What's Not Cooking at Val's

Please stay tuned.

2012-01-03T13:05:00.001-08:00

I do most of my posting and up-dating over the winter.
I will be posting a whole new series of:

healthy kitchen munchies,

outstanding alkalizing treats

fun with sprouts and micro greens

cannabis edibles, butters and infusions

Also:
Flexitarian Life-style Revisited
Paleolithic Diet Demos
Tranquil Vegetarianism in a Meat-eating Household
Hippie Health Tips
Transitioning To and From Cooked Foods

Happy 2012. thanks for hanging in there during my move and this time of transitioning to new way of shopping and growing food -- in the mountains!

to best use the recipes on this blog, type a specific ingredient (like chocolate or avocado) in the serch engine. you can also speicfy juice, canibus, snack, etc. for ideas of wht to make at home or what to have me make for you. Let me know how I can be of service.

Sincerely,
Val Rae Jacobson
Living Foods Chef and Nutritionial Consultant

Moved to Colorado

2012-01-03T13:02:00.000-08:00

Please note my new contact information:

Val Rae Jacobson
816-385-3337
590 US Hwy 72
Wondervu, colorado 80403

Mail delivers to:
PO Box 1234
Nederland, colorado 80466

livingfood2you@gmail.com

Rant on why started the alternative distribution system

2011-06-04T11:11:00.000-07:00

Alternative Food Distribution System

by: Val Jacobson

Living Foods Chef

I'm an artist and an art teacher. However, the kitchen is my studio right now. I'm enjoying making wonderful food to share. I've had this in my genes for a while. I was studying ancient cuisines in the '80s, while living in Iowa city, IA, as a means to study ancient cultures. You can learn a lot about a society by their foods. It turned into a study of longevity and health later, as I came to understand that the SAD (standard American diet) was making us sick, listless, dull and then killing us. And these other cultures were experiencing something very different: long, productive, phisically active, meaningfull lives. Adding to our SAD problem, the Pharmacutical industry then prays on us to buy their products and processes. A healthy population woud'nt serve the so called health-care industry very well. Eating better-quality food and learning about food-combining and cleansing-diets does not make money. Plane and simple. It seems criminal not to teach about real nutrition in medical schools. "Do no harm." Isn't that the oath? But, since the Pharmacutical companies are funding most (not all) of the research and the food pyramid is an extinct notion that was formed by industrial food lobists, actual nutrition is left out of the equasion. I decided to get a degree in nutritional counceling. I could see there was a desporate need that could be filled through educating people about food choices. I had no idea how beautiful and simple my life would become! in oder to teach health through nutrition, I get to live it. It's my only bonus and it provides everything I need.

Sceptical? I was too. And, you should be. Don't take my word for anything. Investigate for yourself. But listen to real people. Not just medical studies. Can you change your health situation just by changing the way you eat? YES! I see it all the time. I'm helping people heal from degenerative diseases including Cancer, Diabetis, Heart Disease, Lupis, ADD, mild forms of Autism and manic disorders -just by showing them how to change the way they eat. I love doing this! And my clients are so happy to learn they get to eat the best-quality, tastiest food they have ever experienced. I'm slowly adding clients and hope to make a profession of it. I've been doing classes and workshops for about 3 years now. The term "Special Needs Diets" has been popping up in medical journals, but they don't tell you what it is. I do. I always make sure the special needs diets are easy, tasty-good and sometimes down-right gourmet. If it doesn't taste great, people won't do it.

I did it. I had Breast Cancer and was given a death sentence by the MD doctors, but I'm not dead and have no detectable cancer in either of the breasts that is was recommended be REMOVED. In fact, I have no detectable cancer anywhere. I go every few years for a whole-body CT scan and a sonogram of my liver. (The type of cancer I was diognosed with typically quickly remastitizes in the liver. But, it never has in 8 years). The statistics (on liver cancer killing breast-cancer survivors) are based on women who have had traditional treatments: chemo, surgery and radiation. Someone like me, who healed without those measures, is not included in the statistics because I chose not to buy their services. But, they sell me the tests for my own monitoring. And I pay for those. I'll probably quit doing that soon. I'm learning to know that my body heals even when I'm not watching it!

My story is not uncommon. I found thousands of similar stories from credible sources like The Hippocretise Institute in Florida and The Gershim Institute on the West Coast. I used to think that people that "cured themnselves of cancer" were the same loonies that were abducted by aliens and subjected to scintific expriments. Yea, sure. Talk to the hand...But I'm only mildy insaine, like the rest of us, from dealing with an inharited malfuctional culture. Attempting to change it has been a struggel. Baby steps are necisary and we need lot's of help! First, we have to feed the people in a way that helps them heal and enliven. More good news, this venture will encourage sustaiable land-use that will benefit our environment and honor our natural connection to it all. Then, we can get to work on a community that supports our sharing of gifts with eachother and rasing healthy involved children. There is much good work to be done. It is already unfolding.

I work with a team in Kansas City called Transitions. They help get people off their medications and heal (most of them in about 8 weeks). It's a great thing to behold! Even if you are not sick. You can enhance your live with organically produced sustainable nutrient-rich foods. We all deserve better than monster food. My fiance, Jamie Phalen, has been healthy his whole life, but suffered from joint pain in his fingers. He was going to give up playing guitar because it was painful to practice. Now, his joint pain is gone and he feels younger, more energetic and less prone to seasonal distress disorder. He plays with Highfalutin String Band and does solo performances and teaches for a living. He could not realize his dream without this shift in eating habits. What dreams have you given up on because it hurt or you didn't have enough energy? We want to help people realize their dreams. What is life for otherwise? I personally believe realizing your dream is your gift to the universe!

The Alternative Food Distribution System grew out of the nutritional counselling because the clients I serve need to have easy access to high-quality organically produced foods. Well, actually we all do! So, I decided to get the food to the people! We can't rely on corporate food systems to nurourish us sustainably. It's been shown the pre-packaged, processed and monster-food is the reason for so much of our illness. Jamie and I are trying to change that. Part of what we do is educate and inform. We want people to see, if its in a package, its a gimick. Just because its everywhere, and there's a lot of it, doesn't make it any less of a gimick. But, if you stop going to the grocery store to get your food, what will you eat? We must have an alternative in place so that people have a choice. A choice of REAL FOOD. You don't have to do it alone.

The alternatives are more plentiful than most people know. We don't advertise. So, many other farmers don't either. Facebook and Meet-ups have been helpful in spreading the word. But, the most transformative thing that is happening is that people are telling their families, co-workers and friends about us. We do presentations that include lunch or dinner and eveybody eats a full meal. There are a lot of questions about what we are doing, what people are hearing about in the media and what their doctors are telling them. Sometimes it's like conducting a press-conference while I'm preparing food and demonstrating how to make the food at home. I have a stenogapher write down the recipes (sometimes they eveolve as i go) and everyone gets a copy of the recipes at the end. So far eveyone has loved the food. The bottom line is, its critical to your health to start incorperating some actual nutrition in your diet and wean yourself off the processed foods and pharmicutically produced suppliments that are addictive and damaging to your health. We want to you to thrive, not mearly survive! And, the REALLY good news that the prescription for thriving is to eat the best food ever!

The new diet craze is the Paliolithic or Cave-man diet. It's actually a very restorative diet based on natural cooked meats and lots of mostly raw veggies, sprouts and a few nuts and seeds. However, it won't work if you are getting these foods from corporate sources and still binging on fast-food. A cave man would never have been exposed to the level of toxins or the genetic manipulation of the monster foods. Monster-foods are industial agriculture's answer to filling the poduce isle with large, colorfull veggitables and tubers that look really apealing, have a long shelf life are resistent to pests (including us!) and make money. Most are deviod of any actual nutrition. Corporate organic foods are just as devoid of nutrients as what is now termed, crimminally, "Coventional". Think about the term "produce". A cave-man (or womwan) would be eating wild game, sprouts, seeds from native plants--eating real foods, grown in living dirt, that have all the microorganisms and minerals that were plentifull in the furtile soils and seas. I'm not proposing that we all go back to living in caves. But, we can structure our food production to mimic that system so we don't all have to go out foraging. Forage if you like, its fun. Not eveybody wants to maintain a big garden, either. Most of you still have those things called "jobs". Your food needs to be grown and tended for you. No shame in that. And, when people value that in-mass. We can change the intire landscape!

There is a huge local food movement growing everywhere! It's great. We can actually change our local landscapes by what we choose to eat. Creating markets for organic farmers and permaculture gardening will surround and engulf our our communities with beautiful natural foods, plants and helpful animals that we have coexsisted and co-evolved with for centuries. I'd rather live in a garden than a cement-land. Would you? Wouldn't you like your children to be set free from institionalized commerce-producing opression into a cooperative gift-giving, earth-loving venture that honors individuals, values good health for everyone and encourages personal growth? How do we make this a reality? I have a suggestion: Turn off the TV and start particiapating in the real thing. Help devine and inspire the real thing. We are working together to create abundance for everyone. The dominator cultural model has proven to be far worse for us (and the planet) than we could imagine. It's time for a change. We host "reality check" meet-up the first Monday of every month at 7:30PM. It's also an organic pot-luck. Please come. RSVP to Val or Jamie at 364-6922 or studiolvel@stjoelive.com.

You may place your order, pledge a donation to the alternative food distribution network in exchange for gourmet meal delivery, or sign-up to volunteer for many things from: creating a web-site to helping plant and maintain the Krug Park Community Garden. We are doing this by e-mail and by phone. Let's make the world a better place and enjoy doing it.

To sign up for a delivery of a Goode Acres Abundance Box in one of three sizes: $15, $25 or $55. Send an e-mail to Val Jacobson atstudiolevel@stjoelive.com

Include your e-mail and a phone number. She will e-mail you a delivery schedule, a weekly list of what's in each box along with a list of extras like: Almish butter; organically-raised stress-free, grass-fed beef, dog and cat food; free-range hierloom-bread chicken and austich eggs; fresh fruit; seeds for sprouting; raw nuts and heirloom tomatoes.

There is also a monthly e-newsletter with recipes, photos and stories from the farm. Orders in by Weds at 6 PM will recieve a confirmation e-mail. Delivery to your home is $4. Or you can choose from a free-drop-off point. To BE a Free Drop Off location, contact Val for details! (We bring live music and food!) We do not advertise, so please spread the word to those you think might be interested in good food or gardening or philanthropy.

You can read about the farm and see pictures at goodeacres.com

Free recipes are available at demoanddinelive.blogspot.com

Goode Acres Delivery of Organic Food

2011-03-01T14:37:00.000-08:00

Featured item: Amish Butter, $6/lb.

Goode Food Delivery Schedule & Price Lists, May 26 - 31

It’s been a busy week responding to all the questions generated by Sylvia Anderson’s lovely
story about us in the Newspress. We are overwhelmed by how many new people interested
in joining us! YEA!

Thank you for feeding Goode Food to your face and to your family!

All Goode Food is organically grown, locally, and freshly harvested for each delivery.

To order Goode Food for delivery May 26 - 31 on your designated delivery day, please reply by
Tuesday at 7PM. See below for the Delivery Schedule and list of free pick-up locations.
Reply to: Goodefood2you@gmail.com. Please note, messages sent to this address are viewed
and processed by Goode Acres volunteers. Personal messages to Val can be sent to:
studiolevel@stjoelive.com.

Scowl down for extra-special al-a-cart items (Listed as "Goode Extras"), You may request listed
items al a cart, to build a custom box, or add to your box. The home or office delivery fee of
$4 per order applies to single items as well as boxes. See below for free-pick-up locations.

To subscribe to a standing order for weekly or twice-monthly delivery, Go to
goodeacres.com

Our farmers are:
* John B. Goode, Wathena, KS. You can check out the farm website at
* David Kline, Nannie Cheese, Maysville, MO

We can change the landscape of where we live by choosing to eat local organic highest-quality foods.
Contact Val Rae, Kitchen Coach and Living Foods Chef, with questions and suggestions!
816-364-692

Hugs and chickens!
-Val

SUBSCRIPTION ORDER OPTIONS
$75 weekly order: Family Abundance Box ($55) + Extra Goode Extras ($20)
$55 weekly order: Family Abundance Box
$45 weekly order: Goode Abundance Box ($25) + Extra Goode Extras ($20)
$35 weekly order: Goode Budget Box ($15) + Extra Goode Extras ($20)
$25 weekly standing order: Goode Abundance Box ($25)
$20 weekly standing order of Extra Goode Extras
$15 weekly standing order: Goode Budget Box
To subscribe, Go to

CUSTOM ORDERING
Abundance Box Contents for May 26 -31

Goode Family Abundance Box - $55 includes:
· 1 pint of strawberries
· 1 dozen farm-fresh eggs
· 3 one-gallon baggies of mixed gourmet greens:
o "Kiss Me" Lemon Sorrel
o "Mix it up Baby" Kale
o "Tender Mixed Young Lettuce
· 2 lbs of Vine-ripened tomatoes
· 1 bunch of Rainbow Chard
· 1 bunch of Rainbow Chard
· 1 quart-sized baggy of young broccoli
· 1 quart-sized baggy of fresh dill
· 1 quart-sized baggy of fresh cilantro
· 1 quart-sized baggy of fresh chervil
· 1 quart-sized Mustard Greens
· 1 Sacred celery
· 1 Chiogga beet (with leafy tops)
· 1 four-inch potted Italian Basil
(Also see "Goode Extras" below for other lovely things you might want to add to your order this week.
The list and prices change weekly.)

Goode Standard Abundance Box $25 includes:
· 2 one-gallon baggies of mixed gourmet greens:
o "Kiss Me" Lemon Sorrel
o "Tender Mixed Young Lettuce
· 1 quart-sized baggy of young broccoli (may substitute celery)
· 1 bunch Mixed Swiss and Rainbow Chard
· 1 quart-sized baggy of fresh dill
· 1 quart-sized baggy of fresh cilantro
· 1 four-inch potted Italian Basil
(Also, See "Goode Extras" below)

Goode Budget Box -$15-includes:
· 1 quart-sized baggy of young broccoli (may substitute celery)
· 1 one-gallon baggy of "Tender Mixed Young Lettuce"
· 1 quart-sized baggy of fresh dill
· 1 quart-sized baggy of fresh chervil
· 1 four-inch potted Italian Basil
(Also, See "Goode Extras" below)

We may need to substitute an item from time to time. I will try to keep you informed via e-mail if and when that happens.
This week, we are adding new customers and are unsure if there will be enough broccoli. So, we may sub sacred celery
in some of the boxes.

