Getting off the Food Grid...

Today has been a feast day - and I haven't stopped since early this morning. I have been cooking our Samhain dinner all day - thankfully I had most of the treats done in the past few days as well as our desserts for today.

Right now everyone is very full and feeling really good. In case you are wondering - our menu for tonight's feast was marinated roasted venison, thyme roasted root vegetables, including our own fresh baby carrots and corn, Waldorf salad with homemade mayonnaise, stuffed onions with rice, leeks and feta cheese - sweet bread made with cranberries and walnuts and gravy.

It was fabulous, one of the best meals I have ever had and even the venison turned out tender and nice. I have not cooked game meat in several years, so I was fairly careful with this piece I wanted it to be just right. 

I marinated it for over 24 hours in homemade mustard with salt, pepper and extra olive oil to ensure it would not be tough or gamey tasting. I think the trick for this kind of meat is the marinade but also to keep turning it over as it sits in plenty of juice. The olive oil helped as well.

A lovely meal all round at the end of the day! 

Now that this day is coming to a close it will be interesting to see what this next month or so brings in terms of change, learning and my continual discovery about food. I am constantly surprised and amazed  at how much further we can go as a family to live more sustainably as well as to get off of the grid more and more.

For us, getting off of the food grid is our priority - I don't want to eat anything prepared by someone else. And it appears we have achieved exactly that and are now completely comfortable with that. Now, my mind has been wandering to how else we can remove ourselves from other energetic signatures around our food....

Time will tell

April 

Colourful veggies ready for the oven

Raw Pumpkin and A Scary Night

One more day until Samhain - this is such a big time of year for us here - things really get down to the crunch of detoxing after this last Feast of the season. What we try to do then is really enjoy this week and this season to the fullest.

When we strip away the commercial aspects of Halloween, the sugar, candy, and the near Christmas like atmosphere it has started to resemble - what are we left with? Perhaps a raw pumpkin and a scary night.

Of course being an Intuitive I am always trying to figure things out, I need to know why we think a certain way, why we eat the food we do and then how to make it better. There is no doubt the veil between worlds is thinner at this time of year.

What that means is that beings from other worlds can move more easily back and forth. But it also tells us they are supposed to - otherwise this time would not have been possible and built into the nature of the earth herself.

Why might this be important for those of us living here on this planet? And what does this all have to do with the food we are eating, detox and cleansing....well. Perhaps there are both living and dead parts of ourselves - in the same manner we would eat some of our foods dead.

In times past animal meats from game such as deer, rabbits, ducks and fish would have been consumed fairly regularly. To use such meat meant giving thanks for the souls of each animal as well as providing them with a place (and a space) to leave the earth on their own journey.

This is the time of year when these animals would have traditionally been hunted and killed for our food. It would have been important to the ancient Pagans that the spiritual aspects of these animals would be able to move on after death.

When we eat animal meats from animals who have been ill treated or are unhappy about being part of the food chain, we do end up taking on that energy. Perhaps that's why many people have trouble digesting meat in any quantity. 

Of course we only need a little meat (and many would argue none at all) - I have personally spent more than a few years as a vegan and would now only eat meat selectively. I would also prefer game meat and home raised food animals over commercial types of meats.

Maybe during this Halloween season you can give thanks in some small way for the animals who gave their lives for your dinner - mindfulness.

April 

Goose in the grass

I Deserve Better Food

Well today was just a catching up day for me - I did not really cook anything much because I spent part of my day walking around Fota Wildlife Park with the children. It was a lovely day and the place was really pleasant and busy.

However, being ever vigilant and by now used to reading all the adverts I was quite surprised by the pushiness of it all... I mean outside the toilets there were strategically placed ads for ice cream. Just in case you missed them on the way past the little shop or the restaurant. 

Oh well. It all seems to be a bit too much in your face at times - these fast food, junk and sweet makers are a lot like drug pushers. I remember walking in big cities such as Toronto or Rome many years ago and passing someone who would mention under their breath the name of some drug they were selling...

An advert placed outside a toilet is a bit like that memory for me. The sign sort of yells 'Hey buddy, want to eat some sugary high fat chemically processed junk before your dinner?' And of course it is aimed at the little ones.

So, back to my day - I thought it was time I had a re-evaluation day because I think I have reached yet another milestone here. Without even realizing it I am no longer even carefully considering what to make, how to make it or dragging my feet in any way - I am just jumping in and making something on the run so to speak.

Yesterday we wanted to go to the cinema (this is still a big deal here as we only go about 3 or 4 times in a year) and needed something to bring in the car for a treat. With only an hour to get everyone ready and out the door - I dropped everything and whipped up a batch of flapjacks.

Then today, I did it again - someone said treat and I jumped into action and within a few minutes I had a pan of cashew cookie bars chilling in the fridge. It is that easy! And I was very pleased to find I had crossed over yet another form of reluctance.

You must know what I am talking about, the sense that you want to make something, but have a hard time either getting started or you end up giving in to the thinking it is too much trouble. Then time will go by and the task never gets done. 

It must be a form of procrastination tinged with self sabotage. 

When I came home this afternoon we wanted bean burgers and onion rings - both of which are easily enough made. The catch was, these taste loads better with mayonnaise - so I did it once again. In no time flat I had a bowl of fresh mayo on the table - and it was the nicest one I have made so far.

If I was to bring these two experiences together at the end of the day I would say to the junk food pushers - I am way ahead of you, I can do far better. And you know what? I deserve better too.

