DIY Chocolate-Nutty Raw Bars

These bars are simply delicious, raw, healthy and protein-packed.   I like to make a batch on Sunday, and then I get 8 on-the-go breakfast/snack bars for the week with NO preservatives or junk.  They're all-natural, nutty delicious goodness, just the way I like.   They're kinda like Larabars, without the high price tag, and with even more goodness inside.

Behold.....

Ingredients:

1 c dates 1 c almonds 2 T flax seeds 3 T coconut flakes 1/4 c pepitas 2 T cacao powder 6 T tahini 1 T raw honey 1/4 c rolled oats 1/4 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/4 tsp sea salt 1 T sesame seeds

1/2 T bee pollen (optional...but I love the crunchy b-vitamin rich addition!)

1 T cacao nibs (optional)

Soak the flax seeds in an equal amount of water for about 5 minutes while gathering the rest of the ingredients together. In a food processor, combine first the nuts and the dates and pulse until a rough chop. Then add everything else in. Pulse and then blend until a nice consistency. I like to let it go for a couple minutes. Grab a pinch of the mixture and see if it's nice and sticky. If it's not, just blend a bit more.

I like to press into a 8x8 pyrex baking dish. Press with clean hands until level and evenly distributed. Cover and let chill for 1 hour or so. Then, cut into 8 or 9 bars. Wrap individually and keep in the fridge. They would technically last for quite a long time, I'd imagine since all ingredients are fairly dry. In my home though, they don't last longer than a week. :)

Per bar:

288 cal 17 g fat 39.6 g sodium 30 g carbs 7 g fiber 17 g sugar 8 g protein

PB&J Mini-Muffins {made with Cherry-Rhubarb Jam}

Ever wake up earlier than necessary...and feel like baking?  Yeah, it doesn't happen all the time, but when it does, I pour myself a nice tall cup of coffee and embrace the baking instincts.  I'm sure it's nice for the other person(s) still sleeping to wake up to the smell of not only strong fresh coffee...but muffins too.   I had just made an amazing batch of homemade cherry-rhubarb jam the other night, and was itching to find a way to incorporate it into a meal (I don't normally keep toast around).   So what would be more perfect than peanut butter & jelly...muffins??!

It's not quite "PB&J", as I didn't use peanut butter.  These sweet little minis were made with sunflower nut butter.  I was pretty impressed that they came out absolutely perfect in terms of texture and didn't stick to the pan at all!  These have no added oil or butter (other than the nut butter).   Fairly good for you, gluten-free and... YUM!   I took half on my friend's boat with me today...and the other half were devoured by my other half. ;)

Ingredients:

1 c flour (I used Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose)
1/4 c almond meal/flour3/4 c brown sugar1.5 tsp baking powder1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c nut butter (I used Sun Nut butter)
1/2 c milk or water (I just used water)2 eggs3 T jam or jelly (I used home made cherry-rhubarb)

Coconut oil (for greasing).

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a mini-muffin pan with coconut oil.  Mix dry ingredients: flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, salt.  Mix wet ingredients: milk/water, eggs, peanut butter. Stir until creamy and well combined. Combine the wet and dry ingredients. Don't over work. Batter will be thick.

Reserve 1/2 c of the batter, and swirl with the jam. 

Fill each muffin cup approx half full of the first batter (non-jam).  Layer the jam-batter on top.  

Bake for 11-13 minutes, or until a small knife or toothpick comes out clean.

DIY Essential Oil Cleaners

• Essential Oils can be used for countless DIY projects around the house, from cleaning fruits and veggies to degreasing pots and pans, to keeping pests at bay.   I've found a few images around the web that are helpful in detailing out some recipes.   

My favorites: 

Floor Cleaning:  Cleaning bucket filled 2/3 with hot water, 1/4 c white vinegar and a few drops each of lemon and lavender oil.   It leaves a nice clean smell behind!

Laundry:   Add 10 drops of oregano and/or tea tree oil to your load for their refreshing smell and anti-bacterial properties

Fruits and veggies:  I normally use just plain warm water, a couple caps of vinegar and a few drops of lemon EO.  

P.S.  I am not affiliated with Young Living Essential Oils, but do think they are top-notch in terms of purity.   If anyone wants to purchase, let me know and I'll hook you up with Crystal at Soul Space!

Cheers & happy cleaning!

