Greens on the Go…

September 6, 2011 at 9:39 am (Eat to Live, Green Smoothies, Greens, Nutrition, Sprouting, Tips)
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Purslane Perfection

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I eat my greens fresh, and every day; but, on occasion, I’ve had to go without because of a particular situation — travel/away from essentials, etc. Now, going without my greens for a day or two — well, I guess that’s not the end of the world, but if I don’t have to then why? ;^)

I do know many people are out all day long and don’t have access to a blender or space to make their smoothies, so they give up on them.

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Well, here are a few tips to get those essential daily greens:

Manual juicer — excellent! Absolutely indispensable for travel. Good for hotels or if staying with relatives or friends. Makes no noise, is small and can be used almost anywhere — all that’s  needed is a table or steady surface to attach it. Compared to electric juicers a real bargain, too. In fact, if one can’t afford a fancy juicer, a good-quality (stainless steel) manual is perfectly fine; and, in fact better than some of the expensive juicers, and should last decades.

Just crank and juice!

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You can also take a small blender, if you’re going to be somewhere with access to an oulet, but don’t want to lug your big blender and juicer. Low-noise and work well if not stuffed with too much at once, it’s best to add, blend, add, blend, etc.

Tribest Personal Blender

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Use Powdered greens

All over the internet; even in stores, there are all kinds of ground greens available now. There are also blends so you can buy just one item and have a bunch of greens in one scoop.

You can buy individual, too, such as spinach, watercress, etc.

Whole fruit/juice — even a stop at a mini-mart on the road will have some kind of fruit or juice

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Dried fruit/ fruit powders — internet and stores too.

You can always dry your own when you have an excess ;^)

Dried/powdered vegetables for savory versions, or blended soups.

pea microgreens

A portable blender sounds pretty good — it’s no Blend-tec, of course ;) –  but  may work on soft leaves like mache, microgreens, and baby spinach — would work for powdered, anyway. Good for camping ;)

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If you add  nuts and seeds to yours, those are great traveling foods

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Spirulina


I haven’t tried any of the blends, and I like simple so I usually do, spirulina* or chlorella, some spinach and a scoop of Matcha. I like the green algaes in my GJGS’s, but don’t use them daily/as often as I used to. They are great traveling greens, though :^)

I like Glaser Farms Spirulina; its flavor is very fresh and clean. Comes in a nice glass jar, .*

Good quality from MRH’s Chlorella (and spirulina); and, I also recommend  HP’s chlorella

Algaes are very potent, so only small amounts are used.

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Algaes make your smoothies a deep rich dark green :D

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But you do not need an appliance — blender, juicer or other gadget:

You can take bottled juice, shake in some dried green powders and have a delicious GS on the go or when staying in a hotel or as someone’s guest, perhaps.

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Another option I’ve read that some folks employ for short trips for the day — freeze a pre-made smoothie and take it with (I would freeze it in a solid block for slower melting); it would be melted but still icy cold to drink by feeding time.

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baby bok choi, flowering


Eating your greens whole, or slurping them blended and juiced is ideal; and you don’t want to rely on powdered greens, of course. But, occasionally, we need alternative ways to get them. And, heck, if availability of leafy greens is scarce in your neck of the woods, dried or powdered is your ticket!

There is such a variety, too, that there are greens for everyone. The packaging for freshness is so good now, too; plus the freeze-drying method, sun drying or low-temp drying, etc. make them almost, if not as nutrient rich as their fresh form.

No excuses, Y’All ;^)

Beloved Broccoli forever stay - into my salad every day :D

So small yet so powerful, the broccoli sprout!

*Remember this:

Greens are the *KEY* to destroying cravings.

Greens are what demolished my cravings. I have zero cravings. Really? Yep. Really.

They nourish you so well, that your body becomes what it was meant to be –

Cue “6 Million Dollar Man” theme  OR… ;)    

– a perfect self-healing, self-sufficient, most-awesome-living-thing-on-this-planet- M_A_C_H_I_N_E — going after what it needs to survive — nutrients — destroying deadly cancers and other evildoers in its path like a Green-inator, leaving in its wake, vital organs and nutrient-rich cells *intact* and thriving.  YOU, too, can be rebuilt –

better

stronger

faster! :D

/cut music/  ;)

AND your body won’t signal what you perceive as cravings “false hunger”). Why?  Because it does NOT want junk.

Greens are the oils that lubricate your gears! They’re the premium fuel that runs your engine, clean. They are the spinach to your inner Popeye.

Don’t have greens once in a while.

Don’t have a “handful” of greens in your smoothies

Don’t have greens as a phase –

Greens are a food you should  – no, have to –  eat daily for the rest of your life.

They are the ULTIMATE HEALING FOOD. Make no mistake. Get ENOUGH.

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Buckwheat Lettuce/Microgreens

Eat ‘em raw, blended, juiced and stewed,

They aren’t sides or condiments, leafy greens are FOOD!

Slice ‘em, dice ‘em –  heck, chiffonade

Any way you can get ‘em;  Don’t be a clod. :p

Simmered, creamed, chopped and steamed — they satisfy more than you ever dreamed.

Fill up with greens, and  get yourself lean.

Good for your body and the ol’ bean ;)

Flax Microgreens


Saturate your cells with nutrients galore

and strong mind and body will be yours evermore :D

Let the healing begin!

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Poxacuatl

*Note the caution at the bottom MRH’s spirulina page. As always, do your research.

