Oatmeal...A New Way

This might take me forever to type but, who knows, maybe someone else is healing a broken bone. 

I’m healing a broken finger….so, I will make this short, because I haven’t mastered typing with one hand and it is quite challenging.

One of many important nutrients most people don’t get enough of is silica. And silica happens to be crucial for strong bones. If you believed it was calcium and that you get that from milk, sorry, that’s simply not the truth. By the way, if you know someone who is suffering from Alzheimer's or even better, would like to prevent it ;) silica-rich foods should be on their menu!....and you might wanna share this with someone with anemia as well.

Where do you get silica from?

More common ways (especially when following a raw, vegan lifestyle) are simply consuming sunflower seeds, cucumbers, green leafy vegetables, etc.
But there are some foods and herbs that are incredibly rich in silica, such as Horsetail, Oatstraw…and OATS!!!
I have been making horsetail infusions as well (and WILL tell you all about it) but after years of not consuming any grains, the other day I opted for oats in the “raw” form…..if we can say that, I kind of doubt it….let’s call it “raw-ish”, ha!….oatmeal. As far as preparing it, I did NOT cook it though. THAT much I CAN say : )

And, I might as well mention, that this makes an absolutely delicious and satisfying meal.

So here we go. Here’s what I did:

“Raw” Whole Oat Groat Meal (Oatmeal)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup “raw” oat groats* 

1-2 pinches vanilla (ground bean)

hot water / almond milk for blending

optional: pinch of salt

Toppings I used: maple syrup, cacao nibs, cinnamon, goji berries

More topping ides: fresh berries, sliced bananas, walnuts, coconut sugar, whatever you love with oatmeal

*make sure it’s not the toasted variety…..they’re commonly sold in bulk in health food stores

To prepare:
1) rinse the oats and soak them in pure water overnight (or for just a few hours if that’s all you have)
2) strain and rinse the soaked oats and blend them in a high-speed blender with all of the ingredients above (except the toppings)….blend in sweetener too if you desire a sweeter meal
3) serve in a warmed up / hot (but safe to touch) bowl and add your favorite toppings

Enjoy this heart-warming meal for breakfast on a cool morning or as an afternoon meal, like I did, following a salad…..Always eat your greens in first! ;)

To be honest, I don’t think I would have ventured for this if it wasn’t for a broken bone. So, thank you, finger! : )

As yummy as it is, from now on this will be a go-to “dish” on cooler days, for sure. 

Happy Summer days!….and if you live on the Southern hemisphere, I hope you still have plenty of sunshine! : )

Will be in touch soon!

♥

Dita

One Savory, One Sweet..

Thank the Universe for laptops and Wi-Fi!  I'm sitting at the airport in Las Vegas, waiting for mechanics to replace a part on the airplane I'm supposed to take home….and I've decided to use this time to share an experience…

Yay for high-resolution phone cameras...I even got some usable photos! :)

While on a business trip, I stayed with my best friend who was more than enthusiastic about learning to prepare some raw foods.  We had lots of fun making 2 - 4 dishes a day (!) and one of the days she had guests over so we even got to introduce others to the magic of this way of eating.

Truth be told, I had no idea whether they would even want to touch raw foods but I wasn't worried about it because my friend was planning on cooking a big pot of veggie soup as well… Except, she didn't end up to...

So, what was initially planned to be a "tea party", later changed to being a girls' night in with dinner, ended up being a raw finger food sampling experience...

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Oops, new update, they've just announced that this plane can NOT be repaired, so I got plenty of time to give you this recipe, or at least, finish it sooner than later : )

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So what did we make? As you know, I believe in keeping things simple. I don't think there is a better way to inspire people than showing them how easy it is to prepare delicious, healthy dishes. We made some savory bites and some dessert to top them off.