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• And...Pest Control in the Garden!
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I Want to Know YOUR Story: Angela

Hi All,

Feeling blessed and loved and happy to present MY story (as captured by the beautiful Ksenija Savic).

Here is my story of how Green Dreams came to be, and a little background on my journey.   Hope you Enjoy!
http://www.ksenijasavicblog.com/index.cfm?postID=743

Ginger-Cashew Tempeh Stirfry {Vegan}

Happy Friday!  I made a pretty cool discovery at Trader Joe's this afternoon - they now carry organic 3-grain tempeh!

 

Tempeh is a great source of vegan protein. It's heartier than tofu, which would lend itself well to marinating & grilling.  I had to pick some up, and glad I did.

Flyin' solo this Friday night, I whipped up this nutrient dense vegan meal for one and served with a glass TJ's Green Fin Organic White wine.

Ginger-Cashew Tempeh Stirfry

Serves 2
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 minutes

Stirfry Ingredients:
1 T safflower oil
1 package tempeh
1 oz raw cashews, roughly chopped
6-8 shitake mushrooms
1 c pea sprouts, a little more to top
1 c baby spinach
1 small white onion, finally sliced
2 carrots, finely sliced
1 small zucchini, sliced
4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1.5-2  in chunk ginger, roughly chopped

Sauce Ingredients:
2T Bragg's Amino Acid
1 T safflower oil
1 tsp sesame oil
1/2 lemon, small orange or lime,  juiced (I used lemon)
2 tsp. Sriracha sauce (or use chili paste)

Mix together the sauce ingredients and set aside. Heat a large sautee pan to medium.  Add 1 T of the oil, and warm it.   Add garlic, onions and ginger and sautee for about a minute.  Then add zucchini, carrots, mushrooms, cashews and tempeh.  Sautee for another 3 minutes or so, until veggies are almost done.  Lastly, add the pea sprouts, spinach and the sauce.  Sautee for 30 more seconds.  Top with more cashews and pea sprouts.   Serve over rice if you want...but this plant-based meal was hearty enough to eat on its own.  YUM.

Nutrition per serving:

568 calories

44 g carbs

32 g fat 

28 g protein

My Real Food Grocery Shopping List

Since I've had several people ask, here's what I generally buy during my weekly grocery stopping trip - or - make sure is in stock at home.   This is for two people, and we spend on average about $95/week and do not eat out very often.

In order of WHERE I source food:

#1 My own organic backyard garden (this time of year)!
#2 Farm Market -or-local Farmer
#3 Trader Joe's
#4 Meijer
#5 Other - Whole Foods, Kroger, Plum Market, etc.

Fresh Produce & Protein (WEEKLY):

1-2 dozen eggs (free-range)

3-5 avocados (some ripe, some firm)

1 big bunch bananas

1 big bag organic apples - OR - another fruit like kiwi, pineapple

1 bag organic white onions (used in soup bases, in rice pilafs, etc.)

2-3 heads organic garlic

1 organic, free range chicken (now found at Meijer! but I try to get from Farmers when possible)

1 block FIRM ORGANIC TOFU 

Grass Fed butter

1-2 lb carrots (whole, not baby carrots)

1 bag organic Celery hearts 

-AND- Various veggies that are on sale or look good: 

Mushrooms, most weeks

Red or green cabbage - for making ferments!

Bell Peppers

Beets

Tomatoes

Broccoli or cauliflower

Kale or other Dark Leafy Greens

Lemons

Potatoes (sweet potatoes or regular...mix it up)

Spinach or arugula (for salads)

Freezer items: 

These are not necessarily weekly, but as needed

Wild Blueberries

Organic peas

Wild Caught Shrimp

Wild Caught Cod or other White Fish

Wild Caught Salmon

Organic Yak or Lamb (local)

Pantry Items to keep in stock:

These are not necessarily weekly, but as needed

Natural peanut, almond or sunflower butter

Fair trade coffee

Raw Organic Sugar

Tea

Almonds (to make my own almond milk) - 1 lb/week

Whole Oats

Cashews, Pepitas 

Olive oil

Red wine vinegar

Apple cider vinegar (for making dressings...just whisk together, add some herbs)

Coconut oil (great for stir frys and a body lotion)

Local Honey

BPA-free cans of organic tomato sauce, paste

Assortment of DRIED beans, garbanzo beans (Soak overnight)

Brown Rice Pasta

Rice

Herbs/spices

Specialty Items that I personally can't live without and keep on hand :)

Flax Seeds (for making my amazing knock-off Lara bars)

Dates
Sesame Seeds
Sesame oil
Tahini
Gomasio

Bee Pollen

Sea Veggies (dulse, seasonings, etc.)

