant pain.  I have a stainless steel wheatgrass juicer that you turn by hand.  The juicer itself and the turning of it are not an issue.  The cleanup, however, is where that giant pain comes in!  It needs to be totally disassembled to clean it right after you use it.  This involves multiple screws being undone and removing the screen and handle assemblies.On busy mornings I find myself skipping the wheatgrass as it just takes too much time.  Not good :-(

I noticed that a lot of the organic markets and health food stores have frozen "pucks" of wheatgrass juice that looked promising but when I saw the price I stepped back... FAST!  They are not much cheaper than just buying a shot of wheatgrass at your local juice bar. In my area a shot sells for between $2 and $6 depending on the store.

My solution?  I grow several trays of wheatgrass at the same time and when it's time to cut , I grind it up in my Vitamix with either coconut water or alkaline water, empty it into a strainer over a bowl and then freeze in ice cube trays. I try to use the cubes up within a week and it's a HUGE time saver on busy mornings when I would normally just take a pass on the grass. Throw these frozen cubes in the Vitamix or blender with your other smoothie ingredients and you're good to go!

Happy Juicing

Debbie

Kefir, yummy and oh so healthy

Make Your Own Kefir

Kefir is a fermented drink that is one of nature’s finest probiotics. You should consider making it a part of your anti-Candida treatment, along with a course of good commercial probiotics. It should also be a part of your long term diet plan. If you want to beat your Candida overgrowth for good, kefir is a great way to keep your gut flora in balance for years to come.

The beauty of kefir is that it is extremely easy to make at home. Just follow a few simple steps, and every 24-48 hours you can have a fresh batch of kefir ready to go.

Even better, if you find the right grains they will literally last forever. You can keep reusing and reusing them, and you will never run out. So as well as being hugely beneficial to your gut flora, kefir is also a very economical health food.

For an easy introduction to making your own kefir, buy a Kefir starter kit. The Body Ecology kit contains 6 packets which can each be used for around 7 batches of kefir.

What do you need to start making your own kefir?

Here is a list of the products and ingredients you need to start making your own kefir.

• Fresh milk (organic is better)
• Kefir grains or a kefir starter kit
• A large glass jar (with lid)
• Wooden spoon
• A plastic strainer

Buy a high quality strain of kefir if you can. The starter kits are great as an introduction, but they will generally last only for 5-7 times before you need to buy another. If you buy a good strain of kefir grains you can keep reusing them as long as you want. In fact the more kefir you make, the more grains you will be left with each time, so you’ll have plenty spare to give to friends and family! When you’ve finished your first batch of kefir, you can place the grains in a little milk and leave them covered in the fridge.

Find a wooden spoon and plastic strainer if you have them. The kefir grains are quite acidic, meaning that kitchen implements made from aluminum, iron, brass or copper are likely to release toxic metals into your kefir or on to the grains. Stainless steel is much less reactive however, and is a good alternative if you don’t have more suitable tools.

Also make sure that everything is really clean. This applies particularly to the glass jar in which the milk and kefir will be fermenting. Any contaminants may spoil your kefir and you’ll have to start over!

Lastly, you will see in step three that we recommend 'ripening' the kefir for 48 hours at room temperature after the fermentation process has finished. This is particularly important for Candida dieters, because this extra time significantly reduces the lactose content in the kefir. So if you allow it to ripen, you get all the benefits of the probiotics and none of the Candida-feeding lactose. Additionally, ripening the kefir increases the amount of B vitamins contained in the kefir. As a reminder, Candida sufferers often experience B vitamin deficiencies.

What steps do you need to follow?

Here are the very simple steps involved in making your own kefir. Once you’ve got it right once, you can keep making it over and over again.

Step One

Make sure your glass jar and its lid are both very clean. Place the kefir grains in the jar first, then pour the milk over them. A typical ratio is 3 tablespoons of kefir grains for every quart (or liter) of milk. Gently stir the mixture for a few seconds then place the lid on the jar. Leave the lid slightly loose so any excess pressure can escape.

Step Two

Leave the jar somewhere in your house at room temperature but out of direct sunlight. The fermentation process can take anywhere from 12 hours to 48 hours, depending on how you like your kefir. As a rule, less time in the jar will produce a sweeter, thinner kefir, whereas a longer fermentation will result in a thicker, more sour kefir. After some time you may also see the kefir separating into two layers – a thick, white curd at the top, with a thin, yellowy whey underneath. The kefir is OK to consume at this stage but will be quite sour, so as soon as you see any signs of separation it’s probably best to move on to step three.