April

Black Swan at Fota in Cobh Cork 

The Scary Part of Halloween, the Sweets

I remember a few years ago when I was completing a diploma course in Nutrition, one of the many things we learned during those years was some of the specifics about Halloween candy. Yes, apparently there are brands of sweets that you might only see around this time of year and they are nasty...

Actually I think I can remember some of them... not that there were many sweets in the house where I grew up. However, at Halloween it was expected, right? I mean children come around to your door and you provide them with the material to degrade their gut bacteria, rot their teeth and otherwise cause harmful effects on their health. 

It's a great time of year all around. 

Of course, if we really stop and think about it - no one wants to be party to any of these negatives listed above. We would all like to think that we know better, so we can do better. But how many of us really do - or do we still choose to take the 'easy' way out?

And for the life of me, I am not certain why caving in to the marketing campaign, then handing out sweets to unsuspecting little children is an easy way out... who wins in the end? Parents putting hyper strung out sugar drunk children to bed or the children themselves with sore tummies and worse?

The interesting thing is it doesn't have to be this way. We all know by now you can have your cake (sugar free) and eat it too....What better message to send to children then to be, act, live and do - in as responsible manner as possible. 

Perhaps here is as good a time as any to remind you of some basic energy laws - it's never about them, it's always about us. So, if we feel the need to cave in and fill up our families with sugar or any manner of rubbish - what need in us are we filling? 

And who is really in charge here, of you and the foods you choose to eat? 

April 

Pumpkin vines in the garden...

You have got to try this recipe! Apple Crumble

Well, back at it again after a bit of a sad time these past couple of days - saying good bye is never easy, and certainly not to a member of the family such as a precious dog. However it does make it easier when she wasn't well and was ready to move on.

Of course, I have been feeling her around me for the past day - slowly making her journey onwards to other worlds. And what do I do to cope with loss and grief? Cook. Eat. Walk. Perhaps that is really all a person can do under these circumstances. Do the best you can with where you are.

Tonight we had her funeral - and why am I telling you all of this and what does this have to do with apple crumble? I made enough food for an Irish wake ( I guess it is an Irish wake, I mean she was an Irish dog and this is Ireland...) so, we have loads of food to eat and I am doing what I love to do in her honour.

But, also being a long weekend and Samhain coming up next week - I like to make special foods for this the second most important holiday all year. One of my favourite dessert dishes when the apples are fresh is an apple cobbler or crumble. 

This is super easy to make and I promise there won't be any left over! 

Apple Crumble

Sauce;

5 large apples chopped (mixed types is good)

1 tsp cinnamon

1 cup water

1 tblsp custard powder or cornstarch with 1 tsp vanilla essence

¼ cup honey

Topping;

¾ cup spelt flour

½ cup oats

3 tblsp butter

¼ cup maple syrup

pinch salt,  pinch baking soda

Preheat oven to 175ºC and prepare a medium sized baking dish by rubbing butter on the inside.

Chop the apples into large and small pieces and place in a sauce pan with the water, cinnamon and honey. Bring to a boil, turn down and cook gently for about 10 minutes. Add in the custard powder – or you can use cornstarch with 1 tsp of vanilla essence. Turn off the heat and allow this mixture to cool down. It should thicken slightly.

In a deep bowl place the dry ingredients spelt flour and oats. Using your fingers rub in the butter and then mix in the maple syrup with a wooden spoon. If you want more for a thicker crumble or bigger baking dish, add more oats and a little milk.

Place the apple mixture in the bottom of the baking dish and start crumbling the oat paste over top. Cover as much as you can, especially in the middle, the liquid at the sides will bubble up either way. 

Place in a hot oven for about 20 minutes until the topping is browning and the apple sauce is bubbling a little. Take out and serve immediately on it’s own or with goat’s milk ice cream. Greatest dessert I’ve ever had!

I think it may take us a couple of days to work our way through all of this food...

April

Apple Crumble 

Breaking Bread

These past few weeks I have been mentioning bread a lot - but especially one aspect of it. The flour. Continuing on with the theme of getting out of our food ruts, changing or combining types of flours for bread and baking is more then a treat.

I have found myself using barley, oat, gram, lentil and several other types of flours more often these days. Perhaps since the colder weather set in and I think it has to do with wanting some additional variety in our diets, but also to play around with them.

Most of the time for nearly all my baking I use whole grain organic spelt flour and it works out great. Occasionally I throw in some organic white spelt flour if I am making something a little more refined such as cookies or scones. 

But over these past few weeks I have been drawn to using more oat and barley flours in my breads - often mixed in with the spelt, which gives it far more flavour and quite a different texture. These breads are a little denser and heavier then plain spelt flour, however there is something quite nice about all of this experimenting.

Changing out flours can be better for us and most of them are easier to digest then wheat. The other important point here is that they are all nutritionally superior to wheat with loads more vitamins and minerals then even white spelt flour.

Apparently oat flour is one of the best flours you can use in your cooking and baking. I like it because it gives such a nice taste to the bread. It is also low in gluten and offers the goodness of oats. You can grind some yourself easily in a spice mill or coffee grinder in a few minutes. 

Getting a variety of nutrients in your diet is not difficult when you use a variety of foods from many sources. And your food will never be boring - something different each day can be created with just a little effort.

April

Spelt and Oat bread 

Meeting Basic Food Needs

One of the many things I have noticed over the years of talking to people about food, is how very many of us out there, have a tendency to eat the exact same things day in and day out. By this I mean, they would have on any given day, all of the same foods over and over again.

I have met people who actually have not varied their diets much over a few years - a daily menu might consist of the same cereal for breakfast, the same snacks at work, the same sandwich for lunch and then go home to a dinner of the same 2 veg and meat with the same type of bread.

