Kimchi (Napa Cabbage and Bok Choy) and Fermented Radish & Kale [Paleo][Low Carb]

Kimchi is a traditional Korean dish of spicy fermented cabbage. Napa cabbage, usually. An excellent example of the power of the wisdom in traditional diets, kimchi combines the "superfood" elements of cabbage with those of onion and cayenne. As I have mentioned previously,

Cabbage:

• protects against a wide spectrum of cancers
• is a great source of glutamine
• is healing to the digestive system
• has a mild cholesterol lowering effect*
• provides antioxidants
• is a good source of vitamins A, C and K, and anti-inflammatory polyphenols.

The George Mateljan Foundation has an in-depth summary of the health benefits of cabbage and kale. A particular cabbage glucosinolate, sinigrin, has been the focus of anticancer research. In addition,

Kimchi:

• provides additional detoxification benefits due to the high sulfur content of onions and garlic
• boosts metabolism (cayenne)
• provides more vitamin A and C (cayenne)
• helps lower cholesterol* (cayenne)

Fermented foods like kimchi are a great source of "good" gut bacteria. When made properly with salt or whey (lactofermentation), kimchi and sauerkraut provide an especially important and less common bacterial strain, L. Plantarum. It is one of the few flora strains which sticks to the intestinal wall rather than being processed out by the body like other strains of "good" bacteria. Lactic acid produced in traditional fermentation is one of the most valuable organic acids since it can be used in the body more immediately than other important fermentation by-products like acetic acid.

My kimchi is based on Dr. Ben Kim's recipe. Dr. Ben Kim, from whom I adapted this basic recipe, focuses on the use of Napa cabbage and gives a great pictorial step by step method of traditional kimchi. As anyone who knows me can vouch, however, I cannot follow a simple recipe and have thus fermented a few other varieties of my own "kimchi" using kale and bok choy. Who can pass up such vibrant vegetables in the produce section? Certainly not me, though it would be better if they were growing out of my garden...

Ingredients for the Napa Cabbage Kim Chi: (substitute Bok Choy for Napa cabbage below for the Bok Choy version)

• 1 large Napa cabbage
• 1 bunch fresh scallions
• onion, yellow chopped
• garlic, minced. I used about 5 cloves
• 1-2 T. salt (use the second T. salt if not using whey)
• 1 T. cayenne powder
• ~1/4" chunk fresh ginger root
• 1 organic green apple (to puree) or applesauce, unsweetened
• optional: 2-3 T. sea vegetable flakes

Ingredients for the Fermented Kale and Radish 'Kim Chi':

• 1 large crisp bunch kale
• ~ 5 radish
• onion, yellow chopped
• garlic, minced. I used about 5 cloves
• 1-2 T. salt (use the second T. salt if not using whey)
• 1 T. cayenne powder
• ~1/4" chunk fresh ginger root
• organic green apple (to puree) or applesauce, unsweetened

Procedure:

1. Chop up the Napa cabbage, bok choy, and kale into bite sized pieces. Place in separate bowls. Note: Dr. Kim states that the brassicas shrink about a quarter in fermentation so the end product will have smaller pieces than it initially seems.
   
   

   

   Chopped raw Napa cabbage (L), kale (C), and bok choy (R)

   
   
2. Thinly slice 4 oz. of the radish and either chop or slice the onion. Measure out or pinch desired amount of kelp or other sea vegetable. Set aside.
3. Measure out 1/4 c. sea salt.* I used Celtic sea salt but really all you need is a basic pure salt and preferably without fillers which will cloud the final fermented product. The Celtic sea salt is a great source of trace minerals and is unrefined. It is not processed with chemicals or at high heat which can damage the healing properties of the salt as many commercial salts are. This brand in particular is "doctor recommended" if that is important to you. *Note: Salt such as Celtic sea salt or table salt with with iodine will slow fermentation. Use pickling salt (iodine free canning salt) if you would like a shorter 2-4 day room temperature fermentation. (Thanks Ima for clarifying that!)
4. Dissolve the sea salt into warm water and then add the brine to the cabbage batches. Mix the brine and cabbages. I wore gloves so the salt wouldn't sting however the salt is very healing for the skin and will naturally exfoliate and gently detoxify the skin with its astringent quality.
   
   

   

   Salting the cabbage
   
   

5. Cover the salted cabbage batches and let sit at room temperature for about four hours. If it is significantly cooler in your kitchen then you can let it sit a bit longer.
6. After 4 hours, rinse squeeze dry.
   
   

   

   After 4 hours of salting: Napa cabbage, Kale, and Bok Choy. Rinse well and squeeze dry (far right)
   
   

7. Measure out 1/4 c. cayenne powder or red chili flakes/powder. Mix with warm water to make a paste.
   
   

   

   Make the cayenne paste
   
   

8. Mince and/or sliver fresh garlic and ginger. Measure out your T. garlic and ginger (I used a hefty scoop of organic bottled ginger and slivered some of my garlic and minced the rest in the Vitamix later).
9. Slice the green onions. I do so at an angle for visual appeal.
   
   

   

   Prep the ginger and scallions.
   
