Fire Cider - Part 1

Today I was excited to receive a gift of horseradish! I know it might not be everyone's idea of a fun time, but I got chopping this evening to make something I have wanted to make for a long time - Fire Cider!

Looking up recipes, I found something very interesting about it's history. If you are curious about it all, you can go to freefirecider.com and read it for yourself. The recipe can be found here.

So you know, this recipe is not my own. Recipes for Fire Cider, and it's various names, abound on the internet. I have made something very close to Rosemary Gladstar's recipe, found above. You can even watch her talking about Fire Cider and making it here in this video.

I put my prepared ingredients (varies from the recipe above) into a gallon size jar. It will need about 4-6 weeks of wait time. I used the following organic ingredients:

Fire Cider

1 cup chopped fresh organic ginger root, do not peel

1 1/2 cup peeled, chopped fresh local organic horseradish root

2 medium organic onions, chopped

1 small organic fresh turmeric root, chopped (about 2 Tablespoons), do not peel

approximately 10 cloves of fresh organic garlic, chopped

2 organic chili peppers, chopped (your preference, cayenne is common)

1 organic whole lemon, chopped, with peel on

2 quarts organic raw apple cider vinegar

And this is what my batch looked like before I added the apple cider vinegar... 

...Then I added the vinegar to cover. I will be shaking it a bit every day or two. Part 2 will include what I will do when the Fire Cider is done, around the 4-6 week mark. It will involve straining the mixture and adding honey for a sweeter and more palatable taste. 

I can't wait because it's both a great food and remedy. I know my sinuses feel better when I use this! Goodbye, colds!  =) And the taste is delicious!

Read about Part 2 here! 

Coconut Vanilla Mango Ice Cream

What do you do when your electric 6 quart ice cream maker doesn't sell in your yard sale? You make ice cream, of course! I was glad it didn't sell, but I hadn't used it for a while. So when I came across some bargain priced organic coconut milk, I knew what I had to do. An extended family gathering made a perfect reason to whip up some of the homemade variety and share. I told my children, only when Papa is home, can we bring it out of the freezer to enjoy some more.

I made a full batch (a full 6 quarts, my capacity for our ice cream maker). I'll share the amounts I used for the entire batch. Adjust as needed for your use. I based my recipe on one I found over at The Nourishing Gourmet (essentially, I made three recipe's worth with added mango).

Coconut Vanilla Mango Ice Cream

10 and 1/2  cups coconut milk
1 cup honey
6 Tablespoons homemade vanilla extract (recipe coming soon!)
2 pounds frozen mango chunks (about 6 cups)

In batches, I blended the ingredients together in my Vitamix and poured it all into the ice cream maker's metal canister and followed the directions for the ice and rock salt to process it into ice cream. It took an 1 hour for it to freeze. Then I put it all into containers and put into the freezer to harden.

We served it the next day. Good stuff. I used ice that wasn't crushed, so it came out the consistency of snow, but it was still delicious and creamy because of the coconut milk. Next time I will just pulse blend the mangoes into the mix to keep it in small pieces instead of pureeing it. I think it would have a bigger mango flavor that way. Also, when adding the vanilla, I'm going to stir it in instead so there are larger vanilla bean flecks.

I think my daughter likes it. =)

 

 

"Ingredients" Documentary

Another documentary that focuses of local foods and farmer's markets in called "Ingredients - The Local Food Movement Takes Root". Here's a link to the website: http://www.ingredientsfilm.com/. It talks about how local foods are so much more sustainable, as there are minimal costs involved in transporting foods.

There is also more variety available because some produce doesn't ship well for long distances or over time. I have realized that the less time there is from garden to the table, the tastier and more nutritious the food is. It is so fresh looking and beautiful.

The film is only a little over an hour long and is similar to the "Food Matters" documentary that I wrote about earlier. Our family watched it recently after we put a hold on this film at our local library.