NEW Goode Extras:

* NEW! * Chiogga beets with tops, $1.50 each
* NEW! * Fresh dill, $4.00 for a quart-sized baggy
* NEW! * Fresh Cilantro, $4.00 for a quart-sized baggy
* NEW! * Fresh Chervil, $4.00 for a 1 quart-sized baggy
* NEW! * Young Broccoli, $3 for a quart-sized baggy
* NEW! * Baby Butter-crunch lettuce heads, $1.50 each or $4.50 per gallon-sized baggy
* NEW! * Young Romaine lettuce, $4.50 per gallon-sized baggy
* NEW! * Nappa Cabbage, $4.00 per mature head
* NEW! * Local whole Pecans - limited quantities, hulled and ready to eat - $12/pint jar
(photo)

Other lovely things you might want to add to your order:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NANNIE GOODIES
Made fresh to order weekly! Nannie orders may be delayed by one week if we do not have the flavor you are requesting on hand. Order by Tuesday at 7PM for the possibility of same-week delivery on local Nannie products.

*Nannie Milk, unsweetened. $7.50 per half gal or $4.00 a quart (Quantities limited.)
*Nannie Yogurt, unsweetened plain, or honey-sweetened maple or vanilla,
$7.50 per Quart. (The best you've ever had!!!)
*Artisan Cheeses, $7.50 each/ 8 oz. package
(made weekly from fresh lightly pasteurized goat's milk) Choose from:

* NEW Flavor * : Nannies Spreadable Plain Goat Cheese
* Nannies Pride (Goat Cheese)
* Plain Whole Curd
* Herbal Curd made with organic parsley
* Ricotta
* Herbed Ricotta
* Cheddar Curd
* Plain Feta
* Olive Feta
* Hot-pepper Feta
* Goat-volone (similar texture to Provolone)
* Jalapeno Feta
* Garden Cheddar Feta
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Goode Wood!
* Gourmet grilling and smoking wood: $10 per 1/2-bushel bag.
Choose from: Cherry, Pecan, Peach, Apple or Hickory

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
More Goode Extras:
* Russian Kale, $3.50 per bunch or $4.50 per gallon sized baggy
* Strawberries vine-ripened - limited quantities. $4.00 per pint
* Spring Asparagus- limited quantities. $4.50 per bunch
* Local Black Walnuts - limited quantities, hulled and ready to eat - $12/pint jar
* Local whole Pecans - limited quantities, hulled and ready to eat - $12/pint jar
* Living Wheat Grass. Keep watered in a sunny outdoor or indoor spot to harvest up to 5 times!: 4"-pots $3 or 6"-rounds for $5
* Sacred Celery with tops, $4 bunch
* Extra Goode Greens - $4.50 per gallon-sized bag or $2.50 per quart sized bag
Your choice of:
* Mustard Greens
* Butter-crunch lettuce heads
* Spinach
* Leaf-Lettuce Mix
* Butter-crunch heads
* Romaine
* Arugula
* "Kiss Me Lemon Sorrel"
* "Mix It All Up Baby Greens"
* Rainbow Chard, $4.50 a bunch
* African "Blue Planet" Basil, (snipped fresh!) $4.00 per quart-sized baggy, $8.50 per gallon-sized baggy
* Mixed Baby Kale & Mustard Greens, (snipped fresh!) $2.50 per quart-sized baggy
* Small Bloomin' Broccoli, (edible flowering heads, cut fresh) $2.50 per head
* Planters: 12" hanging or "seated" with up to 6 herbs $28.00. Single Herbs in 4" pots, $4 each.
(See herb list below)
* Amish Brown Eggs: $3.50 per doz. while quantities last
* Amish Butter, salted: $6 per pound (limited quantities. Delivery may be delayed one week.)
* Heirloom Tomatoes: Mix of Cherokee Purple, Trust, Big Beef, and Crimson Globe and Little Red Pear.
Limited Quantities $4.50/lb (We will leave them on the vine until you order them.
Then, be patient, it may take 1-3 days to ripen after harvest. Do not refrigerate.
Do allow to deepen in color and watch for green stripes to appear on Cherokee Purples.)
* Snipped Mixed Salad-dressing Herbs $4.50 (1 quart baggy) or $8.50( 1 gallon baggy)
* Mixed Basil (Italian Sweet and African Blue) Herbs $4.50 (1 quart baggy) or $8.50( 1 gallon baggy)
* Sprouting Peas for edible pea shoots and flowers: $2 - 1 cup dry-measure
* Buckwheat Grouts for sprouting "buckwheat lettuce" $2 - 1 cup dry-measure
* Organic soil for sprouting (1/2 gallon baggy), $3.00
* Organic US Garbanzo Beans (about 1 1/2 lbs in each container) $1.50 per pkg.
* Mendocino Sea Palm Fronds, $9.50 per ounce. Must have a group order of 1 lb. prior to ordering. Ask for a sample (3 to 4 strands) $2, dehydrated. Or you can order direct from www.seaweed.net
*Herb Planters with your choice of up to 6 plants: $28, Individual Herbs in 4"-pots, $4 each (see below)
* Herb Planters with your choice of up to 3 plants: $15, Individual Herbs in 4"-pots, $4 each (see below)

Organic PETS!
Delivery of pet food and bones may be delayed. Organic beef is processed seasonally.
* Wells Raw Dog Food made from organic grass-fed beef ($3.50 per 1 lb. frozen package)
* Raw Marrow Bones made from organic grass-fed beef ($1.50/lb. frozen)
* Raw Goat Curd Cat Food from Nannies: $7 per 8 oz. package.
* PETS LOVE Living Wheat Grass! Harvest up to 5 times!: 4"-pots $3 or 6"-rounds for $5,
Flats for $18 (must pre-order flats)

Bedding Plants
* Tomatoes 4-pack, $4 :
Cherokee Purple
Tumbling Tom
Big Boy
Rutgers
Mr. Stripy
Roma
*Cucumbers 4-pack, $4
*NEW *Burpless Cucumbers 4-pk, $4
*White Lettuce 4-pack $4
* Rhubarb, 4" pot, Sml $4 or Lrg, 8" pot $6
* NEW * Habenaro Peppers,4-pk, $4
* NEW * Sweet Banana Peppers, 4 pk $4
* NEW * Red and Green Sweet Bell Peppers $4-pk, $4
* NEW * Yellow Banana Pepper $4-pk, $4
* NEW * Yellow Squash $4-pk, $4

Potted Herbs in three sizes
· Italian Basil
· Culinary Sage
· Pineapple Basil
· Parsley (Italian Flat-leaf or Curly)
· Rosemary
· Thyme
· Lemon Thyme
· Lemon Balm
· Sweet-leaf Stevia
· Flowering Chives
· Oregano
· Marjoram
· Spearmint
· Wintermint
· French Lavender
· English Lavender
· Cilantro
· Dill
· And many more. Please request!

Abundance Box Delivery Schedule
Please e-mail your order, or call it into Val or Jamie at 816-364-6922.
- Saint Joseph:
* Please note, we have changed to an alternating Thursday delivery schedule. The next pick up for St.Joe is May 26.
* Please submit your order by 7 PM Tuesday, May 24 for delivery, Thurs., May 26(Free Pick-up at Whisky Mansion Café, 12:30 to 2PM**) or (Home Delivery Only $4 per address)
* Note: No St. Joe Delivery June 2nd
* Order in by 7 PM Tues. June 7 for delivery, Thurs. June 9 - Saint Joseph (Free Pick-up at Whisky Mansion Cafe, 12:30 to 2PM**) or (Home Delivery Only $4 per address)

- Kansas City, MO
* Order in by 7 PM Tuesday, May 24 for delivery, Sat, May 28 or Sun. May 29 - (Please indicate which day you will pick up.) The Kansas City Farmer's Market Goode Acres Booth** is at 5th and Walnut, DT KC, MO (7:30 AM to 2:30 PM Sat and Sun) Please note, we cannot bring meat or cheese items to the market.

-Topeka, KS
Order in by 7 PM Tuesday, May 24 for delivery, Thurs., May 27 only. FREE Pick-up at Blue Planet Café** 5:00 PM to 6 PM Thursday. No home-delivery available this week. Sorry, we gotta scoot to Colorado that same night!)

-Zona Rosa, North Kansas City, MO
Order in by 7 PM Tuesday, May 24 for delivery, Tues, May 31. Free Pick-up at Goode Acres Booth**

**FREE pick-up locations this week
1) Whiskey Mansion, Historic Bed & Breakfast
723 Francis Street, Saint Joseph, MO 816-676-1529
Pick-up Thursday 12:30 to 2:00 PM. The cafe opens at 11:00 AM. Stop in for lunch! We're going to! The food is awesome!
2) Circle M Horse Ranch South of South-end. Call Anne at 816-238-7116
to arrange for pick-up in the after noon Thurs.
3) Val and Jamie's house 2516 Lover's Lane, Saint Joseph, MO. Call Val or Jamie 816-364-6922 Pick-up Thurs. after 2-ish PM til' around 6:30 PM.
4) Wathena Farmer's Market (Goode Acres Booth) St. Joseph Street, Wathena KS. 5:30 to sell-out)
Pick-up 7:30 AM to 2:30 PM, Saturdays. 816-390-46025) The Kansas City Farmer's Market (Goode Acres Booth), 5th and Walnut, DT KC, MO.
6) Zona Rosa Farmers Market (Goode Acres Booth), "Northland" Kansas City (Call John 816-390-4602)
7) The Blue Planet Cafe, 110 SE 8th Street, DT Topeka, KS(Good Eats!) 785-783-8883

Announcements
(There are new people signing up, so I'll repeat the Announcements this week. Usually, I send these one time a month. Recipes follow! See below)

Calling All Carnivores!
OR purchase direct from your choice of:
for a price list)· Golden Rule Meats (Call 417-876-3371 or e-mail
· Well's Family Farms Organic (Go to wellsfamilyfarms.com for a price list and order information)
· Drum Creek (For current price lists, please contact them on facebook or e-mail at grassfed@drumcreek.com)
· Ask for delivery by Goode Food Delivered and let them know the date you would like us to deliver it to you. No up-charge for most producers! Some beef producers have minimum orders. So, gather your friends and all stock the freezers. A Drum Creek group order will be placed May 23rd for June delivery TBA.

Gluten-free Seasonal Meals and Snacks Featuring Goode Food (St. Joe only at this time)
You can donate to the Alternative Food Distribution System and receive gifts of abundance from Val!

Gifts are prepared at your request and are available evenings on Tues. Weds. or Thurs., most weeks. Let me know by Weds each week how many meals you will need for the following week. The advance notice helps me shop and harvest effectively. However, you can call and ask for a spontaneous co-op meal, but it will be hit or miss. Anyway, here's the grub:
* $5 donations receive your choice of Hummus and Sprouted Golden Flax cracker snack
OR 3 pieces of raw coconut truffle fudge (flavors change weekly).
* $15 donations receive 7 ounces of sprouted golden flax crackers and a 4 oz. fresh salsa.
* $25 donations receive your choice of a High-raw Vegan or Vegetarian Meal
OR Healthy Snacking Pack: 8 oz. Salsa, 7 oz. Crackers and 4 oz. Humus
* $30 donations receive a Paleolithic-Style Meal (High-raw, gourmet meal that includes a 2 to 6 oz portion of cooked organic meat, fish and/or cooked eggs)
* $50 donations receive 2 meals and 2 deserts.
* $100 donations receive 4 meals, 2 deserts and 2 smoothies.
You can donate as much and as often as you like. Schedule meals at your preference!
Call 816-364-6922. Home delivery is $4 extra or free with Goode Food Delivered orders on Thursdays.

Val will be a featured chef at a cool farm tour in Kansas Cit
Fun weekend road trip from St. Joe, Lawrence or Topeka. June 25 and 26.
Details here:

Goode Volunteers are Needed for the Following Areas:
Planners
Fundraisers and Philaphthopists
Organizers!
Volunteer Coordinator!
Investors!
Customer Service and Order Processing
Brochure Design and Printing
Media Relations and Marketing
Booking Agent and Events Planner
Facebook and Social Media
Vendor Relations
Establishing a Time-Bank Account
IT Support
Grant-writing and Grant Research
Not-for-Profit Status Research
Assistant to Accounting / Book-keeping
Event Planner
Business Manager
Accounting
Thursday Vending at Whiskey Mansion
Bee-keeper
Goat-feed grower
Sun-dried Tomato dryer (for fall)
House-keeper
Canners (for fall)

Please contact Val ASAP. We need you now! The farmers are growing the food. Let's pitch in and do the rest! We can be a spontaneous Co-op! Hey, that's good name for something! Idea's? 816-364-6922

Enjoy Goode Plants at the St. Joseph Community Garden.
or call Jay Kerner at 816-671-5850.Visit, volunteer or adopt a plot. For more information go to
Hugs and Vegetables! -Val
For Free Recipes Go to: demoanddinelive.blogspot.com
Reply to address is:
Questions and suggestions, call or email Val 816-364-6922,

Goode Recipes
(More recipes featuring Goode Food can be found at demoanddinelive.blogspot.com
Goode recipes are very flexible. Feel free to substitute your favorite ingredients for some of my more rare and exotic ones. I'm a superfoods junky! So, I include lot's a unusual ingredients with our local fare. If you do not have access to coconut aminos, soy sauce works just fine. No Himalayan pink salt in the pantry? Don't send a yak, substitute a real salt of unrefined salt of your liking.