Sriracha

Fish Sauce

Coconut Flour

Fresh turmeric & ginger


Notice what's NOT on the list?  ;)  milk, snack items, chips, crackers, pop, juice, ice cream (if I want that, I get my butt up and go get a cup from Treat Dreams)! 

Green Dreams Roadtrip: Chicago

We planned a trip to Chicago a month or so ago for a continuing education seminar: Uprooting Anxiety.  That was super informative (lavender oil, what?!) and a whole separate blog topic.  Because Dr. Lise Alschuler's talk was over dinner on a Thursday evening, we decided to take advantage of the road trip and stay for the weekend.   What I loved most about Chicago, besides all of the gorgeous parks, art and greenery in the city, is its vast selection of dining options. Not JUST great restaurants, but a HUGE and growing movement of sustainably and locally sourced food in the restaurants. 

I wish I'd had more time to eat!   So here's a summary of what we did get to experience:

Crow's Nest - Kalamazoo

Loved this place in college for their 24 hour schedule and awesome, fresh breakfast served daily.  We ended up stopping here, in Kalamazoo, on the way to Chicago for some brunch.   It didn't disappoint.  The restaurant uses Fair Trade coffee and bakes their own bread.    

I got the Davidstown Freighter: Two fried eggs, prosciutto, goat cheese, sauteed onion, spinach, tomato and 

red pepper aioli on Fourth Coast Bakery sourdough and a deeeeeliicous iced mocha. 

Continuing on to Chicago!

Haymarket

Our first stop on Friday evening was Haymarket.  We caught a perfect parking spot right at about 4:30 p.m. in front of the restaurant and decided to happy hour there, sampling their house-brewed beers.  The best thing about Haymarket is that you can buy 4 oz samples of beer, allowing the option of trying more than just a couple without getting totally bombed.   We also munched on the Artisnal Cheese Flight, which included apples, crackers and samples of 4 local cheeses (which came with a description and the source of the farm/cheese).

The IPAs at Haymarket were spot-on.  I tried a few of them, and didn't take notes, but can say without a doubt that my favorite of the evening was their Fiddlesticks Belgian IPA, brewed with Choffe yeast and Candi syrup.   Perfectly balanced, flavorful and just a touch of that Belgian "softness".

The Girl & the Goatee Rhubarb ale (pictured below) was a bit disappointing.    I was so excited to see Stephanie Izard's beer on the menu, since we were hitting her restaurant for dinner AND because it used Michigan Rhubarb.  It fell pretty flat, with barely any distinguishable rhubarb tartness.

I love their sustainability commitment:

Yes!  All restaurants should have have this motto! :)

After happy hour at Haymarket, we bounced across the street to meet my Aunt Pam (who I hadn't seen in almost TEN years) at:

Girl and the Goat

Image from Girl and the Goat website

Wow.  Girl and the Goat met and exceeded expectations.  It was created by executive chef Stephanie Izard, winner of Top Chef Season 3.  The restaurant is spacious, rustic-chic and relaxed with a focus on food and drink.  Stephanie has a commitment to the local food movement, sourcing from a number of farms in the area: Spence Farm, Kinniknnick and Nichols for product, Kilgus Farm for goat and veal and Prairie Fruits Farm for cheeses. I love that Stephanie likes to visit the farms herself to ensure their practices are in line with her vision.Since the restaurant is super popular, we expected not to get in on a Friday without reservations, but after sipping a cocktail at the bar and catching up with my Aunt Pam for about an hour, we got a table.   Honestly, I wish I'd have taken some pictures of the food, but between the conversation, libations and absolutely glorious food, I did not.  Here are some of the dishes we ordered:

roasted cauliflower 
pickled peppers . pine nuts . mint

squash blossom rangoon
crab . chive yogurt . toasted almonds

pinn oaks lamb tartare
english pea tapenade . tuna aioli . water crackers

duck tongues
tuna and black bean poke . crispy wontons . piri piri

goat liver mousse
pickled rhubarb . orange marmalade . crumpets

All were exceptional.  The cauliflower with mint was delicious (I'll be sure to reproduce it and blog). The lamb tartare with peas and goat liver mousse were so interesting and flavorful.  The one thing I would mention about the tongues is that they're served with a few too many fried wontons which were very heavy.