6 Comments

The Purloining of the Pomegranate…

November 1, 2010 at 7:48 am (Food, Nutrition, Tips)
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Peter Piper Picked a Peck of Purple Pomes.

A Peck of Purple Pomes, Peter Piper Picked.

If Peter Piper Picked a Peck of Purple Pomes,

How’d he Purge the Purple Pulpy Pearls?

 

Hm. A precarious pickle, indeed.

Well, there is more than one way to dislodge the snug little arils; however, the following is my personal fave I learned from an old Martha Stewart show.

I would have made a video, but my third arm is at the dry cleaners; so pictures will have to do.

Cut through the skin about 1/4 inch to start and rotate the fruit around to slice only through the rind — like scoring. You don’t want to cut through when you cut around, you’ll end up crushing the arils and losing juice  (remember the first cut through to halve cake layers? Like that)

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cut pome by scoring through the peel only, all the way around its center

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When finished cutting all the way around, simply twist the pomegranate gently within your palms and it will halve nicely.

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Twist pome gently for a clean break

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Now, place a deep bowl in your sink and, using the back of a large knife, or, better a large wood spoon or spatula and holding the pome cut side down, give the skin-side some whacks. Here I’m using my silicone spatulas (which I like; they’re heat resistant, too, and come in various sizes).

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over a bowl, tap the pomegranate

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...Tap the sides, and all over with moderate force

And, the arils pop out nicely. You can get some splashing — some times  more than others, but it’s all good in the end! you’ll see.

Tapping it into your hand, yields better results — you’ll get less splashing the surrounding area, too, and the arils fall through your fingers

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Tap the pomegranate into your palm

*By the way, using a deep bowl and placing in the sink like this, I’ve never gotten any pome juice on my clothes or had any splash in my eyes (unlike lemon…why does that always happen?!); however, if you’re wary, wear an apron :)

Into the palm, go the pomes, down to the bowl through finger holes

So, hey, check ‘er out:

Nice and cleanly removed arils. Tip: Stud with cloves and hang to dry (or dry in dehydrator)

Even cleaned out, they are stunning! I think I’ll stud some with cloves, and for the holiday :)

Here you see you don’t lose a thing using this method.

check out the juice! (This much juice collection is because I did many pomegranates at once)

Voila! A plethora of perfectly pilfered plums! :D

Well, I’ll be ding donged!

Found the vid; Martha shows how to!

 



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*She shows it in the first 2 minutes, so you don’t need to watch the whole thing*

That isn’t the show I saw, and I see on this epidode she scores it in quarters — good idea for the bigger globes! Gotta remember that. Here’s another way to remove arils.

Nutrient rich, pomegranates are worthy of your attention! In last month’s Huffington Post, Dr. Fuhrman. found pomegranates worthy of mention, referring to them as one of 5 foods to be, “medicine” Wow! Food = medicine. That’s pretty dang powerful: Read more on just how powerful.

Pomes have lotsa polyphenols (whoa, concords are loaded too!)

Only precaution: while pome juice is worth drinking, one can just as well consume it via the seeds: That age-old question: to eat the seeds or spit?! (did anyone ever chew the shells of sunflower seeds?! Was that a children’s thing or do adults do that? Hee .) I’ve read there is some nutritional benefit of ingesting  the seeds — I don’t know for sure, I imagine so, since pomegranate oil is highly prized -  however, I have no problem consuming them. The oil, beneficial or  not, would be in insignificant amounts anyway. According to the California Pomegranate Council (funny) the seeds are edible, and it’s simply a matter of taste as to whether one should consume them. As well, the pith of some fruits appear to contain benefits from what I’ve read…Personally, I love the pith of some fruits, especially citrus! Most say it’s bitter, but I find it “sweet”; the bitter is usually the pith closest to the skin. the closer to the fruit, the milder. When juiced or blended, it adds creaminess. But, that’s just me

Old pic of pomegranate ice cream .I made... think I used macadamias and cashews, Oy!

So anyway, fruit juice should be limited. Juice — too much of it — can be like a sugar bomb; plus, one can miss out on a LOT of the valuable nutrients left behind, while tossing the fiber. Now, if you want to waste money, get extra calories with minimal satiety, AND minimal benefits, have at it. BUT, pomegranate juice can be an exception –  with guidelines! Because of its value it can — and for some, should — be  a regular part of the diet; but one doesn’t need a ton of it a day — I recall reading a recommendation for a quarter cup per day being enough. Good thing ’cause it ain’t cheap, no matter how you get it. :)

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If you don’t want/cant get juice regulary, then get some through LDL Protect, a formulation anyone can take who wants the benefits of plant sterols and phytochemicals. Read about powerful plant sterols, pomegrantes, and LDL Protect, HERE.

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Pomegranate Snowcone!

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It can be incorporated into recipes, as well, but stay away from processed stuff;  use it fresh! A couple examples: Ice cream. Imagine fresh out-of-season pome sorbet during summer! Pop some cubes into lemonade or limeade…mmmm. How about a slushy or popsicle? Add the arils to grains, salads and morning cereals. Fruit leathers; pomegranate milk; yummy dressings…it’s endless, really. Oh, I make a mean ETL sangria

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Now, how to punctiliously pick that peck of  persnickety pears without peril:

Hm.. Let us proceed  prudently..

Heavy! That’s a general rule: the heavier, the juicier. No bruises; firm; tight skin; early and mid-winter are best of the season. Skin color not as important, but I do like to get the deepest red if all other requirements for freshness are met. No soft spots, or cracks; wrinkling is not a good sign.