If this changes - it does so very little. Perhaps the meat alters from chicken to beef or once in a while some fish. The vegetables might consist of what can be found at the local grocery store - mostly sterile, dry looking things....

The only way to eat for health is to include a good variety of foods. You do not have to be eating fruit flown half way around the world to get it either. There is a good variety of local produce right at our doorsteps - usually by way of the farmers markets.

Most markets have vegetables that would not be normally found in supermarkets - a variety of coloured carrots for instance, several types of kale or farm fresh corn. They might also bring in an abundance of locally produced fruits in season such as strawberries and cheeses to go along with that.

If you find yourself caught in a rut where food is concerned branch out - get out there and seek out new and different vegetables or fruits you haven't had in a while. Then each week throw in something different. Perhaps it's a turnip, some fresh greens, red carrots, beet root and so forth.

The fun part here might be in learning how to cook them, what to eat them with and preparing different dishes for your family. However one of the most important aspects of including an abundance of different foods is that you ensure vitamins, minerals and other nutritional needs are being met for your entire body. 

You can't enjoy good health if you don't supply body, mind and soul with all it needs. 

April 

Lady's Mantle in the garden

Food Tips Learned Along the Way

I am always thinking about food and of course have been around it for so very long, lots of time I have these things in my head and I never ever write them down. I just started to do that this week and so far here is a little list I have on the go right now....

Tips for Food and Eating

Don’t throw away anything – get a dog or a cat and feed your leftover food to them.

Food left to sit for awhile, usually tastes better, especially bean dishes, soups, stews and even porridge.

Every chance you get, sit to eat your meal - set the table, light a candle and appreciate your abundance. 

Be inventive and creative with your meals, don’t get into a rut and make the same meals again and again you can always use different vegetables, various beans, lentils, peas or types of fish and meat.

Buy as much food in bulk, organic and directly from the producers as you can. Be a regular at farmers markets. 

Anything you can grow, make or cook yourself, do so. It tastes better and you control the ingredients.

Don't make meat the central point of every meal, the majority of your food should come from plants. 

When travelling, take your own water, snacks and prepared meals with you, that way you won’t have to buy anything dodgy.

If you eat too much one day, fast the next day – you’ll feel better and give your system a chance to digest and recover.

In a spice mill or coffee grinder, you can make your own oat flour, ground spices, ground seeds, nuts and much more.

When using different types of flours such as oat, spelt, barley – you may have to adjust the amount of liquid as each flour absorbs differently. 

Eating and choosing organic foods are always best, of course when you can grown your own, you know all the goodness of the plant is not interfered with.

Add dried herbs at the beginning of cooking (I add turmeric, cinnamon to rice), but add your fresh herbs at the end.

Don't forget to add seaweed to your soup stock, for any beans and lentils you cook and even to rice. In place of salt this makes a nice flavour which will not toughen the food as salt can. 

Use herb scissors or a very fine knife for chopping fresh herbs – even distribution throughout the meal is better.

Use only fresh well or spring water in all your cooking and meal preparation – you will taste the difference. 

Include green leaves at least twice a week in your meals - there are bacteria in your gut who need these in order to thrive.