The beer and wine list was extensive & very well put together, featuring lots of local options.   I enjoyed a Ommegang 3 Philosophers (Cooperstown, NY) 9.80%    I'd come back to Girl and the Goat, or Stephanie's other restaurant, Little Goat, in a heartbeat.  What a fun evening!

On Saturday a.m., we ended up having breakfast in the hotel, out of convenience.  It wasn't bad.  At $15, it was a little pricey for your average breakfast buffet, but this was a step up - including smoked salmon (with accouterments of onion, caper), herbed eggs, lots of fruit options and fresh baked muffins and pastries.

Off to the city where we parked in the new 1 million sq foot parking under Millennium Park ($30 for the day).  We spent some time enjoying the paths through Lurie Gardens and walked all the way down Navy Pier and back, which was a first for both of us.

Lurie Gardens - loved all of the shades of purple.

After looking at the map at the other suggestions I was given by Facebookers, I realized I had to make a decision:  Native Foods and Farmhouse were in equidistant walking distance.  After checking both websites,  I couldn't pass up "A Midwestern Craft Tavern" slogan. Sorry Native Foods, we'll come for your comfort vegan fare next time (but not for your $9.50 guacamole!!)

Farmhouse

After walking another mile or so from Navy Pier, we met our friends Cassie & Marc at Farmhouse for an early dinner.  We almost sat at a small patio table outside;  in fact, as soon as we sat down, the rain started.  And it POURED.  Luckily, it was early and we got our pick of tables indoors.

I love that all of their food is sourced locally (IN, MI, IL), and all condiments and breads, etc. are made in house.  The server was super knowledgeable about where everything came from.  Most of the decor and furniture (85%) was sourced and refurbished locally.

Matt and I started with a pot of French Press for two (local cream on the side) and the the house-made jerky and roasted candied almonds.  The jerky was moist and the marinade was sweet & spicy. Perfection.  The roasted almonds were crunchy and still warm.  Here's something funny:  looking out the window from this quaint and high-quality Midwest Craft Tavern, and what do you see?  HA!  The antithesis of sustainability. 

Tables, decor, chairs, art and even a 1930's fridge are all re-purposed. .

The menu was really tough to pick from. I had several options that I could have been very happy with.  One of our dining companions got chicken & herbed dumpling soup and chopped salad, and the other got the Braised Short Ribs (served with a blue cheese potato salad), which weren't even served with the bones; slipped right out, I'd imagine. I had a taste of the short ribs, which melted in my mouth.

Here's what Matt got:  Roasted Duck Leg with Spinach fettuccine and peas.  And a duck yolk.  The duck was fall-off the bone.  Pasta was tender and perfect.  I think he was a happy camper.

And...here's what I ordered.   Pork loin, collard greens done country style with onions and more pork.  All with a very light maple glaze.  I had to go with the pork for three reasons:
1) The server raved about it and recommended over the other two options I had in mind.
2) I love greens.
3)  I NEVER eat pork.  When I saw that not only was it local and crap-hormone-antibiotic free, but an heirloom variety, I had to try it.

I got it cooked medium rare, which was perfect.  The maple glaze was sweet but not too much.  My one critique was that the collards were just a wee bit salty.

Heirloom piggie, done to perfection.

I'll definitely be back to Farmhouse and would highly recommend!   I didn't have any beers there, but there were 28 local ones on tap.  Between the food, wine and spirits (and desserts which looked fantastic as well), I guarantee anyone who spends a rainy afternoon here will be a very happy camper. 

After dinner at Farmhouse, the four of us shared a pitcher of Margaritas (fresh made) at Cesar's Authentic Mexican Cuisine and Killer Margaritas before catching a comedy show (improv).  Yes, they were killer and came in over a dozen flavors!  They even had fresh tamarindo in the back, but we opted for plain to suit everyone's palate.  The restaurant was absolutely packed and the food looked authentic, fresh & smelled delicious, specifically the sizzling fajitas. 

After a night out at ComedySportz (Hilarious!  Definitely go if you're considering it.) we had to stop at Cassie's new favorite:  Forever Yogurt.   As far as create your own frozen yogurt places, this was top notch.  There were 10 flavors of frozen yogurt from caramel popcorn to coconut, and a whole buffet line of toppings (chocolate covered strawberries to sour patch kids).  I had the European Tangy (plain) frozen yogurt with fresh fruit. 