Marinated Kale
* 1 Gallon baggy of Russian Kale (or mixed Kale of any type!)
* 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
* 1 to 3 TBS of raw apple cider vinegar (to taste)
* 1/4 tsp of high-quality mineral salt or 1 TBS liquid Coconut Aminos
* 1 to 5 crushed garlic cloves (to taste)
* juice of one fresh-squeezed lemon or orange
* 1/4 cup syrup from soaking apricots, dates or raisins
(or 1 TBS of raw honey melted in 2TBs of ht water)
* a handful of raisins or goji berries or un-sulferated apricots (chopped)

Refresh Kale in clean source water, Allow to drain and remove stiff stems. (Reserve stems for green drink or broth). Mix other ingredients in an oversized salad bowl, stir to incorporate. Add Kale and massage dressing into kale with hands or wooden spoon. The idea is to "Bruise" the kale to soften it.

Allow to "rest" for 20 minutes to overnight. Refrigerate after 5 hours.
Leftovers, if there are any, can be dehydrated into kale "chips" at 105 degrees until crisp.

Ideas for optional toppings:
Sprouted lentils or quinoa; sprouted pumpkin seeds soaked in Coconut Aminos or Namu Shoyu and dehydrated at 105-degrees; crumbled goat cheese; hard-boiled eggs; nutritional yeast flakes; brazil nut chez (raw brazil nuts, garlic and salt processed in a food processor with an S-blade or in a sturdy spice mill or coffee grinder); other raw nuts or seeds like: hulled sunflower seeds, hemp seeds, sesame seeds, black or English walnuts, whole almonds, or pecans.

Val's Fresh and Sun-dried Tomato Salsa
(...with notes on how to use left-overs to make digestive enzyme support supplement that tastes awesome! You can use it as a condiment and enjoy your "medicine"! You know what Hippocrates said centuries ago and it is still so true, "Let your food be your medicine and your medicine be your food." Yesh, brother! For a cheesy flavor and much needed additional B-vitamins, add organic soy-free nutritional yeast. YUM!!!)

The sun-dried tomatoes, honey and garlic serve two purposes (besides taste):
1. The antimicrobial properties keep the salsa stable longer in fridge and results in a richer thicker fresh salsa.
2. When the salsa separates, the sun-dried toms, honey and garlic, rich-in-antimicrobial-activity, will serve as food for the live enzyme cultures. To activate, keep it at room temp for 10 to 30 days, burping the jar daily, for living high-enzymatic fermented salsa. Make sure the top of the mix says very wet. Add salt water, if needed to cover. Do not stir. Taste occasionally, looking for a vinegar-taste, then add some mineral salt to the water at the top of the jar (about 1 tsp per 16 oz jar) and wait another few days before refrigerating. If anything funky starts to grow up there on top, No worries. Pour off the water, scrape off a layer, including any funky stuff. Add a fresh coating of ¼ to ½ inch of salt water and its probably time to refrigerate it.
The fermented food under the salt water topping should have a sharp pickled taste.

Ingredients:
As many tomatoes as will fit in your blender (Raw or roasted)
* 1 Tsp of local honey
* 2 tsp or to taste of ground cumin
* 1 Goode Red Chili Chili (fresh or dried) or your favorite chili pepper
* 1//4 tsp of Himalayan pink salt or to taste with any highly-mineralized salt.
* 6 or 8 sun dried tomatoes packed in oil and 1/4 cup of their oil.
* 1 large white onion, halved - or as many onions as you like
* 2 or 3 green onions with tops (chopped) or as many as you like
* 3 cloves of raw or roasted garlic - or as many as you like
* 4 cups or as big a bunch of fresh cilantro as you can find! (Chopped)

Blend most of tomatoes, honey, cumin, Chili Chile, salt, sun-dried tomatoes, oil, 1/2 the white onion and the garlic first, to liquefy. Saving some tomatoes and the other 1/2 onion to use as chopped veggies along with the green onion, cilantro and anything else you like: oregano, fresh bell peppers, more fresh cilantro, sweet corn, steamed black beans, nutritional yeast flakes, chili or cayenne powders, coriander seeds). Place chopped veggies into glass jars in equal portions or to individualized tastes. Pour liquefied tomatoes mix over the chopped veggies and herbs. Store in the fridge or ferment. Or store in the fridge and ferment left-overs, if there are any!

Rice-crust Goat Cheese Pizzas
Ingredients:
* 1 or more Packages of prepared gluten-free pizza crust of choice (available frozen)
* Val's fresh organic salsa or prepared salsa or tomato sauce
* Nannie's Jalapeno Feta or Goat-valone
* Goode Spicy Oregano leaves or (garden oregano mixed with hot pepper flakes to taste)
* Goode Mixed Basil Leaves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place empty crusts on a cookie sheet or pizza stone to lightly toast. (This also works in an electric skillet with a lid. I like the one by Salad Master. Line it with brown parchment paper for easy clean-up.)
Slice cheese into large flat pieces about 1/8 to 1/4-inch thick.
Flip the crusts if the bottom is browed more than the top. (Ovens vary.) Layer the cheese slices to cover the crust surface and return to the oven to melt.
Add sauce and herbs to your liking. Return to the oven to warm through.

Ideas for optional Toppings: Nannies Herb Ricotta (melted over the sauce or crumbed as a cool topping) spicy or mild peppers, Val's walnut veat,,* raw or sautéed or grilled veggies, whole roasted garlic cloves, capers, cooked organic meats, brazil nut cheese.*

Kitchen-Munchy of the week: "Rummmmmm Rummmm Rum Balls" or "Un-rum-balls"
(Kitchen munchies are those quicky-snacks that can be made with very little fuss or clean-up!)
* Larabar Tropical Fruit Tart flavor, cut into squares
* 2 to 6 drops of Sweet Leaf liquid Stevia Vanilla Crème flavor on each square
(Stevia keeps blood sugar level so you can enjoy the sweet chewy dried fruit in the Larabar.) Optional:
Roll into balls, if you like, and sprinkle with fine-sifted nutmeg --It tastes like traditional Irish Rum balls! You swear there's a high-quality rum involved!
Rummm is the vibrational syllable for digestive health. Put your fingertips to feel the back of your neck. Take a deep breath through your nose. As you breath out, sing "Ruuummmmmm." Feel that? Your are feeling the good energy you are sending through your body. To increase the flow of this positive energy throughout your spine, sing "Lummmmmm, Vrummmmm, Rummmmmm, Yummmmm, Hummmmm, Oummmmmmmmm. Enjoy the Un-rum-balls!

*For additional free recipes from Val, go to demoanddinelive.blogspot.com . Use the search engine on the blog to find recipes for individual ingredients.

Val is available for kitchen coaching, living-food demos, nutritional counseling and special-needs diet preparation. Call her at 816-364-6922 for additional information.

Reality Check Meet-up

2011-03-01T14:35:00.000-08:00

Start one in your community!

Here's what we do:

Enjoy the company of progressive-thinkers and DOers. Share resources and ideas for establishing alternative food and information distributions systems outside the corporate choices. Moving beyond developing "models" to having these systems working and accessible to help us in co-creating a community within a community of a healthy cooperative culture that meets the needs of all its citizens.

Reality Check Meet-up

Monday, March 14 · 7:30pm - 10:30pm

2516 Lovers Lane, Saint Joseph, MO 64506

Call with questions and suggestions. 816-364-6922

To Grocery Shop or Not to Grocery Shop, That is the Question

2011-02-20T19:18:00.000-08:00

I wanter to share this with you because it support my views! Ha! Isn't that always the way. But , seriously, Bertha says this so well, I have very little to add.

LDear Val,
    It can be hard to tell these days, especially when we visit the grocery store, that we are actually in the middle of winter. The produce section may be full of hothouse-grown veggies and out-of-season foods from all over the world. But just because they are available doesn't necessarily mean out-of-season foods are all that good for you.
    Foods grown in the spring and summer tend to grow faster and are more cooling in their nature. Foods grown in the fall and winter usually take a longer time to grow and are more warming. Even though we can now enjoy a fresh green salad or a hearty lamb and potato stew at any time of year, I bet you'll agree, Val, that a green leafy salad reminds us of the freshness of spring and a steaming bowl of stew makes us think of cold weather.
    Foods that are grown in season have higher levels of nutrients, and scientific studies support this. One Japanese study showed that spinach grown in the summer had three times more vitamin C than spinach grown in the winter. So, when you buy foods that are grown out of season, they may taste the same, but that doesn't mean they are nutritionally the same. It is a good idea to consider where you live, as the seasons and the local produce will vary between a colder climate, a warmer climate or more temperate one.
    Another excellent advantage of eating seasonally grown foods is that it is easier to find them at our local grocers, vegetable and fruit stands, and farmers' markets. Val, foods that are fresh and locally grown are filled with vital nutrients that will help boost your immune system. Plus foods in season are much less expensive, so your pocketbook benefits too. And taste wise, nothing beats fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables harvested in the height of their season.
    So, in the spring and summer look for fresh greens like various lettuces; fresh corn and green beans; summer fruits like peaches, pears, apricots and all kinds of berries. In the fall and winter, look for leafy green vegetables like kale and collards; cruciferous veggies like broccoli and cauliflower; root vegetables like potatoes, carrots, sweet potatoes and fruits like apples.
    Val, by choosing to eat local foods that are in season, you'll be taking in the best and freshest nutrients for your body, which will improve your health and also allow you to enjoy the seasons even more. This is all about mindfulness. Being mindful and conscious of our environment, the people around us and ourselves. That is the best way to establish harmony in your life.
    I hope you will take some time to look over your forecast to see what the week holds.

from Bethea@myhealthwealthandhappiness.com

Look for me on Facebook and send a friend request if you would like to up-dated on delivery of organic produce in the St. Joseph, KC,Lawrence and Topeka areas. Don't do face-space, my-book? You can send me an e-mail at studiolevel@stjoelive.com
 I'll send you an e-mail version with lovely pictures and everything! 
Hugs -Val
 

Vegetarian Garbonzo Bean Chili

2011-02-02T13:36:00.000-08:00

Vegetarian Garbonzo Bean Chili

How to sprout garbonzos:

Cover dried beans with clean source water, no salt. Leave at room temperature overnight. Drain and add fresh water in the morning. Repeat until plump with a small white "tails". This may take 2 or 3 days. You may refrigerate to slow down the process or put near a heat vent, fireplace or radiator to speed up the process. When sprouted, wash with cool salt water and then cool clean water, drain. Add to a large pot with an ample amount of clean-source water with aromatics such as bay leaves, thyme bundles, garlic cloves, onion skins or herb stems. Do not salt again until beans are fully cooked. (About 40 minutes) Note: sprouted beans take less time to cook than dried beans. Reserve cooking liquid. The gelatinous "broth" made by garbonzo beans is one of the secrets to great hummus and chili! Refrigerate until ready to use.

Tip: Adding a piece of living sea weed to the soaking water makes for faster more nutritious sprouts. One 4" piece per gallon of water. Discard or add it to a house plant for food before cooking. you might even offer it as a treat to a house pet. some animals LOVE sea veggies. We love them too. But, we eat them dried in the dehydrator BEFORE they have been feeding the beans. (Mineral-rich Super-food!) Be sure to use ONLY hand-harvested, aboriginal, seasonally-collected, organic sea veggies. Our all-time fav is Mendocino Sea Palm Fronds. We did A LOT of research on this. We buy ours from Barbara and John Stephens-Lewallen atwww.seaweed.net. Let them know we sent you! They love St. Joe! Our sea vegetable purchases are growing in frequency and we are assisting them in their fight against corporate encroachment of ancient harvesting waters! Be healthy and be an activist, at the same time: buy hand-harvested sea weed.

How to make home-made chili sauce

1 gal bag of frozen tomatoes from the fall harvest (or 4 one-quart cans)

2 to 3 large onions, diced

5 to 10 garlic gloves, crushed

3 to 5 sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil (diced)

6 to 10 drops of wild oregano oil (optional)

5 to 7 small dried whole chillies, 1 tsp each: whole cumin seeds, whole mixed gourmet smokey pepper corns, coriander seeds and dried oregano (if not using the oil)

1/2 tsp course ground Himalayan pink salt or living sea salt

Smokey paprika to taste

Add onions, tomatoes, garlic and sun-dried tomatoes to a crock pot or dutch oven. Cook on high to reduce liquid. while reducing, add dried whole spices and salt to spice mill or grinder and grind until fine. Add spice mixture to sauce, turn to low and simmer to desired consistency. Adjust seasoning, adding smokey paprika to taste and more salt and cumin as needed. Add meats, beans and other vegetables as desired to make chili or pot roast. Garbonzo beans can be added for thickening agent, but be careful not to overcook the garbonzos. They only need to be hated through in the warm chili sauce.

Gourmet Smokey Pepper Corns, Garbonzo Beans and Smokey Paprika are available for a limited time from Goode Acres Delivery. All other seasoning are available in the bulk section at A-Z Fresh Air Fare on 8th Street, down town Saint Joe.

Sweet and Spice Marinated Kale Salad or Chips

2010-11-12T08:28:00.000-08:00

Sweet and Spice Marinated Kale Salad or Chips

2-4-1: Kale Chips (Starts with Marinated Kale Salad!)

Salad:

1 to 2 large bunches of kale (any variety)
1/4 to 1/2 of a very ripe pineapple, cut into bite-sized pieces

Dressing:

juice from the pineapple (substitute organic pineapple nectar, in a pinch)
1/2 cup sprouted raw pumpkin seeds
1 to 2 TBS lemon, lime or orange juice
2 TBS Nama Shoyu (Raw Soy Sauce) or 1 TBS Braggs Aminos
1/4 cup unrefined pumpkin, walnut or sunflower oil
1/8 cup Grade B maple syrup or raw honey with a little warm water
diced spicy peppers to taste
crushed fresh garlic, to taste
2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp curry powder or turmeric
1/4 to 2/3 cup of nutritional yeast (optional)

Instructions:

Wish together dressing ingredients in an over-sized bowl.

(Optional: Allow pumpkin seeds to marinate in "dressing" overnight, for more flavor.)