Savory Walnut Pâté Bell Pepper Boats
Ingredients:
2 - 3 bell peppers (I like using red and orange but it would look really nice to have all colors, yellow and green as well)
2 cups walnuts (you may soak them if you have time)
1 small shallot (or half a medium size purple onion)
6 - 8 leaves of fresh sage
juice of 1 large lemon
1/2 tsp (or to taste) salt
few sprigs of parsley for garnish
optional: 1 clove of garlic and some parsley added to your ingredients

To prepare:
1. Place walnuts into the food processor and grind them until they're fine but not so much that they start becoming a nut butter.
2. Chop the shallot, the sage leaves, and the garlic and parsley (if using some in the pâté) really fine, into tiny pieces
3. Add the chopped ingredients and salt to the lemon juice, stir, and add the mixture to the walnuts.
4. Mix your ingredients well and add more lemon juice / olive oil to your pâté if it's on the dry side. Ideally, you'd like it to have a spreadable texture. Set it aside.
5. Cut up the bell peppers into quarters (try cutting along the veins, where the "dimples" are, that way you'll end up with "boats" that will hold the pâté nicely. Then cut the quarters in halves again.
6. Fill each pepper boat with a couple of spoonfuls of the pâté, arranged them alternating the colors you have on a plate or tray and garnish each with a leaf of parsley or other herb of your choice.
Serve immediately.

Note: This recipe can be made into a dip as well and served as part of a crudité. Add more lemon juice and/or oil of your choice to make it into a softer, more liquidy, consistency and serve it with a variety of chopped up veggies.

For dessert, I intended to make macaroons, because they're so easy but our guests were already there and starved when I haven't even finished the pâté so by the time I got to start on the sweets I decided to quickly roll them into balls and we served them right away as well.

Snowballs
Ingredients:
2 cups dry shredded coconut (plus some extra to roll the balls in)
1/2 cup almond meal (or ground almonds)
1/2 cup honey/agave syrup/sweetener of your choice
1/4 cup coconut butter/oil (I used about half of each for a total of 1/4 cup)
1/2 - 1 tsp ground vanilla
tiny pinch of salt
optional: few tbsp of cacao powder to add to half the mixture if you wish

To prepare:
1. Grind the shredded coconut in a food processor so that it's finer
2. Combine the dry ingredients: the coconut, the almond meal, and the vanilla, in a mixing bowl
3. To melt the coconut butter/oil and honey (if necessary), place your jars in hot water. As an alternative, you can measure them in the unmelted form and place them all in a small bowl that is sitting inside another bowl with hot water in it. Stir your wet ingredients and the salt until melted and homogenous and add this mixture to the dry ingredients.
4. Combine everything till your mixture holds together and you are able to form balls by rolling a spoonful of it at a time between your palms. Roll each ball in the shredded coconut and place them on a serving platter. About half way through, add a few spoonfuls of cacao powder to the mixture (if you want two colors and flavors) and finish up making balls the same way.

It's probably not much of a surprise that all of the pepper boats and snowballs were gone in no time so they've been tested…you can make these for someone who might have not had a chance to try raw foods yet. They're quick, easy an delicious. What else would you need?

I just wish we had taken photos of all of us! We even had the honor of having a beautiful baby entertain us but no pictures…hmmm…oh well, next time.

Some Nutrition Facts 
The two main ingredients, walnuts and coconut, in the above menu, are both "brain foods". They both contain very healthy fats. Walnuts are high in Omega-6, and even more importantly, Omega-3 fatty acids. Coconut is high in saturated fat (yes, it's good for you!), is a good "hormone precursor", especially when it comes to the production of testosterone and progesterone, and coconut oil supports the thyroid and weight-loss.
Bell peppers are high in vitamin C and antioxidants. If you are using red ones you are getting more antioxidants, overall, more health benefits but it's good to eat a "rainbow diet" and include as many colors as possible, if not in every dish, throughout the day. Herbs (used in the pâté) are loaded with minerals and vitamins and sage is particularly known for improving memory and helping those with Alzheimer's disease (Did I mention coconut oil does the same? If you know someone who needs help in this department, I definitely encourage you to look into this and maybe give it a try, say, start with a  spoonful of coconut oil mixed into a breakfast dish, whatever that may be for you, or the person to be helped.) and it has high levels of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory qualities. How many foods / dishes are there that do all this? : )
Enjoy!