Let's just say that Chicago fed me well!   I'll be back for more, and have plenty of leftover restaurant suggestions to cross off my bucket list:

Frontera Grill

Karyn's on Green

May Street Cafe

Native Foods

Grange Hall Burger Bar

Handlebar

Tapas Valencia 

If you have any suggestions for my next Chicago adventure, please be so kind as to let me know in the comments.  

Feed your Internal Ecosystem with Ferments!

It's everywhere lately in science news headlines:  gut bacteria, probiotics and the microbiome.   We have a whole world of micro-organism living inside our gut as well as covering our skin: countless strains of bacteria, and possibly parasites, yeast and fungus. When the balance of this "inner world" goes out of whack, that's when digestive disorders start to occur.   Candida, colitis, IBD, IBS, Reflux, etc.  Unfortunately, the medical system doesn't have the tools yet to actually treat the root cause of these issues.  They use prescription drugs and OTC meds to give a "quick fix", but it's not sustainable and doesn't work on actually solving the problem.

So, what are some natural solutions for digestive health to keep our microbiomes healthy and happy?  We can take probiotic supplements, but it's really imperative to get the right kind for us, AND to eat lots of good prebiotic fibers. I'd recommend not taking the cheapest bottle at the store or using Culturelle or other lab-created bacteria. Consult your local Naturopath to find out which strains and products are right for you.

Another avenue is to re-introducing probiotic-rich fermented or cultured foods back into our diet.   Every culture in the world uses fermented foods in traditional cooking: sauerkraut comes from Eastern Europe, kimchi from Korea, breads like Injera (Ethiopia) and Sourdough (Egypt), Inuit people have eaten fermented whale blubber, fish sauce in Thai, Vietnamese and other Asian cultures, Kefir and Yogurt come from the Middle East and Kombucha from China.   Of course we could go on forever.  But wait...what happened to American ferments?   Seemingly around the time when we realized that there indeed microbes (aka GERMS) and Pasteur invented pasteurization, we began using high temperatures to kill the living enzymes and bacteria to "sterilize" foods.  Sadly, all of the benevolent bacteria has been stripped out of the nouveau Americana culture of culture-less and highly processed food.  It's time to reclaim our right to living foods, ferments!

Today's buy from Eastern Market!

Fermented foods are "rotted"; they are partially digested from bacteria already.  For example, cabbage has a fine film of bacteria on each leaf.  When shredded up and mixed with a salty brine and submerged in an anaerobic state, the bacteria go though a few-step process (that is a little over my head) to create a beneficial  bacteria-rich veggie that ALSO has prebiotic fiber all in one.  By the time the ferment is, well, fermented, the veggies are salty, still crispy, and deliciously soured.  The good news is that fermenting is simple and we don't have to be experts in the chemical processes by which it works to reap the rewards.  If this is interesting to you, I suggest reading some Sandor Katz's books, which do an excellent job of sharing the history of these foods and teach how to start making DIY ferments at home!

Some of my first DIY ferments. Plain kraut in the middle, kim chi on the sides.

It's fairly easy and highly enjoyable to make fermented foods at home!  I have been experimenting with krauts and other veggies as well as kombucha for the last couple year.   I say "experiment" because each batch is decidedly different; it's a delightful surprise to open up a crock of fermented veggies after 4 weeks or try a new flavor of DIY kombucha after its 2nd ferment.  Luckily, if you don't have the time or will to do it on your own just yet, there is access to other people's fermented goodness!  Small batch fermenters are popping up local foodie sub-cultures, like The Brinery in Ann Arbor and Farmhouse Culture in Northern California.  I've even seen some farms adding their local ferments to Saturday offerings at the Royal Oak Farmer's Market.  Now that you can buy locally, or make your own, how do we incorporate them into our diet?

Kombucha tea!  After the first ferment, I like to add blueberries, ginger, or other goodies and let it sit a few more days. 

You can start the day with a glass of kombucha, or have a bowl of fresh yogurt or kefir with fruit.   Sauerkraut and kimchi add a delicious sourness, salt and crunch to sandwiches for lunch.  At dinner time, I like to eat a 1/4 cup with my meal, kind of as a little accouterments.  I encourage everyone to try fermented foods.  It's an acquired taste, but one that will give you billions of little benefits and keep your digestion on track. :)

Awesome lunch: chicken salad, kale and kraut on a sprouted organic grain and bean wrap and Coconut Kefir to drink!