Wash kale and remov

e stems.* Leave some of the leaves large for kale chips and tear the rest into large bite-sized pieces. Note: Kale will soften with marinating and shrink when dehydrated.

Add kale leaves and the pineapple chunks to the dressing and massage with clean hands to coat and soften the leaves. Allow to rest for 1-hour at room temp before chilling or dehydrating.

Kale

Chips:

Spread

the kale salad in a single layer on teflex sheets in the dehydrator with a little extra dressing and lot's of the

seeds. Sprinkle wit

h extra diced hot peppers, if you like um spicy! Dehydrate at 115 degrees until crispy. Remove chips from dehydrator, allow to cool, bag and freeze for crisp storage. (If you can stop yourself form eating them all!) :)

*Hippy Health Tip:

Keep the stripped kale stems refrigerated, up-right in 1 to 2 inches of clean-source water. Use to juice or add to green drinks; add to soup stock with garlic skins, oni

on skins and root-vegetable trimmings to make a base for barley soup, beans or quinoa.

Summer Squash, Eggplant, cucumbers

2010-08-07T11:46:00.000-07:00

Eggplant, Cucumbers and Summer Squash

are coming on strong!

John Goode of Goode Acres, Wathena is growing these beauties! Go to John's web site for farmer's market schedule. www.goodeacres.com.

Or, order organic fresh produce on-line at freshconnectkc.com. Let them know I recommended them to you and get $5 off your first order. Delivery is free!

Recipes:

Easy Taziki Sauce

Ingredients:

Mostly cucumbers

Add: onion, garlic and lemon juice to preference.

Add a little cumin or parsley, if you like.

Chop or blend. Mix with goat yogurt or cashew cheese or just leave it as is. Chopped, serve as a salad with parsley. Blended, use as a raw soup or condiment with Middle Eastern foods. Keep refrigerated for 1 week to 10 days.

Recipes I like for egg-plant and squash:
Awesome Raw Food Recipe for Baba Ganoush : The Renegade Health Show Episode #617
Related Tags: baba ganoush, baba ghanoush, babaganoush, raw eggplant recipes, Raw Food Recipes, tahini
We’re going back through the list of raw food recipes that you wanted and raw Baba Ganoush was right at top…
The reason we’ve been hesitating to give you a raw recipe for Baba Ganoush is because we didn’t know what to do with the eggplant to make it soft.
Annmarie did a little research and now we have the secret. (Freeze it over night. Thaw.)
Link to: Raw Food Recipe for Delicious Summer Squash with Dill Sauce : The Renegade Health Show Episode #627 - 2010-08-04 17:13:28-04
It’s about that time… When summer squash is so abundant, you really have no idea what to do with it. In this recipe, Annmarie prepares a raw food recipe using summer squash.
Here’s the raw food recipe for Baba Ganoush:

Raw Baba Ganoush
1 Large Eggplant
3 Tablespoons Tahini
Juice of 1 Large Lemon
2 Cloves Garlic
2 Chopped Scallions
1 Tablespoon Chopped Parsley
1-2 Teaspoons of Olive Oil
Sea salt to taste
Peel and slice the eggplant into medallions and freeze overnight. In the morning, take the eggplant out and let it defrost. Once it’s defrosted, all all ingredients into your food processor or Vitamix. Blend or process to desired consistency. Serve with raw veggies, crackers or whatever else you like!
Try chipotle pepper, smokey paprika, smokey nutritional yeast or mesquite powder to give it a little smoked flavor.
The tip about the frozen raw eggplant came from Live Awesome!
Kev (Kevin Gianni, Renegade Health Show)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Val Rae Jacobson, Living Foods Chef, Kitchen Coach & Educator
To schedule a live meal delivery, private consultation or group demo, please contact me:
studiolevel@stjoelive.com
816-364-6922.

For recipes from my Demo and Dine Live Programs, please visit my blog.
You can Google: "What's Not Cooking at Val's"
or go to: http://demoanddinelive.blogspot.com

For a catalog of the world's finest cutlery, go to:
cutco.com. Please use Rep# 33142656.

For an alternative food distribution system that provides organic produce (local, family-farmed when available) go to:
http://www.freshconnectkc.com/
Use "Trader St. Joe's" as the discount code to receive $5-off your first order.

If this was sent to you in error, or if you no longer wish to receive notices from me, please reply with the request to unsubscribe

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

2010-07-29T18:42:00.000-07:00

The Organic Solution to the Climate Crisis

"The future of life on this planet may depend on what we eat. Factory farmed junk food is the #1 cause of climate change, but we can save the planet by going organic.

"The greenhouse gas emissions from factory farms, deforestation, industrial crop production, food processing, and long-distance distribution make the food sector the biggest cause of climate change, responsible for at least a third of worldwide greenhouse gas emissions. Factory farmed meat, dairy and eggs alone may contribute as much as 51%!

"But we can change food system pollution into food system solutions. A worldwide shift to local, organic food production would drastically reduce food system emissions and turn the world's farmland into a carbon sink to capture and store 40% of global greenhouse gas pollution."

- Excerpt from Organic Consumers Association's "Food Agenda 2020: The Organic Alternative"

oca@mail.democracyinaction.org

Beautiful Kazy Kracker Lady Chips!

2010-07-29T10:22:00.000-07:00

I'm not the Krazy Kracker Lady. I'm the Krazy-about Kracker's Lady! I love great-tasting crackers. Why make any other kind? I LOVE the texture and the flavors of Abeba's dehydrator recipes.

I found this recipe better for summer because of the abundance of fresh tomatoes. I also like that I can get really light thin "chips." I used this recipe as the coating for cauliflower, zucchini slices, baby brocholi and batter for wraps. AND, best of best of all: Onion Rings! YUM!

To see live instructions of this reciepe go to: http://renegadehealth.com/blog/2010/07/28/raw-food-recipe-for-crunchy-bbq-chips/

Abeba’s Crunchy BBQ Chips

1 1/2 cup clean-source water
2 carrots (with or without tops)
2 tomatoes
2-3 dates (soaked for 30 mins)
3/4 tsp chili powder
1 celery stalk (strings removed)
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes (soaked 30 mins)
dash of cayenne pepper
nama shoyu sauce or celtic salt to taste
2/3 cup flax seeds (soaked over night)

Put all ingredients in blender except the flax seeds. Blend well and check taste. Then add flax seeds, blend well again. Mixture should be slimy and a little thick, but runny like pancake batter.

Drop by spoonfuls on Teflex sheet. Dehydrate for 10-12 hours at 105 degrees. Flip krackers and remove sheet. Continue dehydrating 8-10 hours or until desired crispness is obtained.

Yields 4-5 trays or approximately 100-200 krackers.

If you want to check out Abeba’s site, here is that link… http://www.absolutelyabebaskrazykrackers.com/

Amaranth Greens

2010-07-21T18:43:00.000-07:00

Amaranth greens are the leafy part of the plant that eventually will grow seed heads and produce amaranth grain, an ancheint grain of the middle-east. Highly nutritious!

I'v been getting mine through Freshconnectkc.com. They come as part of my weekly delivery of organic goodies.

(Thankfully, it keeps well, up-right in the fridge in a small bucket of clean-source water.) If any of the leaves start to wilt, I trim them and put them in the dehydrator to use in place of dried parsley.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here's What Wikipedia has to say about the nutritional value and traditional uses:

Because of its importance as a symbol of indigenous culture, and because it is very palatable, easy to cook, and its protein particularly well suited to human nutritional needs, interest in grain amaranth (especially A. cruentus and A. hypochondriacus) revived in the 1970s. It was recovered in Mexico from wild varieties and is now commercially cultivated. It is a popular snack sold in Mexico City and other parts of Mexico, sometimes mixed with chocolate orpuffed rice, and its use has spread to Europe and parts of North America. Amaranth and quinoa are called pseudograins because of their flavor and cooking similarities to grains. These are dicot plant seeds, and both contain exceptionally complete protein for plant sources. Besides protein, amaranth grain provides a good source ofdietary fiber and dietary minerals such as iron, magnesium, phosphorus, copper, and especially manganese. It has been claimed to be beneficial in preventing greying of hair.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Caution: Only use a large doses of Amaranth if you have been glutten free for 24 to 48 hours. Do not consume starches in combination with Amaranth or spinach if you suffer from any form of arthritus, fibermialgia or sensitivities to night-shades. If you welcome baby spinach, beet greens, chard, kale and chard, you may eat this herb/green in abundance, including juicing it!

I found I like it best wilted with traditional Indian or South/Central American seasoning. It holds up well with spicy foods. It has a sweet stem and basil-spinach-like larger leaves. The small tender leaves and frilly tops are also sweet with a hint of wheat-grass smell and taste. Don't panic if you hate wheat grass! The sweet-green-lawn-taste and aroma completely change after wilting or marinating. It's an earthy flavor. If you like beet greens, you'll love it.

Here's what I've been doing with it:

Use in place of spinach in blended soups, Indian and Italian-style recipes and in soup broth.
Use stems to add flavor and "green-power" to juices. (Save the naked stems for juicing by storing up-right in a small bucket with 2 inches of clean-source water). I used a ceterfudge juicer. Yummy with pineapple core, green apple and celery! Great with cucumber lemon juice in the Vitamix. Interesting that although the stems are mostly green, it added a pink tint to the juices. Must be that high-antioxident content!))
For a medicinal dose, place fresh stems and leaves in Vitamix with coconut water or clean source water and a pinch of Himalayan pink salt. Emasserate, strain and chill the juice. Add lemon or lime, if needed. (The result was a milder, more pleasant version of wheat-grass).
Dehydrate and crumble leaves into salad dressings and soups.
Saute whole leaves with onions, garlic and cocnut oil with or without curry and serve with brown rice.
Here's several recipes we've enjoyed this week: Added it traditional to Dhal. Commonly, in recipes I find printed, this dish would call for spinach. I've made it it with spinach many times and enjoy that. The amaranth brought a whole new taste to the dish and ITS REALLY GOOD. (I used the leaves from three or four 12-inch stalks. After tasting it, I thought it would have been nice to add twice as much. The leaves wilt and become richly-buttery flavored.) So, Here is my NEW FAVORITE DAHL recipe!

Dahl with Amaranth Greens

Equipment: Glass, ceramic or earthen-ware bowel for soaking lentils, a good knife, cutting surface and stainless steal stock pot.

Ingredients:

4 cups dry red lentils (Make sure they are organic and not "enhanced" with synthetic or veggie dies.) The samller and brighter orange, the better!
prepared Indian green chili paste or freshly minced mixed hot peppers
diced or "chunked" onion (to preference)
2-5 cloves of garlic, pressed
1/2 tsp of Himalayan pink salt
1 or 2 tsps ground cumin, to taste
1 medium to large black cardemon pod, left whole*
2 TBS coconut oil

* Everybody asks, "What makes my dahl so exceptionally good?" It's the cardemon! (No, not the demon in your car. It's a seasoning found in Indian and Middle-eastern markets and some specialty spice shops. Ask for organic, as always.) Also, be sure and remove it before serving! It's a big surprise if you accidentally bite into it.

Garnish with:

Freshly rough-chopped red tomato (up to 2 cups or as many ripe ones as you have on hand)
Freshly stripped amaranth leaves, rough-chop as many as you like! (reserve stems for juicing and frilly tops for garnishing)
a pinch of ceyanne pepper, if needed
butter, ghee, olive oil or Earth Balance Soy-free Buttery Spread

Instructions:

1 day before or the morning of your meal: Soak or sprout red lentils, 8 to 24 hours.

1 Hour prior to meal:

Wash away extra starch from sprouted lentils in cool water. drain and reserve damp lentils.

Chop or chunk onion, sprinkle with salt, reserve. (You will add other ingredients to the pot before onions, water and lentils.)

Heat coconut oil in a 6-quart stainless-steel stock pot. Add desired amount of prepared Indian green chili paste or freshly minced mixed hot peppers and saute on medium for a minute or two (1 to 2 TBSs will make a mild to medium spicy Dhal. Remember, the garlic will "heat it up" too. Do not over do it. You can always add cyanne later, it you want it spicier. Also, left-overs become "hotter" and can be eaten as a cold side-dish.)

Reduce heat to simmer after aromas form in the oil

Add chopped or chunked salted onion, whole cardimon pod and pressed garlic. Add more coconut oil, if needed to keep garlic from sticking.

On low heat, sweat the aromatics with a lid on for 3 to 5 minutes, or longer, if desired. (I like the onion to be soft but not squishy after it's cooked all the way, so I chunk it and sweat it for a short time (5 - 10 minutes), knowing cooking it with the lentils and water will soften it further.)

Wash away extra starch from sprouted lentils in cool water and drain them before adding to cooking pot. Add enough fresh clean-source water to cover, increase heat to medium, stir well. Bring to a bubbling slurry on medium, no need to boil. Stir and cover, reduce heat to low for 10 to 15 minutes. Open lid from time to time to check if more water is needed and stir to assure that lentils do not stick to the bottom. Also open lid and stir again before removing from heat.

Chop the tomatoes and amaranth greens while the lentils cook.

Off the heart source, add: chopped tomatoes, greens and buttery oil of choice.

Serve warm or allow to cool, serve at room temp or refrigerate.

Spicy Marinated Amaranth

Great chilled or room temp. "Develops" the longer it is refrigerated. Makes a great raw-"pizza" topping. Sir into cooked brown rice, baby limas or quinoa to give your "standard" a whole new out-look! We keep it in the fridge as a condiment.

Equipment: Good knife, cutting surface and large mixing bowel, glass refrigerator dish.

Ingredients:

1 pound amaranth tops
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamon
2 tablespoons hemp seed or olive oil
1 to 3 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced (optional)
1 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt
1 tablespoon lime juice

Instructions:

Strip leaves from amaranth stems (reserve stems for juicing)

Rough chop larger leaves, keep smaller ones whole. Fill a large mixing bowel.

Add seasonings and oil and massage with hands or stir well, mashing with a wooden spoon. Transfer to a glass dish with a cover prior to placing it in the fridge. It will reduce in bulk as you massage and marinate it.