There are varieties of pomegranates,  here is a “white pomegranate” I was lucky to find.

The site says the white are sweeter! I don’t recall, actually, any difference. Hmph. The Japanese one at the bottom of the page looks interesting. It says it’s sort of tart. Maybe that’s the one I tried…though, again, I don’t recall it being “tart” either.  I wonder if it has less phytos than the dark? If so, perhaps it contains something else as its advantage?

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Thawed pomegranate: Squeeze for juice

How to juice?

(The skin should not be juiced) Well, again, there are a few ways — I discovered that freezing whole or halved pomegranates, like I do with ginger, for example, is surprisingly efficient at juicing. On those rushed days, I’ve  thrown them into the freezer :)   As in the photo above, simply thaw and squeeze a half. Lots of pressing over a strainer will render more; Twist and squeeze through a cloth or crush with a potato masher if you don’t want to squeeze it with your bare hands.

You can pulse in a blender or a food processor, then strain; grind it through a food mill; squeeze the arils, a halve, or quarter through a hand-held citrus juicer (not my choice — messy!); use a reamer (I LOVE those vintage reamers!); or  run the the arils through your juicer.

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Generally,

…”One medium pomegranate weighs about 9 ounces and yields about 5 ounces of fruit (3/4 cup) and 4 ounces (1/2 cup) of juice.”

*TipS: Frozen arils are great through the juicer. As well, the arils, frozen or fresh, help clean out the screen of the hard-to-remove pulp that’s often left behind when juicing leafy greens for you to scrub off (this is especially true with the single auger style juicers.)

Run them through last or almost last.

*Tip* (A bottle brush , if it doesn’t come with your juicer is worth buying for cleaning your juicer parts – found at hardware stores)

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Storage:

Whole pomegranates store for months under fridger,(and can sit out up to a couple of weeks, depending on how fresh they were when purchased/picked), but best to eat soon. Freezing is a great alternative.

I like storing food in wax bags before placing into any plastic. These Natural Value brand wax bags are a must in my kitchen — one for the “Favorite Things” list :)   (I get them at the market). Parchment, is another, and I use it for this purpose too.

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Then seal them in larger plastic bags for longer storage:

You can store the juice in the fridge — I’d not for more than a couple days; or freeze, well sealed for enjoyment during the off season — mm, that is fabulous, by the way. I purchase pomes throughout  the height of the season, but also the end of season, juice the whole lot of them, freeze them and never have to pay for the very expensive, heated and processed, and preserved, who-knows-how-old bottled pomegranate juice. If mine is a few months old, but fresh-frozen,  I’m better with that :D .

Ice trays are a fabulous way

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Here you see the difference when manually juicing the arils — the dark — and running the arils through a juicer:

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*No biggie: the juicing of the seeds is just fine. I ran it by Dr. Fuhrman to be sure, and he said it’s all good :)

*Conveniently portioned, it’s nice to just reach in the freezer for some of the magic ;)

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Enjoy pomegranates however you like them; they’ll be gone from markets much too soon!

Strix

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6 Comments

Try Something New…

June 3, 2010 at 9:46 am (Diet, Dr. Fuhrman, health, Nutrition, RAW Food, Recipes, Vegan)
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Beautiful Blue Poppy Seeds

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Sesame Milks

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Seed_Mylk


The Gold…

Ever had sesame milk? Why not try something new?! :) May surprise you.


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Calcium rich, sesame milks are an excellent nightcap :D Who needs “a glass of warm COW milk?!!? Do you really want that? Eeeoow Double YUK! Hip, hip, Hurray for sesame milk, a great alternative :) It’s soothing and So nutritious. Calcium is great before bed, as it aids in sleep (and mental health through seratonin production!) Tryptophan seems to be key — if you have trouble getting those Z’s, have a couple of walnuts with that milk ;) Sesame seeds are rich in methionine and tryptophan, and are 25% protein. Good anytime, and in recipes, too,though! I tried it in my Indian Spiced Lentil Soup, and it was delicious.

Sesame milks are much more difficult to “perfect,” since the flavor is a pronounced one, and everyone’s palate is different. Experimentation is definitely advised! However, if you love tahini or sesame seeds, you’ll probably be a fan of sesame milk :) . Alternatively, you may like to combine it withalmonds for a delicious combo, and a tempered “sesame” flavor.

sesame-mylk_brown_unhulled-2-copyI used to love the idea of sesame milks, but all the recipes called for way too much sesame, and the result, cloying, especially using the hulled seeds. I think the key with these nut and seed milks is finding the right ratio of seed to water. And, of course, we all have varying palates :) so finding the right ratio for you is the real key. The brown, unhulled (with shells) must be soaked and rinsed to alleviate the bitter components in the hulls.

My experience has been that the following are well received by most everyone to whom I served them. You can, however, make these with less water; it’s then easier to just add water if it needs it. Folks unaccustomed to natural flavors find sesame strong; but if you like sesame, by all means :D

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Sesame Milk, unhulled

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1/4 C unhulled, organic Brown Sesame Seeds

Water for soaking

1 1/4 (or up to 2) C Water (I like 1 1/4 – 1 1/2 )

Soak Sesame seeds in water 4 hours. Drain.

Rinse well until water runs clear.

Place in a blender with 1/2 C water and blend till creamy.

Strain into a glass storage jar.

Add remaining water to the milk and mix well or shake.