Simple Summer Side: Grilled Cabbage

During the summer months, I like to grill everything possible...outside.  Dining al fresco on the deck with my loved ones is one of my favorite things about Michigan. <3

If you're looking to get more brassicas or cruciferous veggies (cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts mustard greens, etc.),  into your diet for health reasons, first of all, that's awesome!  Not only are they cheap (cabbage is around .60c/lb) and easily accessible, but they have anti-cancer properties, helping to repair DNA and boost the immune system.  Another strike against the "eating healthy is expensive" myth.  Cabbage On, my friends!

Grilled Cabbage (6 servings)

Ingredients:
1/2 medium cabbage, cut into wedges.  Leave the core, as you can just cut away the other parts.  This will help it stay in tact on the grill
Olive oil
Sea Salt
Mustard Powder
Turmeric Powder
Pepper

Directions:

In a large bowl, season cabbage wedges by drizzling with olive oil and tossing with spices.  Grill for 5 minutes or so on each side, until you get some nice grill marks.   I kept the grill open for the first side, and then when I flipped, closed the grill to soften them up a bit.

Serve with lemon wedges. Enjoy!

Kale, Strawberry + Feta Fattoush!

Summertime deliciousness is this easy to make, prep-a-few-hours-ahead salad.  I served it with yak kebobs, rice pilaf and some homemade garlic sauce.   Say goodbye to that sorry bag of salad mix and bottle of dressing and massage some kale!

Salad Ingredients:

1 bunch organic red or green curly kale
5-6 medium-large organic strawberries
3 oz feta or other creamy cheese (I used Israeli Sheep milk Feta and it was deeelish)
1 large lemon or 2 small, juiced
Olive oil
Salt
1-2 cloves garlic, smashed and minced finely
1-2 tsp Sumac, which can be found at your local Arabic market
1 tsp honey (optional)
Pita chips (see below -OR- buy yours pre-made)

Wash the produce really well and pat dry.   Clean kale by de-stemming all of the large, thick middle stalks.  Rip into bite sized pieces and put in a large mixing bowl.    Drizzle with a little bit of olive oil and a couple of shakes of salt.  Now get your hands in there, and give it a really good massage, for 3-5 minutes, until the kale softens a bit.  Depending on how much time you have until serving, it will continue to soften on its own while it sits in the fridge.




Dressing:  

Whisk 2 T olive oil, the juice of the lemon, sumac, honey, salt and garlic until combined.   The salad can be dressed in advance and topped with the berries and feta.    

When ready to serve, top with the baked chips to make sure they stay nice and crunchy.  Toss and serve.

Pita Chip Ingredients & Directions:
2 whole wheat pitas
Olive oil
Salt

Preheat oven to 375.  Cut pitas with a kitchen scissor into bite sized pieces.  In a mixing bowl, toss pita with a drizzle of olive oil and a few shakes of salt.   You don't want the chips to be drenched with olive oil, just enough to flavor them and help them toast.  Spread on a baking sheet and bake for approx 8 minutes, until crispy.  let cool.

Adventures in {DIY Almond Milk}

I'm sitting here sipping my coffee with almond milk, as I do every morning.  The only difference is that the almond milk in my coffee is HOMEMADE, and SOoooo Delicious (pun intended).   :)

How I went 2.5 years buying store-bought almond milk in a carton, I have no idea.  So many other bloggers and even a good friend, Katie of Zenutrition make their own milk at home.  Finally, last week as I was ordering a few books from Amazon, I remembered to purchase a nut milk bag, which is a fine mesh bag used to separate the milk from the almond pulp.

Almond Milk (4 cups)

4 c filtered water (mine is distilled/mineralized)

1 c organic almonds

1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional)

2 tsp honey (optional)

1 tsp vanilla (optional)

Directions:

Step 1:   Cover almonds by 2 inches in filtered water overnight (8-12 hours). They will have plumped up by morning.   Drain and rinse. 

Step 2:  Put 4 c filtered water and 1 cup almonds into a blender and blend for 2 minutes, until almond chunks are fine and milk is frothy.  Mine even frothed up through the top of my blender!

During the blending....

 Step 3:  I found that the easiest way to strain and get the milk into an old milk bottle was this method:

Straining through the nut milk bag and funneling into the glass container.

Wring the nut milk out of the bag by twisting it and squeezing until pulp in the bag is fairly dry. 

