Tuesday, September 29, 2009

7:100 ...like candy from a baby

7:100
just got done making 4 batches of candy... caramels with pecans folded in, coconut creams, maple creams, and orange creams. all hand dipped in chocolate. (the candy is not for me you silly-heads) 2x a year i make it as gifts for people who have sworn to me they cannot live without them. haha! i think they are lying. but...

(a batch of strawberrry truffles from a candymaking past...)

the caramels went to my fave local restaurant chef & staff that caters to my vegan-ness and preps special dishes just for me when i come in... outrageous!
it is a beef house no less.
my dh's fave place to go whenever he wants to eat out or take some friends out.
they have a fantastic salad bar.
i just put my creamy garlic dressing into a little candy-making squeeze bottle w/cap, which fits nicely into my purse, and have a great salad... better than anyone else's for sure!

alas, those candies were not raw products,
so i had better make a 5th and raw batch of candy . suggestions?
(yes, this one is for meeee ...& whoever visits me that eats raw too....)

(raw chocolate mint truffles & raw orange confection...)

(mixed raw candies, raw marzipan...)


here i am a week into the 100 day challenge
and i am loving those spring rolls and all things portabella.
i have a batch of mixed grain bagels just finishing up in the D,
and am thinking a nice creamy cashew cheese topper would be
a fine thing to make for when they come out all warm and yummy.
i also have made a batch of granola with undertones of almond,
which was especially wonderful over a sliced fresh
peach w/agave drizzled and nutmeg sprinkled that i let soften in the D
and snorked down one chilly evening.
the granola with almond milk is my breakfast these days

almond milk recipe
from my upcoming book "raw delights"

1 cup almonds, soaked
1/4 vanilla bean
pinch of sea salt

in blender, add ingredients & fill blender to 4 cup mark w/water
blend well, strain thru a nutmilk bag.
add a squirt of agave and a few ice cubes,
stir and pour into a 1 qt glass bottle.


life's good.

gotta blitz the house as this weekend i have company coming.
off i go!!!!!!!!!!!
xoxoxo
snow

Monday, September 28, 2009

6:100 garlic


day 6 of 100 day challenge
topic garlic

i just was gifted a bag of home grown local garlic from friends down the street, who makes it a point to grow ALOT of garlic every year. most of their garden has been dedicated to this wonderful foodstuff. they are tiny nuggets of wonderfulness with an unexpected sweetness.
thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!
so here are some articles from all over on how good it is, what it is touted to help, and how to use it.... enjoy!!

Is Garlic Good for You?

Garlic is one of the most valuable and versatile foods on the planet. Garlic belongs to the Allium family of vegetables which also includes onions, chives, shallots and leeks.

Today garlic is a widely recognized health enhancing supplement. Garlic promotes the well-being of the heart and immune systems with antioxidant properties and helps maintain healthy blood circulation. One of garlic’s most potent health benefits includes the ability to enhance the body’s immune cell activity.

The active component in garlic is the sulfur compound called allicin. Allicin is the chemical produced when garlic is chopped, chewed, or bruised. Allicin is quite powerful as an antibiotic and a potent agent that helps the body to inhibit the ability of germs to grow and reproduce. In fact, it's said that 1 milligram of allicin has a potency of 15 standard units of.

There are now over 12 studies published around the world that confirm that garlic can reduce cholesterol.

Recently researchers in Oxford and America have published some summaries of all the good data on garlic. Garlic is known to stimulate T-lymphocyte and macrophage action, promote interleukin-1 levels, and support natural killer cells. Strong activity of these key cells promotes healthy immune system function, and strengthens the body's defenses.

Garlic for Health

Today, we know garlic is an excellent herb for creating and maintaining overall health, but it also has many lesser known, but powerful qualities. For example, many people don't know that it's a naturally powerful antibiotic. This natural antibiotic is effective against toxic bacteria, viruses, and fungus. Available in pills, capsules, liquid and actual raw cloves, garlic is one of the most popular healthy herbs around today.

Garlic helps platelet stickiness or aggregation to help reduce blood coagulation, and promote heart health.

The antioxidant properties of garlic help scavenge harmful free radicals, which can damage LDL (bad) cholesterol in the blood stream.

Garlic also promotes increased bile production to help reduce levels of fat in the liver. Garlic pills also help ward off coughs and colds.

Garlic and Your Heart.

The positive effect of garlic on your circulatory system is extremely well documented and it has been proved to:

lower blood pressure

decrease platelet aggregation

lower serum triglycerides and LDL-cholesterol ( the bad type) levels

increase serum HDL-cholesterol (the good type) and fibrinolysis (the process through which the body breaks up blood clots.)

Plus it stimulates the production of nitric oxide in the lining of blood vessel walls, a substance that helps them to relax.

As a result of these beneficial actions garlic helps to prevent arteriosclerosis and thereby reduces the risk of heart attack or stroke.