   

10. Puree a few Vitamin C tablets (not necessary but they keep the mix from browning. Lemon juice could also be used I suppose), the cored organic granny smith apples, about 2/3 of the onion, and the remaining 4 oz. of radishes in the Vitamix with 1/2 c. water to make a natural sugar substitute for the cabbage to use as food for fermentation. Note: Dr. Kim's recipe uses apple, pear, and onion but I didn't have pears plus I wanted to add radish and my own twists (read: I can't follow a recipe to save my life, ha!). This puree is the replacement for white sugar, the fermentation food in commercial kim chi and fermented vegetable varieties.
    
    

    

    Slice the radish and onion. Puree the apples, remaining radish, garlic (if not minced), and onion with water and Vitamin C for fermentation sugar base.

    
    

11. Add the kelp (sea veggie)*, sliced scallions, onion, cayenne/ginger/garlic paste to the kimchi base (the rinsed brined cabbage). Add about 1/3 of the apple puree, the green onions, and the red chili paste and ginger to each of the cabbage batches. You will have to make a full red chili paste batch as in step 7 for each cabbage batch (one for Nappa, one for bok choy, and another batch for the kale). *Again note that the high mineral (iodine) content of the sea vegetable will slow fermentation a bit.
12. Mix well with gloves.
13. Using a wide mouth funnel (such as a canning funnel made for Mason jars), spoon the kimchi into sanitized glass jars. Leave some head space (a little room) at the top for expansion as the brined mixture ferments. Leave the jars out at room temperature for at least 24 hours before refrigerating. I actually leave my fermented vegetables out longer than this personally, but for spoilage sake I would recommend 24 hours if you are inexperienced. Otherwise if you are wise in the ways of the age old tradition of fermentation use your best judgement.
14. Enjoy it! The refrigeration process slows the fermentation, though the batch will slowly continue to cure and become more sour with time.

Kelp and Sea vegetables are high in healing polysaccharides (long chain sugars) and nutritious whole foods.

Kelp and Sea vegetable benefits include:

• thyroid support through bioavailable trace minerals (most notably iron and iodine)
• high antioxidants
• natural cholesterol lowering effects*
• vandium, an essential component in nutritional support for diabetics/pre-diabetics which helps to regulate blood sugar
• fucoidan polysaccharides. Anti-inflammatory, antivirual, and high in sulfur like the raw garlic and onions added to the kimchi. David Wolfe's new video on polysaccharides discusses how certain polysaccharides protect against strains of the herpes virus.

*Much research supports the fact that low cholesterol is not a preventative measure for heart disease. For women, the higher the cholesterol the better since the cholesterol-hormone interaction and blood sugar versus fat is more prominent in women (especially post menopausal women) than men. The Weston Price foundation has many research articles on the benefits of high cholesterol including how high cholesterol increases longevity.

Though kimchi is a delicious superfood, don't overdo it on cruciferous vegetables (cabbages, kale, collards, broccoli, etc) since they can slow the thyroid if overeaten. Raw and fermented cabbage contains goitrogens which block thyroid hormone production. The natural iodine and minerals in the sea salt and sea vegetable will help to balance the goitrogen effects, however fermentation actually activates the goitrogens. The Weston Price foundation says the following on fermentation and the "dangers" of goitrogens in crucifers:

Fermentation of sauerkraut actually activates the goitrogens from their precursors. It also has the beneficial effect of reducing the nitrile content to half of what would be generated by cabbage upon digestion. Since nitriles appear to be more toxic than goitrogens and their effects cannot be mitigated by dietary iodine, the overall effect of fermentation is positive. More importantly, if sauerkraut is used as a condiment, the amount of goitrogens consumed is very low and very unlikely to exert any harm. However, it is important to realize that unreasonably high intakes of sauerkraut could have adverse effects.

'Nuff said. Now feast your eyes and then ferment up some veggies to feed your tummy! Don't forget hearty winter greens are a great source of vitamin C and vitamin K (though not as good of a vitamin K source as animal products like raw butter).

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Green "Muffins" [Paleo][Low Carb]

Want a healthy Halloween appetizer, snack, or just a plain old hearty munchie? Try some ghoulishly green muffins (don't fret they're just spinach egg muffins).  I was trying to find a good Cindalou option for a Halloween party dish and Jon suggested that I just make some of my normal food- something gross looking and green goo-ish.  For once we agree ;)

I adapted this recipe from Steal This Meal Spinach Egg Muffins, though I have made similar in the past with coconut flour.  This time I added egg whites (since I had them) and used my Vitamix (since I'm lazy).  Steal this meal also has a nice kale recipe for those kale fans out there... that's me, of course.   They have a great Paleo recipe and lifestyle site so check it out.  No, I don't know them I just like their stuff.  Not everyday you can mash the superfood vitamin and mineral packed bags o' spinach and farm fresh free range eggs into a Paleo party bite.  Well, around here it is an everyday thing...  You can almost sing the alphabet in vitamins in this dish- give me a "A," "K," "MaGNESIUM."  Not to mention bioavilable B12, choline, selenium.  You get the idea.  Alas, onto green goodness:

Ingredients:

6 whole fresh eggs

1/4 c. dried egg whites (or 6 egg white equivalent or just more eggs) + water (see below)

3 cloves raw garlic

3 lbs. frozen spinach

1 T. lemon juice (optional)

sea salt and pepper, to taste (about 2 t.-1 T. each)

spices to taste: I used ~1 T. crushed red pepper, Italian seasoning, and 1 t. cayenne)

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

Preparation

Steam the 3 lbs frozen spinach with 1 T. water and 1 T. lemon juice (if desired) until vibrant green but soft and cooked (7-10 mins depending on temperature). Set aside and let cool. 