Store, well-sealed in the refrigerator.  Shake well before using.

Makes 1 1/4 – 2 C

Lasts 3 or 4 days.

Notes:

Optionals: You can add sweetener (fresh date) or vanilla. A piece of banana is also very good here.

I  like it richer tasting, so you can try 1 C water; conversely, if it’s strong-tasting, adding more water, combining with another milk, or using optionals are all possibilities.

If you are in a big hurry or don’t mind that the seeds get slightly cooked, then you can pour hot or boiling water over the seeds, and let soak till cool. Then drain and rinse till water runs clear.

Alternatively, after soaking 4 hours (not the hot-water soak), you can sprout the sesame seeds for 24 hours to maximize nutrients. Do not sprout for longer than 36 hours or they get bitter. I usually do 24 or so. According to SproutPeople, they also do not store well; so use them up within 2 days.

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Straining sesame seeds through cheesecloth works well…

sesame_mylk_brown_unhulled-2-copy

~Beautiful and delicious!~

sesame-mylk_brown_unhulled-8-copy

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And the Black...

Ever had black sesame? Hey, it’s ALL a crapshoot — why not just try something different? ;)

I love black sesame, and they are part of my regular fats rotation :D

Black-Sesame-Seeds_quarterC (3)

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Black Sesame – More nutrient-rich than white or brown! CalciYUM!

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Be more adventurous :D …

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Now that’s a Nutritarian’s nightcap ;)

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Midnight Milk

1/4 C Black Sesame Seeds

Water for soaking

1 1/4 – 2 C Water (I like  1 1/2-ish)

Soak Black Sesame for 4 hours. Drain and rinse well. (Sprout, if desired)

Combine Black Sesame and 1 C water in a blender. Blend on “High” till thoroughly creamy.

Strain into a glass storage jar. Add remaining water and mix well.

Shake well before using.

Makes 1 1/4 – 2 C

Optionals: Sweetener of choice; Vanilla to taste

I also like this at about 1 1/4 -1 1/2 C water because I love the taste of black sesame; however, to some, it has a strong taste. You can try it with less water to start, then just add as you go. I found the up to 2 C to be acceptable to most people; you’ll have to just try it — your mileage may vary :D .

Try it warm; it’s delish.

And don’t forget, it’s easy-peasy to make your own tahini.

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Feeling even more adventurous?

How about Poppy Seed Milk?

I was pleasantly surprised when I attempted this “milk”; it’s delicious. It is often my go-to “milk”:

One Tablespoon Poppy Seeds contain 13% the Daily Value of Calcium — Wow!

poppy-mylk_fini-6

…an excellent “regular milk” substitute:

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Poppy Milk


1/4 C organic Poppy Seeds

Water to soak

1 C water

Soak seeds in water 4 hours.

Drain.

poppy-seeds_strain

Rinse well. Interesting color! :D Must be the anthocyanidins changing shades :D – (Save that Pulp!!)

Place in a blender with 1/2 C water and blend till creamy.

poppy-mylk_tribest

Wasn’t sure my little Tribest Personal Blender would handle those teeny-tiny seeds, but, yep, it broke ‘em up….however, I blended it a few minutes, and I did use the flat blade…

poppy-seeds_tribest_blade

Strain into a glass storage jar…

poppy-mylk_strain-4

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I like to use my handmade tea bags (no waste!), but use these tea filters, too (although, these don’t work well with “fluffier” pulp); use cheesecloth, if you have it. The grainy little poppies are sand-like and the drainage is good. Here you see it oozing out the bag…

poppy-mylk_strain-9

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squeezing out as much as possible.

BUT be careful! The tea bags are light and delicate; Don’t squeeze too hard or…

poppy-mylk_strain-7

…and you don’t want that pulp dropping back in to your milk :) As much as I know this, I still get too rough with my poor seeds :D . (Wetting the filter bags first, before filtering, helps a lot.)

Add remaining 1/2 C water to the milk and mix well or shake.

This tastes best the following day, too. Makes 1 C of delicious, creamy white milk…

poppy-mylk_fini-4

I think this is better than cashew milk. Another surprise, it actually tastes better a couple days later.

Store, well-sealed in the refrigerator. Shake well before using.

Makes 1 C

Notes: This ratio of seed to water makes a milk suggestive of regular milk. I found the 1:4 seed to water formula to be excellent as a milk substitute. The poppy seed flavor is so mild, it’s undetectable and much lighter than I anticipated.

I also found it to not need anything added at all. Of course, optionals such as vanilla, or sweetening can always be used.

This would make a good base for any recipe calling for plain milk, since the taste is mild and more like “cow’s milk” (but trust me tastes better!)

A little aside: poppy seeds have a thickening quality! Very nice in dressings.

Important Note: I’ve read that poppy seeds do not contain opium and that they do contain trace amounts. From what I’ve read, it is within certain varieties, which are grown specifically for the drug.  However, either way, it’s only from the plant that the drug is made,and the seeds contain trace amounts only. And,  again, it’s possible that only a select type has it .