Step 4 (Optional):   Take the strained milk and whizzz again if you're adding any flavorings like the cinnamon, honey and vanilla.  You can stir it in, but this is the most efficient way of mixing honey in.  You could also use liquid stevia and whatever else you'd like to flavor the milk.   I'm sure I'll eventually get creative and try savory milk flavors.

Finished product: delicious, pure, almond milk!

That's it!  Due to not having the added gums like carrageenan and guar gum, this milk will separate and require a shake prior to each use.  The container is from a local dairy producer, Caulders, and works perfectly.  Glass is an ideal storage method, as it won't leach any toxins or plastics into your precious finished product.

BONUS: the leftover pulp, which is being dried out in the oven at 170 degrees for a couple hours...can be used for baking!

So, this method of DIY is actually not more cost effective than buying it at the store.  If your almonds are $6.49 per pound like mine were, that works out to 3 cups of almonds (3 batches), each batch costing $2.19.  At the store, I normally pay $1.79 or so for 4 cups of almond milk.

However, the results are a rich, delicious, fresh milk that you know does not contain any additives or preservatives.  It's super easy to make and doesn't require the waste of purchasing a tetrapack container that will end up in a landfill somewhere.   Green it up and make your own!  Enjoy. 

Nutrition Test RESULTS Dun Dunn Dunnnnn (Part 2)

As promised, I am following up my post from a couple weeks back with the results of the nutrition test.  (I'm sure you've all been on pins & needles waiting).  Ha.   To review,  the point of me taking the test is not to see IF I'm healthy, but to determine where I stand in terms of Optimimal Nutrition, rather than just "passing grade" levels of nutrition.  

15+ pages of results of over 150 tests and markers, and a couple of hours of analysis....and I was provided with a simple "report card" by my naturopath to make it easy for me to understand.   FYI the report you see below does NOT reflect the entirety of the test; but breaks things down for the lay-person.   The test would have been almost impossible to interpret on my own, due to all of the complicated "markers" tests used, look at functionality of processes in the body, but not necessarily the nutrient itself.

So, I got a B which is "Above Average" in the grand scheme of things.   I guess I'll take it, although the perfectionist in me wants to definitely improve the Cs or low B's.   

STRENGTHS:

CHOLESTEROL - My levels were great!   AND I eat about a dozen eggs per week.  Take that, medical community. 

Cholesterol 190

Triglycerides 36

HDL 73

LDL 109

TRANS FATS -  I am VERY PROUD of that A!!!!

IRON - All of that sesame seed & tahini eating is paying off! 

FATTY ACIDS - Omega's were pretty good, will plan to get those a little higher. 

CARBOHYDRATES - Yay, all the fiber I eat! ;)  Will cut back a bit more on the sugars, although my sugar intake is mainly fruits and honey. 

WEAKNESSES: 

PROTEIN.  Now, I have cut way back on meat in the last couple of years, but still make sure to eat protein with each meal.   Plenty of legumes, beans, nuts, seeds.   Here's the thing.  I barely eat red meat...ever.   I just don't really prefer it.   But, in order to get my levels of tyrosine and BCAA's (amino acids),  I will be incorporating a bit more grass fed red meat and and will get an amino acid supplement.  

MICROMINERALS. Zinc and copper were just passing.   Zinc is REALLY hard to get enough of in foods.  It's probably a very safe bet to say most people are deficient. It's found in organ meats, other red meats, oysters and pepitas.   I even make a pointed effort to go out for oysters (every couple weeks) and eat pepitas (pumpkin seeds). With my new plan, am now taking a Zinc+Copper by New Chapter.  Perhaps some grass-fed calf liver & onions.  (NOW I get why this was an important part of ancestral diets)

HEAVY METALS.  This didn't go on my report card, but my levels of arsenic were pretty high!   Now, this includes inorganic as well as organic sources and doesn't differentiate. Organic arsenic is found in seafood, which I eat quite a bit of.  I think the problem, however, is brown rice.  I eat quite a bit of brown rice and will definitely need to watch where I am getting it too. U.S. grown seems to be the biggest culprit of arsenic-laden rice.  Soaking the rice and also cooking in more water than necessary and draining will help remove any traces.  Cadmium and lead were a bit elevated too, although not in the "danger" zone at all.  I plan on doing a cleanse to help flush out any remaining bits. 