Line muffin cups and spray with nonstick spray or coat with coconut oil (or real butter). Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

In the Vitamix (or your blender) add the powdered egg whites (I used 1/4 c. dry egg whites= 6 egg whites of the Deb El Just Whites brand) and water (1/2 c. then additional 1/4 c water to make smooth consistency) and blend on low until dissolved (1-2 minutes, varying speed). 

 

Using a jam press or slotted spoon drain the spinach until very dry. I also used my flat fold colander to help squeeze out all the liquid, though hands work fine also. 

Add the spinach to the egg white-water mixture in blender. Blend on medium for 1 minute to help mix. Add 6 raw eggs. Add garlic and spices (also pepper, 1 T. Italian seasoning and 1 T. crushed red pepper) and extra virgin olive oil. 

Blend on medium mixing with Vitamix damper. When well mixed (2-3 minutes) turn to high and mix vigorously until well blended and bright green (my favorite!) Spoon into muffin cups and bake at 350 for 15-17 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Best toppings (as if they need 'em): raw organic almond butter or coconut oil (butter for ya'll dairy folks out there).  Actually a kalamata olive would go nicely too...

Yield: About 22 medium "muffins" (I swae that count is before I ate half the batch!)

I added this recipe to Nutrition Data for the stats and label: 

Read More http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/recipe/2308774/2#ixzz1btYk6byI

Army of green goblin goodness... ahh yum!

Mediterranean Eggplant Bake (The Un-Parmesana) [Vegan]

It is already past the 1 year anniversary of Cindalou's Kitchen Blues' debut, which I only accidentally discovered when going to post this recipe and linking back to my old grilled eggplant recipe from last summer. My dad pointed out that I should have a birthday party for the blog, but I think I'll have a combo b-day bash with all my virtual friends in a few weeks for my (real) birthday and the blog's birthday. Maybe I'll finally make some coconut ice cream. I love icy desserts in the summer, but summertime is also prime season for outdoor grilled vegetables. I can never resist grilled squash, eggplant, and peppers. Thank heavens I don't have any allergies to nightshade vegetables!

What better time than the dog days of hot, lazy summer to drag all that hot kitchen cooking outside? This bake is my rendition of a veggie-laden eggplant Parmesan, minus the parm of course :) I used nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavor and texture, but feel free to omit the yeast. The heat of baking most likely destroys most of the beneficial B vitamins in the yeast, but the flavor is still great. Plus, I'm a closet optimist (don't tell) so I cross my fingers for the energy-boosting B's in the yeast coming through cooking unscathed.

My mother's old eggplant parm recipe dipped the eggplant in wheat flour, Parmesan cheese, herbs, then baked the eggplant itself an hour before making the casserole. I am not that motivated - when I see a multi-step recipe like that, I think "Ha," not to mention the no wheat flour or cheese thing. This tastes just as great to me, plus it adds colorful veggies. The grilling nicks the need to egg, bread/flour and fry or prebake. Grill extra and use the leftovers in lunch quesadillas with kale and corn tortillas, omelets like my old Grilled Squash and Collards Omelette, or just snack on grilled thinly sliced eggplant and squash. Thinly sliced, they're reminiscent of veggie chips in a non-fried, spicy way. You get the idea...

1 15 oz can organic crushed tomatoes with basil
~ 1/2 can (7 oz) artichoke hearts or fresh artichoke hearts
1 large grilled eggplant>
2 cherry peppers
2 jalapenos
5-6 garlic cloves
1 large organic carrot
2-3 sun dried tomatoes (sulfur free)
handful chopped fresh (or 1/4 c. dried, rehydrated & drained) portabello mushrooms
nutritional yeast, to taste (optional, for "cheesy" taste)
splash dry red wine, optional

Spices:
oregano, rosemary, garlic powder, crushed red pepper, sea salt, pepper, and a dash of Italian seasoning.

Slice the eggplant widthwise into ~1/8 to 1/4" slices for round eggplant pieces. Season with your choice of spices and spray the grill. I seasoned the eggplant with a blend of turmeric, ground black peppercorns, a dash of cayenne pepper, oregano, rosemary, garlic powder, a bit of dried crushed red pepper, thyme, and sea salt. My Mediterranean Grilled Eggplant recipe from last summer is the basis for this recipe.

Add the eggplant and whole peppers to the grill. Close the grill and cook on high for about 10-15 minutes or until very tender. I used a George Foreman electric grill since it takes much less time than a gas grill. Adjust cooking time for grill type.

Meanwhile, chop your mushrooms and sun-dried tomatoes, and shred the carrot. If you're using dehydrated mushrooms, steep them in boiling water high enough to cover them, and leave them covered for about 10 minutes or until soft. When finished, drain the mushrooms and save the juice for a healthy and yummy broth or as a sauteing liquid.

Set the chopped and shredded ingredients aside. Once the eggplant and peppers are finished, remove them from the grill and do a second batch if necessary. Slice the grilled peppers once they are cooled. If you prefer a milder flavor, remove the jalapeno seeds.