Poppy seeds do seem to possess “sedative” qualities, often recommended for insomnia (Walnuts and sesame are high in tryptophan, and also recommended as good sleep aids; so they could also be “sedative”). I’m not sure if this would even be true for so small amounts that one eas (as opposed to the type of poppy used medicinally). Please make a choice based on knowledge and thorough understanding; the consumption of this milk is your sole responsibility. False positive drug tests have been reported with ingestion of poppy seeds (similar to the false tests that hemp seeds can render); however, there is a specific tell-tale chemical, thebaine, which will be present only with ingestion of the seeds, so no need to worry :)

NOTE: I wouldn’t  serve this this children — just to be on the safe side; there are many other alternatives, anyway (After running this past Dr. Fuhrman he advised against serving a lot of poppy seeds to children; so this may be too-concentrated a source, I think; better to err on the side of caution) However, it certainly is “something new” and interesting to try for us responsible adults ;)

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Sweet Sesame Dreams ;)

sleep _ Strix

sm row smiles

2 Comments

Sex and the Green Smoothie…

May 22, 2010 at 10:15 am (Diet, Green Smoothies, Greens, health, Nutrition, Off Topic, opinion)
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I saw a blurb on tv — don’t know if it was a show, a newscast segment, or what — in passing; I did not hear the whole report (if there was one). I guess an expert, was extolling leafy greens as aphrodisiacal foods! I thought, “Hmmm… Just got me thinkin’…

Is there a connection?

Last time I felt overly amorous was when I took maca for sports performance, of all things. All I can say is this stuff works — for the libido AND the sport-enhancing properties. So it’s certainly not a stretch to believe there are certain foods with certain — um, abilities.

So, I got to thinking…What about pleasure foods/drugs in lieu of sex? Certainly not a new concept; I think it’s pretty well established:

Food as substitute for sex.

I then read that high fatty foods, and high sugar foods, coffee, alcohol, and cigarettes — notice, all of these are always described as “comfort” foods/activities, or occupational habits, all bringing some sort of pleasure — diminish, not only one’s physical health, but sexual health: “…These “pleasure drugs” can dampen sexual desire and leech beneficial nutrients vital to our sexual health..”

What to eat to add spice from MSNBC – funny how the usual fatty fare, like chocolates and rich dairy “foods” are exactly what you DON’T want for amour filled nights!

I wonder how many of these activities are engaged, one, in lieu of pleasure (unhappiness/unfullfilled in life, etc.); and, two, as a means of denial of pleasure. In other words, some use these “pleasure” activities (eating, drinking, smoking, etc.) to suppress (what should be) a real pleasure, such as sex because of negative associations (?) — many eating disorders have roots in abuse. Or,  these “habits” are employed in lieu of pleasure (true pleasure) in their lives.

Maybe stuffing oneself is like chomping on ice cubes :D   Okay, not to belittle it… What I mean is perhaps overeating is/food “issues” are  a non-sexual response to a sexual issue — a suppressive, or a substitute. Indulgence is indulgence…gluttony is gluttony, regardless for what reason. I imagine extreme exercise, extreme denial of X, etc., are various forms of denial of something, substitute for something, or punishment even.

Food as punishment.

Normally, indulgence is seen as “comforting” oneself; I wonder how much is actually punishment. Or perhaps all of it is, with “comfort” being the guise.

Living in denial…Maybe some of the discomfort or un-comfortableness  of becoming more healthful (“detox” symptoms such as anxiety, irritability, etc.)  is from lack of dealing with sexual issues or, more generally, life pleasure/life dissatisfaction and issues related to those…In other words, a general fear is activated when one becomes uncomfy, and specific ones come barreling through too: Hard to deal with on any given day; probably moreso when there’s no sugar/cigs/booze around…

Food as distraction from fear of…?

I don’t know; maybe no one understands what I’m trying to get at here. Am I rambling nonsensically? (again :D )

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There is obviously a psychological boost, a self esteem enhancement from thinning and looking “good,” which usually increases one’s self image, which may express itself in more confidence and include sexual confidence; but, physically/organically/biologically, becoming thin (not overly) seems to also be associated with healthy libido, and being overweight is a killer of libido:

WebMD has info on how weight effects sex — surprise, lose weight, eat fruit and vegetables, and exercise are mentioned as positive toward sex issues! The more healthy you become, the more sexual health is gained…Are ETLers sex fiends??!! :)

green_juicie_GS_

So what do you think? Has your your sexual health/associations improved via healthful foods? Jacob seems to believe so!

Are greens the Nutritarian’s oysters? :D One thing’s for sure, my mantra has always been, and remains: EAT GREENS, Eat More Greens…then go eat some greens ;^)

Strix

*This post is actually a couple years old! Decided to post it because I’m slurpin’ my Green Juicie Green Smoothie  :) . Got so many unposted drafts. Ack! I have so many, I don’t even need to write anything new for a while; I can just post all these oldies. They need editing, though, and, probably have lots of dead links…

Maybe I’ll get back to this blog…hmmm. Time, time — where does it go?!!

7 Comments

ETL Friday! Recipes: No-Grain Granola…

May 8, 2009 at 2:17 am (Diet, Disease-Proof Your Child, Eat to Live, ETL FRIDAYS!, Food, health, Nutrition, Recipes, Vegan)
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~ Update: This NoGrainola is actually excellent with plant-milks; the texture is best described as the texture of “Grapenuts Cereal” if you recall ever eating that. Enjoy :D ~

beanola_granola_garbanzo-goji

No Grainola with Goji Berries and Walnuts

Hi, Folks. No grain, no sugar, no acrylamides, and low fat ETL-DPYC granola. I thought I’d share one of my recipes that I created, utilizing the humble but versatile garbanzo bean –  grain-allergy free to boot. Feel free to tweak. Let me know if anyone you serve this can tell this is NOT “cereal” (without informing them what it is first, of course!); so far, no one has thought it otherwise.