Plan your meals, carefully consider what you are eating and then notice how you feel after your meals. 

~~~~

We are fortunate in ways we will never fully understand - especially when it comes to food, learn to choose the best, eat for health and use your food as medicine for the body, mind and soul.

April

One of my favourite dishes - Roasted Stuffed Onions with feta cheese 

Broccoli & Goat's Cheese Soup

Yesterday was an interesting day, I wanted to clear out any food left hanging around that was still useful - a general cleanup before I get back to eating again at the end of the week. With only one person (and 2 dogs, cat, turtle) eating in the house at the moment, I don't want things to go off.

With this in mind, I am cooking with the foods most likely to not last too long, early in the week while the other hardier vegetables will keep. And anything that needs to be used up - well, I have had to be creative and find ways to get them into meals.

I had a piece of very nice goat's cheese that I thought would make a lovely pot of soup - along with a large piece of broccoli. The soup started with these two ingredients - and took off from there! LOL

Making soup is something I enjoy doing, I start with sautéing leeks, onions, garlic and then place a few lentils and seaweed in the soup pot. I get all of this cooking and just add to it from there. With this particular soup, I wanted it to be mainly broccoli, but even this needs help.

To the pot I put in some sweet potato, pumpkin, a carrot and lots of fresh herbs from the garden for extra flavour. There was a very large amount of broccoli, so I wasn't overly concerned with losing the focus of the dish.

Once it was all cooked and pureed I added 1 cup of goat's milk and then some of the goat's cheese (grated up) as the soup cooled down for about an hour or so. When I gave it a stir it was nice and creamy and had thickened up.

Broccoli & Goat's Cheese Soup

And, the one thing I love about mixing some of these flavours, it didn't have an overly heavy smell from the broccoli, the milk and cheese had softened it quite a bit. I was pleased with it and will make it again at the weekend, so the rest of us can try it too - perhaps this time with a stronger cheese.

April 

Pineapple Walnut Cake

Today has been rather productive for a Sunday and a fasting day! We got a few things done in the herb garden and I also had time to get in some cooking and baking. Of course this is my favourite thing to do  - so I always have time for it.

As a result of today's exploits I made a pot of cream of broccoli soup and a pineapple walnut cake. That was aside from all the work with the herbs....

Of course the cake was the most interesting part - it all started with a tin of pineapple (organic of course) that was left over in the cupboard. I don't have many tins of things here, so this one just sort of stood out all alone.

Today I pulled it out and decided something had to be done with this lonely pineapple and it whispered 'cake'. Actually this is a really easy cake to make and it sort of just fell together in a matter of minutes. 

I always start out with the basic 3 cups of flour, bread soda, salt - to this I added cinnamon, coconut and chopped walnuts. It all looked good so far and I could actually taste the final result. I guess this time I was baking for a certain taste if that makes sense!

Then, for the wet ingredients I put in some agave syrup and apple sauce as a sweetener, 3 duck eggs and oil. It was all quickly mixed together until there was no more flour visible and now I had a lovely cake batter.

For an added twist I decided to bake it in one of my clay pots. After soaking the clay pot in water for about 15 minutes it was ready to be buttered and floured on the inside. I coated it well and then spooned the cake batter inside. 

I was a little worried that I might have just wasted my time (and my tin of pineapple!) because I had no idea how the clay pot would do with the cake - 55 minutes later it came out of the oven and smelled and looks delicious. 

My taste tester, who is 5 approved, but the only description I was able to get was that it tasted like 'cake'. She is right now eating a piece of the cake after I poured some honey over top as a topping.

Can't wait until the weekend when I can eat again! 

April

Pineapple walnut cake 

Sugar Free Samhain

Today has been a busy day with running around for classes with the kids - I love Saturdays for that reason and I get a lot done out and about. One thing caught my eye today however and it never dawned on me before now -

It's Halloween in a couple of weeks and we don't do anything processed! Not that I have given out sugar treats in the past 10 years or so, however, I would buy healthy snacky things to have on hand. This year with our nothing processed rule, is going to be interesting indeed.

This was our topic of discussion as we were coming home earlier today - what on earth to do about Halloween. First of all, let me clarify things here - this is Ireland and usually we would not get anyone at all come to the door trick or treating. But the odd time it does happen.

The other point to be made is in years past my own children would get to eat the snacks and we would have our own little celebration of Samhain. However, this year we are all geared up for some great homemade treats such as cookies, halva, flapjacks and so forth.

As of right now I have quite a line up of delicious foods to make over the coming holiday (love long weekends) and our house will once again go into party mode. My own children don't eat sugar and never have - they are quite happy to indulge in our own homemade treats.

Other people's kids I am not so certain about! LOL It was decided today that should someone show up looking for a treat, we would invite them in for home pressed apple juice and sugar free cookies and cake. 

I'll have to let you know if there are any takers!! 

April

Nut butter cookies 

Walnut Apple Muffins - Lovely Autumn Treat!

Today has been a busy one for me - I did manage to get in some cooking though - this is my one favourite activity that I find so relaxing, or perhaps fulfilling is the best word to use here. On the days I don't cook I feel as if something is missing.

And no, it doesn't seem to matter that right now I am fasting and not eating solid foods - I still love to create these dishes in the kitchen and see how they turn out. I always thought it would bother me, but I am must be made of stronger stuff! Once my mind is made up, that is it, I see something through to the end.

Well, today I made some hazelnut butter which always turns out lovely - this is such an easy nut butter to make. I mean you hardly have to do anything - lightly roast the hazelnuts in the oven for 9 minutes, rub the skins off and then buzz them in the blender for a few minutes.

Voila! There is the most wonderful nut butter you can ever imagine - I have enough for the next couple of  weeks on hand right now and hope to make some nut butter cookies with it next week. Or maybe some other new recipe?

Then later today I decided to use up some goat's milk in the fridge and make muffins (I had already made bread in the morning). I wanted a nice rich taste for this time of year and settled on walnut and apple with lots of spices thrown in for good measure.

At this point I am so used to baking I just start throwing ingredients in and get going with the recipes! For these muffins I used white and whole grain spelt flour, 1 cup of ground linseeds, the usual baking soda, salt, cinnamon, apple sauce, milk and maple syrup.