♥♥♥

Peanut Butter-Chocolate Energy Bars

How many different kinds of energy bars have you tried? Are there any that you really like? Ok, maybe there are because there are some really tasty ones out there but… When you make your own they have exactly the ingredients you want, the flavors you like the most, the nutrition and energy you need at the moment, be that loads of protein or a carbohydrate-rich instant-fuel bar, cut into the perfect size and shape for you to grab and head out the door. Phew, I tried to say it all in one breath…and I managed! I chose peanuts as a main ingredient for these ones to provide lots of protein and long-lasting energy, the chocolate is “just” to top it all, literally. : )

Peanut Nutrition Facts
The nuts that make up one of the most cherished foods in America (yes, I’m talking about peanut butter) are, in fact, legumes so no wonder they have a similar nutritional profile to beans and lentils, with some extra benefits that is. Yes, peanuts are much higher in fat but it’s fat from a whole food and with lots of fiber, which, even if you’re watching your fat intake, shouldn’t scare you. Peanuts will provide you loads of protein and are, in general, very rich in most all minerals, especially manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, copper, zinc, potassium, iron, selenium, and calcium. They stand out in the vitamin department with high amounts of niacin (B3), folate (B9), vitamin E, thiamin (B1), pantothenic acid, and the list goes on. As expected, they come with a myraid of health benefits. The oleic acid rich goobers are a heart-healthy nut with a notable antioxidant capacity, and anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer qualities. They will not only help in the prevention of gallstones but snacking on a handful a day will provide protection against age-related cognitive decline, like Alzheimer’s disease. Thanks to their phytosterol content, they will help lower your cholesterol levels and their high mineral content will contribute to maintaining strong bones. Some claim that Jungle peanuts have an even more impressive nutritional profile but there’s a lot of controversy around the subject. One thing’s for sure, they are readily available in their natural, raw form while Valencia peanuts are usually sold dry roasted at the stores. Roasting makes some of the nutrition more bioavailable and help eliminate the aflatoxin that’s found on a lot of them, which, again, some claim Jungle peanuts are naturally lacking in. One way to have the best of both worlds is to consume Jungle peanuts raw and eat the roasted version of the others. Decide for yourself. Grab the peanuts of your choice because the recipe is next...

Raw Jungle Peanut Butter-Chocolate Energy Bars
(Makes ~8 bars)
Ingredients:
2 cups jungle peanuts (or any other peanuts)
3 tbsp sesame seeds
2-3 pinches of salt
3 tbsp golden flax seeds
3 tbsp hemp seeds
optional: 2 pinches of ground vanilla bean or vanilla powder
4-5 tbsp agave syrup or maple syrup (not raw!) or honey (not vegan!)

Directions:
Grind the peanuts in a food processor until they start getting sticky on the way to becoming peanut butter. Add the sesame seeds and salt and process them just a bit longer. Put the mixture in a mixing bowl. Grind the flax seeds in a spice/coffee grinder and add to the bowl along with the hemp seeds and the vanilla. Mix well and add your choice of sweetener. Mix by hand and you will end up with a sticky mixture. Press the mixture into a flat-bottomed, plastic-wrap-lined dish and place it in the fridge while making the chocolate.

Chocolate Drizzle
Ingredients:
½ tbsp coconut oil or cacao butter
1 tbsp cacao powder
1/2 tbsp agave syrup (or other sweetener)

Melt the coconut oil (or cacao butter) and mix with the rest of the ingredients. Drizzle the chocolate over the peanut layer or if you have enough, smear it over the whole surface area. Place it back in the fridge for half an hour. Cut into bars and serve or leave it in the fridge so whenever you need a snack it’s there. Store them in the fridge for softer bars and put them in the freezer if you prefer them more solid. You’ve got your own energy bars to take to work or school. Cut a piece and wrap it into wax paper or put it in a container and off you go.