Two or three cloves a day have cut the risk of subsequent heart attacks in half in heart patients.

One reason for these beneficial effects may be garlic's ability to reduce the amount of free radicals in the bloodstream. According to a study published in Life Sciences, a daily dose of 1 ml/kg body weight of garlic extract for a period of 6 months resulted in a significant reduction in oxidant (free radical) stress in the blood of arteriosclerosis patients. It's positive effect on the circulatory system improves blood flow throughout the body so has even been hailed as a cure for impotence!

Garlic and Cancer

Current research has shown that a number of readily available foods such as garlic and onions that make up a healthy diet, actually have a major impact on cancer prevention. The protective effect of garlic seems to be greater than that of onions, even though onion consumption has been shown to reduce the risk of stomach cancer. These cancer fighting foods seem to have the ability to interfere with the development of cancerous tumors.

The October 2000 issue of the American Journal of Nutrition had a summary of a number epidemiologic studies which showed that people who consumed cooked or raw garlic on a regular basis compared to those that ate little or none had about half the risk of stomach cancer and one-third less risk of colorectal cancer.

This remarkable little bulb now tops the American National Cancer Institute's list of potential cancer-preventative foods. It contains multiple anticancer compounds and antioxidants, more than 30 at the last count, which such powerful compounds as quercetin, diallyl sulphide,allin and ajoene. These have the ability to block cancer causing agents such as nitrosamine and aflatoxin which have been specifically linked to stomach, lung and liver cancer. Garlic's ajoene and allicin have also been shown to retard cancer cells as a type of natural chemotherapy.

The Iowa Women's Health Study discovered that women who included garlic in their daily diet had lower risks for colon cancer.

Meat cooked at high temperatures (well done to burnt) can produce carcinogenic (cancer producing) chemicals and research has recently discovered that when meat is cooked with garlic this effect is limited.

The ten best groups of anti-cancer foods include: berries and citrus fruits, cruciferous vegetables, garlic and onions, green tea, omega 3 essential fatty acids, olive oil, tomatoes, soy products, red wine and dark chocolate.

Garlic- and the Immune System.

Not surprisingly the presence of all these antioxidants in garlic have a very positive effect on the immune system in general and can therefore protect the body against all types of bacterial and viral attacks. Research has recently even shown it to have an inhibiting effect on MSRA which is currently reeking such havoc in U.K. hospitals.

Garlic also acts as a good cold medication, decongestant and expectorant. It is a surprisingly good source of vitamins C, B6 and the minerals selenium and manganese all of which have long been associated with immune system boosting as well as other benefits.

Garlic-Promotes Weight Control.

Allicin is the most potent substance found in garlic and this has been shown to not only lower blood pressure, insulin and triglyceride levels in laboratory animals fed a sugar rich diet, but also to prevent weight gain.

A study published in the American Journal of Hypertension reported that animals who developed high insulin levels, high blood pressure, and high triglycerides were given either allicin or served as a control.

Although all of the animals consumed the same amount of food, weight rose only in the control group whereas the animals who were being supplemented with allicin maintained stable weight or a slight decrease was actually noticed.

The researchers concluded that allicin may be of practical value for weight control.

Raw Garlic Benefits

Raw garlic benefits include positive effects on heart health, lowered blood pressure, reduced clotting of the blood, increased resistance to colds and flu, congestion relieving effects and lowered cholesterol. Constituents of garlic that contribute to these benefits are destroyed in the cooking process, and eating garlic raw is the best way to gain the most benefits from this versatile herb.


    Identification

  1. Garlic is a species of onion plant known as Allium sativum. The bulb of the garlic plant is the part of the plant that is commonly ingested for health benefits, and each bulb can be separated into garlic clove sections. Raw garlic may either be sliced into tiny pieces with a knife, or a garlic press may be used to crush the cloves and mixed with food for easy ingestion.
  2. Heart and Blood Pressure Health

  3. Eating raw garlic is beneficial to heart health and regulating blood pressure. An ingredient in raw garlic, hydrogen sulfide, has effects on blood vessels that cause the vessels to relax; this beneficial effect can help to lower blood pressure and decrease the workload on an overburdened heart. Garlic may also reduce blood clots in the body, which may harm or increase stress to the heart.
  4. Resistance to Cold and Flu

  5. Raw garlic is an extremely strong antiviral and antibacterial substance, and this beneficial plant is very useful for warding off the common cold or flu. Recommendations for raw garlic use to avoid colds include eating several garlic cloves throughout the day as soon as cold symptoms appear. Persons who are suffering from congestion cold symptoms may experience relief if they inhale the fumes of raw crushed garlic or if they drink a broth of raw garlic steeped in hot water.
  6. Lowered Cholesterol

  7. Consistent ingestion of raw garlic may help to lower raised cholesterol levels or to keep normal cholesterol levels in check. Some of the compounds in garlic that are believed to function much like prescription statins (though to a much lesser effect) are various types of cysteines, which may interfere with the formation of cholesterol in the body.
  8. Cautions and Considerations

  9. Garlic is an extremely powerful and strong herbal plant. Persons interested in eating raw garlic should consume small amounts of raw garlic at first (no more than half of a small clove in a 24-hour period) to assess the effects of garlic on their system. Gas and bad breath are frequent side effects of raw garlic ingestion; bad breath may be avoided by chewing gum or fresh mint herbs, and eating fennel seeds along with the raw garlic can help to reduce intestinal gas.

