Remove shredder disc and replace with plastic mixing blade.
Pour flax into food processor bowl on top of grated onion.
In blender, liquify
1 carrot (cut into 1″ pieces)
2-4 stalks celery (cut into 1″ pieces)
1 large garlic clove
2 T olive oil
1/2 t salt, dash of cayenne
1 to 1-1/2 cups water – enough to process
Add liquid from blender to food processor.
Process with plastic mixing blade for 3-5 minutes or until the mixture is smooth and homogeneous, like well kneaded dough.
Spread the batter on teflex dehydrator sheets 1/2 inch thick.
Dehydrate at 115 F for 12-15 hours until ‘dry’ but flexible.
Store in frig in airtight container.
Suggestions
Sandwich: eat with avocado, sprouts, cheese, mustard.
Snack: slather with olive oil, garlic and olives – or dip in olive-garlic oil.
Pizza: put back in dehydrator for an hour or two with a layer of tomato sauce and finely sliced veggies.
Feeling deprived, sets up a craving for “comfort foods” that ultimately make you feel even more unhealthy and uncomfortable. So rather than deprive yourself of unhealthy foods, I recommend indulging in healthy foods.
Hints that have helped me avoid the deprivation trap.
1) The more flavors I put in my salads and smoothies — sweet, salty, sour, bitter, pungent (hot, spicy) — the more satisfying my food is and the less I crave things that are not good for me. (See Miracle foods made easy.)
2) If I find myself craving something that isn’t good for me (chocolate, corn chips, cheese or anything else), I intentionally overdose on it. I eat as much of it as I possibly can at one sitting. Once I’ve had a stomach ache from too much, it turns me off instead of on. Do not try this if you are diabetic.
3) Yet craving indicates things I legitimately need, so I analyze what is attractive about the foods I crave. White sugar by the spoonful is not interesting, flour by itself is not interesting, so that is not what I want. What is interesting in a candy bar or a cookie or a cake is the fruit or the nuts or the raw cacao or vanilla… so I make a dish of the good items minus the sugar. (See Staying on good food.) Chips are interesting due to the crunch, the oil & salt, so I learned to use a high quality olive oil generously on my salad. With a dehydrator I can make vegetable chips with flax that rival or trump commercial chips… or just eat a carrot! I make a simple sunflower seed cheese and it satisfies me as much or more than a cheese from the deli counter. (See Love cheese — but can’t digest it?)
I use plenty of my favorite seasonings and spices…
Never, never, never, ever allow yourself to feel deprived. Avoid bad foods by indulging in the flavors and textures you love safely, by choosing healthy alternatives.
Milk Kefir (pronounced keh-FEER) is a wonderfully delicious slightly carbonated fermented milk beverage similar to yogurt (or buttermilk). Kefir is simply milk that is fermented at room temperature with kefir grains for about 24 hours. It has many wonderful health benefits, a great flavor and is also usually tolerated well by the lactose intolerant. It’s much easier to make than yogurt – no heating or incubating involved, and kefir has a much larger spectrum of probiotics than yogurt. The reusable, sustainable grains also make it more economical.
Kefir has gained in popularity lately, due to interest in eating more responsibly and locally, as well as more economically, combined with a greater awareness of the health benefits of probiotics from cultures and whole foods.
But with that popularity has come a load of misinformation and deceiving products on the web. Authentic kefir can only be made by real kefir grains, not from any kind of packet or powder (or from incubating store-bought kefir). Kefir available at the stores are simply imitations. This is due to regulations on consistent products with known ingredients, bottling procedures and packaging and shipping standards. As with most nutritious foods, real kefir can only be made and experienced at home.
Milk Kefir originated roughly 2,000 years ago in the Caucasian Mountains between Europe and Russia, which makes kefir one of the oldest milk ferments in existence. If you have more questions you can check out Yemoos Nourishing Cultures to see photos, FAQ’s, health benefits and other information on milk kefir.
Organic Ginger Ale Soda in a Glass with Lemon and Lime
In traditional holistic medicine, ginger has long been held in high esteem. It is frequently used to treat a variety of ailments including nausea, stomach upset, arthritis and heart disease. It also reduces chronic inflammation, pain and migraine headaches. And of all the ways to consume ginger, homemade ginger ale may be the easiest and most delicious.
Ginger has been used in Chinese medicine for more than 2,000 years. The active compounds in ginger that provide its healing power are gingerol and shogaol, known to be beneficial in treating ulcers, gout and the complications of diabetes. It is also high in potassium, a mineral vital for correct heart function, and maganese, which increases resistance to disease. Manganese also strengthens the body’s circulatory system and the lining of the heart. Other minerals are phosphorus, sodium, iron, calcium and zinc.
Silicon is another component of ginger. It supports healthy skin, hair, teeth and nails. Ginger contains vitamins A, C., E. and B complex. It is high in beta-carotene.
Research studies have proven that ginger reduces muscle pain and back pain. For women, ginger reduces menstrual pain. Science has demonstrated ginger’s anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties, proving it inhibits the formation of inflammatory compounds.
One of the best known uses of ginger is the treatment of nausea. Ginger is more effective in treating nausea and indigestion than many commercial antacids. For cold and flu symptoms, ginger is as effective as many antihistamines and decongestants. A good recipe for colds and coughing can be made by brewing ginger and tamarind leaves in hot water, then crushing them and adding some honey.
Now you’re convinced of the benefit of using ginger, try this great recipe for Homemade Ginger Ale:
Ingredients 1 cup peeled, finely chopped or grated ginger
2 cups purified water
raw honey (optional)
sparkling water
1 lemon, juiced
Preparation Boil 2 cups of water, and add ginger. Reduce the heat to medium low, then let the mixture simmer for 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and strain.
To serve
Use one part ginger syrup and three parts sparkling water. Serve on the rocks. Sweeten the drink to your taste with raw honey or stevia, and add a little lemon juice. Yum!