It is encouraging to see how chefs and restaurants are tasting the difference that local, organic foods have on their menu and customer's enjoyment. In fact, some are writing their menus daily based on what is available that day in the gardens.

They feature one woman, a local foods advocate, who has been growing all her own food. Very interesting that she doesn't go to the store for any of the produce she eats. She simply grows it all.  A whole different twist on "farm to table" that many (especially city folk) don't see.

It focuses on sustainability-minded farmers in Oregon, New York and Ohio. There's also a good explanation of what the "bio-dynamic" agriculture method is all about. 

I encourage all to view this film. It has excellent photography to appropriately show the beautiful local foods we all can enjoy.

More Green Smoothie Ideas & Tips

Since I wrote about making green smoothies in Africa, it's been almost 3 years now. I thought that it was time for an update on how I make them here in the states. I've also attended an event where Victoria Boutenko appeared and saw first hand how she makes her smoothies.

Greens:
Use a different type every day, preferably organic. Spring mix, spinach, romaine, collards, kale, parsley, etc. I use 5 to 6 ounces per batch, which makes about 2 quarts. I put the greens in first in the blender and yes, it will look like a lot. It will get smaller when you add some water and blend a little, then you can add fruit and other ingredients. I absolutely love parsley as the greens in smoothies and I didn't even think I liked parsley! Try mint for part of the greens.

Liquid:
Water is my standard, adding about 1-2 cups, depending on how juicy the fruit is. This depends on how thick or thin you want it. I also add a few tablespoons of fresh lemon juice, either freshly made or in small frozen cubes I make when I juice a bunch of lemons at once. Coconut water from a fresh young coconut is fantastic and considered the best way to replace electrolytes that nature can offer.

Fruit portion...

Bananas:
Save money when buying bananas when they are reduced. Take home, peel, then freeze (make sure they don't touch each other) on a baking sheet, if you have many of them. After I peel them, I cut them into thirds, so they freeze faster and are smaller for my blender to break down easier. You do not need to use bananas at all or you can use less. It gives the smoothie a creamy texture and sweetness, but these qualities can be obtained other ways.

Apples:
I add 1 or 2 apples to stretch my other more expensive fruit. I always use organic. I add seeds and all, cutting out only the stem and blossom end.

Other fruit:
Put in what fruit you like. It helps to have something sweet combined with berries to make up for their not-so-sweet taste. I don't usually add any citrus (other than lemon juice), but when I make an exception, I always peel with a knife only the outer colored part, leaving the white on (bioflavanoids). Pineapple cores can go right in with the pineapple if you have a good blender.

Sweeteners:
You may not need to add anything since you have fruit in the smoothie. But sometimes you may feel it's not sweet enough. If I don't have room to add much bulk, I might add a tiny bit of stevia (doesn't spike blood sugar), remembering a little goes a long way. If I have some room, dates might go in to sweeten, unless fresh fruit would do. When I can, I try to use fresh or frozen fruit instead of dried fruit because I want more water and less concentrated sweet.

Optional veggies:
Cucumber, celery, sweet bell pepper...in other words, mild, but juicy veggies can work here. I don't add too much of any of these since it may be hard to get the right sweetness I want. Also, don't add starchy veggies (carrots, peas, corn) as this will slow the digestive process down. Stick with those things that combine well with fruit and greens. Avocados work well and especially so if you don't use any bananas and still want it "creamy."

Other optional additions:
I realize some would not add in these other items, because it can slow the process of digestion down some. I feel that now and then it is a good idea to "supplement" this way. For children in the house not used to these things, it can be a way to get them into their bodies in agreeable ways (works for the greens!). I have added in (about 2 at one time) the following: 1 tablespoon chia seeds or 2 tablepspoons flax seeds (good for creamy texture), 3 tablespoons hemp hearts (great protein and good fats), 1 tablespoon whole leaf aloe vera juice (good digestive), 1-2 teaspoons fresh ginger (gives a great flavor, not hot this way and great to help digest), and/or carob powder as desired (gives it a chocolate-y flavor).