Eating Raw Garlic

Compiled and edited by David J. Stewart

garlicSo many people don't even hesitate to run to a doctor when they have health problems. Tragically, doctors kill 250,000 patients each year in the U.S. alone according to the Journal of the American Medical Association. Unbeknownst to many people, there are thousands of natural cures and remedies available, without out all the dangerous side effects of most drugs. Every drug has side effects. In fact, it is the desired good side effect that causes doctors to prescribe a particular drug.

However, many drugs attack the liver, sometimes even causing death. Most drugs do possess potentially serious side effects. My personal opinion is that it's always better to at least TRY a natural home remedy than to risk taking Pharmaceutical drugs that may damage your body or make you one of those 106,000 patients who die EACH year from non-error negative drug effects. You'll hardly ever hear doctors these days recommend a change of diet and lifestyle to better your health. It's almost always more drugs.

Please don't misunderstand me, I thank God for doctors, and we definitely should go to the doctor if we need to. The irony of the 250,000 patients killed each year by drugs and doctors is that many people have also died because they DIDN'T go to a doctor. Many people have died within days of having nothing more than flu-like symptoms. Please keep in mind that I am NOT a doctor.

One road to improved health is including raw garlic in your weekly diet. Garlic has been used as a natural cure for centuries for everything from treating the common cold to fighting skin fungus. Garlic, hot peppers and onions have been used to prevent and treat colds for centuries. Some hot salsa will clear out your sinuses quickly. Some claim that skin fungus can be remedied and prevented by eating a few crushed cloves of fresh raw garlic daily. Fungus doesn't like garlic in your bodies' sweat. Also, cut back on your sugar intake which feeds the fungus. All those sugary donuts and soft drinks are horrible for the body anyway. As you will learn in the articles to follow, there are many claims that garlic may help to prevent cancer, lower cholesterol and kill viral infections. Not too much garlic though, you want to still have friends.

Few people realize just how critical water is to the body. Good health requires an overall effort in all areas, not just in the area of diet. A body needs fresh air, pure water, exercise, sunshine and very importantly... a sound mind to reduce stress. Things which cause stress will NEVER go away, so we must learn to reduce stress.

You are about to learn the fascinating truth about garlic. To reduce the effects of garlic odor on your breath, take the garlic before you go to sleep at night. Also, fresh garlic is potent and should be taken with a meal or else it could upset your stomach. I find that natural fruit juice goes well with garlic. It's important to crush the garlic up in your mouth (or with a spoon) before you swallow it. Don't cook it. Only crush the garlic when you're going to take it... crushed garlic loses it's effectiveness after about one hour. Garlic pills are worthless. Taking garlic once or twice a week is good.

Remember, no one one can take care of your body except you.

Raw garlic tackles cancer

Previous studies suggested a massive amount of garlic was needed

Doctors have suggested how much garlic they think a person would have to eat each day to gain from its anti-cancer properties - half a clove.

It should be served raw to have maximum effect, they said.

Previous studies had suggested that a human would have to eat their own weight in garlic before gaining any benefits.

But the new research suggests half a raw clove would be enough, rising to four and half cloves if cooked.

Established benefits

Although garlic is best known for its ability to stave off heart disease, scientists have also been examining its role in cancer.

They suspect it can counter the effects of particles that cause bowel cancer, but want to know which parts of the plant are actively involved in the process.

Rex and Christine Munday, a husband and wife research team based in New Zealand, were looking at what is thought to be one of the key ingredients - a substance called diallyl disulfide.

It causes the gut to produce enzymes that can clear it of cancer-causing particles.

Their findings are reported in New Scientist magazine and will be published in the journal Nutrition and Cancer.



Traditional Uses and
Health Benefits of Raw Garlic


The health benefits of raw garlic are numerous, as are its uses. Chinese people have been eating garlic and using it in teas and folk remedies for thousands of years.

Garlic is one of nature's most potent immune system boosters. It's also a powerful antibiotic, digestive aid and libido enhancer and, as you'll see below, these are just some of the health and medicinal benefits of garlic.

However, while the uses and health benefits of raw garlic are wide ranging and many, it can also produce certain side effects if you eat too much.