PLAN OF ACTION:

1)  Eat more protein (including leaner cuts of red meat), take paleofiber in the a.m. and get a branch chain amino acid supplement because I just WON'T be adding enough red meat to dramatically increase my efforts

2)  Focus on getting more cooking herbs (for vitamin K and detoxification)

3)  Continuing my new zinc/copper regimen and eating even more oysters. ;)

4)  More mushrooms + 10,000 IU Vitamin D per day 

5)  More potatoes (increase potassium) and less rice (lessen arsenic)

6)  Do a heavy metal cleanse and eat more herbs like cilantro

7)  Work on a LITTLE less sea salt. :)

8)  MORE CHOCOLATE for magnesium, woohoo!

9)  Take Methyl factors supplement for my unmetabolised folic acid

I would definitely recommend looking into this test for anyone who's either a nutrition-perfectionist like myself and want to see exactly how your efforts translate into your nutrition status -OR- for people who just all around aren't feeling great and want to start with a baseline check of nutrition. 

Our health is our wealth!

~Angela

Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

::Quick post since it's almost my bedtime::    After a long day today at the office, I whipped up this quick and healthy side dish.  We had it with homemade chicken soup.  Too good not to share...enjoy!



Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

Ingredients:

1 cup white or red quinoa, rinsed well*
1/4 c sun dried tomatoes
2 oz (approx 1/4 c) crumbled feta
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 T olive oil
1 small lemon, zested and juiced
1-2 tsp fresh herbs (think: basil...oregano...parsley...rosemary...thyme)
Optional:  serve over bed of baby spinach (a handful)

Directions:

Cook quinoa and let cool until room temperature.   Mix in the sun dried tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, lemon and herbs until combined well.   Fold in feta cheese and serve (hot or cold).

This would be great to take to lunch the next day.  Oooh, or with a grilled piece of chicken on top or some grilled eggplant, mushroom and peppers for a completely delicious summer meal.  I can't wait to get OUTSIDE and cook. :)

*as with any grain or bean, rinse WELL to clean off dust, debris, and potential pesticides/heavy metals!

Flackers {Flax Crackers} Recipe

I have been making these for a couple months now.  Let's just say a batch does not last long!   Flax is a great source of Omega-3 fatty acid and protein, but better yet, these are vegan and have no additives, preservatives, msg, gluten, etc.  So simple, so crunchy...delicious!

You can vary the flavors with herbs and spices to your liking.  I've make a sweet version with almonds, cinnamon & banana, along with several savory varieties (powdered turmeric is awesome)!    Today I'm trying a "pizza" cracker.  It makes 2 baking pans worth, so feel free to cut this recipe in half for your first try and make one pan.

Ingredients:

2 c Flax seeds (golden or red)

2 c water (distilled & remineralized here)

2 T minced white onion

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 T Bragg's Amino Acid

1 tsp sea salt

1 T dry basil

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

Parchment paper

Olive oil (to grease the paper)

2 baking pans

Patience

Directions:

• Rinse the flax in a mesh colander to remove dust.   
• Soak the flax seeds in the water.  The flax will produce a gelatinous coating and will absorb the water; it'll look like a gooey gloppy mess after 45 minutes. 
• Pre-heat oven to 200 degrees.  
• Mix in your add-ins (the rest of the ingredients) into the flax.  
• Put a sheet of parchment paper on each baking sheet and lightly grease with olive oil.  
• Spread the flax mixture very evenly on the two sheets, so that the flax are in layers that are 2-3 seeds thick.  I find using a back of a metal tablespoon works really well. 
• 
• Bake for 2.5 hours, opening the oven doors to let some moisture out every 30 minutes or so. 



After the first 2.5 hours - the sheet should be flexible but starting to firm up.

• Once the flax cracker edges are crispy and you're able to pick up the whole sheet of parchment paper  and flax cracker sheet, flip it over.  You can discard the parchment paper at this point; it should be pretty moist. 
• Bake approximately 2.5 more hours, continuing to open the oven occasionally.  We're getting all possible moisture out and these should be really crisped through the middle. 



You'll know they're almost ready when the flacker sheet starts to curl up at the edges. 

• Break into cracker sized pieces.
  
  
  
  
  

These are awesome with dips like hummus, cheese, guacamole, etc.  They're also great by themselves.   Enjoy!

At a vegan potluck in March.  Served with sweet potato hummus and avocado-kale artichoke dip!
(No flackers survived this event.)