This was such a simple little recipe and whipped up in minutes - they were done in 18 minutes and of course smelled great!. Got a thumbs up from my little girl and the dog who got the one that hit the floor!

April

Walnut apple muffins

Baked Beans - a wonderful fall meal...

Although I am not eating right now, I still cook every day for my family and want them to have nourishing delicious meals. Yesterday I was wondering what I might make that I haven't made in a while and thought of baked beans.

You know me, I love these clay pots - so I got out my bean crock pot and put some haricot beans in soak for this meal. I am starting to wonder if meals cooked in clay pots are that much less acidic, as people claim. Maybe time will tell - our bodies should digest the food better or something?

So, today I wanted to make baked beans- one of my favourite dishes especially good with a warm slice of buttered bread right out of the oven. I even made some spelt bread with loads of herbs and walnuts for a little twist to go with the beans. 

Haricot beans are a lovely bean to cook, easy to digest -- I always cook beans with seaweed in the pot as opposed to salt which would make them tough. Once the beans were done, I scooped them out of the pot and used some of the water as a base for the sauce.

Haricot beans in bean pot

To make the sauce I used beetroot, carrot, pumpkin, squash, onion, garlic and leek. The onion, garlic and leek were sautéd separately first and then added to the cooking root vegetables. These would have taken at least an hour or more to blend completely.

For extra taste and flavour, I love using warming spices such as turmeric, cumin and thyme and fresh herbs from the garden oregano, chives and lovage. These were gradually added during the course of cooking. Once the sauce was well cooked I added in 1 large tablespoon of corn starch to thicken it a little more.

Then I pureed the vegetables into a smooth sauce -- you could never tell there are no tomatoes in there! The colour is lovely! This was poured into the crock pot with the beans and baked in the oven for about 45 minutes or so. 

It got a thumbs up from my taste testers and I have enough sauce left over to freeze for when my fasting is over.... Great days work

April

Baked beans in extra sauce!

Health - A front row seat to the Universe

One of the things I hardly ever mention here is the fact that I had cancer a few years ago and it was my wake up call. For everything really. Although my diet was not terrible, and I have always exercised in some manner, there was still a lot of room for improvement.

Of course I am not one to do things half way - so I changed every aspect of my life and have stuck with it.  Besides, I really wanted to be here to raise my family and I wanted them to know how to stay healthy too. 

That is why when I meet people who seemingly do everything they can to destroy their health or at least they are giving it their best shot, I am baffled at the amount of resistance to positive change. They smoke, drink too much, eat rubbish foods, sit around too long - and one day wake up - very unhealthy.

However, some of them wonder why! It is obvious to many their diets need to change, some thought should be given to lifestyle and that down the road health will suffer if you don't start making changes right now. For others, this is not so straight forward - perhaps they feel they will live forever and have years left before they need to make some fundamental changes.

When I look back now at my life and how much I have changed -- how my body has come full circle to be in far better health then I have ever known, I realize that this time is not wasted. 

Instead of spending years hoping something health related doesn't crop up or worse - I have spent years having the time of my life getting to know my body for the first time. Exploring, learning and listening to all that it is capable of.

My only medicine are herbs, my water must be pristine from the ground, my food organic, local (as much as possible) and not processed in any way. Of course I exercise, spend time outside and in every way examine my life for more ways I can do this better.

In return, I have excellent health - an immune system that works and a body I listen to. But there is something more than only this -- I have a connection, I am drawn into and shown my bodies wonders -- as if a front row seat to the Universe.

Our bodies are very forgiving places - however we must make the time and put in the effort to reap the rewards of fully living for as long as we are here. This is something we are all able to do - you only have to want it bad enough.

April

Moroccan Tagine Clay Pot Cooking - vegetable stew

More forays into the world of clay pot cooking here for me -- seeing as the rest of us are doing our Master Cleanse and I am cooking for a smaller number (1 child, 2 dogs, 1 cat), I have decided to use my Tagine cooker.

It was quite a process to get this started -- I found some great Middle Eastern sites with very useful advice and directions on how to use this particular type of pot. Just as a refresher - a clay pot has to be soaked in cold water for an hour before use, a Tagine can then be coated with olive oil on the inside, then placed in a cold oven with the food inside....

What I really wanted to try out yesterday was cooking a stew with rice, lentils and vegetables in it to see how it would turn out. I wasn't totally gone on the idea - however, I love to experiment with food and these pots are just so nice!

I went ahead and prepared a veggie stew as I would normally. Chopped up vegetables on hand - sweet potato, pumpkin, carrots, leek, onion and garlic. Then put this into the pot together with a cup of rice, 1/4 cup lentils, water and spices.

Because this is a Moroccan Tagine - I also put in some sultanas and used a little more spice such as cumin. Might as well bring out the best with this! 

Once it was full enough, I placed the pot into a cold oven and turned it onto a low heat of 150 degrees C - then I left it for about 2 1/2 hours. Of course after awhile the aroma coming from the the stew was lovely.

The stew turned out perfectly - it looked and smelled gorgeous! And got a thumbs up from my little taste tester... Happy Day!

April 

Veggie stew cooked in a Tagine

Salt of the Earth

As soon as my eyes opened this morning I was thinking of salt. Of course I had my Salt Water Flush first thing on my to do list -- perhaps that was part of why it was on my mind. But, also, I really do like salt - the taste, what it does to food and the fact that it's a natural ingredient.

The salt I use is sea salt - it is actually grey or dark in colour, quite coarse and gritty. It is made in France directly on the sea shore by a process of simply... who cares, right?

One of the reasons why I wanted to mention salt is because it so often gets a bad rap. I have seen advertisements and briefings about research studies telling people to stay away from it, cut down on salt and then there are all of these highly processed, packaged foods, low in sodium.

Thank goodness for that!! (not)

When sodium has been taken out or reduced in these processed foods, you can be certain something even more sinister has been added in it's place. More sugar, other preservatives or some other ingredients we cannot pronounce. 

So, low salt packaged foods are definitely not the answer. Actually, any prepared food is likely to contain far too much salt because it balances the taste of added sugars. And it makes the food 'keep' a little longer.