According to Traditional Chinese Dietary Therapy, garlic is warm in nature and a strong stimulant. People with excess heat in their body should eat little garlic or none at all. Excessive heat usually comes from eating too much heating foods and drinks like meat, spices, fried foods, sweet foods, coffee and alcohol. This causes such symptoms as red eyes, bad breath, constipation, hot flushes, yellow urine, yellow tongue moss, a rapid pulse, irritability and acne. If this is you, eliminate or at least greatly reduce the above items from your diet for a couple of weeks before you start eating garlic regularly. Otherwise, the garlic will make your system hotter and the above symptoms worse.

Below are some of the main health and medicinal benefits of garlic. Note: To get the full benefits of eating garlic, it is best taken raw. Commercial garlic pills, tablets, oils and capsules, especially the odorless ones, are often devoid of the active enzymes that provide the benefits. Crushed, raw garlic may be mixed into most meals, or put into gelatin capsules for easy swallowing, or drunk as a tea by crushing 1 or 2 cloves and adding hot water.

Health & Medicinal Benefits of Garlic

  • Powerful immune system enhancer
  • Increases white blood cell production
  • Antibacterial, antiviral
  • Antifungal - effective remedy for yeast infections & candida
  • Clears boils & infected sores
  • Improves appetite
  • Digestive aid - add it to meat and other heavy meals
  • Increases libido - 1 or 2 raw cloves a day
  • Expells intestinal parasites & worms
  • Reduces high cholesterol

Health Remedies Using Garlic Cloves

Don't think that to utilize the health benefits of raw garlic you're restricted to just eating it. Here's a range of traditional Chinese health remedies using garlic cloves as the main ingredient.

Garlic Tea: Put 1 or 2 cloves of crushed garlic and 1 or 2 grams of loose-leaf green tea in a teapot. Add a teaspoon or two of unrefined brown sugar if you wish. Pour in boiling water that has been left to cool slightly. Stir the mixture andlet it steep for several minutes before drinking. Afterwards, leave the ingredients in the pot, as you can top it up with more water once or twice throughout the day. This is a common folk remedy for killing germs and resolving toxins in the body.

Garlic Nose Drops: This is a preventative for the common cold and sinus problems. Crush several cloves of garlic to obtain the juice. Mix with warm water at a ratio of two parts water to one part garlic juice. Lie down and use an eye-dropper to place a couple of drops into each nostril as soon as you feel any symptoms coming on. Continue for as long as necessary. If the drops overly irritate your nostrils, stop, or reduce the number of drops.

Garlic Paste: Crush 2 garlic cloves and mix with several drops of pure sesame oil to make a paste for external application toboils,carbuncles and infected sores. Cover then reapply when the paste becomes dry and falls off. If the skin becomes overly irritated discontinue use or wait for a day or two and try again.

Garlic Wash: Boil 2 cups of water and 2 cloves of crushed garlic until 1 cup of liquid remains. Strain the liquid and let it cool. The garlic solution may be used 2-3 times a day as a skin wash, e.g. by women with bacterial infections causing itching, pain and inflammation of the vulva and perineal region.

Maximizing the Health Benefits of Raw Garlic

To get the full health benefits of raw garlic, whether in salads, as tea, or in capsules, it's important you eat less refined, processed and canned foods, and more foods in as close to their natural state as possible - there's little point in eating nutritionally dead, toxin-producing junk foods and trying to improve your health with fresh, raw garlic at the same time!


Garlic

The health benefits of garlic revolve
around its anti-microbial effect,
its antibiotic and immune enhancing
ability and its many anti-oxidants.

Garlic is cultivated and widely used in almost every culture in the world for its myriad medicinal values.

The garlic bulb is composed of individual cloves enclosed in a white parchment-like skin. A bulb of garlic generally measures about two inches in height and two inches across in a teardrop shape.

Garlic is commonly used in most Chinese cooking, not only to enhance the flavor of foods, but also for its wonderful and endless health benefits

Nutritional Benefits

Garlic is an excellent source of vitamins A, B-complex and C. It provides a good supply of minerals like manganese, phosphorus, calcium, copper, potassium, iron and copper.

It also contains amino acids, essential oils, glycosides, and the rare essential trace minerals like germanium, selenium and tellurium.

The phytochemical in garlic includes anti-oxidant allium, which is also present in onions, leeks, chives and shallots.

Garlic amazingly contains more than 12 types of anti-oxidants. Is it any wonder that it has numerous healing virtues? This is one of the few superfoods that doesn't lose its medicinal properties with cooking. However, garlic in its raw state has its other benefits too.

Health Benefits

The health benefits of garlic revolve around its anti-microbial effect that efficiently combats bacteria, fungi, intestinal parasites, viruses, yeast, etc.

It has natural antibiotic and immune enhancer ability, and is a potent anti-oxidant that helps neutralize the free radicals in the body.

