Activated Almonds

What are activated almonds?  

Activated Almonds are raw almonds that are soaked in water to force them to sprout and the dried at a very low temperature.

Proponents of activating almonds equate it to sprouting seeds and nuts.  It is believed that the act of soaking causes the almond to sprout thus releasing the enzyme inhibitors making them more bioavailable while at the same time instilling them with other beneficial nutrients.

I just like their crunchy texture and have found them more enjoyable than plain old raw almonds.

Soak Almonds in enough water to cover for 12 hours.

Then drain them and rinse them under water

  

Put them in your dehydrator or an oven set to the lowest setting at dehydrate for 24 hours

You will know they are ready when they are  nice and crunchy and not chewy at all 

Store in an airtight container and enjoy

Homemade Organic Onion Salt

On Sunday Afternoons I like to go through the refrigerator and see what I can salvage before they go bad.  Usually I have a lot of fruits and vegetables that are starting to look a little sad.  This weekend I ended up with three nice big onions that were still in good shape, but with no immediate need for them, I decided to dehydrate them and make Organic Onion Salt.

I happened to have 1 White Onion, 1 Brown Onion and 1 Red Onion

Peel off the outer papery shell and slice 1/4 inch thick or less

Line them up on as many dehydrator trays as necessary to keep them in a single layer

Turn dehydrator to 145 Degrees and dehydrate for about 12 hours or until they are crispy

One they have reached a point where they break in your hands and are not leathery at all, place them in a blender, food processor or coffee grinder (one only used for spices)

I really like my Magic Bullet, it is convenient for everything from making smoothies, infused oils and butters and now I know they are good for making garlic salt too!

Add 1/2 Tablespoon of sea salt.  I used Pink Himalayan Salt and Black Hawaiian Lava Salt (a mixture of sea salt and activated charcoal) A little of this salt goes a long way.

Blend until a fine powder is formed.  You may have to shake your blender a few times in-between blending.

Store in an airtight container.  It's really good and I know it's organic because I know exactly what is in it.

Asian Inspired Mushroom Soup (Vegetarian / can be Vegan)

I don't usually toot my own horn, but this soup is delicious.  I came up with the recipe last night and made it for Valentine's Day.  My husband raved about it and was disappointed when he discovered he had eaten that last of it.

The Garnish on top are quick fried enoki mushrooms I only did this to be a little "fancy" since it was a special meal.  The soup tastes wonderful without it.

Also the soup that I made is vegetarian, not vegan, because I used butter but, that could easily be substituted with Olive Oil and still taste super yummy

Ingredients

Lots and Lots of Mushrooms.  In this case I used a selection that I found at the Korean Market in my neighborhood.  Not only did they have a great selection, their prices were a fraction of what you would find in specialty markets.  

2 pounds of assorted Wild Mushrooms (cleaned a note on cleaning to follow)

1 package of Enoki Mushrooms (use as garnish)

6 cups of Vegetable Broth

2 Shallots; chopped

2 Tablespoon of Coconut Aminos (tamari or soy sauce as an option)

1/2 Tablespoon of Rice Vinegar

1 Tablespoon Butter or Olive Oil

1 teaspoon of sesame oil

Instructions

Clean Mushrooms*

Set aside 4 cups of mushrooms; sliced

Chop remaining mushrooms

In a large pot Saute onions and Shallot in 1/2 Tablespoon of Butter for 3 minutes.  Add Broth, 1 tablespoon of coconut amines and rice vinegar to pot.

Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer until very tender.  About 30 minutes

In the mean time….

Saute remaining mushrooms in the other 1/2 Tablespoon of butter and sesame oil for  about 2 minutes.

Add the other 1 tablespoon of Coconut aminos to deglaze pan (about 1 minute)

Remove from heat until the Soup is finished cooking

Now back to the soup…

After 30 minutes soup should be ready to blend.  Working in batches puree in a food processor (you could also use a submersible hand blender)

If it seems to thick, add a little water or broth until the desired constancy is achieved

Once all of the soup is blended return to pot and add the sautéed mushroom.