Options: Mix with other greens. Mix with thinly-sliced sweet onions. Leave the oil out and dehydrate for a dry seasoning suitable for a salad dressing mix.

Avocado Boats

2010-07-15T20:48:00.000-07:00

Chilling a tomato below 50 degrees changes it's molecular structure and creates toxins. Toms are best sun-dried or FRESH!

Equipment: Spieralizer with angel-hair setting; A good knife; A food Processor fitted with an S-blade.

Ingredients:

(measurement is for each serving)

Ingredients for sauce:

1 medium, fresh-picket, vine-ripened tomato, rough chopped with skin and seeds

2-4 sun-dried tomatoes

1 clove of garlic

1 tsp raw honey or grade B maple syrup

1/2 small onion, rough chopped

more olive oil

optional: 1 or 2 TBS of nutritional yeast, a pinch of cayenne or red pepper flakes to taste

Spieralize Zucchini and Pumpkin into angle hair pasta shaped "noodles". Cut "noodles" into manageable lengths. Otherwise, you have one mile-long noodle on your fork! Kitchen scissors work well for this. Toss with olive oil, herbs, slat, pepper or nutmeg and set aside.

In food processor, blend ingredients for sauce, adding oil last drizzling while processor is running.

Half, pit and scoop out the avocado with a sharp-edged serving spoon, or leave in the shell, if you prefer.

Assemble as shown.

Option: Add vegan "Taco Meat". See recipe in this blog for Live Tacos.

Smoothies Vs. Juices series.

2010-06-27T17:11:00.000-07:00

Alright, now on to the bonus installment of

our Smoothies Vs. Juices series.

(from Kevin Gianni, The Renegade Health Show)

What is better for cleansing and removing toxins:

An all smoothie cleanse or a juice fast?

To start, the premise of cleansing is to allow

your body to heal itself and remove toxins

naturally.

So first off, both smoothies and juices, as long

as they're organic (and even if they're not),

are both very effective for cleansing on the

short term. (Let's say short term is 3-10 days.)

Why?

Because they give your body a break from the

more difficult foods to digest.

It's about what you leave out of your diet

that is most important.

So when it comes to cleansing, they both do

work.

I prefer a smoothie cleanse (like the one we

have in the Raw Food Challenge) for the simple

fact that you can do it for longer.

I'm not a fan of long term juice fasting and

in some cases long term juice feasting.

First off it's an irregular eating pattern, so

this can create disordered eating.

I know plenty of people who juice fast about

once a month, but binge the rest of the time.

As you know this is extremely unhealthy for

your metabolism.

It seems like they use juice fasting or juice

feasting as a traditional "diet" or as a

punishment for being bad, or to release the

"toxins" they have accumulated in the last

few weeks.

When you do a smoothie cleanse, you are much

closer to eating real food so it doesn't cause

as many disordered eating patterns AND you're

getting much more calories.

Remember, we can't subscribe to the calorie

restriction diet, until we know exactly what

it is. It does NOT mean we are supposed to

eat less calories than our body needs.

It means that we're to be smart about our

portion sizes. The scientists in these studies

"restrict" the calories of the animals. They

don't starve them. "Restriction" only means

there is enough food, but not too much.

Anyway, with smoothies your chances of getting

more calories are increased dramatically so

you're able to maintain the cleanse longer.

On a juice fast, with little apple or carrot

juice, you'd be lucky to get 500 calories

a day. With a smoothie cleanse you can get

upwards of 2000-2500.

And here's what's great... is that since many

of the nutrients in the smoothie cleanse are

simple sugars, vitamins and minerals, your

body will start to cleanse and detoxify naturally.

This doesn't mean a juice fast isn't good.

We just did one in Costa Rica.

And if you're medically instructed to do one,

don't listen to me! :-)

I just prefet the smoothie cleanse for the

majority of people's needs. Which is to get

a litte more energy, maybe lose some weight

and to jump start their healthy diet.

One last thing on a smoothie cleanse vs. juice

fast...

For weight loss, I think a smoothie cleanse

is better as well.

I think creating long term good eating habits

is best overall, but for the short term smoothie

take the cake (he he)...

Why?

Because you can lose weight more gradually.

In all my work as a trainer and health coash,

I've seen many diets and how they work with

my clients.

First and foremost, if you lose weight too

fast (with very few exceptions) you're poised

to gain it back and more.

A juice fast will cause to you lose a lost of

weight fast and when you're done, most people

will gain it back and more in a short period

of time.

I lost 9 pounds on our Costa Rica fast (I really

didn't care to lose any!).

But it was back in no time.

For me that was a plus, because I didn't want

to be so thin, but I didn't try to gain the

weight back. It just came back quickly.

So imagine if you were trying to lose weight,

you did, then you gained it right back in a

short time like that. (Plus more)

Not very comforting.

With smoothies, at least you can give your

body some time to adjust and lose weight a

little more gradually.

It still may be fast, but your chances of

creating a healthy habit with something that

you can maintain, such as a smoothie every

day, is much higher than with juices.

I'm sure there will be plenty of opinions

and thoughts about this and I welcome them.

Just remember the most effective things to

do for cleansing and detoxifying is to remove

toxins from your diet in the first place.

Your body will clear up some of the rest

when you eat clean.

So these arguments are maybe even a little too

detailed than anyone needs.

But it's fun to explain and maybe it will help

you decide which way is best for you!

Smoothies Vs. Juices... Let's rumble. :-)

2010-06-27T17:04:00.000-07:00

(From Kev Gianni, Renigade Health Show)

Smoothies Vs. Juices... Let's rumble. :-)

The debate is a hot topic and it covers these

important issues...

1. Oxidation

2. Fiber

3. Sugar Content

4. Available Nutrients

5. Ease of Making them.

I'll run over three points now and two more

tomorrow.

(I do need to start by saying that we drink both,

but for different reasons.)

Number 1: Oxidation

It's said that high speed blenders can oxidize

your nutrients so that when you drink a smoothie

you won't get the health benefit of it.

This is why you should drink juices instead.

This is false.

Victoria Boutenko did a study using potatoes in

a blender and in a juicer and found that the

potatoes in a blender oxidized much more SLOWLY

than the potato juice.

Fiber actually protects the smoothie from

oxidizing quickly.

Juices should be consumed right after you make

them for the highest nutrient profile.

Twin gear juicers like the Tribest are best for

slowing the oxidizing process when you juice.

(We sell these in the Renegade Health store)

So the bottom line is this...

Smoothies oxidize slower, which means you will

be able to preserve more nutrients for longer.

For oxidation, we like smoothies best.

Number 2: Fiber

Don't we need fiber to prevent heart disease?

Why would we take the fiber out when we make a

juice?

These are good questions.

First off, we do need fiber... but if we're

eating a high raw diet we're getting plenty

of fiber. Your body won't miss the fiber from

the juice.

Why take the fiber out of the juice?

For fast absorption (and maximum) of the

nutrients.

A juice to me is like a power-packed supplement

to your regular healthy diet.

For fiber, the smoothie has more, but the juice

has a different purpose.

Number 3: Sugar Content

For sugar content, if you're using fruits and

sweet vegetables for your juices and smoothies

you're going to get sugar.

Most people can deal with moderate amounts of

sugar in their diet for an extended period of

time. (Higher sugar for shorter periods)

Because there is fiber in your smoothie, your

body will absorb the sugar slower. This is

good for your pancreas.

When you juice fruit, you take away the fiber

and this can cause your pancreas to struggle

to regulate your blood sugar.

For this reason, I recommend smoothies with

sweet fruits and veggies and juices with greens

and low glycemic fruits like lemons and limes.

This way you can enjoy your fruits without

blood sugar spikes and enjoy a nice, clean

green juice!

Hope this helps clear some things up for you!

(From Kev Gianni, Renigade Health Show)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Val Rae Jacobson, Living Foods Chef, Kitchen Coach & Educator

To schedule a live meal delivery, private consultation or group demo, please contact me:

studiolevel@stjoelive.com

816-364-6922

For recipes from my Demo and Dine Live Programs, please visit my blog.

You can Google: "What's Not Cooking at Val's"

or go to: http://demoanddinelive.blogspot.com

For a catalog of the world's finest cutlery, go to:

cutco.com. Please use Rep# 33142656.

For an alternative food distribution system that provides organic produce (local, family-farmed when available) go to:

http://www.freshconnectkc.com/

Use "Trader St. Joe's" as the discount code to receive $5-off your first order.

A Healing Foods Diet is Delicious!

2010-05-10T19:46:00.000-07:00

Cilantro Chelation Pesto

Heavy metal poisoning is rampant. It is a major cause of hormonal imbalances, cancer, thyroid problems, neurological disturbances, learning problems, depression, food allergies, parasites, etc. etc. This is a great recipe that is not only easy to make but also really yummy, and it tells you how to remove heavy metals from the body!

Cilantro is truly a healing food. One friend suffering from high blood pressure due to mercury poisoning had her blood pressure return to normal after eating two teaspoons of this pesto daily for only a week. So whether you need to detoxify heavy metals from your body or just wish to use it as a preventative measure, 2 teaspoons a day is all you need to take. This pesto has now become a regular in my diet. Enjoy!

Cilantro Chelation Pesto

4 cloves garlic
1/3 cup Brazil nuts (selenium)
1/3 cup sunflower seeds (cysteine)
1/3 cup pumpkin seeds (zinc, magnesium)
2 cups packed fresh cilantro (coriander, Chinese parsley) (vitamin A)
2/3 cup flaxseed oil
4 tablespoons lemon juice (vitamin C)
2 tsp dulse powder
Sea salt to taste

Process the cilantro and flaxseed oil in a blender until the coriander is chopped. Add the garlic, nuts and seeds, dulse and lemon juice and mix until the mixture is finely blended into a paste. Add a pinch to sea salt to taste and blend again. Store in dark glass jars if possible. It freezes well, so purchase cilantro in season and fill enough jars to last through the year.

Cilantro has been proven to chelate toxic metals from our bodies in a relatively short period of time. Combined with the benefits of the other ingredients, this recipe is a powerful tissue cleanser.

Two teaspoons of this pesto daily for three weeks is purportedly enough to increase the urinary excretion of mercury, lead, and aluminum, thus effectively removing these toxic metals from our bodies. We can consider doing this cleanse for three weeks at least once a year. The pesto is delicious on toast, baked potatoes, and pasta.

*****
Courtesy of Nance / PLANETNEWS

Eat While Detoxing Your Body!

http://www.envirodocs.com/detox_food.htm

A delightful healthy and tasty remedy to our environmental polluted bodies. I didn't discover it but I strongly approve of Dr. Omura's findings. How great is it that you can eat and detox at the same time?

Dr. Omura said he discovered, almost by accident, that the leaves of the coriander plant can accelerate the excretion of mercury, lead and aluminum from the body. He had been treating several patients for an eye infection called trachoma (granular conjunctivitis), which is caused by the micro-organism Chlamydia trachomatis. Following the standard treatment with antibiotics, Dr. Omura found that the patients' symptoms would clear up initially, then recur within a few months. He experienced similar difficulties in treating viral-related problems like Herpes Simplex types I & II and Cytomegalovirus infections.

After taking a closer look, Dr. Omura found these organisms seemed to hide and flourish in areas of the body where there were concentrations of heavy metals like mercury, lead, and aluminium. Somehow the organisms were able to use the toxic metals to protect themselves from the antibiotics.

It just so happens that while he was testing for these toxic metals, Dr. Omura noticed that mercury levels in the urine increased after one consumed a healthy serving of Vietnamese soup. The soup contained Chinese parsley, or as it is better known in this country, cilantro. (Some of you may also know it as coriander, since it comes from the leaves of the coriander plant.)

Further testing revealed that eating cilantro also increased the urinary excretion of lead and aluminum. And when cilantro was used concurrently with the antibiotics or natural antiviral agents and/or fatty acids like EPA with DHA, the above infections could be eliminated for good. ...

Dr. Omura has made a remarkable discovery. He's found a novel technique, which greatly increases our ability to clear up recurring infections, both viral and bacterial. And, perhaps more exciting, he's discovered an inexpensive, easy way to remove (or "chelate") toxic metals from the nervous system and body tissues-one that anyone can use.

Great News for Amalgam Sufferers

Cilantro Pesto

1 clove garlic
cup almonds, cashews, or other nuts
1 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons lemon juice
6 tablespoons olive oil

Put the cilantro and olive oil in blender and process until the cilantro is chopped. Add the rest of the ingredients and process to a lumpy paste. (You may need to add a touch of hot water and scrape the sides of the blender.) You can change the consistency by altering the amount of olive oil and lemon juice, but keep the 3:1 ratio of oil to juice. (It freezes well, so you can make several batches at once.)

Can you imagine eating and detoxing? Yes by adding cilantro to your foods that's exactly what happens!

Go in health!
Lena

-----
Lena Sanchez a retired Medical office nurse/administrator & a health and business consultant
http://www.envirodocs.com/experience_and_experiences.htm

Larry Morningstar
Health Issues
http://www.rawfoodinfo.com/articles/art_cilantroremheavymetals.html

Sweet Sun-Breads and Un-Cookies

2010-05-09T13:04:00.000-07:00

Un-Cookies with Fresh Peaches!

It's June and the peaches from Fresh Connect are divine!

I made this un-cookie recipe to compliment their flavor and give a "peach-pie" taste- sensation to my favorite family members. If you have an Excalibur dehydrator, you can put the buckwheat cookie "dough" in a pie plate and make a crust (dehydrate at 110 degrees for 2 hours or until firm to the touch.) Fill with slices of fresh or marinated peaches*, sprinkle with nutmeg and cinnamon and orange juice return to the dehydrator to desired "done-ness" or serve fresh.

If you only have a few peaches, or if you have a Nessco dehydrator like mine, make un-cookies in the shape of peach slices and top each cookie with a small pile of sliced fresh peaches.