Take two or three cloves daily to see its efficacy in a variety of disorders:

Anti-coagulant: The natural and effective blood-thinning method, safer than taking aspirin which can cause stomach bleeding. This means that it is protective against thrombosis¾blockages of blood flow by clots.

Cancer prevention: Its anti-cancer properties help decrease the risks of cancers, especially stomach and colon cancer.

Common cold: If you feel a cold coming on, take a clove or two of garlic to prevent it. If you have got a cold, take garlic too. It acts as a medication for the cold, helps relieve congestion and aids in speedy recovery.

Cholesterol: Garlic juice significantly reduces the oxidation of the blood cholesterol and the build-up of plaque in arteries, decreasing the risks of heart diseases.

Diabetes: Take one clove of garlic daily to lower blood sugar level.

Encephalitis: Garlic taken in high doses (under doctor's observation) have been known to cure encephalitis, but please read the cautionary note below.

Fungal infections: Raw garlic juice taken internally is effective in treating fungal infections like athlete's foot or ear infections. Also apply the juice directly to the affected area to soothe the itch.

Hypertension: The cleansing of the arterial deposits helps to normalize blood pressure.

Peptic ulcer: Also effective against the bacterial stomach parasite which causes peptic ulcers.

Toxicity: The sulfur compounds in garlic greatly help in detoxifying the blood of toxins, lead and other heavy metals.

Wind: Small amounts of garlic taken can help relieve gas in the stomach.



Consumption Tips

Raw garlic is not easy to eat, it needs getting used to. But understanding all the good things it does, you will eat it. If you still find it difficult, sneak one or two cloves or garlic into the juicer when you juice your favorite juice recipe.

Special Tip!!

Before you go to bed at night, prepare this magic potion: Finely chop or use the food blender to chop up two cloves of fresh garlic and let it expose to the air for a few minutes while you wash up your blender or chopping board.

The chopping releases the enzyme allinase in the garlic. Gather the chopped garlic on a spoon and swallow it with water.

The garlic will travel your entire digestive tract while you sleep and scavenge and neutralize all the toxins, carcinogens, harmful bacteria, fungi, viruses, foreign chemical before they can harm your healthy cells.

Swallowing the chopped garlic will not give you garlic breath, as long as you don't chew it. You brush your teeth and rinse your mouth before you go to bed anyway.

In the morning, drink a big glass of water. Your first bowel movement will have a strong garlic odor and you will know that the harmful stuff have been eliminated from your body. Try it, especially if you have had a bad eating day.

Learn how to peel garlics in two seconds.

Caution

Garlic is a very potent medicinal herb. Take no more than three cloves a day (especially if taken raw). One or two cloves daily is sufficient for you to enjoy all the health benefits it has to offer.

As garlic has a blood-thinning effect, do not take it with other anti-coagulant drugs. Avoid taking large quantities of garlic. Though rare, high doses of garlic can trigger some health problems in some people, causing anemia, weight loss, excessive gas, diarrhea or asthma.

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

with the cold & flu (h1n1) season getting into full swing in this hemisphere
i thought this subject matter may help.
don't forget to add some garlic to your meal today,
good health to you all!

xoxo
snowdrop

Sunday, September 27, 2009

recipes galore

5:100
i thought today i would post some recipes i am thinking look good to try:
(be sure to follow the links for dozens of recipes)

Walnut Poppyseed Cake
From: Dining In The RAW by Rita Romano pg. 116

1 cup - Poppy Seeds
2 cups - Walnuts
1 cup Dates
2 cups carrot puree
2 tbsp. dried orange peel
1 tbsp. braggs
2 tbsp. psyllium seed powder

Put enough carrots to make two cups of puree through the Champion Juicer Chops walnuts into a fine consistency in the Food Processor with "S" blade. Set aside. Combine carrot puree and remaining ingredients in processor until well blended. Mix all ingredients together. Add a little more psyllium if necessary to hold cake together. Press into bundt pan and chill to set. Share with Family & Friends and Enjoy!

EVERYBODY’S FAVORITE CRACKERS

(Boutenko)

1 cup soaked sunflower seeds
1 cup soaked walnuts
1 cup soaked almonds
1 tomato
1 cup red onion (chopped)
3 tablespoons flaxseed
3 teaspoons cumin seed
2 teaspoons salt

Mix in food processor or Champion Juicer with blank on. Spread on parchment paper or TefIon sheets. Make them very thin.

Then using a pizza cutter, cut in squares. They will be easier to break into pieces when dry.

Dehydration time is about 15 to 20 hours.