Salt can be found in breads, cereals, sauces and soups - all foods that you should be making for yourself. (It is that easy) The names used by manufacturers are - monosodium glutamate, sea salt, disodium phosphate, baking soda, sodium citrate amongst many others. 

This type of salt, along with eating a diet of packaged, processed and prepared foods is the stuff which causes health problems. Salt on it's own; as part of a balanced diet, active lifestyle with real food and clean water -- does not cause these problems. 

Salt is actually great for cleaning (as in a detox), removing debris (bathing in salty water), scouring pots and pans, preserving foods, enhancing flavour and is a known antidote to all of the radiation we are exposed to. But, I am not talking about table salt - and not in any significant quantities (too much salt is still a problem).

I have long thought this was the main reason we are all craving so much of it - too much electromagnetic radiation needs to be counter balanced and therefore we crave salt. What you really need to do here is reduce the radiation exposure -- get rid of television, don't hold a cell phone near your head and do not sleep with a radio near your bed. 

All sensible things to do to clear the clutter and reduce the 'waves' around you. 

Getting back to using sea salt in food and cooking - I use it and really enjoy it. Of course I don't use a lot - most people would add extra salt to my food. However, we can taste it - perhaps because we have been eating a clean diet for so long. 

And I enjoy salted organic popcorn. Salt, there is nothing like it! 

April

Regular detoxing - a healthy relationship with food

Today is Day 1 of my Master Cleanse for October - so I didn't do much of any cooking and no eating for me until 12 days from now. The first day of any MC, I always spend sipping only water or herbal teas. 

I will start with the MC juice either tomorrow or Tuesday. I really enjoy this little clean out and besides my body takes a couple of days to adjust into detox mode. That's when the real work begins, not that it hasn't already!

I can honestly say I don't know how everyone doesn't live like this - my body gets a good clean out, repair, replenishment and healing takes place on every level and I always feel great after a cleanse. But, my house gets a clear out too, the kitchen will be reorganized, tidied and sorted and much more. 

Careful planning and thought goes into where things should be, creating better flow and ease of food preparation as well as finding better ways to store my kitchen gadgets. I really enjoy the down time -- for those who have been following along with my other detoxes, this is truly a creative time for me!

So, today has been enjoyable, I started in this morning and have not really stopped yet - even the windows were done today. It was such a beautiful sunny day (for the most part) that we were able to accomplish a lot.

The same with these past few weeks - I have been putting a lot of effort into concocting new recipes and revamping some old ones to suit our needs here. I have made some lovely dishes and played around quite a bit in the kitchen. 

Some of my favorites have been Rosemary Lamb Cobbler, Sheeps Cheese & Duck Egg Pie and my very own homemade dandelion coffee (we dug up dandelion roots, roasted them and made our own coffee). 

It just seems that whatever is made with love and from the spirit of wanting to have a healthy relationship with your food - tastes so much better!

April

Coconut balls and dandelion coffee - a favourite around here! 

Detox -- Have a Plan

To detox means something very specific, it is the removal process of years of built up toxins, grime and chemical residues from the tissues and organs of the body. This is not a quick fix, nor is it something to be entered into lightly- yet this is the most important health choice you will probably ever make.

Your body has been inundated with poisons from every place imaginable, and non worse then the very food you are eating – while believing that it is nourishing you; body, mind and soul. This is no longer the case as the foods we are eating, what has been made available on the supermarket shelves are no longer clean, wholesome or handled with care.

All together this has left our bodies in a sorry state and this is just from the food! The other aspects of eating the way we have been encouraged to eat, is that we are making very wrong choices for our spiritual and conscious selves. There is no way that you can follow a nutritionally depleted diet and expect to grow and develop in any spiritual manner. 

Healing and detoxing also takes time- usually a lot of time as your bodies tissues when fed properly will only release discreet amounts of toxins that are easily broken down and handled by the organs involved. By detoxing as you eat and taking your time with it, your liver and kidneys are not stressed and burdened further and your body is repaired and rebuilt at the same time.

The quick fixes and 10 day food/supplement detoxes on the market are pretty much a scam- your body cannot possibly detox in such a short space of time. Nor is this a safe way to approach health and healing. 

During the first few months eating, fasting or making lifestyle changes, energy will be spent on healing, replenishing, absorbing and stabilizing body tissues- only after this is done will the body start to detox and then one component at a time; again as your body is ready and the conditions are right.

If all you want to do is heal your health condition and reclaim your life- this is still the way to do it. By following a balanced and healthy lifestyle regimen you will recondition your body and uplift your spirit- whatever your intention. Once toxins are safely removed from your plate the work begins in earnest and changes will take place.

To detox and cleanse was my early intention- then as my own body healed itself of cancer, arthritis and inflammation, I watched so many things shift in my daily life because of the way that I was eating- I no longer considered it a cleanse- it is a way of life. One that has continued to unfold more deeply into myself and lead me into a greater awareness of what it means to move to higher ground.

Whatever your plan and no matter what your state of health, this is the way for you and your family- heal your body, mind and soul and change the things that are no longer working in your life. 

April

Clay Pot Cooking - New Adventures (again!)

Years ago I used to have one of these clay pots – it’s like a roasting pan, but made of terracotta clay for anyone not familiar with them. I loved it then and of course – forgot about this marvelous little thing along the way.

A few days ago I had the chance to get another one – and jumped at it. I don’t know why I hadn’t thought of it sooner. If I remember correctly, food used to taste better in them and there were several other benefits as well. 

These lovely pots can be used for making nearly anything - soups, stews, cooking meats, vegetables, fish or roasting anything. They are durable and sturdy in an old fashioned kind of way.

I have been slowly coming to the conclusion that the older ways of cooking, food preparation and even the foods we ate (in general) were far healthier and perhaps better for us. At least in a wholesome way. 

In my reading and studies over the years I have come across mention of several chefs who did not like to use stainless steel cooking pots or even knives. And there is research out there mentioning how these pots leach iron, nickel and chromium into the food. 

It’s not that I am so very concerned about these metals, however, something that doesn’t add anything to the food might be a better alternative. Plus, these clay pots, stoneware and even old iron pots have been used for millennia. 