Add about half of the chopped sundried tomatoes and red wine to the tomato sauce and stir. Spray the bottom of an oven-safe glass baking dish with nonstick spray. I used a small Pyrex and spread the sauce lightly, covering the bottom. Layer the grilled eggplant slices on the bottom of the dish, from large to small slices. Top with a sprinkle of nutritional yeast (optional) . Cover the yeast and eggplant with a thin layer of the prepared carrots, jalapenos, mushrooms, and sundried tomatoes. Cover that layer with sauce, then add another layer, sauce, and repeat . Top the casserole with a layer of sauce and the artichoke hearts. If using canned artichokes, drain thoroughly and layer directly on top of the casserole. If you're using fresh artichoke, steam or grill them, then, once cooled, cut them into small pieces and add to the top.

Bake at 450 degrees for about 25 minutes. Note that the short time is for the convection oven setting I used. If you aren't using convection, baking may take longer. Serve hot. Serves approximately 4.

We had this with a few thin slices of grilled tamari grassfed sirloin steak, served over a bed of parsley and drizzled with olive oil, and a fresh red kale and parsley salad.

Spicing up your dishes, especially grilled vegetables, is a fantastic way to throw in a dash of the anti-inflammatory properties of turmeric and cayenne pepper. Cayenne pepper is an old folk remedy for poor circulation, stomach upsets, gas, and arthritis/carpel tunnel syndrome. It is also a metabolic stimulant and can help for healthy long-term weight loss and management. In addition to being strongly anti-inflammatory, turmeric is famous for its antioxidant properties. Turmeric's antioxidant qualities help protect and cleanse the gallbladder (prevent kidney stones) and liver. It might also provide aid in memory retention and help in Alzheimer's disease, pending further research. Turmeric is also useful for gout and was used in ancient times for "vermin killing" and is thought to be effective against scabies and lice.

However, cayenne and other hot peppers can be irritating to the skin, lips, and mucus membranes, so judge your intake by personal experience. Turmeric is often used liberally in Indian curries, so it is considered safer than drinking coffee. Use turmeric with caution if you have a bile duct blockage concern.

In this age, the first reaction to indigestion or acid reflux seems to be to suppress natural stomach acid with Calcium Carbonate (Tums) or a whole rainbow of OTC or prescription proton pump inhibitors. However, the avoidance of spice as part of an attempt to lower stomach acid may worsen digestion, since bacteria are not killed and large chewed food particles are harder for the small intestine to absorb nutrients. Also, simply popping a TUMS (basically a chalk pill, mmm) is merely treating the symptom of poor diet and lifestyle. The underlying problems(s) causing the digestive issues should be addressed- trust me, I deal with this on a daily basis! :)

Keep in mind that no one-size-fits-all approach can work. Everything depends on your body type. Some people have legitimate acid reflux, esophageal valve problems, or ulcers and should not assume either extreme of over spicing or raising stomach acid, nor completely hinder their body's natural state of chemical digestion with acid-buffering drugs.

I make no assumptions or generalizations, and can only speak from my own experience: I tend towards poor digestion. I myself benefit from a bit more spice, apple cider vinegar, herbal teas like peppermint and cinnamon, and digestive enzymes. I had acid reflux all the time as a teen. I was so miserable my parents took me to a GI specialist for a barium upper GI series of x-rays to look for ulcers. In the end, after years of thinking TUMS were my best friend, I only eliminated the reflux by elimination of all dairy, stress management (my sister calls me a "stressball"), and adding spices. Hey, a little cayenne pepper is a heck of a lot cheaper than a series of x-rays and the experience of drinking that awful chalky Barium shake :) So cheers to spice, and spice for health.

Other yummy gf eggplant creations:

Book of Yum's Eggplant Parmesan Sans Crumbs (uses dairy and nuts)
Natalie's Baked Eggplant Parmesan or Baked Eggplant Zucchini Spaghetti (uses dairy)
Gluten Free Kay's Stuffed Eggplant
Jeena's Chunky Mediterranean Vegetable Soup Recipe
Karina's Roasted Eggplant Tapenade or Mediterranean Eggplant with Crumbled Beef, Tomatoes and Mint

Purslane, Plum and Avocado Salad [Vegan] [Low Carb]

Perhaps you've heard recent hype about an obscure green weed with amazing health benefits for depression, but the truth is that purslane is an old herbal remedy-food and long-time enemy of a tidy gardener. If you're not sure about the safety of harvesting it in the wild, stop off at your local farmer's market. Now we can add "Purslane, Not Prozac" to the book "Potatoes, Not Prozac," or my personal (contrived) favorite slogan "pushups, Not Prozac." Whether you are concerned about depression, the odds are you know someone close to you who is. While exercise to alleviate depression as demonstrated by these Duke University studies may not necessarily be your cup of tea, perhaps a nice bunch of purslane in your salad, stir fry, or soup might be. Heck, while you're at it, toss in some fresh avocado and seasonal fruit- peaches, plums, nectarines. You might even forget the ominous "healthy" stuff in your meal after you take a bite.

1-2 organic plums
~ 2 lb. fresh purslane
1 ripe organic avocado
5-6 roma tomatoes
slivers red onion
oregano, to taste

Dressing:
50-50 mix of organic extra virgin olive oil, crushed red pepper, red wine vinegar, sea salt, and pepper. Wash and pat dry the purslane and plums. Tear into bite sized pieces and put in a large bowl. Slice the red onion, plums, and avocado and add to the purslane. I cut my plums into thin wedges since I prefer them that way. Add the tomatoes and toss with dressing and oregano. That's it- fast, easy and delicious healthy greens and Omega 3's all in one tidy package.