*Marinated Peaches (stay gooey-good for days and days)

For a more traditional "cooked" flavor, marinate the peach slices in cinnamon and orange juice a a splash of grade B maple syrup in a glass container in the fridge. Toss to coat the peaches occasionally. Use these "wilted" peaches as a topping or filling. You can also use some Cashew Cream "frosting" to "glue" the peaches to the cookies when serving. If using the marinated peaches, add some of the "syrup" formed by marinating the peaches to the frosting recipe. (See below)

I also made an apple-cinnamon-banana sun-bread at the same time. The ingredients complement each other and it saves a wash-up. Sun-breads and un-cookies can be frozen (and thawed in the dehydrator) for longer shelf-life. Be sure to remove some when they are still sticky-moist to reserve for later use.

Buckwheat Grout Un-cookies (or pie crust for fruit pie)

You will need a food processor fitted with an S-blade and a dehydrator with temperature settings below 110 degrees.

Ingredients:

2 cups dry-measure buckwheat grouts (sprouted 3 days)
1/2 cup dry-measure raw pumpkin seeds (soaked 1 hour or sprouted)
1/2 cup raw honey
1 apple cored and chopped
1/4 cup ground golden flax seed (optional)
1 inch fresh grated ginger
2 whole vanilla beans, scraped (or 2 tsp. vanilla powder)
1/2 nutmeg corn, grated
1 tsp allspice and/or cinnamon
1/2 cup soaked flame raisins (plus more for garnish, if making un-cookies)
1/2 tsp almond extract
very small pinch of cayenne
1/2 tsp Himalayan pink salt
clean source water
1/2 to 2/3 cup raw walnut or sunflower oil
rose water (optional)
2 TBS heather or lavender flowers and leaves chopped (optional)
Garnish with fresh mint leaves (optional)

Instructions:

Rinse the buckwheat grouts and seeds and discard the liquid. Seeds can be wet, just do not include the soaking water. Place all ingredients in the food processor, adding oil and herbs last. Process, scraping down the sides often and drizzling the oil as the processor runs until a smooth batter forms. Adjust for salt or sweet by adding more honey or sea salt. Remember the flavors will intensify with dehydration.

Spoon onto Teflex sheets or press a thin layer into an oiled pie plate. (Coconut, sunflower or walnut oil work well). Brush to top of the pie crust with oil. (You may have to dehydrate for an hour or so before you can brush the pie crust.) If you are planning to serve the entire pie immediately, you can skip this step. The oil creates a barrier that helps keep the peach juices from re-hydrating the crust, causing it to fall apart. If making the un-cookies, garnish the tops of each with soaked raisins. Tapp them in a bit to keep them soft after dehydrating. Dehydrate at 110 degrees until desired crispness is achieved. Flip cookies once.

If you like a cobler-like "crumbly top" for your peach pie, grind Brazil nuts in a spice mill with a pinch of living rock salt and the "pie" spices. Sprinkle this mixture over the top of the peaches. You can also make this topping in advance and dehydrate to a dryer, more crumbly consistency. Store in the fridge until ready to use.

If you want to save some for later use, take the un-cookies out of the dehydrator while still soft and gooey in the middle, freeze or refrigerate on parchment. Reheat when ready to use by placing in the dehydrator at 110 degrees.

Banana-nut Sun-bread Recipe

You will need a food processor fitted with an S-blade and a dehydrator with temperature settings below 110 degrees.

Ingredients:

2 cups dry-measure buckwheat grouts (sprouted 3 days)
1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds or sprouted sunflower seeds (soaked one hour or sprouted)
1/2 cup raw honey
1 apple cored and chopped
1 or 2 ripe bananas (the more banana you add the more moist the bread will be)
1/2-inch grated ginger
2 whole vanilla beans, scraped (or 2 tsp. vanilla powder)
1/2 nutmeg corn, grated
1/2 cup soaked raisins or dates
1/2 tsp almond extract
very small pinch of cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp Himalayan pink salt
clean source water
1/2 to 2/3 cup raw walnut or sunflower oil
rose water (optional)
2 TBS heather or lavender flowers and leaves chopped (optional)
1 to 1 1/2 cup of pecans and/or walnuts (soaked, rinsed and chopped.)
Instructions:
Rinse the buckwheat grouts and seeds and discard the liquid. Seeds can be wet, just do not include the soaking water.

Place all ingredients (except the nuts) in the food processor, adding oil and herbs last. Process, scraping down the sides often and drizzling the oil as the processor runs, until a smooth batter forms. Add nuts, pulse to blend and chop or add last and stir in with a spoon.

Spoon batter onto Teflex sheets as individual serving sizes or form manna-sized loaves. Dehydrate at 110 degrees until desired crispness is achieved. Flip once. If you want to save some for later use, take them out while still soft and gooey in the middle, freeze or refrigerate on parchment. Reheat when ready to use by placing in the dehydrator at 110 degrees.

Raw Cashew Cream Frosting
Ingredients:
1 cup un-roasted whole cashews (soaked at least one hour)
1/3 cup of fresh squeezed orange juice
1 tsp of orange zest
pinch of fresh-ground nutmeg
pinch of Himalayan pink salt (or other high-quality living salt)
1/2 cup raw honey
1/2 tsp of rose water (optional)
1 TBS unprocessed arrow root powder
( If using the marinated peaches, add some of the "syrup" formed by marinating the peaches to the frosting recipe.)

Instructions:
In food processor fitted with an S-blade, process until creamy. Refrigerate until ready to use.

TIP: Make tea before you toss small, flavorful, scraps into the compost. If using the herbs and ginger, take the coarse parts of the ginger peel, the lavender and/or mint stems and vanilla bean pod (after scraping) to make a light and lovely, mood-enhancing, cleansing tea. Place "scraps" in a stainless steel pan with clean source water, bring to a boil, let steep for 10 minutes or so. Strain into a cup. Sweeten with honey, as desired.

Keep a lot of empty space around your dehydrator for best results.

Spring Salad

2010-04-23T18:22:00.000-07:00

A sweet and a lemony dressing accompany this lunch:

1) Lemon-Garlic Tahini for dipping the zucchini sun-breads and

2) Sweet beet and onion dressing over the John Goode's baby romaine.

Top it off with fresh-picked wild violets. Use some of the smaller lighter-green new leaves from the violets as part of your mix for salad greens. Yum!
All ingredients are local, when available, and ALWAYS organic or home-grown using organic methods.

Lemon Garlic Tahini Dip:

Ingredients:

juice of one lemon
1 tsp of Cooper's local clover honey*
1/8 tsp Himalayan pink salt*
1 and 1/2 cups of hulled organic sesame seeds*
2-3 cloves of garlic, to taste
clean source water for soaking seeds and as needed (up to 1/4 cup)

* Available on the shelf at Kovac's North in the produce section, 2201 Frederick Ave. St. Joseph, MO 64507.

John Goode's gorgous greens available through freshconnectkc.com

Instructions:

Soak sesame seeds 4 hours at room temp or overnight in fridge. Drain, rinse and allow to rest, wet, for a minimum of 4 hours in the dark. (One method is to use a dish or crock that does not allow light to pass through. Cover the dish with a plate as it's lid. Another method is to use a glass jar and place it inside a double layered brown grocery bag.) Expose to sun-light for 10 to 15 minutes, optional. Rinse one more time before adding to recipe.

Add soaked seeds with all other ingredients to the food processor or Vitamix. Only use water, if needed. Blend until smooth. Chill or store in fridge. Use as a dip for sun-breads and living seed crackers; To use as a salad dressing, add raw or toasted sesame oil and more citrus juice (lemon, orange or lime are all good!) Also used as an ingredient in hummus.

Sweet-Beet Dressing/Marinade

Ingredients:

1 cup Raw Oil of Choice (Safflower, Sunflower, Raw Sesame, Walnut, Grape-seed, Pumpkin Seed, Extra Virgin Olive are all good raw bases)
1/2 cup raw apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup grade B maple syrup
1/2 large yellow onion, dices
1-2 cloves crushed garlic, to taste
about 1/4 cup of diced beets = center cut of one small beet
a pinch of Himalayan sea salt (optional) -some oils, like olive oil, do not require extra salt
fresh garden herbs

Instructions:

Making this dressing the day before you use it mellows the flavors and results in extra bright colors.

TIP

Instead of peeling the beet, just carve a square out of the middle and use the outer pieces (peel in-tact) to run through the juicer. Add the juice to the dressing. Or, just drink it. You can also add other veggies to the juicer to make a full glass of veggie juice (I like combining celery, apples, sweet-potatoes or the stems from kale or chard with the beet. You will be surprised how a little beet-juice goes a long way!)

Add the ingredients to a glass jar, shake it and refrigerate until ready to use. The yellow onion will turn bright pink and translucent. All other veggies and herbs to your liking. Zuchini, cucumber, diced carrots, spring radishes, sweet corn and pumpkin seeds are all good choices.

Warm the sun bread in 75+ degrees in the sun under a bug-screen or pop them in the dehydrator at 105 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes. Serve with chilled Tahni dip.

To assemble the salad: harvest baby romaine, wash and pat dry the leaves. Put tiwce as much on your plate as you normally would. Toss or top with dressing, edible flowers, freshly-shucked peas and anything else young and green and cute you can find!

Heal yourself in 15 days with the 'Attitude of Gratitude' (part twelve)

2010-03-25T19:44:00.000-07:00

View this and the other 11 parts at:

Heal yourself in 15 days with the 'Attitude of Gratitude' (part twelve)

Does Cholesterol Really Matter?

2010-03-25T18:57:00.000-07:00

Does Cholesterol Really Matter?

Vanilla Bean Banana Ice "Cream"

2010-03-13T16:23:00.000-08:00

Ice "Cream"

We all agree, once you have this, you will never want dairy ice-cream again.

For "sorbet" use the ice "cream" recipe below and omit the bananas and sunflower seeds. Add any fruit; fresh or frozen or a combination of fresh and frozen.

You will need a high-speed blender. This recipe alone makes the price of a Vita-mix worth it!

Two to Four Servings

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of clean source water or coconut water
1/2 tsp Himalayan pink salt
2 whole vanilla beans
1 cup activated sunflower seeds
6 clean source ice cubes
3 whole bananas (peeled and frozen)
1/3 cup of raw honey (optional)
pinch of ground cardamon (optional)
1/2 to 1 cap-full of almond extract (optional)

Step one (optional): Activating the sunflower seeds is optional. However, it results in a creamier dreamier ice "cream." Activate to your preference, do not allow to sprout.

Step Two: It is important to start with softened seeds. To soften, soak in clean source water for a minimum of 20 minutes, drain and rinse before adding to blender. Put water, salt, seeds, and vanilla beans in first. Blend until vanilla beans are broken up.

Step Three: Add other ingredients. Use the auger to push frozen fruit and ice cubes into the blades while they are turning on low speed. Switch to high at the end. Do not over blend. It will heat the mixture. If it does, no biggy. You will just need to chill it longer, especially if you are making a layered dessert with several flavors. (See Neapolitans, below). Pour into glasses or ceramic bowls and chill in the freezer to desired consistency. Or drink as a thick mylk shake.

To make Vanilla Pear ice "cream", substitute frozen pear slices for bananas. Use 1/2 a pear per person (So far, this is every body's favorite! It's just hard for me to sacrifice the pears because they are so good to just EAT. I always seem to have plenty of extra bananas.)

To make Mocha ice "cream," use the recipe above and add 1 tsp of carob (or highest quality raw cacao powder) and 1 tsp of fine ground light roast coffee.

For a "Chunky Monkey" add chilled organic peanut butter from New Mexico and fresh or frozen bananas at the end and pulse so it's not totally blended in. This is especially good in a cocoa or carob ice "cream."

I like red bananas best, but any organic banana will do! I also like to add Mystic Tonic's, Vanilla Blend when I feel like I need extra boost. It has maca, hemp seeds, cordecepts and EFAs from natural sources. It is the only protein powder I will use.

Peanut butter from New Mexico is free from molds and pesticides. It is the only peanut butter I will use.

Add frozen aronia berries, blue berries, raspberries, blackberries, peaches, apples, kiwi, lemon, persimmons, fennel, oranges, pineapple, fresh pumpkin or strawberries for variety.

For basic

fudge sauce:

Mix, in this order:

2 TBs warm, but not boiling, water
3 TBs Carob powder or highest quality raw cocoa powder
1 TB raw honey
2 TBs grade B maple syrup
scant pinch of Himalayan pink salt (optional)

Sometimes we make Neapolitans:

Make a full blender of vanilla (with pear or bananas). Pour 1/3 into chilled low-ball glasses. Place in the freezer while you add strawberries to the blender. Blend. Pour 1/3 on top of the vanilla. Place in the freezer while you add carob powder to the remaining third and pour onto the top. The last layer will be "loose" so you might add a little more salt and ice if you plan to serve right away. The result is a banded dessert that would impress even the most discerning mother-in-law! Garnish with a whole fresh strawberry on each glass.

ENJOY!

Cooked Foods: Hummus

2010-03-13T13:47:00.000-08:00

Sprouted Garbanzo Bean Hummus

Sprouting the garbanzo beans increases nutrient content and improves flavor. I have not arrived at a raw hummus that is as satisfying, so I'm keeping this as one of my cooked foods. This is true of most beans. I sprout, then cook them. Raw beans are difficult to digest.

I always eat cooked foods, including hummus, with plenty of fresh vegetables to aid in digestion. Sometimes, I'll eat kraut and/or a digestive enzyme supplement as well.

The important thing is to ENJOY the cooked foods!

Endorphins are Everything: Mood-enhancing, immune supporting and energizing! It's simple to make sure you get enough endorphins:

Step one: ENJOY what you eat, and also what you: do, think, say, have.. be gratitude.

Step two: Repeat step one. Celebrate that you can enjoy foods, cooked and raw, and you can start now. That's it.

Step three: "But what about this, but what about that, but..." says your busy mind. Watch that go past and repeat step one. some coked foods in the diet have proven to increase vitality in most clients I have consulted with. I recommend that you periodically, go 100% raw for a few weeks or days --whatever feels great to YOU.

In the winter months, I choose to eat an average of 5 to 7 cooked foods a week, less often in the spring, summer and fall. You will find your balance by monitoring how you feel as you incorporate fewer, or more cooked foods into your life.