Sources:
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=101
http://www.peanut-institute.org/health-and-nutrition/protective-nutrients/bioactives.asp

The Most Amazing Buckwheat Crackers

Making crackers is what was on my agenda on Sunday morning and it was so lovely to get busy in the kitchen with the morning sunlight coming through the window. Since I had run out of everything that resembles bread/chips/crackers, this was an emergency and I couldn’t wait for them to be done. I did not expect them to come out so fabulous though. These are by far my absolute favorite!

For the first time in my raw-cracker-making adventures I used garlic. Don’t ask me why it took me so long. Come to think of it…I remember that up until now I was making sure my crispy snacks are more on the “plain” side so that they would go well with anything. Not this time. These are everything but plain, and they can be (and probably will be) devoured just by themselves!
I am not giving all the credit to the garlic either. I also added turmeric and cumin for the first time and the combination of those spices gave it a wonderful hint of Indian-food-like flavor, not to mention the gorgeous color. Flavor and aesthetics are not my priority though. As you may probably know by now, nutrition is at least equally important to me so here’s the breakdown of the goods…

Health Benefits of Turmeric
This ancient spice, commonly used in Indian cuisine, is known for its exceptional anti-inflammatory properties and being an excellent antioxidant, and there’s a whole list of health benefits that go along with that.
Its bright rusty-yellow color, peppery, bitter flavor, and most healing properties lie in the powerful compound, curcumin. Turmeric is a natural detoxifier, has been used in treating cancer and for the prevention of metasteses, can slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, and studies suggest that it’s effective at preventing it from developing as well. As an anti-inflammatory, it’s a natural treatment for arthiritis and can also be used to help the skin heal or to treat psoriasis. It’s very rich in iron and manganese and a very good source of vitamin B6, which can keep your homocysteine levels at bay and reduce your risk of heart disease. Manganese is essential for strong bones and healthy nerves, and it can protect your cells from free-radical damage.

Health Benefits of Cumin
Another spice that’s very rich in iron and manganese, cumin is also a good source of calcium and magnesium. It’s a good digestive aid and it can help in nutrient assimilation, but most importantly, it is claimed to have anti-carcinogenic properties, like turmeric.

Just to note, if you have never used either, these spices have quite distinct flavors that will either appeal to you or not the first time around but just give them a try, you might just fall in love with their aroma immediately!

Buckwheat Crackers
Ingredients:
(Makes 250 bite size crackers)
3 cups raw buckwheat groats
1 cup ground flax seeds
½ tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt
½ cup olive oil
5-6 cloves garlic
your favorite seeds for sprinkling (optional)

Soak the buckwheat groats for a couple of hours and let them sprout for about a day and a half as described in the Guacamole & Buckwheat Chips recipe. Once you have buckwheat sprouts (I let them grow to about ½ inch/6 mm length) it’s time to make crackers! I have to split up the ingredients and run two separate batches because only so much fits in my food processor at a time. 

Directions:
1.    Process all of the ingredients in a food processor until you get a well-mixed, sticky lump.





 2.    Using a butter knife, spread the mixture on teflex sheets (you should have enough for 4 of them) about 3-5 mm thick. Score them to your liking (I made 1.5 in/3-4 cm squares) and sprinkle with your favorite seeds if you like. Dehydrate them at 115 ˚F (46˚C) for a couple of hours before flipping them and then 3-4 hours longer depending on how thick they are and how crisp you like them.



3.    They’re ready whenever the edges and the center of the crackers look evenly dry. The other way to check on them is by stealing one out of there every half an hour…this is the method I use of course : ) but you'll end up with much less in the end!




4.    You can let them cool and store them in airtight containers for a couple of months (they will not last that long though), or serve them immediately. They’re absolutely fabulous fresh out of the “oven” while still warm. Enjoy and let me know how they came out!

Sources: http://www.whfoods.com/