In my searches I found several benefits to be gained from using clay pots in particular and I am now planning on using my new pot far more.

1. Alkaline- apparently the clay reacts with the food, reducing pH in acidic foods

2. You will get slow, even cooking because of the porous nature of the pot which retains moisture 

3. Food browns inside the clay pot, even with the lid on

4. Foods can be cooked or baked with a minimum of liquid and no additional fat

5. The clay pot retains heat for sometime after the oven is off, keeping the food inside hot

6. An unglazed clay pot will act as a super steamer, absorbing and releasing liquids as it cooks

Of course as a Nutritionist I am particularly interested in the fact that these pots alkalize the food inside - far too many of us are eating acidic diets and suffer from acid forming conditions and high levels of stress. Anyway this can be reduced is a good thing. 

To use your clay pot there are some basic guidelines to keep in mind - 

• The pot (especially an unglazed one) should be presoaked in cold water for about 15 minutes completely submerged before use
• Place in a cold oven, which has not been preheated
• Do not place earthenware in a hot oven when it is empty – apparently this can crack it especially if it is glazed. 
• Some are designed to be used on the top of a stove, follow the directions from the manufacturer and perhaps use a heat diffuser on the stove element to protect the pot.
• Line with parchment paper if cooking fish, because the pot can absorb odours from the food
• Do not set the clay pot on a cold surface once out of the oven

There are several (or many) types of clay pots available too - such as garlic roasters and bread cookers made from clay. Once again those who use them regularly, really enjoy them and talk about their many benefits. 

Today I used mine to cook a lamb roast - it was marinated for 24 hours in the pot, maintained it's moisture and even browned with the lid on. It also cooked far faster on the lower heat probably because of the steam and heat inside of the pot. 

Overall I am delighted to have found this again after all these years - now I am trying to think of some other recipes to try out so I can use it far more! 

April

New Clay Pot

Old Time Recipes

So, today we feasted on the Rosemary lamb cobbler I made late last night - it was delicious!! There was only one problem - I should have made two of them.

I have been searching around for old recipe ideas as well as trying to imagine what cooking would have been like a few hundred years ago - how we used to cook with just the basic raw ingredients. Nothing from a tin, a packet or ready made.

They seemed to have eaten a lot of things in pies, with crusts and otherwise wrapped in light pastry like dough. Perhaps this was to conceal poor quality meat or some other mishap, however it does make for a tasty meal! 

Back then there wasn't any sugar, self rising flour, or packets of jello to fluff out a recipe. There was only the pure real flavour of mostly fresh food. The marvelous thing is how great meals were prepared with seemingly limited ingredients - just goes to show how less is more when it comes to food.

There were other vegetables used as well - not the very few that we are accustomed to finding on the supermarket shelves these days - because that's what Big Supermarket has asked their farmers to grow and that is what we are getting.

No, back then there were purple and white carrots, sorrel, beets, celeriac, purslane, a huge variety of herbs everything local, fresh and real. These are some of the so-called 'forgotten' vegetables of today. Many of which have simply gone out of fashion but are no less nutritious and necessary in a balanced diet.

No one worried over GMO, pesticides... got off track there!! They didn't worry about these things, but they worried about others. Life was much the same, as it is now, without the running water and indoor plumbing. 

But what was different about other times and the foods they ate that might be of interest to us now (walking a spiritual path or not) is the wholesomeness. The ingenious combinations of things, the variety of foods used and because you could taste it.

Today I tasted the Rosemary Lamb Cobbler - lamb slow cooked in the oven with garlic, onions and herbs. Cups of carrot, sweet potato and parsnips and a light juice made from the drippings. This all went into a deep pie dish.

Once this was full to nearly over flowing -  I placed a simple dough over the top made from spelt flour, rosemary, baking soda, duck egg, salt and milk. This was dropped in spoonfuls over the meat until it covered the top.

Because everything was cooked before hand except for the crust - it only needed to be in the oven for about 30 minutes or so and then it was done. We all knew it was done because the aroma was divine! It was a full meal in one dish - and it looked like something you would serve in a castle.

Or hopefully a palace... LOL

April

Rosemary Lamb Cobbler

Creating a food legacy.... The Change Starts with You

One of the things I hope I am getting across here is the fact that we can enjoy great food which doesn't cost too much - but saves you plenty in the end because your health improves. Another point I hope to be making is how easy it is to remove processed foods, sugar, chemicals and other unnecessary nasties from your food chain.

As human being living on this planet never before in our life times of millions of years have we been faced with so much food, and nothing decent to eat. But what is worse 'now' is how so many of us go blindly forward eating all the rubbish shoved into our faces. 

Seemingly without question.

The funny thing is I remember the days when I just ate what was in front of me, or convenient easy to prepare food. Without giving it much thought - I can't even remember if I tasted anything. It seems to me now that everything tasted the same. 

Perhaps because now I have a clean palate and can actually taste and smell very precisely the dishes I am preparing - my food tastes very different to me. Things are sharper, sweeter, crisper or something along those lines. 

Once I had removed the stimulants such as sugar and caffeine - my body calmed down enough for me to make some more rational decisions about the rest of my life. Then once I removed medicated foods such as cow's milk, tap water and meats - my digestion changed almost as fast as my outlook.

I am a person who believes when something is removed something better should be replacing it - when you take sugar away from the diet, other healthy sweet options take their place. Caffeine is a drug and I do not choose to be under the influence of anything - when this went out I found dandelion coffee and have never looked back.

Making significant changes to your diet is no longer a matter of choice - this is an issue of health, well-being and commitment to pursuing a higher path (for those going that way). But just because you should take diet and lifestyle more seriously doesn't mean you will compromise on taste or eat lettuce for the rest of your life.

I have never eaten better food, been so well nourished, felt as fit, healthy and well or been as tuned in to myself and my family as I am at this moment. And I know without a doubt it all comes down to my faith in the food I eat.

It has taken me years to get here - because I did not know enough to eat better and from years of living like that (even at an early age) I could not discern any difference. The best part of living this way, is my children are learning how and what to eat and will grow up to be fit and healthy adults.