Oh, and, you can make this with grains if you wish; oats are excellent, as well as wheat germ (see note below recipe)

This can take a lot of tweaking and be just as good — from spicing to lots of additionals to taste, such as dried fruit, nuts, seeds, oats/grains, flavorings, extracts, etc.

For morning cereals with ‘milks (see update above ;) )– I can’t say with 100% certainty you will like this with nut or seed milk: It will soften, which most cereals do; however, the texture is different, being beans and all. It’s ultimately up to you whether you like it that or not; try it :D . One friend of mine eats this with nut milk, but doesn’t let it sit to get soggy, so….I don’t know. You can spruce it up with berries — fresh and dried — or some banana, of course.

Sweetening can also be adjusted. I think the 1/2 C is a moderate amount, 2/3 C will satisify most; feel free to add more, if needed. Alternatively, if you find it is not sweet enough, or if others need more and others don’t, simple sprinkle in some date sugar, or sweeten your nut-seed milk. You can also spray the granola with water, then sprinkle with date sugar, spray again so it sticks; then pop it back into the dehydrator/oven :)

Here are two basic, simple versions; work widdit :D :

No-Grain Granola

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1 can of salt-free Garbanzo Beans, plain,drained and rinsed very well (or 1 1/2 C home-prepared, plain — sprouted, even better!)

2  tsp vanilla extract

1/2* – 2/3 C Date Sugar, or to taste

2 TB Ground Golden Flax Seed

1-1 1/2 tsp Spice, such as pumpkin pie mix, cinnamon, Or Ginger if you’re a pea picker ;) ,  etc. (2 tsp Ginger 1/2 tsp Cinnamon is good)

1/2 C Pecans or Walnuts or both, chopped (OR choice of nuts/seeds)

Citrus Zest of 1 fruit (1 orange), Optional

1/2 C dried fruit, Optional

Coconut, flakes, pieces, dried or fresh, Optional

 

See directions below

I used the entire skin of kumquats for the citrus zest. The skin of kumquats is sweet and edible straight and the inside fruit is tart; so it was easy to just slice up the skin. Use some zest of orange as an alternative. I also threw in chopped up pieces of fresh young coconut and the texture was fantastic; it wasn’t like dried coconut flakes, it was chewy like dried fruit.

*Half cup of date sugar makes this light on sweetness; use 2/3 for a just-right sweetness; more?…at your own risk! ;D .

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Basic No Grainola ;) II

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I like the addition of a bit of tahini in this version:

1 Can Garbanzo Beans, unsalted, drained and rinsed well, (or 1 1/2 C home-prepared, plain)

2/3 C Date Sugar, or to taste

1 – 1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon or more (Or others, such as Ginger, Cardamon, etc.)

2 TB Tahini + 2 TB juice/water, mixed

1/4 tsp Almond Extract

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

2 TB Ground Golden Flax seed

1/2 C Almonds, chopped (or nuts/seeds of choice)

1/2 C Dried Fruit, Other additions, such as coconut, etc., Optional

Zest of 1 Citrus, Optional

1/2 C Creativity ;) Optional

 

Beanola ;)   Directions

Drain and rinse very well the Garbanzo beans and drain.

Pulse them in the processor

Dump into a bowl.

Combine tahini-water+ extracts

Then with a fork work in the tahini mixture, taking care not to mash — Just toss, but till thoroughly combined.

Add the Date sugar, cinnamon and flax, fork-tossing in as above.

Add the nuts, and mix.

Pour onto parchment-lined dehydrator sheets or baking sheet. Dehydrate at desired temperature till thoroughly dried; Or, bake at 248-degrees (to avoid acrylamide formation) or at lowest temperature you can in your oven till thoroughly dried and crunchy-yum.

I dehydrate 1 recipe in the Excalibur dehydrator at the highest temperature (155-degrees) for 3-or-so hours; it can actually be eaten at @ 2 hours; however it’s not thoroughly dried to my satisfaction at that point for best crunch factor (or for storing). You’ve probably tasted different granolas and some are super hard, others have a softness to them. You decide.

I’ve done lots of variations; so take your pick.

Enjoy!

Note on adding grain and / or Creativity:

If you add the grain, pulse chop rolled oats; if you use quick-cooking oats, you don’t need to pulse them. Start with 1/2 C;  I believe 1/2 C is about right. Try other ingredients such as some carrot pulp, perhaps; or ground nuts/seeds, etc. (Be sure to taste to determine if seasoning needs adjusting.)

And let me know your results :)

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garbanzo_granola_oats

Above is one using oats (pic before dehydrating). Interestingly, though, those who tasted both had no idea the only-garbanzo one was without any grain.

It has pecans and dried bananas

These mixtures look especially beautiful around the holidays with festive fruits and nuts. Oh, and not to mention a great way to maintain your Eat-To-Live lifestyle during that tough season :) .

Enjoy!

ETA: Have to add this!  If you are having problem with eating nutritionally/snacking; etc, this may be too “snacky” or contain too much dried fruit (dates ) for you;  it is, however, great for children. Eat responsibly ;^)

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Some pics to help with the directions;

Pulse the beans; don’t cream them:

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Granola_chickpea_tahini

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Granola_chickpea_tahini (3)

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Granola_chickpea_tahini (4)

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Granola_chickpea_tahini (5)

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Granola_chickpea_tahini-walnut

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Oh, and speaking of crunch…Don’t forget my My Kale Chips recipe! For a delicious savory crispy munch :)

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Click pic below for a looksee at what else I ETLize to make for family and friends with the incredible, edible chickpea  (and more) ;)

GARBANZO BONANZA! ;^)

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Got recipes to share?