Step Three

When you think your kefir is done, give the jar a quick stir and then pour its contents through the strainer. This will separate out the liquid kefir from the grains. You can store your liquid kefir in the fridge or at room temperature for a few days. In fact, storing your kefir at room temperature for a day or two will help it ripen, increasing the nutritional content and allowing most of the lactose to be fermented away (this is even better for Candida dieters). As for the grains, don’t throw them away! You can use them again and again. If you are not going to make another batch of kefir straight away, place the grains in a bowl with a small amount of milk and store them in the fridge.

Can you use a different type of milk?

You can use almost any kind of milk to make your kefir. In fact, you can even make it using just water, although your kefir is likely to end up a little runny and thin.

Thicker milks will always give the best results. Depending on where you live, the thickest milk might be labeled as 3.5%, whole or full-fat milk. Skimmed milk will also make good kefir, but it won't have that same, satisfying taste as it gets from regular milk.

Coconut milk is another great alternative for your kefir. It has a good consistency, perhaps even slightly thicker than regular milk, and of course you get the antifungal benefits of the caprylic acid in the coconut too.

Check out this great site for ordering all kinds of cultures.  They have a TON of good educational material on there as well... very informative!! http://www.culturesforhealth.com/

Medium Chain Triglyceride Oils

Thanks @SherrySweet for the info on MCT and coconut oil!! For those that are concerned with using different types of oil, here is the skinny:

MCT (Medium Chain Triglycerides) are fats that are found in coconut and/or palm kernel oil. MCT's break down rapidly in the liver rather than being digested in the stomach, they are metabolized differently than other conventional types of fat.

MCT's are used to encourage an increase in energy expenditure while decreasing fat storage. MCT's are recommended to replace long chain fatty acids if weight control is desired and are used to control hunger pangs, support fat loss without loss of muscle mass and increase your ketone levels.

MCT's can produce enough ketone bodies to have a significant effect on brain function. Dr. Mary Newport writes about ketone bodies as an alternative fuel for your brain which your body makes when digesting coconut oil, and how coconut oil may offer profound benefits in the fight against Alzheimer's disease.

GoGo has NO GMO's....What are GMO's?

GMOs, or “genetically modified organisms,” are plants or animals created through the gene splicing techniques of biotechnology (also called genetic engineering, or GE). This experimental technology merges DNA from different species, creating unstable combinations of plant, animal, bacterial and viral genes that cannot occur in nature or in traditional crossbreeding.

Virtually all commercial GMOs are engineered to withstand direct application of herbicide and/or to produce an insecticide. Despite biotech industry promises, none of the GMO traits currently on the market offer increased yield, drought tolerance, enhanced nutrition, or any other consumer benefit.

Meanwhile, a growing body of evidence connects GMOs with health problems, environmental damage and violation of farmers’ and consumers’ rights.

To Buy or Not to Buy Organic

Reposted from Food Matters, a very good overview of buying organic or "almost" organic.

by Michael Pollan

Should I buy local foods or stick to organic? 

It depends on what you value most. If keeping pesticides out of your food is your highest value, then buy organic. If you care most about freshness and quality or keeping local farms in business and circulating money in your community, buy local. But very often you can do both. Some local farmers are organic in everything but name, so before you decide to pass them up, ask them not "Are you organic" - to which the answer must be no if they haven't been certified - but rather, how do you deal with fertility and pests? That starts a more nuanced conversation that may convince you to buy their produce.

We can't afford to buy all our produce organic, so where should we direct our money to get the most benefit? 

On produce, some items, when grown conventionally, have more pesticide residue than others, so when buying these, it pays to buy organic. According to the Environmental Working Group, the "dirty dozen" most pesticide-laden fruits and vegetables are: apples, celery, strawberries, peaches, spinach, imported nectarines, imported grapes, sweet bell peppers, potatoes, blueberries, lettuce and kale/collards. The "clean 15" are onions, sweet corn, pineapples, avocado, asparagus, sweet peas, mangoes, eggplant, cantaloupe, kiwi, cabbage, watermelon, sweet potatoes, grapefruit and mushrooms. So if you've only got a little money to devote to organic, buy the organic apples and skip the organic onions. But do keep in mind that it's important to eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables regardless of how they're grown.

Why are vegetables and meat labeled "organic" so much more expensive than similar items without the "organic" label? 