Remember that with smoothies you adjust amounts as desired. The point is to get the greens in and the more the better. Fruit helps to make it palatable. The liquid is to make it blend. Have some fruit frozen in small pieces to give it a cold temperature or you can add some ice in with the liquid.

It helps to have a powerful blender to blend some of these things. I love my Vitamix. It gets a workout everyday. Now if only my workouts were as often!

Miso Soup

Sometimes when I want something light and warm I think of miso soup. Since I don't use bouillon, but I like brothy type soups, this hits the spot.  Remember that for each serving, you'll need to multiply accordingly (ex: 4 servings for 4 people = 4 times recipe).

Wakame is a sea vegetable sold in dried form. Scallions are also called green onions. Try adding any or all of the following: finely shredded carrots, minced celery, finely sliced cabbage, or sliced shiitake mushrooms. I skip the tofu. I tend to use more water than called for and may soak the wakame in another bowl. Children love to watch it "bloom."

I like the American Miso Company Miso Master brand of miso. They use only organic ingredients. I usually have one dark (saltier) and one light (sweeter) in my fridge. When I made this soup I used the red miso. This is their recipe from the insert inside the container. Look around on their website for more recipes that use miso, sea vegetables, and other Japanese items.

Miso Soup

For each serving, simmer:
1/2 teaspoon chopped scallion
1/2 teaspoon wakame
several pieces of cubed tofu
1 cup water or stock

Dissolve in another bowl:
2 teaspoons miso in small amount of water

Remove soup from heat and add in the miso. Do not boil miso.

Enjoy.

"Food, Inc." Thoughts

The posters advertising the documentary, "Food, Inc.", show a picture of a cow with a large upc symbol on its side. "You'll never look at dinner the same way again" it promises.

Ever since viewing the French documentary on Monsanto (click here for link to view online), I've been interested in our source of food. If you eat (we all need to) and particularly if you prepare food for others (families, children, etc.), then you need to know how food is grown, brought to market, etc.

I encourage people to watch "Food, Inc." on their own. Even if you borrow it from the library like I did, WATCH IT! It is indeed a must-see film.

I want to highlight some things I saw, heard and read while watching the "Food, Inc." documentary. The film is directed by Robert Kenner. There are some rather interesting things to note about America's meat and plant based food industry. You decide what you think.

You will hear Eric Schlosser, author of "Fast Food Nation" and Michael Pollan, author of "The Omnivore's Dilemma" in the documentary and others with experience to know what they are talking about.

--------------------

What we believe about how and where our food comes from are obviously two different things if you buy your food in a supermarket.

In the meat industry, farms are replaced with factories. Workers have many things to do in little time making injuries more common and decreasing quality of work overall.

There are a few corporations who are controlling a large part of the food industry.

Industry food really came from fast food demands. The kitchens of fast food brought the factory like atmosphere into the food preparations. They also needed food that tasted the same, looked the same, and was cheap. The demands from fast food, changed how things were grown and processed. They wanted few foods, but large amounts of them to sell to their customers.

"In the 1970's, the top 5 beef packers controlled only about 25% of the market. Today, the top 4 control more than 80% of the market."

Even if you're not a fast food person, the typical person is still eating food processed in this same way.

They are "building" the animals to fit what people want. Larger chicken breasts, faster growing animals, but what is sacrificed is the animals health and the workers who process them.

These processors are setting the standards for how they want their farmers to grow the meat.

"So much of our industrial food, turns out to be clever rearrangements of corn."

It costs more to grow corn, than it does to buy it, because of subsidies. Corn not only can be used directly for food (many times in very processed forms), but also fed to animals. Cattle, pork, chickens and even fish now are being fed corn.

"The average American is eating over 200 pounds of meat per person per year. And that wouldn't be possible had we not fed them this diet of cheap grain."