Send ‘em to me and I’ll post ‘em here on ETL Friday! :D

 

Strix

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15 Comments

Chewing Lessons…

May 4, 2009 at 9:43 am (Diet, Eat to Live, Food, health, Nutrition, opinion)
Tags: ,

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I think of this every now and then, and thought I’d post a few ideas on it.

Please add some of your ideas! I will add them to this list; it would be a good resource :)

1. Chew thoroughly – Of course we all know this. Easier said than done! It takes a bit of (annoying) monitoring of your eating for a spell to get this down. When you eat, you should not swallow any pieces or chunks of anything; food should be creamed and go down smooth — like a green smoothie!

2. Put your fork down! – Yes. Try it. After you take a forkful of food, put your fork/spoon down and chew (as in no. 1), swallow and enjoy the flavor! Take a moment. Resume :) Finish that mouthful completely before you even think of lifting up that fork.

3. Fill your fork – with a modicum of food! Yes, take note of just how much you put on that fork/spoon. Surprised? I was — ack! More than enough; in fact, too much. This, leads to a mouth-too-full, which leads to improper mastication (see no. 1 again); poor digestion (eegads — gas/bloating, anyone?); a general rushing; and, actually, less enjoyment. Shoveling food means you’re not really savoring and tasting properly. Try it. I think you’ll find food more pleasurable and flavorful (and better for digestion). The food is in your mouth longer, where all the tastebuds are! The flavor disappears once food is swallowed…how sad ;)

4. Time, as in take your – Yes, this may take what is already more time than you have for eating, but, hey, you gotta do it. If rushed for time, then adjust your meals to accommodate your needs. So, if you have no time for your lunch, make it a more calorie-dense meal to get you through the meal faster — so, focus on beans and fat, and round it out with as many greens as you can get it. Then, make sure you are getting your requirements the other meal(s), like your greens in your smoothies and/or soups, maybe; and the rest of your fruit and veg at dinner, etc.

5. Try not to drink with meals – drink before or after. (this is more about digestion; but I think it also helps to not just flush down a mouthful of improperly chewed food with liquid)

6. Do not eat “mindlessly” – I try not to say this, but do, myself, sometimes, and it’s kind of annoying, lol. I mean, it’s so general, like “Listen to your body” — another one that annoys the heck out of me…I’ll save that for another ramble ;) . “Mindlessly” is just referring to not being conscious or aware of what you’re doing — ever drive and arrive at a destination and have no recall of the journey? Can’t recall getting on and off a particular onramp/exit? Still, who wants to sit and think intensely about food all the time? I mean, it’s fairly impossible if eating with others. Most of us converse with those we sup! So maybe “practice” the above lessons when alone and when you can, being mindful of chewing thoroughly, putting a moderate amount of food on each forkful, and putting down your fork after every entree of food.

7. Count – Well, when you can :) . My Mom always used to say, “Chew your food at least 25 times before swallowing.” Well, that might be okay for the average Western Diet food which is over-processed junk, but for a person eating a nutrient-dense diet, focusing on fresh, whole foods, it’s a whole other ball of wax! With the amount of raw foods we need to consume and generally high fiber foods, we need double that. If it  helps, count how many it takes before food is creamed.

8. Also remember that eating with your mouth closed helps avoid gas and bloating. I won’t go too much into gas and bloating, as I have a post on that already — reference my list of suggestions on this page, Suggestion Digestion Post

9. Avoid Overeating – All of the above will also help you to not overeat. When rushed one does not allow time for the full signal to go from the stomach to the brain. As well, taking it a bit — just a bit, now ;) — slower will help with nutrient absorption because one is creaming the food for the body to better extract the nutrients and digest, so less is needed — you’re more satisfied when your body actually gets the nutrients.  Don’t overwhelm the poor thing! This leads to other goodies, such as true satiety, less food needed, and, as Dr. Joel Fuhrman says, the loss of cravings: Cravings are a sign that the body is improperly nourished.

Personally, I notice that I can still put too much food onto my fork and — this is worse — have another forkful ready to go before I’m even halfway through chewing my last one! That’s, well, embarrassing! Not to mention an indication that I’m rushing and/or eating mindlessly.

Chew Well, All ;)

Strix
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4 Comments

How I get My Purple On…

April 28, 2009 at 3:04 pm (Diet, Farmers Market, Food, Garden, health, Nutrition, RAW Food, What Is It?)
Tags: , ,

But first! A “What Is It?” Segment :D

Here we goooo…

Eeoow! Scales

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Ugh

Hm, a long fella…

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Ohhh…but? No. Yes. Well…the colo –

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Ah HA!

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Yes, yes!

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:D …

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Purple Asparagas! And, yes, that is the  real color! I was lucky enough to get 3 bunches of these — hands down, the most delicious asparagus I have ever tasted. I don’t know why, perhaps since it’s been so long –since I’ve had them. My first time having purple; it won’t be my last…I hope :D    They were thicker, which is unfairly rumored, that they are inferior to thin. Not true! Flavor is all that matters. I’ve had equally delicious asparagus thick and thin. Freshness is really the key. No matter how well stored, you simply must eat them as quickly as possible. As for the above, I can only imagine they were fresh out of the ground because the flavor was fabulous.