If you are waiting to be impressed, check out the Nutritional profile of purslane. Purslane is high in magnesium and Vitamin C, so helps with:

• depression
• cardiac arrhthmia
• cold and flu
• gingivitis
  

It is also high in potassium, healthy omega 3 fats, Vitamin A, folate (a critical B vitamin), and calcium. Dr. Duke in his classic herbal reference The Green Pharmacy lists purslane as packing

"... up to a whopping 16 percent antidepressant compounds, figured on a dry-weight basis."

Well, with that resume why not try some purslane with your salad? As your salad? I'm sold, although this salad's a winner even without the purslane! I adore avocado, especially when combined with fresh organic peach or plum. It's an addiction akin to peach salsa. The seasonal local plums here add a nice juicy bite of Vitamins A, C, K, and a little fiber (eat the skin, always!) with a very low glycemic load of just a few points (under 55 glycemic index and under 10 glycemic load are "low"). Don't forget the humble avocado, harbor of healing monounsaturated good fat, a large amount of fiber (40% RDI of fiber: 13 carbs, 10 fiber per 150 g.), and a plethora of Vitamins C, K, E, folate, panthoethic acid (another B vitamin), and B6. Avocado also provides a good source of magnesuim, potassium, and other trace minerals necessary for health. Actually, I could (and may) write an entire post on the wonders of avocado and its use outside the parochial realm of guacamole dip or sliced topping. But for now, you can have your feel-good food without guilt (as if anything was stopping you).

Note: If purslane is hard to find in your area, watercress, spinach, dark leafy lettuce (not iceberg) are great alternatives.

Speedy Hemp Seed Cucumber Dill Soup [Low Carb] [Vegan]

3 large organic cucumbers, washed with skin
3 cloves garlic
1/4" ginger
1 c. organic coconut milk*
1 1/2 c. unsweetened original hemp milk
~2 T. extra virgin olive oil

pinch dried spearmint leaves
dash cayenne pepper (optional!)
sea salt and pepper, to taste
hefty pinch dried dill
4 fresh basil leaves
4-5 fresh mint leaves
1 T. garlic powder

1/4 c. shelled organic hemp seed (plus extra for topping)

* you can use all hemp milk if you'd like. The coconut milk makes the ordinarily thin soup a bit thicker and more satisfying to me.

Wash, dry, and cut a whole cucumber into thirds or quarters. Add the cucumber, ginger root, and garlic to your VitaMix or other blender. For about 30 seconds, blend on medium-hi (5) while using the damper (or a long-handled spoon out of reach of the running blades) to compress the cucumber. Once the larger chunks of cucumber are chopped, turn off the blender.

Add in the hemp milk, coconut milk, olive oil and spices. Use your imagination for spices. I made this soup earlier in the summer when my mint plants were taking over the porch and begging to be used. Turn your blender to high and blend it for 1-2 minutes. I blend my soup until it is thoroughly mixed but there are still shreds of cucumber not pureed so it isn't just a single consistency. Serve cold, sprinkled with hemp seeds. This soup is quick and easy as a delicious, cooling appetizer or side soup.

I used to adore the Hungarian Cucumber Soup I made every summer, but after finally saying adios to yogurt and dairy I've not made it since. A recent onslaught of cucumbers, mint, and dill sent me craving another batch of coconut yogurt for this recipe. I will still do that in the future, but for now I'm making (dairy laden) goat milk yogurt in our Crockpot for Jon. I have to appease the dairy guzzlers in the house occasionally :) I thought a good swap for this soup would be coconut milk, but after reading on and on about Karina's love for hemp milk I decided to use it as the base.

I love hemp anyways and wanted another faucet of this amazing healthfood in my diet. This soup takes about 2-3 minutes in the Vitamix and is a nice cool, refreshing appetizer or meal. For even more protein toss in a scoop of hemp protein powder if you have it on hand. If not, no worries- hemp seed is nature's perfect little vegan package of balanced Omega3:6 healing fats, fiber (low carb!), and complete protein. All those Canadian's sure make a killing off our growing American demand for hemp!

Easy Tahini Dressing [Vegan]

So much for a real recipe from Cindalou's here in the recent past, but since you're already primed for a whole host of non-recipes, I'll use this chance to combat my swamped-at-work-can't-post hysteria with a "recipe" for a healthy dressing or sauce. Of course everyone knows how to whip up (or at least purchase) tahini nowadays, so I'll bore you with more health benefits and history than an actual Tablespoon per tablespoon recipe :) Yes, I still cook. All the time. Cindalou's has taken a back seat to thank you notes, family visits, and our flourishing (and crowded) apartment garden. So how's that for yet another disclaimer/introduction? If you find my intro less than satisfactory, then I recommend Karina's new Strawberry Cobbler post. You'll smile (and lick the computer screen).

Sesame seeds and tahini are quick and easy snacks and make a handy homemade dressing. The seeds themselves claim the honorable position of being one of the oldest condiments and their use seems to be traced back as far as 1600 BC. The seeds are a great source of many trace minerals and Omega 6 fatty acids. Indeed, the seeds were held in high esteem for the quality of the oil which is exceptionally resistant to rancidity and spoilage. One interesting fact: the phrase "Open sesame" stems from the sesame seed pod itself, which bursts open when it reaches maturity.