Nut-free bread

Makes 18 ’slices’

1/2c olive oil
1 ½c sun dried tomatoes
3c sprouted buckwheat (2 ½c dry & unsprouted)
1 ½c flax meal
3 ½c peeled courgette, roughly chopped
2c apple, cored and roughly chopped
3T lemon juice
2 avocados
1 large onion
½c minced parsley

- Process the olive oil, sun dried toms, sprouted buckwheat, courgette, apple, lemon juice, avocados, onion and herbs until thoroughly mixed.

- Transfer to a large bowl and mix with the flax meal by hand. The reason you do this separately (not in the processor) is that you are likely to have too much mixture for the size if the processor at this point, and when you add the flax meal it will become quite heavy and sticky and overwork your machine.

- When mixed, process the whole batter in the machine again, but in small batches to achieve a light fluffy texture.

- Divide the mixture in half and place on Paraflexx sheets on dehydrator trays.

- Use a spatula to spread the mixture evenly to all 4 sides and corners of the Paraflexx sheet. If mixture is too sticky you can wet the spatula to make things easier. With a knife score the whole thing into 9 squares.

- Dehydrate for 2 hours and then remove the Paraflexx sheets by placing another dehydrator tray and mesh on top and invert so that your original sheet of bread is upside down. That will allow you to peel the Paralexx sheet off and continue to dehydrate the underside of the bread.

- Dehydrate for approx 8 hours more (do this overnight so you’re not tempted to eat it before it’s ready) or until bread feels light in your hand. If the pieces don’t fully come apart where you scored, use a knife to cut them.

Bacon

1 large eggplant, thinly sliced lengthwise
3/4 c. oil
1 tsp. cayenne
2 Tbl. honey
4 Tbl. Ume Plum Vinegar

Marinate for 2 hours. Place on teflex sheets and dehydrate for 9 hours. Turn bacon over and dehydrate another 9 hours.

- by Top Raw Men, How We All Went Raw


Salsa Finta & Almond Polpetta



470_img_2338_bc.jpg

From Issue 4 of News From The Kitchen

Serves 4

Salsa Finta

1c sun Dried Tomatoes
2c fresh Tomatoes
1 soft date
1 clove garlic
1T lemon juice
3T olive oil
5 large basil leaves
¼c water

- Blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender.

Almond Polpetta

1c almonds, soaked
2T nutritional yeast
½t salt
2t lemon juice
¼c salsa finta
3T fresh, chopped parsley
1T Italian herbs
¼c onion

- Grind the almonds to crumbs, in a food processor.

- Add remaining ingredients and process again until thoroughly mixed.

- Form into small balls and dehydrate for 6 hours or until they are slightly crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside.

To serve

Take a couple of handfuls of mixed leaves per person (a mix of rocket & chard is great), and mix with strips of courgette (zucchini) pasta. To make enough courgette pasta for 4 people, use the following recipe:

4 medium courgette
¼c olive oil
2t salt

- Cut the courgette length-wise in a mandoline. Lay the strips on top of each other and, using a knife, cut them length-wise into fettuccini-style strips.

- Mix the strips with the olive oil and salt in a large bowl and allow to soften for a couple of minutes.

- Mix the polpetta with the salsa, and place even amounts on top of each courgette salad (the pasta strips and leaves, mixed) that you have arranged on the plates.


Truffle Cookies/Almond Joy Drops

Truffle cookies and Almond Joy drops!

Servings:
Dozen cookies!

Super Tasty, super easy versatile cookies that you can do absolutely anything with. Get creative and anything that strikes your fancy!

Ingredients:

1 Cup Raw Almond Butter
1/2 cup Agave or Raw Honey
1tbs. Culinary quality Vanilla extract (free from preservatives and glycerin)
Himalayan Sea Salt

Approx 1 cup of Almond, Walnut or Pecan flour (Simply grind chosen nut in coffee grinder)

Variations for the nut flour:
Coconut shavings
Raw Cocoa Powder

Preparation:

Simply combine Almond butter, Agave, Vanilla and salt to make a basic batter. Feel free to add anything beyond that such as raisins, Lemon zest, 1/4 cup cocoa powder ect.

Place the 'flour' in a small bowl or plate.

Proceed to place spoonfuls of dough into the flour, coconut shavings, cocoa powder ect.. and roll around to ensure all the outside layers are evenly coated. Place on a plate lined with wax paper (I feel it helps prevent freezer burn) and place in the freezer for approximately 15 minutes or until they are firm.

Eat and enjoy.