Heat through

As I mentioned above.  If you feel like being fancy you could use a quick fried enoki as garnish

Heat a whole bottle of peanut oil in the narrowest, deepest pan that you have.

Hold a whole bunch of enoki by their base with a set of metal tongs

When oil is really hot, dip the enoki in it for 1 minute

Drain Enoki on a plate layered with paper towels.  Gently pat the top to remove as much oil as possible

Cut the uncooked portion of the mushroom off and place a clump on the top of your soup

Enjoy

I Really Wanna Pee (diuretic) Drink

This is a really great drink when you are feeling bloated with water. Almost all of the ingredients in this drink have a natural diuretic effect and it's simple to make, refrigerate and sip throughout the day.

Ingredients

8 cups of Filtered Water

1 Cup unsweetened Cranberry Juice

Thumb size piece of ginger grated

12 mint leaves muddled (lightly pinch and crumble between your fingers)

1/4 cup of Apple Cider Vinegar

1/2 cup of fresh juice (I used Apple/Blueberry)

If still not sweet enough add stevia to taste

Instructions

I like to make this after juicing some fruit in the morning. I set aside 1/2 cup to add to this mixture.

Put all ingredients in a pitcher and let sit for at least an hour.

Sip throughout the day :)

Why it Works

Water:  

Although it seems contrary you actually reduce water retention by drinking water.  This is because retaining water is the bodies natural protection against dehydration.

Cranberry Juice:    

Remember hearing the advice to drink cranberry juice for bladder infections…well it's actually true!  There is a compound in cranberries that inhibits the growth of bacteria in the urinary tract.  Along with this beneficial property, it is also a natural diuretic that helps release retained water in the body without depleting the potassium levels.

Apple Cider Vinegar:

The potassium in the Apple cider vinegar is the chief component that aids in the release of retained water.  It does this by countering the sodium accumulation in the body, thus preventing retention.  I really dilute mine because of the acidity and it's effects on tooth enamel, but some proponents of ACV recommend 2 tablespoons to 8 ounces of water.

Ginger:

Contains an anti-inflamatory compound called gingerols.  The gingerols in the rhizome counter the effects of inflammation and water retention.  Because of this it also helps relieve the effects of cramping and arthritis

Mint:

Has long been known as a natural diuretic which is why people drink mint tea when feeling sluggish (bloated).  Be cautious if you have never consumed mint as some people are allergic to it and the reaction can be quite severe.

Enoki Mushrooms (Izakaya style) ~ Vegan / Gluten Free / Soy Free

Izakayas are basically like a tavern or gastropub where people go to drink and eat small plates and "bar foods".  The term Izakaya means (stay sake shop) basically it is a perpetual happy hour where you are encouraged to take your time, hang out with friends and order a little bit at a time.

Since I am a huge fan of mushrooms (I will probably mention this a lot) I decided to use the Enoki Mushrooms that I found at the Korean Market to recreate one of my favorite dishes.

Ingredients

1 Bunch of Enoki Mushrooms

2 teaspoons of Coconut Aminos*

2 teaspoons of rice wine vinegar 

1 Tablespoon of Citrus Ponzu

1 teaspoon of sesame oil

1 tablespoon of butter

 pepper to taste

Furikaki *

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

Whisk all liquid ingredients in a bowl.

Place mushrooms on a fairly large piece of aluminum foil

Pour liquid mixture over the mushrooms

place two pads of butter on top (tablespoon total)

sprinkle with pepper and fold aluminum oil around the mushrooms, crimping the edges to make a boat like shape (leave a little breathing room at the top)

Place on a baking sheet in the center of your onion and bake for 20 minutes

Remove from oven and place in shallow bowl with liquid sauce

Sprinkle with a little Furikake

**What and why Coconut Aminos:

coconut aminos are made from the tree sap of the coconut tree.  It is an organic sauce that is gluten-free, dairy-free and soy-free.  It offers many vitamins and minerals that will not be found in soy sauce.

What is Furikake?