Since I shopped with my eyes, I had 3 bunches which I could not finish at once — and who’d not want to savor these over a few days? I stored them like I usually do asparagas, with their tootsies in water, not too far up their gorgeous gams :) . I put a bag over it and hoped for the best. Luckily, no loss of flavor was detectable over the next two days — Excellent :D .  I imagine it was primarily the freshness of the asparagus to begin with, then the proper storing.

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I eat asparagus raw, mostly, chopped up in my salads. Cooking away that gorgeous color and (some) nutrients just makes my head hurt :)   And, of course freezing is out of the question, unless I wanted to add them to a dip at some point.

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Best freezing method for asparagus, by the way, is to blanch first. That is the best shot you have at keeping somewhat of a texture other than soggy — or, eooww, slimy. No. No, asparagus should be eaten fresh and raw, I declare!

Next up…

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The purple orbs have landed!

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Probably pretty obvious by now…

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Yep, purple kohlrabi!

I learned something new last week when I found these: Springtime kohlrabi (very fresh) has a thinner skin that’s edible! Most of the time, it’s best to peel the (very) fibrous outer skin. It’s like that very tough part of broccoli stalks; you have to cut some off to get to the soft part inside. But these fresh, thinner skinned ‘rabis are Sooo good! It is definitely fibrous, though, and oh-so filling. I don’t mind getting that extra purple in me.

Slice through a bulb and it’s light-fleshed:

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I love how there is always green somewhere in colored foods :D ‘Tis the source of all that is good :D

Here is the butt end which was actually too fibrous, so I had to cut it. You can see the fibrous part still underneath..

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Kohlrabi should be sweet and somewhat juicy. It’s most like jicama. If it’s not sweetish, it’s not a really good kohlrabi so don’t totally give up on them! Find a good one and you’ll love them! They can be as sweet as or more than beets, but less heavy, less syrupy than beets and carrots. Beets and carrots are more like a nectar type juice (to me). Kohlrabi is more crispy, clean, and light and refreshing. So great for cool Spring and Summer meals. It goes fantastic in cooked/raw savory or sweet dishes, too. I love it in bean salads and slaws. It’s cruciferous, so you’re getting loads of goodies, plus with the purple, you’re getting those Anthocyanidins!

I like to chop into matchsticks and add to my salads

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I love being able to eat the skin!

And best of all is being able to eat the cruciferous leaves of kohlrabi!

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Mmm…blackberries. They star regularly (well, when available) in my Green Juicie Green smoothies and are featured in my cultured veggies too!

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Purple Cabbage, I eat every day. It’s so sweet and crunchy

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Even radishes come in purple…They seem to be less “hot” to me…

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I have also  been getting lots of royal goodness from cauliflower lately (an older pic)

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Blueberries seem to taste best around this time, at least here :)

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Purple Mustards, nice and spicy…

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Purple Curly Kale!

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Other Purpley Stuff:

So far, no purple carrots :D . Would love to try those.

Purple Bells are pretty :) Geez, almost black!

Oh, and tomatoes too! Oh I must resist launching into tomato porn! Oh, how I love thee, to-mah-toes!

Oh, I did use purple potatoes back when I ate them. They didn’t taste any different…thought that was my old taste buds. Not sure how they’d taste now :) Check out the gorgeous color variety of potatoes!Until recently I thought “blue” and “purple” potatoes were the same.

I do like purple corn, but haven’t been incorporating it into my diet  in any consistent way…need to look into using it more :)

Eggplant, of course, has a great purple color; and their are varieties with various sizes and shades of purple. Kenny explains :)

Plums! A great summer stone fruit. These also come in a variety of colors. I can’t say which is sweetest…I’ve had super-sweet ones of all colors. I do think maybe it just depends on how ripe it was at the time of cutting ??

Grapes! I used to grow them. Love green and red grapes, but wow, the purple concords are crazy tasty. I don’t see them often, but grab ‘em when I do! The sweeter ones seem to be champagne grapes; I find the white Muscat grapes I’ve purchased at the farmers market here to be the sweetest I’ve ever tasted. I see black grapes sometimes and can’t resist that alluring silky ebony glow!

Purple Onions or Red Onions – I saw these on a list of  “purple foods” once; though I’m not sure if it belongs there or with “red foods.” I do have these often and like them especially  in my salads when not too harsh, that is :)

Purple Peas!

Purple Beans too. These I’ve had. They taste like regular green beans :)

And, probably the Food of gods…FIGS! Oh, the ecstasy … oh, the divine taste — no, the experience — of the perfect fig…Drooling doesn’t quite do it justice :D .

How remiss can I be, having no pictures of figs! Well, all I do have is an old picture of sushi for fruitarians ;) (Yes, I was a fruitarian at one time too!)

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I’m waiting for a purple apple to make its debut; I imagine it to be very rich, but not sickeningly sweet. Maybe thick and syrupy :)

Not sure if this qualifies…the beautiful watermelon radish which has eluded me for too long now! It is the most delicious radish I’ve ever tasted. I hope to see it again one day…

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So what other purple foods are there? I’m sure I’m forgetting some! How do you get your purple on? ;)

Pick up some fresh asparagus while they’re at their peak — and whatever other purple goodies you find — that’s now, by the way. Green is still king; but try some purple fruits and veggies and add to your rainbow!

*Click pic* for my Somethin’ Good Asparagus stream ;) _ Photobucket discontinued this service :( So my stream was deleted.

 

Poxacuatl
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