Tahini dressing:
1/4 c. raw, organic sesame seeds (I use unhulled since they're cheaper here and the hulls contain much of the calcium in the seeds) OR organic tahini (Once Again has a good organic tahini on the market)
1-2 t. sea salt, more to taste
1 t. or "dash" of San-J wheat free tamari (optional, omit for soy free)
4 liberal T. organic extra virgin olive oil*
squeeze lemon juice

Combine the sesame seeds and the salt in the bottom of the Vitamix or your blender. You will probably want to use the dry blade attachment for the Vitamix if you have one. In my experience, the dry-blade purees the seeds better than the regular container. If you only have a normal blender, no worries, but you may need to puree the seeds in spurts (to prevent regular blender overheating) to get them all creamed up. If you 're using jarred tahini, just skip this step.

It only takes about 1 -2 minutes for me to make this batch. I grind the seeds in 30 second intervals, but I take a minute to take the top off and scrape the sides of the blender to mix in the stubborn seeds. Once the seeds are pureed "dry," add the sea salt, olive oil, lemon juice, and tamari (if you're using the San-J). If you want to add a dash of turmeric (a great detoxifier and antioxidant), parsley (high in iron), or rosemary, add it now. Close the lid and blend once more until well mixed. Scrape the sides and pour into your dipping bowl or drizzle over your entree or salad, like below.

I made my sauce here with a bit more olive oil and lemon juice than above in order to achieve a more fluid sauce to dress our grilled salmon and salad. Just adjust the olive oil to seed ratio to vary the consistency between a thick tahini chip/ raw veggie dip and a dressing (like we used it).

* Add more olive oil to taste, I tend to add more olive oil to my share of the dressing since my body burns good fat efficiently (sugars and high carby foods kill my poor digestive system, so to each his own. Check your body type and eat what is fresh, local, and makes you feel best. Perhaps most importantly, trust your instincts... no, that doesn't mean reach for that bag of salted corn chips since you just like the taste!)

Tahini Uses:

• Tahini sauced mushrooms
• Salad dressing (of course)

Tahini Dressed Simple Spinach Salad

• grilled wild salmon fillet dressing. I have a few old fish recipes here and the tahini sauce would be great drizzled over some Molasses Balsamic Salmon

Tahini Glazed Salmon

• Stir fry dressing/sauce

More Sesame Seed Uses:

• Dress up your veggies! Jon likes honey sesame green beans or broccoli
  
• homemade raw (Vegan) food bars
• toss into any bread, cookie, or muffin/pancake recipe
  

Sesame seeds are high in Omega 6 fatty acids which are healthy fats, but should not be over consumed since the average diet is already too high in Omega 6 fats compared to Omega 3's. Sesame seeds have a whopping (that sounds quantifiable and scientific doesn't it?) amount of copper, manganese, tryptophan, iron, and some B vitamins to name a few. They also pack a fair amount of fiber for such tiny little packages. The entire nutritional profile from World's Healthiest Foods shows the nutrient scale and there's also a great in depth article on the seeds.

Be warned, however, that sesame seeds can be allergenic to some. Those of us with Celiac or gluten intolerance seem to garner the blessing of having multiple trigger foods (at least while the intestines are still healing). The other disclaimer for sesame seeds involves their oxalate content. Oxalates in the hull of the seed are generally bound in calcium oxalate and some doctors believe that they can aggravate kidney conditions, leading to kidney stones. The verdict is still out on this matter, since dietary intake of oxalates like those found in sesame seed hulls only amount to about 15% of the oxalate in calcium oxalate stones. The general wisdom among experts is, according to WHF,

"that dietary restriction cannot significantly reduce risk of stone formation".

In addition, oxalates are naturally present in a full spectrum of fruits and vegetables are normally present no issues with stone formation. Just to be on the safe side, buy the hulled sesame seeds or lightly colored jarred tahini since these varieties have the hull (and thus the calcium oxalate) removed. Of course when you remove the hull you lose nutrition, but a compromise can be struck if you are worried about kidney stones. More interesting stuff on oxalates is here at World's Healthiest Foods.

A balance must be struck in diet just like everywhere in life, but natural and organic tahini is a great and far superior source of Omega 6's as compared with many popular vegetable oils touted for their "healthy mono and polyunsaturated fat content." The problem with many vegetable oils, as I've talked about from time to time, is that virtually all of them except commercial extra virgin olive oil are refined, bleached, or deodorized. These processes damage the unsaturated fat in the oil since the less saturated the oil, the more it is vulnerable to heat, light, and processing damage. So although you think or read the hype about soybean (a particularly poor oil choice), corn, canola, and even sunflower or safflower oils being "healthy," your oil is likely already rancid or damaged. Damaged oil wrecks havoc on our bodies as toxins, but no more about that here. I sound brooding and hell-bent on bringing down the vegetable oil market. If anyone's interested in more details about these fats and oils and the commercial propaganda surrounding them, please comment and let me know. I can expand on the subject and/or point you to fantastic references. It is always best to keep it simple. We use extra virgin olive oil (no heat - dressing and marinades only) and organic virgin coconut oil (for any heat or cooking) exclusively; you can't find another oil in our house except the fat stored in nuts :) This cuts down on buying multiple kinds of different oils and actually saves money and time at the store. It is my advice and practice. If you can do dairy and aren't quite thrilled about coconut oil, another good alternative is full-fat REAL butter, especially grass fed goat or cow butter. The saturated fats are what you need for heat and cooking since they are not destroyed by heat and light, (as opposed to margarine, vegetable (and olive) oils, and reduced or fat free products.) If only we could see our insides, then we'd all be a lot more picky about what we eat and how we prepare it. :)

Coconut Milk Yogurt At Last! [Dairy Free] [Soy Free] [Vegan] [Low Carb]

Alas, the coconut milk yogurt has materialized in my kitchen! Sorry for the ridiculously long wait, but as I mentioned previously in my Ginger Sea Bass post, we were waiting on the probiotic and then went to GA for vacation after my exam and blah blah. Yo don't care, right? The yogurt is here in all of its gluten free, dairy free, soy, nut, corn, yeast, yadda yadda free glory!! I am really sorry I am a month late, Seamadien :) Can you forgive me? I am loving your spinach pie and that St. Pats pot pie looks intriguing...