Furikake is a common seasoning in Japanese households.  It is great over steamed rice or Enoki mushrooms, in this case.  If you are vegan do not use this item because it does contain lactose which may be from a milk source.  Traditionally it is made with bonito flakes but, as far as I can tell this brand and type contains no fish

Cream of Mixed Mushroom Soup (Japanese Mushrooms) Vegetarian/Low Carb

I love my trips to the HK Market (Korean) by my house.  They have so many items in their fresh produce department that I have either never seen before or never cooked with before.  The particular market by my house carries a lot of organic, GMO, pesticide free items so it is a great place for me to pick up items at a much lower cost than conventional markets.

Being a gigantic fan of mushrooms, my heart felt like it would explode when I saw the selection that they had to offer.  I bought a lot…

I can't quite decide how I want to prepare this beautiful mix.  Part of me want to taste each one individually and another part of me wants to do a mixed cream of mushroom soup.  I will have to decide tonight.

I did however pull the enoki mushroom because I wanted to come up with a recipe similar to a dish I tried at our local Izakaya.  Here is a link to that recipe:

Izakaya Style Baked Enoki Mushrooms

Liver Cleansing Juice

Brightly colored and packed with antioxidants this combination of fruits and veggies is a great reprieve for your liver after a fun filled weekend.

Ingredients and why they work…

1 carton of organic blue berries 

4 organic carrots 

3 organic beets

1 thumb sized piece of ginger

1 teaspoon of Turmeric mixed with 2 teaspoons of liquid Coconut Oil and a dash of pepper

Juice all of these fruits and vegetables and then add the turmeric/coconut mixture after. 

*I am currently trying to come up with a type of turmeric butter (for lack of a better word) to mix conveniently with my juices.  Turmeric powder alone doesn't have the bioavailability that is does when mixed with an oil and pepper.

Blueberries: A University of Illinois laboratory study showed that many of the active compounds found in blueberries – including anthocyanins – possess the power to help prevent liver cancer in all three phases: initiation, promotion and proliferation.

Carrots: The flavonoids and betacarotene offer significant protection to the liver from damage caused by chemicals and pollutants.  A carrot a day will stimulate the liver and improve overall function.  

Beets:  This ruby red vegetable is one of my favorites.  The phytonutrients, known as betalains, that occur in beets have long been known to have powerful detoxification elements.   Along with a whole host of other health promoting abilities the beet is one of your liver's best friends.  A word of caution….the dark carotenes in Beets will give your urine and poops a dark red tone.  I freaked out the first time I witnessed this and wish I had been warned….so, you've been warned. 

Turmeric:  Turmeric helps boost liver detoxification by helping enzymes that flush out dietary carcinogens.  Curcumin in turmeric is well-known for its cancer-blocking properties it prevents the spread of malignant cells. 

Ginger:  In 2010 a study from the "Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences" showed that the active ingredients in the ginger root significantly improved liver functions when used daily.  It can also protect against the development of liver fibrosis. Ginger helps prevent and treat fatty liver by reducing oxidative stress in the liver. Simultaneously, ginger lowers insulin resistance, preventing inflammation, and distanced from the factors that cause a fatty liver.

Apples: I personally love to eat apples whole because of the fiber content which is lost during juicing but, even juiced the apple adds more than just amazing flavor to your diet. Apples provide and excellent source of pectin which is a fiber than binds with toxins and aids the body in the excretion process.   

Coconut Oil: So there are a few reasons that I like to add coconut oil to my juices.  I have found so many benefits associated with coconut oil, that at some point I would like to do an entire post on this alone.  But, for now I will keep it short.  Turmeric is considered a "Wonder Spice" because of all of the health benefits associated to it, however, the powder alone is not bioavailable unless mixed with a fat.  You could use the roots, but I have discovered they make such a mess when I press them.  

The MCT (Medium Chain Triglycerides) have long been used for treating absorption disorders, including liver disease.  Unlike other fatty acids, the MCTs in coconut oil go straight from the intestines to the liver.  Because of this they are burned immediately as fuel and can help the liver function more efficiently.