"Cows are not designed...to eat corn, they are designed...to eat grass. The only reason we feed them corn is because corn is really cheap and corn makes them fat quickly."

There is a link between corn fed animals and E. Coli.

"These regulatory agencies are being controlled by the very companies that they are supposed to be scrutinizing."

The bigger the processing plants, the larger the contamination problem.

FDA doesn't have the power it needs to shut down the plants that have the most contamination. By reintroducing "Kevin's Law" they could.

"If you take feed lot cattle off of their corn diet, give them grass for 5 days, they will shed 80% of the E.Coli in their gut."

Meat is being washed with ammonia to kill E. Coli.

Shopping for food becomes a dollar game, trying to get as much food for less money. The problem is that many cheap foods (heavily subsidized to stay cheap) are not as nutritious as the more nutrient dense foods, like vegetables.

Corn, soy, and wheat are commodity crops and are heavily subsidized.

"One in three Americans born after 2000 will contract early onset diabetes. Among minorities, the rate will be 1 in 2."

"IN 1996, when Monsanto began selling Roundup Ready soybeans, only 2% of soybeans in the U.S. contained their patented gene. By 2008, over 90% of soybeans in the U.S. contained Monsanto's patented gene."

"...70% of processed foods in the supermarket has some genetically modified ingredient."

"The irony is that the average consumer does not feel very powerful. They think that they are the recipients of whatever industry has put out there for them to consume. Trust me it's the exact opposite."

"To eat well in this country costs more, than to eat badly."

You vote with your food dollars every day.

Buy foods in season. Buy local. Plant a garden.

Buy organic. Buy gmo free. Read labels.

Cook at home and eat together.

www.takepart.com/foodinc

If you get the DVD to watch, make sure you watch the deleted scenes and other special features. There is good information in there as well. There is so much I didn't touch on at all. All worth seeing once to decide for yourself.

Buy Organic

Our potential exposure to chemicals can come from many different sources. The air we breathe, the things we put on our skin and in our hair, the water we drink, the food we eat, the clothes we wear, the building materials in our house, our furniture and list goes on and on. It's everywhere.

There's one thing we can do to limit our exposure. We can buy foods that are organic. I would add that organic is best combined with gmo-free. The Environmental Working Group has a great resource called the Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce. This full list is worth looking at for more information.

The list includes the cleanest foods to buy that have the least residues and the worst foods that have the most residues. The idea is that you can make more informed choices about the produce you buy to choose more "clean" produce and less chemicals. This list is especially helpful if you can't find everything organic. There is a quick guide you can download here from their website.

I hope that you can use this list to help you make the best choices for your family. Children are more sensitive to these chemicals because they are smaller than adults and still actively growing. May we all benefit from healthy choices all through life! =)

Another GMO-Free Resource

Recently a friend passed along some very important information that will help me to shop, eat, and enjoy gmo-free foods.

I am sharing the information with you, because this is precisely why I am writing this blog...to give you the tips that I didn't have back when I started my own kitchen.

Responsible Technology has a great website the I have not fully explored yet. When I do, I will post more links. Some things I've seen so far are: eating gmo-free, shopping gmo-free, more info about "The World According to Monsanto" documentary, etc... really, really good stuff!

Check it out!

"The World According to Monsanto" Documentary

Do you ever wonder how you could tell others about something so important, so life changing, that everyone should know? Well here, my friends is one of those times. I am privileged to be able to do that today...
I have just viewed a video documentary that I found very informative.
You need to see this if you care about real food. If you want to know what GM (genetically modified) is and milk that has bovine growth hormones is all about, you should take some time to watch this.
It is 108 minutes long. It aired in France in March 2008.
We vote with our dollars everyday. Make sure you put your money where your mouth is.

Click here to view The World According to Monsanto.

Click here to view more about GMO's and seeds for your garden.