Anyways, back to the coconut yogurt and why I chose Christian from Stephen's Recipes for my adoption way back when. I have a very strong connection to family (at least in my mind, don't ask my mom :) ) and I admire someone who has children and not only devotes their love and energy to them, but also sets aside time to blog about allergen free living for the rest of us! Christian has a sense of humor (see the taste warning at the blog header) and is committed to providing the healthiest environment for her boys. Today in the American age of McDonald's for dinner and tv or texting during a meal instead of family conversation, family values are of high esteem in my mind. I must sound like a crazy fanatical conservative, but sorry to disappoint you Pat Roberson- I just believe in good, ethical, moral living and loving. You chose your flavor of religious, moral, and lifestyle beliefs to suit you, in so long as you do not infringe on others' rights.

In any case, put the tv remote away and don't worry about bringing a Whopper over to dinner at my place. Cindalou's practices good old family mealtime courtesies and stimulating light dinner conversation like "So Mom, what is the exact significance of Jesus being divine for you? Why do people want someone else to die for their sins? That seems like a bit of a break in the personal responsibility chain..?" Ahh, musings of a curious child with really annoying questions and an even more annoying quest for deep, "not canned" responses. I think I offend people with these questions, but I really want to understand. Can you lend me a hand? Or answer? Please..??

And please excuse my politicking; we just met our favorite candidate for NC Congress, BJ Lawson, and "Mr. Liberty" Presidential Candidate Dr. Ron Paul himself is coming to both UNC and Duke on Jon's birthday- May 2nd!! Our amazing Tarheels for Paul coordinator Paige arranged for Jon to have lunch with Dr. Ron Paul, Dr. Lawson, and a few other campaign donors for his birthday too. I'm so excited!! It's not everyday you get that offer since presidential candidates are swamped with supporters at every stop. I believe both Obama and Hillary are in Chapel Hill now as well - I'll have to go check that out. It will just be such a relief to hear something other than McCain being the only Republican candidate on the ticket. This is not true and just shows irritating ignorance. Ergh, enough political frustration - I know everyone feels it in every party (or nonparty) :) How about some gluten/dairy free yogurt goodness?

Coconut Milk Yogurt (half batch)
1 can (15 oz.) organic coconut milk or lite coconut milk
heaping 1/4 t. dairy free probiotic*

Tools Needed:
2 half-quart Mason jars (I used cleaned salsa jars)
large stainless steel spoon
2 large/medium stainless steel pots (I used a double boiler nested pot setup)
kitchen thermometer
a few old clean kitchen towels, a large pot and lid (large enough to hold mason jars) OR yogurt maker

Yeah, we have a wee bit of coconut milk hangin' around...

*I used Culturaid dairy free probiotic since it is free of many of the common allergens: gluten, dairy, yeast, corn, and soy.

*UPDATE* As several of you have pointed out, Klaire Labs has discontinued Culturaid. I've written a length response in the comments section, but to keep it short, we recommend Dr. Ohhira's, Essential Formulas Inc., Probiotic, a 60 capsule probiotic with 12 active cultures, a 5-star rating from 300+ reviews, priced at ~$34.50 - $5 (Referal Coupon Code: JOC350), or $29.50, less than the Culturaid and other competing allergy free probiotics/yogurt starters.

Instructions for Coconut Milk Yogurt
[Gluten, Dairy, Soy, Corn, Yeast Free and Low Carb/Low Fat]

1.) Sterilize your container(s):
I boiled water in my electric kettle to sterilize my yogurt jars and stainless steel pot. After the water boiled, I let it sit for 10 or so minutes while I went onto step 2. When you need two yogurt containers, just discard the hot water.

2.) Pour out the sterilizing water from the pot and pour in the coconut milk. If you didn't shake the can and the milk has separated, just give it a quick stir with a clean/sterilized stainless steel spoon. Turn the milk to medium high heat and keep your thermometer handy. Bring the milk to just boiling with your thermometer in the milk, but not resting or touching the pot (you want the temperature of the milk, not the pot). Continuously stir the milk until it reaches around 160 degrees. I've seen the range of 170-180 degrees for "normal" milk in order to kill the bad bacteria, but the canned organic coconut milk does not suffer bovine growth hormones, animal antibiotics passed into the cow milk, pesticides, or any chemical residues that can hamper regular milk. I am more lax with the temperature for this reason. If you'd prefer to go to the higher temperature, go for it, but make sure to keep stirring so the milk doesn't burn. Several discussions about this post around the internet have questioned my rationale for this step - i.e. "why boil the coconut milk at all? Canned coconut milk ought to be sterilized in the canning process". This is true. The culture requires a coconut milk temperature between 80 - 100 degrees Fahrenheit, so the 160 degrees cited above is likely overkill.