Hummus is an ancient middle-eastern food tradition with a long history of health benefits to peoples who use it as a regular protein source. The traditional recipes usually include sesame seed paste, called tahini. I prefer to leave it out or make fresh tahini and stir it into the hummus prior to serving, as raw sesame seeds go rancid quickly and can spoil the batch. However, I use sesame seeds in the same meal as garbanzo beans in the form of a salad dressing or topping. The combination of sesame and garbanzo makes a "complete protein" with all the detectable amino acids our bodies need. Ancient cultures didn't have laboratory testing. How did they know to combine these two things? My guess is, they were in tune with their natural selves.

I have found that prepared tahini in a jar is bitter and contains sulphates or other preservatives that create free-radical damage in our bodies. However, adding freshly prepared home-made tahini* when serving the hummus is an excellent idea.

*See Raw Tahini Recipe below. I use a small amount of honey in these recipes because Mediterranean lemons are much sweeter than North American ones we buy. The honey is intended to bring balance, but should not be a dominant flavor. Adjust amounts to your taste and to adjust for the sweet or sourness of your lemons. You can also use 1/2 fresh-squeezed lemon and 1/2 fresh squeezed orange to balance.

Hummus Recipe:

You will need a food processor or high-speed blender. (I prefer the food processor to make a thicker consistency.)

Ingredients:

4 cups of dried garbanzo beans

8 cups of clean source water, plus more for rinsing and water changes

3 to 5 bay leaves (optional)

juice of 2 large lemons or 3 small ones

1 to 2 tsp of ground cumin

1 TBs raw honey

1 to 2 tsp Himalayan pink salt or other high quality unprocessed mineral salt

2 -4 cloves or garlic, crushed

1/2 cup raw tahini (if using) - recipe below

Extra virgin, cold-pressed olive oil (1 to 1 1/2 cups)

All ingredients are organically grown and sustainably harvested.

Hummus Instructions:

Step one (optional): Sprouting is optional. You can make hummus by cooking dried garbanzos right out of the container. Sprouting increases the nutrient value and the yield and results in a creamer, dreamier hummus!

There's no one right way to sprout the garbanzos. Do it to your liking. There are plenty of differences in the sprouting guides I have reviewed. Sprout to your liking. Just soaking until they double in size is good enough. I keep some under water in my fridge on the ready. They seem to keep well for at least 4 days, if I change the water each day.

Here's my preferred method:

Soak them over night in water;
Change the water the next day;
Leave them wet at room temp in a ceramic mixing bowl, covered, away from light, all day and overnight the second night;
Rinse and change to a clean bowl, place in fresh water to cover by 2 inches and put outside in the sun for 4 to 8 hours. ( If it's a hot day, above 70 degrees air temp) change the water at least one time mid-day and place the ceramic bowl in a large stainless bowl filled with ice for the second half of the sunning. Cover with a bug screen or mesh.
Wash one more time before transferring to the cooking pot with fresh water to cover.

To cook:

Bring pot to a boil, add bay leaves, reduce to a simmer. Monitor the water level and add more warm water form a tea kettle, as needed. You may also choose to use a pressure-cooker. (Be sure all cooking pots are highest quality stainless steel. Such as SaladMaster or other "waterless cookware" that is NOT bonded to aluminum.)
When garbanzo beans are softened to your liking, salt the water and allow the cooking water and beans to cool to room temp (or still warm, but not too hot to handle). Reserve liquid.
Remove bay leaves and discard. Take some beans out for garnishing, wraps and salad toppings. Refrigerate. Store in a glass or ceramic container.

To process:

Add batches of cooked beans to a food processor fitted with an S-blade along with the lemon juice, garlic, honey, cumin and tahini, if using. Add cooking water in 1/4-cup increments as the mixture is blending. Wait until the mixture is smooth, then drizzle the oil in as the processor is turning. Adjust for salt AFTER adding the oil.

To serve:

Serve room at temp, or store refrigerated. Garnish with more oil, and spices or herbs of choice: ground paprika, sumac (pictured), cumin, or cardamon; fresh cilantro, scallions, diced red onion, shallots, chives, basil, sage or mint. Traditionally, Egyptian version will include a topping of oil with pine nuts and sprinkle of cayenne or ground chillies, cumin and sumac. Easy on the cayenne or ground chilies. They will increase in heat as they become more saturated with the moisture from the hummus. Also great with diced Sun-dried tomatoes and olives.

We eat this hummus with living seed crackers or savory sun breads or dip slices of: cucumbers, zucchini, broccoli stem, snap peas, pepper strips, celery or carrots Left-overs make a filling for hollyhock-leaf, romaine, cabbage-leaf or chard-leaf wraps with sprouts, marinated or shredded veggies and whole garbanzo beans. Hummus wraps are excellent to serve with Tzatziki sauce (see recipe below)

Beyond Basic:

Be creative. Check ingredients in Middle-Eastern recipes to get ideas for flavored hummus.

Add sun-dried tomatoes and roasted red peppers to the food processor for a hummus rich in flavanoids, selenium and licopene.
Increase the garlic and add soaked dried hot peppers for a spicy hummus high in anti-microbial properties.
Experiment with curries and fresh herbs. (Napoleon Basil & Hand-harvested Mendocino Sea-Palm Fronds were added to this magic hummus, above.)
Adding an entire hand-full of fresh basil and 1/2 cup of soaked walnuts makes a great sandwich spread!
Add an half an onion, half a zucchini or 1/2 a cucumber to the processor in place of cooing water to increase the raw content of the food.

Raw Tahini Recipe:

I recommend making this in small batches and using the left-over to make dressing. It has a short shelf-life. But it's not difficult and it is definitely worth making if you want the traditional middle eastern hummus flavor.

2 cups of raw sesame seeds
1/4 cup RAW sesame oil
juice of 2 lemons
1 tsp clover honey (optional)
3-5 cloves of garlic

Soak sesame seeds overnight or up to two days, refrigerated. Drain and rinse well in cheese cloth or fine sieve. Transfer to a bowl of a food processor fitted with an S-blade. Process all ingredients until a smooth paste forms. Add a little clean source water, if needed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and process again.

Transfer to a jar or ceramic dish. Cover with more oil, to store. Or, add to salad dressing or garbanzo bean hummus recipe.

TIP: Make the tahini first, then use the processor to make the humus, saving a wash-up.

Tzatziki sauce

1 large cucumber, scrubbed and peeled in stripes to remove about half of the peel.
Dice or chop in food processor with:
1/2 white onion,
2 to 5 cloves of garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp ground cumin
juice of 1/2 or one whole a lemon, to taste (I sometimes use 1/2 lemon 1/2 orange)
pinch of kelp or sea salt

Transfer to a mixing bowl and stir in the "yogurt" and herbs:

1/2 to 2/3 cup of goat-milk yogurt, kefer or soured cashew cream.
Fresh mint, chopped to your preference (optional)
Fresh flat-leaf parsley

You can make this recipe chunky or smooth to your preference.

Organic Resources:

Garbanzo Beans, Sesame Seeds, Himilayan Pink Salt - Trader St. Joe's at Kovac's 2201 Frederick Ave. St. Joseph, MO

Extra Virgin Olive Oil - Trader St. Joe's at Kovac's 2201 Frederick Ave. St. Joseph, MO 65407 (out of stock)

Lemons, Valencia Oranges, cucumbers, fresh veggies, garlic, Himilayan Pink Salt - freshconnectkc.com

Cucumbers, tomatoes, fresh greens, Napoleon Basil - Goode Acres Organic Farm (Weds and Weekends at the KC River Market or goodeacres.com

Sea Palm Frond and Kelp Powders - Trader St. Joe's at Kovac's 2201 Frederick Ave. St. Joseph, MO or order direct from Mendocino Sea Veggie Co. www.seaweed.net/

Goat Yogurt - need a local source! Please advise.

Raw Honey - A-Z Fresh Air Fair, 114 South 8th Street St. Joseph, MO 64501

Greek Olives - Superfooduniverse.com

Cooked Foods

2010-03-13T11:41:00.000-08:00

One Dish Wonder!

Of Course, A High-Raw Life-Style (higher percentage of raw foods) Includes SOME Cooked Foods, Too.

The question comes up, what to choose for cooked foods? If I'm going to the trouble to cook something, I choose delicious, satisfying, healthy foods. There are some things I've tried to make raw or sprouted and have learned that I just prefer them cooked. Here are a few of my favorites:

Sprouted garbanzo beans (also known as chick peas);
Fresh pink, green and tan chicken or duck eggs (from birds and their farmers, who I know personally);
Sprouted quinoa;
Sprouted barley;
A variety of lentils (Dried or fermented in goat yogurt);
sprouted dried beans;
Artichokes;
Popcorn;
Potatoes (I recommend to use small heirloom varieties);
Occasionally, I enjoy steamed, sweated or wilted: greens, cabbage, onions, squash, broccoli, asparagus;
Toasted mustard seeds and coconut;
Or, I'll melt coconut oil inn a stainless steel pan and saute onions, celery, mushrooms, fresh herbs and/or root vegetables as toppings and condiments. These are all great raw too!

Currently, in the late winter months, I choose to eat 3 to 5 cooked foods a week as: condiments, side dishes, special treats and mid-day meals served with lot's of fresh veggies for optimal nutrient absorption. You may also choose to supplement with a digestive enzyme or eat some fermented kraut with your cooked foods to aide in metabolic processes. Whenever we eat cooked foods, our metabolic enzymes are used to digest them. This interrupts the "healing and vitality" role of our system. A healthy body can compensate with help from mircoorganisms found in fermented foods and enzymes from a reliable source. (Metabolic enzymes are your healing and vitality workers. They must stop what they are "doing" and aide your digestion and obsorption whenever you present your system with a challenge. Cooked foods are a challenge. None-the-less, cooked foods bring us pleasure. Enjoyable meals are key to health and healing! Feeling satisfied increased your endorphins and levels out your hormonal activities. So, if you percieve a raw foods life-style as "rabbit food," or attach other negative connotations to eating this way, your higher self may be telling you to incorporate cooked foods. Using one of the 80/20 "rules," eat cooked foods (20% of your meal) and raw foods (80%) whenever you feeling unsatisfied. To find a enjoyable balance, monitor how you feel after each meal. Eat cooked foods mid-day, exercise regularly and drink clean-source water in abundance.

Here are a few cooked recipes you may want to incorporate into your raw high-raw foods lifestyle!

I will post the recipes separately. Use the search window of the blog to find these and other recipes by name or ingredients. Enjoy!

Channa Dal Dhoka (Steamed Lentil Cakes)
Hummus (Garbanzo Bean Dip/Spread)
Frittata (Cooked Eggs with Fresh Veggie Toppings)
One Dish Wonder! (pictured above)

Here are foods you should never heat above 105 degrees:

olive, nut or seed oils
olives
seeds and nuts
fruits (fresh or dried)

The result is carcinogenic!

Eggplant and Flax Veggie Burgers

2010-03-11T18:28:00.000-08:00

Make a batch!
You'll be surprised how fast they go!

(If you are uncooking for 1 or 2 eaters, no worries, they freeze and re-heat well.)

You will need a food processor, a spice mill or clean coffee grinder and a dehydrator with temp setting or 105 degrees.

All ingredients are grown using organic practices. This recipe makes 8 to 10 patties.

Prep:
Prepare the eggplant by slicing into 1/4" slabs. Position half the slices in layers in a stainless steel strainer, salting in between each layer liberally with Himalayan pink salt or coarse ground unprocessed salt. Let stand for 15 minutes to 2 hours at room temp or overnight in the fridge.

Wash off the salt with clean source water, drain the eggplant slices to remove excess moisture.

(Use the other half of the eggplant to make marinated dehydrated eggplant slices. Add freshly sliced eggplant to olive oil infused with herbs. Use a garlic press to add the pulp of 3 or 4 garlic cloves. Add a thinly sliced lemon, if you have it. Dehydrate for 2 to 5 hours. Serve as a "topper" for the veggie burgers.) Speaking of "toppers"... While you have the extra virgin olive oil in hand, marinate some mushrooms and onions in the same mix. Add rosemary or basil, if you have it! Oh Yum. In a few hours you will have heaven. Expose to sunlight, if possible. If it's cool out (below 40 degrees, but not freezing), you can set marinating veggies out covered with a parchment paper tent. Otherwise, use a tight fitting "bug screen". (A draw-string, laundry-delicate-bag works well or an unused nylon paint strainer with the over end tucked under the dish will keep most critters out. Check and rescue anything that's still moving!

Remove the eggplant and lemons from the marinade after 1/2 hour or up to 2 hours, and transfer to the dehydrator. Set at 105 degrees. Use the flavored oil to marinate Swiss chard, Rainbow Chard (pictured here) or kale.

Measure 1/4 cup whole flax seeds, freshly grind in a spice mill or or clean coffee grinder with 1/4 tsp of course unprocessed salt.

Shred carrot or parsnip or sweet potato or all three. Use a total of 1/2 cup of shredded root vegetables in the veggie burger recipe. (Add a vinaigrette dressing and celery seed to shredded veggies and refrigerate to use as a topper for the veggie burger or side salad or serve as a slaw)

To make the veggie burger:

(Grind together the ingredients in two phases)
First add to the food processor:

1/4 cup whole flax seeds, freshly ground
1/2 a spicy chili pepper, seeds and pith removed
1 whole mild jalapeno pepper, seeds and pith removed
5 to 7 sage leaves (or 1 tsp of rubbed sage)
2 TBs fresh rosemary, chopped fine
3 coves of garlic, pressed

Pulse and scape down the sides, grind again until chili peppers are small bits. Then, add:

2 cups or activated walnuts
1/2 a medium eggplant (salted and washed)
1 small onion
3 to 5 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, plus 2 TBs of the oil
(Substitute 1/4 cup homemade ketsup)
1/2 cup shredded carrot or parsnip (optional)
1/2 cup fresh mushroom stems (optional)
1 TBs grade B maple syrup
1 or 2 tsps of maca root or carob powder to color (carob results in a very dark brown patty. Maca, a golden brown)

Scoop out burger-sized blobs of the "meat" mixture onto Teflex sheets. Use wet hands to shape and flatten each into a patty. Dehydrate for 3 to 5 hours at 105 degrees flipping once. When reheating, or just before serving, crank the temp up to 125 degrees for 5 or 8 minutes and transfer to a warm plate to serve.