There are several reasons organic food costs more than conventional food. First, the demand for it exceeds the supply, and presumably, as more farmers transition to organic, the price will fall, though it will never match conventional prices. For one thing, organic farmers receive virtually no subsidies from the government. (European governments significantly subsidize the transition to organic; ours doesn't.) But even on a level playing field, farming organically would probably remain more expensive. Farming without chemicals is inherently more labor-intensive, especially when it comes to weeding. In animal agriculture, raising animals less intensively is always going to cost more.

Think about it this way: The "high" price of organic food comes a lot closer to the true price of producing that food - a price we seldom pay at the checkout. It's important to remember that when you buy conventional food, many costs have been shifted - to the taxpayer in the form of crop subsidies, to the farmworker in the form of health problems and to the environment in the form of water and air pollution.

 O.K., apart from a clearer conscience, what does the premium paid for organic food get you as a consumer?

Organic food has little or no pesticide residues, and especially for parents of young children, this is a big deal. There is also a body of evidence that produce grown in organic soils often has higher levels of various nutrients. (But whether these are enough to justify the higher price is questionable.) Probably for the same reason, organic produce often tastes better than conventional (though a cross-country truck ride can obviate this edge).

So it's possible to make a case to the consumer for the superiority of organic food - but the stronger case is to the citizen. Farming without synthetic pesticides is better for the soil, for the water and for the air - which is to say, for the commons. It is also better for the people who grow and harvest our food, who would much rather not breathe pesticides. Producing meat without antibiotics will also help stave off antibiotic- resistance. If you care about these things, then the premium paid for organic food is money well spent.

Are there real opportunities for consumers to make an impact on factory farming, unsustainable agriculture and animal cruelty? 

Absolutely. As the market for humanely raised meat grew in recent years, the industry responded. The egg industry recently committed to an effort to phase out tightly confining cages for laying hens; some pork producers are phasing out gestation crates; McDonald's has taken steps to ensure that the meat it buys is slaughtered more humanely; Chipotle now buys only humanely raised pork. There is no question that agribusiness responds to the "votes" of consumers on these issues. The food industry is terrified of you.

Push Back on GMO's

It's about time.  The large chemical companies and mega-farms have been litigious toward family farms for decades, trying to force them to use their products and their genetically modified seeds.

http://organicconnectmag.com/wp/court-rules-that-organic-farmers-can-sue-for-pesticide-or-gmo-trespass/#.Tvt_YtWgvXI

Healthy Holiday Eggnog

Here is a great recipe for healthy holiday eggnog that makes a perfectly luscious, decadent base for your morning GoGo:

• 2 eggs
• 4 cups soymilk (or any milk or milk substitute)
• 2 tablespoons honey or 2 tablespoons sugar substitute
• 1 teaspoon vanilla (or to taste)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon (or to taste)
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg (or to taste)
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves (or to taste)
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (optional)
Directions:
Place all in a blender, mix and enjoy. I make mine in my Vitamix and blend for 5 minutes as this cooks the egg. Raw egg is fine if you are lucky enough to be able to buy really nice, fresh eggs.
You can easily modify the recipe to make more, just keep the 1 egg : 2 cups soymilk ratio.
Add GoGo and ENJOY! ~Debbie~

The skinny on Cacao

Raw Cacao is the highest known source of anti-oxidants by a factor of almost 5! It has nearly 20 times the antioxidant levels of red wine and up to 30 times what is found in green tea! A laboratory test known as ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) was developed by USDA researchers at Tufts University to rate the antioxidant levels of fruits and vegetables. Here are the results of Raw Organic Cacao. You'll also notice many of our other ingredients waaaay up high on the scale. Jump Up and GoGo in berry juice pretty much has it all covered!

 

Some Hard Cold Truth

Re-posted from "Food Matters" Vitamin and mineral supplementation continues to be a contentious issue amongst health professionals. The common catch-cry of the medical community is that vitamins and minerals are adequately available from our food. It’s hard to appreciate the credibility of this advice, when it is delivered from a profession that receives negligible nutrition training.
The inconvenient reality is that food ‘ain’t what it used to be. The marvel of modern agriculture has robbed our soils of essential minerals and consequently, our plants are deficient in these nutrients also. As natural health expert Charlotte Gerson explains; plants need over fifty vitamins and minerals, yet our abused and overused soils only typically receive phosphorus, nitrogen and potassium. If our plants are vitamin and mineral deficient and our bodies cannot manufacture these essential compounds, where else are we supposed to obtain them from?
Whilst sustainable agricultural practices such as biodynamic farming aim to restore our soils to health, we have considerable work to do before this option is universally adopted and available to everyone. In the interim, most of us are opting to eat as best we can however the majority of people fail to eat even the bare minimum required fruit and vegetable servings. This is a tad worrying when you consider that even those who do are probably also missing key nutrients. Importantly, supplementation is not a substitute for a healthy diet. But until we can replenish our soils and eat produce freshly picked in season, supplementation can be a tool to atone for the shameful lack in our foods.