Takes approximately 10 minutes! to prepare!


hope this gets you all kick started
with ideas for the week.
a yummy day to you!
xoxo
snowdrop

Saturday, September 26, 2009

hot air balloon festival

4:100
this is a beautiful day (tho a bit chilly)
perfect balloon festival weather!
i hope it holds up for tonite & tomorrow too.


so... i didn't get to make the nut cheese on my list of to-do's
but i did make my wonderful creamy garlic dressing :)
it makes me smile and close my eyes every time i eat it.
i also set my rye to sprout for some bagels.
alas, i only had 1 cup of berries left in the pantry. so i started
a jar of wheat berries to make up the lack. i have made them with
wheat and made them with rye, but this will be my first mixed batch.
since both were yummy on their own, i foresee no problems with the mix.
i'll let you know, either way.

be off and enjoy this day! (that's an order)
:)
xoxo
snowdrop

Friday, September 25, 2009

tortilla recipe

2:100
where in sam hill did my teflex sheets go?

as soon as i went to make my tortillas i could not find them.
the kitchen is being remodeled so nothing is where it was.
after fruitlessly searching for those chameleon sheets which i
was POSITIVE were right there ...somewhere
(being it was totally unreasonable to believe some evil thief
would sneak in and just make off with teflex)

i decided to use waxed paper- even tho i know it is too light to do
as good a job (picture the paper fluttering about sticking to the tops of the wet product)
knowing full well that i would find the proper sheets as soon as i was finished.
so clever me- came up with the answer to make my waxed paper
flutter proof. i cut it 2" wider than the grid and folded 1" either end
and tucked it between the grid & the rack
effectively holding the paper in place... even further, i slid the rack in fold side
towards the fan. voile`!!!
:) blinding brilliance :)

as expected, the tortillas were a bit harder to turn over & peel
but the set-up worked out just fine.
as expected i found the sheets hiding in plain sight as soon as the last dish was washed.
sigh.
another case of murphy's law circumvented.

i came across a pdf with the principles of the magic hundred
if you are interested in taking a peek.
"This report outlines the success principles laid down in a larger, more
comprehensive piece of work called The MAGIC Hundred."
thanks dax!

the day today is just exquisite weather wise and i am off to enjoy some beautiful sunshine and filling up on the most delicious helping of vitamin D.

in case you were looking for the tortilla recipe and missed it, just click on the word tortilla anywhere in this blog and it will take you to a site that has wonderful raw food recipes made by real people. (gone raw) i ground my flax instead of soaking it, and i also add a bit more veggies & herbs to my batter and backed off on the cayenne. all in all, an easy recipe. mine are ready to pull out of the D right now, mmmmmm! i have used them in the past to make tortilla roll ups and used them as a tasty hors d'Ĺ“uvre.


tomorrow morning, pancakes!

3:100

ani's pancakes with coconut butter & maple syrup
so fast, so easy and a good amount of flax too!

have a great one!
xoxo
snowdrop

Thursday, September 24, 2009

100:100

1:100
good morning!
i started off the 100 day kick-off with a bang!
i had made my dh some sausage w/onions & peppers for dinner
and the next day's lunch from an organic raised pig raised by his brother (thanks!)
so i decided to make the counterpart in raw vegan
and was very happy with the way it turned out.
my first task was to make it TASTE good
then to make it LOOK good too.
i succeed in both arenas :) yaaay!

i used pecans mostly as the base and then added some onion & apple
with spices and garden grown herbs. i was so happy with it!
now i am going back in my mind to recall the amounts of the ingredients
so i can make it again very soon.
i will be adding this recipe to the book "raw delights" for certain!
i found some wonderful fruit at the market and now my fruit bowl looks just bursting with goodness & overflowing- i had to eat the top nectarine cause it kept rolling off the top of the heap ;)
99 days to go!

2:100
that was yesterday, this is today
on my to do list :
make flax tortillas in the D
start sprouting some rye berries (craving some of alyssa's bagels)
make some cashew "cheese"

i still have 1 serving of the pecan sausage left
i have been rolling up a couple of spoonfuls in my garden grown romaine lettuce leaves.
they grew plentifully this year in my garden, and i am so glad!
i am still all bent out of shape that all my tomatoes were touched with the blight and rotted before ripening. grrrrr! i also need to get out to the garden & get it fall ready. i have a few enormous sunflowers growing in one corner who's stems are as thick as my arm, no kidding- they are at least 11 feet tall!!!

off to start some raw yummies for this week.
it always helps to have a plan- it boosts your success rate in a large way.
have a good one!
xoxo
snowdrop

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

100 days till 2010


how do you eat an elephant
one bite at a time.

-don't get the wrong idea
i am not talking about eating this animal at all!
i am referring to goals that seem impossibly large
to accomplish-

tomorrow marks 100 days till 2010
isn't that a wonderful time frame to use in getting to some of your
nearest & dearest wished for goals??
i usually miss the boat when a group of people set out together
with mutual support to accomplish something big-
and i kick myself for not having begun in time.
well, this time i have a day to spare-
a day to get my ducks in a row.
:)
thanks for the heads up rebecca!

think of it as your very own personal 'swan' program
your goals can be of a physical nature, or emotional, mental, spiritual-
any and all changes you have always wanted to make.
if you make the bites small enough- it all becomes deliciously do-able.