3.) Set up your yogurt-making area.

The yogurt culturing area can be a real yogurt maker or this handy type setup shown below. All that is necessary is that the yogurt stay around 100 degrees (or as close as possible). I placed 2 jars in my largest pot with a few warmed towels on the bottom to insulate the jars. I used 1 jar for steaming hot water and the other jar for the yogurt. Here's a cool site for making yogurt by livelonger on HubPages which gives nice pictures and the incubation idea of a cooler and hot water instead of a yogurt maker.

4.) Let the coconut milk cool. Check the milk comes to around 100-110 degrees before adding the probiotic starter. Once the milk has cooled, stir in the probiotic starter. If you were making normal cow-based dairy yogurt, you could use premade/purchased yogurt with live cultures instead of specialty probiotic starter. For dairy free coconut milk yogurt, we can't do this of course- hence the Culturaid.

Boil some more water and pour into one of your open jars shown above. The hot water in this jar along with the insulating towels and closed pot will help keep the yogurt jar warm so the cultures can grown during incubation.

Pour the inoculated yogurt/coconut milk into the other jar and close the lid to keep it warm. I added a few more towels for jar insulation.

5.) Cover the whole setup or your yogurt maker. I turned my pot to very very low heat (barely on) to keep the setup warm. You may not need to do this depending upon the temperature of your kitchen. It was cold and rainy when I made this (Murphy's law in action). Let the yogurt ferment for 6-10 hours. Mine took more like 10 hours since it was so cold in my kitchen (crazy spring weather). Let the yogurt rest while it ferments.

6.) After the allotted time has passed, check the coconut milk yogurt. It should be firm and more of a yogurt texture. Mine was not as thick as cow milk yogurt (which often has yucky thickeners in addition to the plain old yogurt, especially if you eat the nonorganic kind), but it was definitely thicker. It had a nice slightly sweet-sour yogurt bite to it as well as all those uber healthy (nondairy) probiotics! Now I can down yogurt by the quart like Jon, right? :) Refrigerate the yogurt when it is thick and "finished."

The probiotics in yogurt and fermented foods (kraut, etc) are the "good" guys you want in your intestines to help improve your immunity, keep you regular, build and strengthen your bones, lose weight, and detoxify you. One of my favortie online general health bloggers, Cathy Wong, has a great summary of probiotic health benefits and possible interactions. The Harvard Medical School Health Guide also has a good article with some interesting folk uses for yogurt. Probiotics are especially vital in the healing process for those with compromised digestive systems, like those with IBS, Crohn's disease, and Celiac. In addition to this dairy free yourt, I love homemade red cabbage kraut and NutriWest total probiotics. I've noticed a sincere and immeasurable difference in my digestion and energy. It's just anecdotal evidence, but it does obey my "it works" philosophy. Yet another great resource is USProbiotics.org. A general Google search on the health benefits of probiotics is overwhelming, so I'm barely scratching the surface here. Don't fret, I'll be back ranting about them much more in future posts. My other favored site for health info at World's Healthiest Foods has a great summary on (regular) yogurt. Keep in mind that this coconut milk yogurt is dairy free, but since it is cultured with the probiotics it will contain many of the same fermentation byproducts like some B vitamins.

Oh, and Melissa, I have not forgotten about the 6 line meme! Uhh, I am still struggling with 6 (positive.... or at least not blaringly negative) things to say about myself. Here's a try at 6 words that summarize who I am:

1. independent
   
2. open minded
3. compassionate (my mom might disagree when we get into politics, hehe)
   
4. tenacious (strong willed? what's the difference... it is subtle I guess)
5. assertive
6. principled (to a point of aggravation of others I'm afraid :) )

Do I get another 6 billion words to describe a bride-to-be with a few more weeks until her wedding? Suppose not .. stupid rules! Who makes up these things? Why do we need so many rules... why can't we do fun things, like list the top 6 problems with modeling the cosmic ray muon flux near the surface of the Earth? Come on, please? I could use some help and non-wedding motivation :)

Since this post is already riduclously long, I'll be back with a recipe and/or use for the yogurt later. For now I'll just stop here and go spoon some of the leftover yogurt on some freshly ground flaxseed (omega 3's, high protein, and all carbs=fiber), sliced fresh pear (keeping the washed, organic peel for fiber and vitamins), and a drizzle of blackstrap molasses (high in iron, B vitamins). Hey after writing all of this, I'll a little wiped out for a whole fancy recipe :)

A new recipe using yogurt that looks delicious is from Natalie @ Gluten Free Mommy who whipped up some yummy Yogurt Raspberry Lime Ice Cream. I can't wait to try it or something similar! I use the Vitamix to make many of our ice creams/sherbets, so maybe I'll toss some coconut yogurt into my old Raspberry Smoothie in honor of your ice cream, Natalie! (I don't use the egg protein anymore, its not necessary with the coconut yogurt and protein powders are NOT health foods- they're more like weight-building short term tools (I am still trying to gain weight & muscle) and not long term health or meal replacements. The only powder is still love is Manitoba Harvest's Organic Hemp powder- it comes in protein powder, powder plus fiber, and good old hemp seeds- all with the perfect balance of Omega3:6 fats for optimal health! It makes a killer blueberry smoothie, Yum!