 Can't beat a legacy like that! 

April

Me and my daughter

Going Sugar Free... A Lifestyle Choice?

I have been sugar free completely and utterly for a while, pretty close to 9 years right now with no intention of ever going back to eating that nasty stuff. A lot of the time in my baking and cooking, I just take it for granted that I will substitute into the recipe something other than granulated sugar.

However, I do watch the adverts and read labels as well as keep up with some of the words being thrown around when it comes to foods that claim to be sugar free. But I will back up here for a minute, because I want to mention why I became sugar free in the first place.

Actually I am a few things free for nearly 9 years -- about that time all those years ago I was battling cancer and had no choice but to take full responsibility for my health or else (I took no medication or treatment and healed myself - that's another story!). Of course, my choice was and is clear - I want to be here, I want to raise my family and I will eat what my body needs to remain in good health. 

Nothing more, nothing less.

What I do know about sugar and it's cousins, is that it promotes cancer or any fungal condition within the body such as diabetes and hormone imbalance. Sugar is not a food, it is not needed for any function of the body - contrary to some opinions out there! (Glucose is a 'sugar' and is the fuel used by cells to function - this is something different entirely)

I remember those days, before my enlightenment around food and eating- feeling absolutely addicted to sugar. Since that time I have come across references used in association with sugar as 'slavery'. The connection being made back to the days of plantations and the use of slaves to work them.

Of course, everything about that level of business and trade was criminal - but it managed to get people the world over addicted to this new drug - more sweet then anything else available at the time - white, powdered and pure poison. 

There might be several ways sugar works - perhaps by suppressing something in the brain, and by feeding colonies of mold, yeast and nasty bacteria in the gut. It is an anti-nutirent meaning it will cost you something to digest it, not the best thing to be using in wholesome meals. 

In my cooking and baking I use honey, maple syrup and apple sauce (amongst others) to sweeten something. I do not go for sugar 'substitutes' such as the powdered granulated stuff in plastic bags - you might have seen it around. To me that would be like coming off of one drug and replacing it with another. 

Yet, I do like something sweet. However since I have given up sugar, my tastes have changed and I will find fruit, especially dates or figs are very sweet. I can enjoy them with a cup of dandelion coffee or in a dish and be totally satisfied. 

When a recipe calls for sugar - choose something that will work just as well perhaps it might be fruit or honey, you only need a small amount. Then adjust the dry ingredients accordingly, most likely add a little more flour. 

The resulting taste and texture is better then with the sugar! Think about it - not so very long ago, all these old recipes called for honey, fruit and natural sweeteners. There was no sugar around - perhaps it is time we got back to what is real.

Pull the sugar out of your diet, stop feeding nasties in your gut. Your body systems will run much better, your skin will be clearer and you will find you have more energy. 

April 

Our own honey being drained out through cheese cloth into a jar

A Food 'Memory' - Bread Pudding

I have been planning for the past couple of days to make a bread pudding and of course have been duly saving the old pieces of bread, instead of given them to the animals in preparation for this dish. It is something I remember having in my childhood, but not having eaten it since.

It is not a difficult dish to make either - if I remember correctly, it was basically, bread, eggs, milk and spices. Perhaps if someone was industrious there might be a sauce over the top. But often it was served and eaten, just as it was. 

So, today I got the large dish ready and had been mulling over what I might do to make this pudding tasty. I decided on  a few things and as is my usual style - I just dove in to it. The dish was buttered, the bread was placed on the bottom and I prepared an egg mixture with duck eggs, milk,  and all spices. 

Bread pudding seeded spelt bread pieces

The egg mixture was poured evenly over the top of the bread and allowed to sit for about an hour. I had a jar of unsweetened cherries in juice so, in place of additional raisins (there were some in the bread) I poured this jar of cherries over the top as well. 

Then I put this in the oven for about half an hour. In the meantime I made some hazelnut butter (always a lovely treat!) and some custard. I ended up mixing these two together to see what kind of taste I would get - it was tasty but the custard did not set enough.

Once the bread pudding was out of the oven and served up into dishes, I spooned out some of the hot custard mixture over it and voila - there was now some kind of dessert. Everyone loved it - except for me. I ate it while trying to analyze just why I was not enjoying it.

Then I realised, I don't remember if I like bread pudding. I don't even remember eating it - I just remember that it was there. But, perhaps I didn't like it then and I wasn't impressed today. I thought it was bland, which surprised me because there were so many flavours in there.

I think this was a classic food memory of an association between an unpleasant time and food - or unpleasant food and time....whatever! 

It's back to the drawing board for me with that one....

April

Bread pudding with hazelnut custard sauce 

Magic in the Garden

I am still working away on my little garden - it has quite a few things growing right now and we have put many hours into keeping the weeds down for both the vegetables and the herbs. It is a project that I love doing and look forward to each day because there are so many rewards.

Not only does a kitchen garden provide you with a few edible plants for your table and some wonderful herbs to improve flavour and taste of your meals, it also has a therapeutic aspect (as well as the healing herbs) to it. And of course, many links to our own shadow self.

What we find growing in our gardens or the types of plants we are drawn to are very important - they are a reflection of who we are, where we have come from and not only where we are going, but how we will get there.

Your garden tells you all. It contains the secrets of your existence on this planet. 

Every single organism is a representation of you. Your being has been here 10 thousand times and persists even when you feel you do not. Your story is told to the trees and the plants, it runs through the water and enters the soil.

The garden is who you are at this moment in time and the person you were and are yet to become. You have brought this garden with you down through the passage of time and birthed it into the land in the here and now of your life.

This kitchen garden is so much more than just a collection of vegetables, herbs, weeds, rocks and stones - it is your essence. The part of you that lives, breathes and communes with the earth - she lives in your garden and she calls out your name.

Today I cleared my garden of a noxious weed that was threatening all my other plants and I have finally unleashed my inner gardener....

Watch out world! 

April 

My garden fairy - blowing bubbles