the first thing i did was subscribe to the free emails (thanks dax!)
that give me a daily dose of encouragement
(i cannot endorse the program as i haven't purchased it- just the free emails)

next i am arranging all my goals and breaking them down into small steps that i can take to reach the end result (without too much pain hahaha!)

this is how people do the big things...
the great big memorable huge things
what big things do you want to do?
lose weight?
read the entire bible?
tone up?
make peace with someone?
eat more raw?
have an adventure?
make your marriage as great as it can be?
teach your children how to be good beings?
learn another language?
develop a skill?
start a business?
________ (you fill in the blank)

tomorrow begins the first day of 100...
join right on in-
reap the rewards!!!!

xoxo
snowdrop

Monday, September 7, 2009

labor day weekend



well on my way to recovery, the 4 thieves oil has my home
smelling fresh and clean, sparkling and bright.
i have not only spritzed & wiped every conceivable surface,
but i have added some to my floor wash bucket
water vacuum basin, and my freshly made laundry soap.
all the clothes, sheets, blankets and towels are now clean washed.
i am feeling much better- and my dh shows no signs of succumbing
sigh of relief. whew!

so today i went to the garden (sad state it is) and took down the
poor tomatoes that have the blight, the blight that has struck
every tomato in the county. you can hear the weeping in my words-
oh the utter sadness.
i wanted to dry as many tomatoes as possible for the winter usage.
perhaps i can find some at the farmers market yet.
my own, no.

i brought in a large basket filled with oregano, enough for a winter and beyond.
and that's saying alot with an italian husband who doesn't consider it a meal
without tomatoes (cringe) basil and oregano. i am getting ready to tie
bundles of the oregano on stem to hang prettily in my kitchen.
i could dehydrate them in my excalibur, but i just got an antique rack
to put in my kitchen. it was an old butchers set of hooks, (we won't think
on what once hung there) and i got this and an antique cherry pitter;
fully functional at a very very good price in blue mountain lake at
an adirondack fair, over the weekend.
we went there for our anniversary (#33) and had a delightful time.

there, my dh picked up flattened sheets of birch bark to put
on a cabinet with twig work and is right now assembling it in the yard.
i love the look of it and hope to get a finished pic for posting.

it hasn't been overly exciting this weekend, rather tame...
but you know, peace should never be underestimated.
it has been a peaceful- good weather end of the summer
and i am looking forward to some bright colors on the trees
and the crunch of a crisp fresh apple in my mouth!

take care and stay well & happy my friends-
xo
snowdrop

Saturday, September 5, 2009

the 4 thieves oil at work!




of course i did not have this made up
so that it would be handy when i needed it-
i of course didn't think of it till i was in the
throes of a really really virulent bug
that hit in 1 day and laid me low quick and hard,
fevered 104 overnite, i finally
remembered i had this recipe-

FOUR THIEVES OIL

1 part eucalyptus

1 part rosemary

1 part cinnamon

1 part clove

1 part lemon


Mix with jojoba oil for the oil based product.


APPLICATIONS:


• Apply 1-2 drops of Four Thieves on the bottoms of the feet and on the nape of the neck.

• Apply under the arms and on the chest.

• Diffuse for 20 minutes or less at work or at home.


so i put about 1 T each of just the essential oils into a small glass jar
( i did have the foresight to purchase what i needed to make the
4 thieves oils when the h1n1 scare began) and shook it to mix well.
i put a good tablespoon of this mix into a spray bottle that had
1 cup apple cider vinegar cut with 1 cup water ...
shook it well and began on my disinfecting rampage.
armed with the spritz bottle and several wiping cloths i sprayed & wiped
my entire house down, especially door knobs, telephones, remote,
fridge & cabinet handles, sink & faucets, toilets tile bathroom floors
& shower stalls etc....
being that my nose was still pretty stuffy,
i did not feel i was a good candidate to decide
how good/bad it smelled.
i did catch the cinnamon undertones and not too much vinegar.
later i asked my dh if he noticed-
and he said yes and it wasn't horrible. ( :) )
& that he
liked it even.
once my sinus clears i will give you a better assessment.
but the house shines and i KNOW it is clean and disinfected.
if it keeps anyone else from catching this bug-
it will be soooo worth it.


i am storing the other little well sealed glass jar of the
essential oil mix in my dark cupboard
and only making enough spritz to use in 1 cleaning day
so it is fresh as can be and powerful.
this way i can also take a small palm full of jojoba oil
with a few drops of the essential oil mix
for massage whenever i need
to get an extra boost of this product.
or to put a drop onto a warm light bulb to diffuse.

one thing:

***KEEP THIS AWAY FROM YOUR EYES!!!!***

it really hurts.
owwwie.

so off to finish recuperating.
may none of you be needing this after the fact.

take care & be well-

xoxoxo
snowdrop

ps. that really isn't me in the pic at the top of the page :)