Still working on the "bun." Let me know if you have a recipe for a soft raw sandwich sunbread. In the mean time, I serve the burgers with a large salad and top with marinated mushrooms, kale and onions, root vegetable slaw with optional BBQ sauce, mustard, kraut and ketsup. Didn't get a "finished" shot. Both times I have made these, it was for a group and we were too hungry to wait for pictures! Amazingly, this recipe makes 10 patties! They were so good! I'll make more and add a picture soon.

Lucky Living Green and Gold Seed Crackers: Magically Delicious!

2010-03-06T14:34:00.000-08:00

What makes them green?

Special Spirulina!

What so special about spirulina? It's great for vegans and vegetarians and everybody because it is a natural organic whole food that is high in the very nutrients that are hard to come by in modern cement-land, including: potassium, all of the B vitamins, magnesium, zinc and iron, 18 vital amino acids, beta carotene and lutein. It's has a rich "meaty" flavor.

Limited quantities can be purchased from Val for $1.50 per ounce (4 oz. minimum). First-come-first serve. I'm taking orders for "Magically Delicious Lucky Green and Gold Crackers" to be delivered the week of St. Patrick's Day. Call 816-364-6922.

See the "basic cracker recipe" posted to make your own! Just add spirulina to 1/2 the batch prior to dehydrating. You will need to be a "seed sprouter" and have a dehydrater with a temp setting at 105 degrees.

We will have organic spirulina available for purchase at our next Trader St. Joe's distribution nite. I'l keep you posted!

Lucky Green Crackers - Magically Delicious!

2010-03-06T14:28:00.000-08:00

Layered Aronia Berry Parfait

2010-03-06T13:29:00.000-08:00

Ultra-Healthy, Super Antioxidant Packed Delicious Desserts

What's so special about Aronia berries? Aronia Melanocarpa, the black version of aronia berries, is PACKED with antioxidants, and best of all for those of us living in the United States, they're very plentiful... In fact, the aronia berries I used to make this parfait were grown less than 20 miles from here by Steve Blazer on his 12-organic-acres near St. Joseph. Aronia's extremely high antioxidant levels make it one of the eight “true” superfruits in the world, and it's the only one of the eight that is native to the United States. Why go to Brazil or China to get your fill of antioxidants when you can buy them fresh or frozen from local organic farmers in the US?

Recipe:

You will need a Vitamix or high speed blender.

Ingredients: For each serving, add the following:

1 frozen banana, peeled
1/2 fresh or frozen pear, cubed and cored
1/2 cup frozen or thawed whole aronia berries (plus a few extra for garnish)
1 TBS of raw clover honey

Use the auger to push fruit into the blade to create an ice-cream consistency. (If your blender will not smooth out the frozen fruit without liquid, add a little coconut water until it starts turning freely.) Blend until smooth, pour into glass dishes, place in the freezer for 15 minutes to an hour. Do not wash out the blender. You will be making the topping in the same pitcher. The "left-over" dark purple sorbet that is still in the blender will create a beautiful violet hue for the topping.

Topping:

1/2 cup soaked, hulled, raw sunflower seeds
1/2 whole vanilla bean
1/2 cup frozen coconut mylk
1 to 2 TBS of Raw White Honey or Clear Agave Nectar (to taste)

Blend until smooth, pour over the aronia berry sorbet, return to the freezer until firm. Top with thawed aronia berries.

(I created a marble effect in the topping using some of the juice from the frozen berries)

This will be amazing with fresh mint when it starts to peek through the snow any day now!

We will be featuring Steve's local aronia berries at our next distribution night. I'll keep you posted.

They are also great salad toppers! A teaspoon of these lovely dark tart berries is the antioxidant nutritional equivalent to a shot of Monovie (which retails for $35 a bottle!) Yikes.

If you like, sign up to "be a follower" of this blog and you will be automatically up-dated when I post more recipes about aronia berries. I'm having a blast experimenting with them. Here are a few tips I can share: If you are using in smoothies, add a little raw honey to bring out the rich tannins! Mixed well with pears, apricots, apples, bananas, cherries, and blueberries. Goat yogurt, if you partake, is a wonderful base for frozen aronia custard. Just mix a whole vanilla bean, 1/2 cup of aronia berries, (frozen or thawed ) a little clean-source water and ice in the Vitamix. Blend until smooth. Add plain organic goat yogurt to taste. I like it tart, so I add lemon. If you like it sweet, add honey or agave. You can "drink" it or set it in the freezer until it firms into a spoon-able ice-mylk consistency. YUM! [Photos TK. My family woofed it down before I could get picture! I love them!]

Frugal Raw Gourmet

2010-02-25T14:10:00.000-08:00

Quick and Easy

Time-saving Recipes

Taco "Meat" Used as a Salad-Topping, Served with Sun-Breads.

(All ingredients are organic, non-corporate and local as much as possible.)

Here are Q & E ideas:

Use Taco Left-overs to make Taco Salad

I always make extra of the super yummy Taco "Meat" and squirrel it away. It freezes well and can be "reheated" in the dehydrator. Also, you can dehydrate it to a crunchy state, which is an awesome salad topper, as is. Or, reconstitute it with water or tomato juice for an easy moist filling for wraps.

Add Olives, chopped onion, or not-cho-cheeze as a garnish. Or if you are ready to change favors from "tex-mex" to KC BBQ top your salad or wrap with raw BBQ sauce. Careful, it's addictive!

Have an un-baking day each week. Sun breads and zucchini wrappers are super easy to make. You can make un-cookies at the same time. (Come to my un-cookies and mylk workshop for a fun secret recipe!) When ready to serve, sun breads and zucchini wraps can be re-heated at the same time as the Taco "Meat" in the dehydrator at 105 degrees.

I served the breads with humus and a big salad for proper food combining! And it's delicious!

Keep Humus On-hand in the fridge AND the freezer. Use it as a spread, dip, base for salad dressing, easily "up-darted" with a dash of curry or garlic or fresh herbs like cilantro, dill or basil. A I make a big batch of humus (not raw) and save some of the sprouted garbanzos for salad toppings. They keep in the fridge for about 4 or 5 days.

Raw BBQ Sauce for 2:

1/2 cup grade B maple syrup
2 to 3 TBS of homemade ketchup
1/8 tsp of smokey paprika
1/2 tsp (or more to taste) ground dehydrated citrus rind*
ground black pepper and or cumin to taste

Whisk ingredients together, adjust seasoning. Dip or pour onto taco "meat". Great to "paint" onto eggplant bacon or dehydrated pears.

*Place orange, lemon and line peel in the dehydrator and just leave it there throughout the week as you make other things. soon it will be dried to a crisp. Put a small amount of course ground sea salt in the spice mill with the citrus rind and grind to a powder. If there are a few "chunks" remaining, sift them out. Or, not. I like the chunks, myself. Citrus rind with dehydrated coconut is a good seasoning to have on hand too. Dehydrated orange peel retains much of the vitamin C and beneficial acids. YEA! We need those this time of year --and it makes for award-winning BBQ sauce!

Naked Wraps

or with Taco "Meat" Crumbles

Use what's in the box from Fresh Connect

Having avocados on hand makes my life simple. Great source of plant protein and essential fatty acids. They have lost much of their mineral content in transport. However, combining fresh winter crops with dehydrated food helps balance the mineral content of the meal. Dehydrated foods have a higher concentration of minerals. You can munch on some dehydrated sea veggies or include them in the salad dressing to balance out the missing minerals in salad greens due to soil depletion. This is true year-round. Even organically produced veggies have 40% less vitamin and mineral content than food grown 40 years ago. Sad. The good news is, we can assimilate a combination of dehydrated and fresh foods to make meals that taste great and make us feel great!

Make your own cereal with sun-bread ingredients.

I save some of the sprouted buckwheat grouts from the sun-bread recipe and make dehydrated granola cereal with it. Add some maple syrup or honey and a pinch of pink salt to the wet buckwheat, spread on a teflex sheet and dry at 105 degrees until crispy. Mix with fresh fruit, sprouted almonds and mylk of choice.

Green drinks are a no-brainer and you can find an unlimited supply of raw green drink suggestions on line.

See "Raw Soups" for other quick and easy recipes.

"High-Raw" Means A High Percentage of Raw Foods

2010-02-09T14:20:00.000-08:00

So, What Do We Eat as Cooked Foods? Potatoes!

These LOVELY fingerling potatoes are dug out of the Missouri soil only a few miles from me. Thank you Fred and Hellen Mesner for having a root celar extrodinair! (You can get these lovely fingerlng potatoes in the KC metro area through Freshconnect.kc. Use "Trader St. Joe's" as the discount code and recieve $5 off your first order.)

I like to bake them at 375 degrees, in a covered stainless steel dish lined with organic rock salt and bay leaves. I also tuck the bay leaves in between each little darling. If you can't find one of these awesome high-quality 1970's Dansk Design stainless dish-and- lid sets, use a glass dish with a parchment-paper and foil lid. Use the parchemnt paper to protect the potatoes from coming into contact with the aluminum foil. (Not to scare you, but I advise you to stop using foil and anodized cookware to cook your food. Alumninum + high heat = dementia and Alshiemers disease.)

After they are baked, I remove the bay leaves, open each sexy little node with a fork

and pour a rice mylk into each opening. Use the fork to "stir" the rice mylk into the potato flesh. Then, slather the tops with Earth Balance Soy-free Buttery Spread or Goat Butter or and pop the dish back into the oven for a few minutes to melt and stay warm for a dinner. Toppings of sunflower- seed-sour 'cream', eggplant bacon and vegan 'parmesiano', chopped green onions or chives, herbs and cracked pepper or nutmeg can be added. Serve with a large salad and a raw soup, seed crackers and sun breads. It doesn't get much better than this!

Live Vibe: Rainbow Salad

2010-02-09T13:03:00.001-08:00

Eat the Rainbow!

Cut up the beat greens, chard or spinach into "noodles" using the French chiffonade-method. (Wash, then roll leaves together and slice on the bias with a Chef's knife.)

Cut celery, carrots, onions, beats and anything else colorful, raw and edible you have on hand, at an angle and slightly thiner than you would for soup. Top with sprouted dehydrated Almonds and Beet Vinaigrette.

Beet Vinaigrette

1/2 cup of fresh Lemon juice of Apple-cider Vinegar
1/2 cup of oil of choice (I like first press extra virgin olive oil or raw almond oil)
1/4 cup of diced beets
2 TBS of diced onion or shallot
2 cloves of garlic, pressed or diced
2 TBS of clover honey or grade B maple syrup
2 or 3 pieces of dried California Sea Palm Frond, diced (optional)
1/2 tsp of Himalayan pink salt (or less, if using olive oil and/or sea veggies)
1 tsp of mild curry powder
Fresh ground nutmeg or peppercorns, to taste
Fresh herbs, when you’ve got um” (rosemary, thyme and sage are all wonderful with this dressing)

Mix ingredients together in a glass jar with a lid. Shake. Marinate overnight for best results. Keeps at room temperature for a day or so, indefinitely when refrigerated.

Sprouted Dehydrated Almonds

Soak raw (Sicilian or Spanish) almonds over night in clean source water with a 2 to 3 inch piece of sea vegetable of choice until plump and looking like they want to burst out of their skins.

Drain and wash almonds and sea veggie 2 times each day. Return to a clean bowel, covered, at room temperature, away from light for 8 to 24 hours.

Wash again and soak for 1 to 2 hours in clean-source water. When skins are loose, “pop” almonds out of skin. Not all will want to come out. It’s oky, you can give them a rub later when they are dry to remove stubborn skins. Discard the skins and any discolored almonds to the compost pile.

Soak the skinned almonds in a salt-water bath for at least 2 hours at room temp. Refrigerate, if it will be longer than that.

Drain the salt water. Do not wash this time. Shake the strainer to remove excess water. Place the wet almonds and sea veggie on a screen in dehydrator at 105 degrees until crisp and dry. Store in a glass jar refrigerated or frozen until ready to use.

Green Banana Salads

2010-02-09T12:20:00.001-08:00

Celebrate Green Bananas!

The Bananas are Green because they have not been gassed! This is a very good thing. Bananas will ripen on a sunny windowsill or in a paper bag. Allowing the bananas to have sun exposure increased the nutrient value.

We use the firm flesh of green bananas as often as we do the ripe ones. Green bananas have a lower glycemic index because many of the sugars have not yet formed. They also have more tannin that promote digestion and have anti-microbial properties. Slightly tart, they make a great topping for green salad or filling for wraps with orange pumpkinseed vinaigrette or as a snack with Greek or goat yogurt and honey. (Vegans can substitute cashew cream cheese and Agavi.)

Green Banana Snack

Peel and slice bananas

Add Cashew cream or yogurt

Add fresh herbs (Choose one or mix: fresh cilantro, sorrel, mint, fennel tops, or lemon balm)

Drizzle with Clover Honey

Add blueberries when you’ve got um!

Green Banana Salad Topping or Filling for Wrap

Peel and slice green bananas

Sprinkle very sparingly with Himalayan pink salt and a squeeze of lemon juice

Toss to coat. (Keeps refrigerated for several hours.)

Serve in a lettuce leaf with choice for fresh herbs or pea sprouts or place on top of a bed of mixed greens. Add dressing with whole seeds.

Orange-Pumpkin Seed Vinaigrette

Juice of one orange
Zest of ½ an orange
1 clove of garlic (crushed or minced)
½ a small onion or large shallot, diced
1 TBS live apple cider vinegar
1TBS of Namu Soyu (raw soy sauce)
2 TBS of raw pumpkin seed oil (substitute raw sunflower oil)
1 TBS of grade B maple syrup (optional)
2-3 TBS of raw pumpkin seeds

Marinate overnight for best results