Join Andrew Saul in Video 4 - Take Control

http://www.foodmattersmastery.com/fe/18042-4-take-control

If you feel you have ANY health issues and want a more natural cure than taking tons of pills this series of videos will change your life.  I have been using Niacin to replace anti-depressants I was on for 20 years and have never looked back. ~ Debbie

"We have now discussed the amazing journey from processed foods to whole food in video 1 'Food Options', from whole food to organic food in video 2 'Organics' and the power of adding superfoods into your diet. Then we talked about the importance of detoxifying your body from the chemicals in our food and environment in Video 3 'Detoxification'.

What’s next you might ask? Now we are going to talk about the importance of your ‘mind set’ for getting your health on track. So often when faced with an illness or important health decision we turn over our power to doctors, pharmacologists, surgeons and other health professionals.

It is important that you receive proper health advice however we believe that your body is worthy of good care and that nobody is more suitably qualified to take care of it than yourself. As David Wolfe says in the ‘Food Matters’ film... ‘The best doctor... the best nutritionist in the world... is YOU!’

How empowering! You can now understand why my father Roy, after watching these videos, was able to have the information, motivation and confidence he needed to heal himself and get off his medications. It was these very videos that helped him make the shift to abundant health.

This same knowledge and information applies equally if not more so to leading a healthy life, protecting yourself and family from disease and creating a ripple effect of wellness within your family and community."

Join Charlotte Gerson in Food Matters Video 3 - Detoxification

http://www.foodmattersmastery.com/fe/18041-3-detoxification   This awesome, grand lady has really perfected the "detox".  I really enjoyed this one and there is SO MUCH great info.

"In the last video we showed you the importance of seeking fruit and vegetables in their most natural, original REAL state. Amazing again how a small decision between organic and non organic can take your health to a completely different place! Just because it looks like a tomato doesn’t mean it is a real tomato. You will never turn back after enjoying the amazing taste and nutrition of real organic foods.
 

Now let’s take your health to another level. Since the early 1940’s we have created over 75,000 synthetic chemicals and released them wholesale into the environment. They are in our food, they are in our air, they are in the oceans, they have contimanted every creature on earth... and they are in us. Recent studies have shown that there are over 200 chemicals found in the blood of the umbilical cord of new born babies.

Never before in the history of the world have we been exposed to so many chemicals. In this video with Charlotte Gerson we are going to hear about the incredible discovery of the ‘Gerson Therapy’ for detoxifying and healing our bodies and the amazing results you can expect to see!"

The second Food Matters Video

http://www.foodmattersmastery.com/fe/17952-2-organics  This is really eye opening!!!

"In the previous video 'Food Options' with David Wolfe we explored the relationship that every mouthful of food has on our health. Decision by decision we are getting closer or further away from health. Once you have shifted from Packaged foods to fruit and vegetables you are already ‘stacking the cards in your favour’. By turning your back on packaged foods you have already eliminated years of wrong decisions! You have removed hundreds of toxins entering your system. Your taste buds are changing. Your body can finally start craving nutrition - not just being hungry.
 

Now lets take it to another level. Organic, non genetically modified, fully ripened, non-processed foods. Now you have moved into the Fruit and Vegetable section of the food stores! Well done! You must now understand that most bulk produced fruit and vegetables have not been left to fully ripen before being picked. They also have been grown in mass, therefore grew in nutritionally depleted soil, sprayed with pesticides to repel insects and some picked green and ‘gas ripened’ to get that ‘ripe colour’. Some fruit and vegetables are even genetically modified so their DNA repels insects and avoids frost. Amazing really...

This is the result of a major agriculture industry transporting our food 1000’s of miles for days or even weeks on trains, planes and ships all over the world. How clean was the dirt, air and water where this food was grown? All this goes into the fruit and vegetables you are eating. Although this is better than processed and fast food we can avoid all these toxins also.

Introducing - Organic Foods! Farmers who pass very strict tests can be certified organic. Their soil and water are free from pesticides, therefore their food is REAL food. In this interview we listen to Doctor Ian Brighthope talk about the importance of real organic foods, the problems with our modern agriculture systems and the relationship between trace elements in the soil and heart health."