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I need to clean out my freezer for meal train reasons and my brain is just telling me to take the two full bags of cranberries in my freezer and bake tons of orange cranberry breads...which presumably would need to be stored in the freezer.
#i also have 3 cups of sour cherries from this years harvest#and blueberries and strawberries and gooseberries from the harvest#so i guess i need to make smoothies? okay twist my arm why don't you#i already made sour cherry jam to clear out my freezer#why am i obsessed with freezing fruit?
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I have an abscess. It’s on the gum above what the dentist calls my upper number two tooth. The number one on that side was already pulled years ago. That was the one where they couldn’t even do a root canal because I had been doing some serious tooth grinding. It had split the tooth all the way down through the root. It was my first lost tooth, but not the last. Since then, I have developed a lot of gum amidst my teeth. Somehow, I manage to eat corn on the cob and even steak, though I’m really losing my taste for beef. I’m also not thrilled with chicken.
Honestly? I’m not passionate about flesh. Part of it is hating the idea of slaughtering animals. It has always bothered me, but I was better at ignoring it when I was younger. Now, I see the meat and I think of those happy cows grazing along the Blackstone and me, putting camera aside, patting those sweethearts on their nicely horned heads. It’s hard to reconcile that with chomping down on pieces of their body.
I’m tired of our usual food. We were suffering from gastronomical ennui before the pandemic, but now? Steak in the expensive meat section at the grocery is about as tender as one of Garry’s old belts. Sometimes it looks great, but you can’t chew it. It just gets bigger the more you chew it. The pork is even worse and no amount of marinating tenderizes it. Bacon is good. Pity they have to get it by slicing up a pig.
So tonight, I made dessert for dinner. It isn’t really dessert. It’s usually served hot as part of a (much) larger dinner, but if you chill it, it’s definitely a dessert. There’s no meat in it. There are many eggs, ricotta cheese and sour cream, sugar, dried fruit or really, any fruit including canned fruit cocktail, a bit of vanilla, a good shaking of nutmeg, with cinnamon on top. Also, it’s very easy to leave out the sugar, add spices and vegetables rather than fruit, and make it a great vegetable dish.
I didn’t take pictures. I meant to take pictures. That’s why I didn’t post this recipe the last time I made it. Lack of photographic evidence. Sadly, we have eaten heartily from it and while more than half of it is left, it isn’t pretty anymore. This is a dish intended to feed a lot of people and probably more than once. The recipe says will feed eight to nine people, but that would be some serious eaters. I used to make this for special (Jewish) occasions if I knew I’d have a lot of people at the table.
Times have changed and big dinners are few and far between. Friends have scattered. Some died. Others moved to wherever their children are living. This was done in expectation of seeing these same kids more frequently only to discover they STILL never see them. Other stragglers eat their special occasion dinners at their kids’ houses where they don’t have to do the cooking, a dining enhancement I can really get my head behind. In fact, Owen here at home, Owen cooks the Big Dinners.
Garry doesn’t cook. I’m sure he never will. It’s why I can’t die of tooth decay. Garry would starve to death or live entirely on spam and pizza. I think that’s an awful lot like starving to death, just more slowly.
This is a recipe for (in Yiddish) “Lokshen Kugel” which translates to Noodle Pudding. Kugel means pudding. Lokshen means noodles. What you put in it is … well … whatever you like, really. It can be made savory or sweet, but more often is sweet, thus serving as a secondary dish with a dairy (Kosher!!) dinner or as dessert (chilled). For us, we just eat the pudding because there’s no room left after we’ve tanked down half a lasagna pan of Kugel. This was a specialty of my father, who was amidst all his wickedness, a really good cook. He made a fruit and brandy sauce that I thought could be eaten alone, forget the Kugel. I don’t make a sauce because I never got that recipe and besides, Garry and I don’t drink. Not even a little bit.
In Israel because of the Kashrut complexities, we often made it without cheese or any dairy. We used oil or non-butter margarine, eggs, sugar, raisins, and bread crumbs. The amount? Whatever you threw in, It was always fine. A friend of mine got mixed up and used cumin instead of cinnamon — and it STILL came out delicious. This really is a “whatever” dish. Since I’m not Kosher and not tied to the dairy vs. meat issue, if you are trying to overfeed a lot of people at the same time, Kugel is the way to go. And just as a note, for reasons no one can explain, this dish is typically served on Shavuot, a week-long harvest festival in the autumn.
Here’s my recipe. After you make it the first time, you can make up your own recipes.
Boil the noodles. You can use anything from 12 oz. to 1 lb. of wide noodles (eggs or not), boiled however long the bag says to boil them.
6 beaten eggs. Today I used seven eggs because I had 7 eggs in the carton. I refused to save the whole box for a single egg. I broke all the eggs directly into the Kitchenaid beater, turned it to 2 or 3 and went off to let them beat while I collected the rest of the stuff. You can also do this by hand. That’s how I did it last time and this was a lot easier, even with cleaning up the mixer.
15-oz. container ricotta (or cottage) cheese. I like ricotta better, but traditionally, it’s supposed to be cottage cheese. It doesn’t matter. Either will do the job.
16-oz. container of sour cream. The real thing, not reduced fat (yuk). Without the fat, it won’t thicken up in the oven. Also, it won’t taste right. NOTE: You can use a block of real (not whipped or low fat) cream cheese instead of sour cream. Let it soften before you add it to the mixture.
1 cup sugar. I’ve used white sugar. I’ve used light brown sugar. I’ve used dark brown sugar. I’ve used whatever I had in the cupboard. I haven’t tried using maple syrup, or golden syrup, but that would probably work too.
4 tablespoons melted butter
1 teaspoon (more or less) of real (not the fake stuff) vanilla. Or almond flavoring. Whatever. Flavoring. You can use more flavoring if you prefer. You’re going to eat it, after all.
A thorough sprinkling of nutmeg.
Turn on the beater, then assemble the fruit. Before I started everything else, I put the raisins in a cup of hot (tap) water to plump up. Other dried fruit you can use? Dried pineapple, cranberries, lingonberries, dried cherries. I’d really love to use chopped crystalized ginger, but not everyone loves it as much as I do. It’s a gamble. Then, I drain a 14-oz. can of fruit cocktail. I throw all the fruit, whatever it is, into the mixer with the cheese, eggs, and butter. Whatever you use, you need about three cups of fruit of whatever type. I thought about chopped prunes, but decided it might have unexpected side effects.
By now, the noodles should be draining in a colander in the sink. Put the noodles back into the pot unless you have a really huge mixing bowl. Pour all the stuff from the mixer into the noodles. Mix with a big spoon. Wood is good.
Spray a lasagna pan with oil, EVEN if it’s nonstick. Just to be safe. Pour the contents into the pan, Shake cinnamon over the top.
Bake for 1 hour at 350 F (177 C). Set a timer for 1/2 hour and put a layer of aluminum foil over the top for the rest of the baking unless you like it super crispy. I like it softer, so I’m pro foil.
The result should be soft, but not runny and have the consistency of pudding. Which it is. If you have a big dinner planned, serve it with the roast or the turkey or (how non Jewish can you get?) baked ham. Or, chill it and serve it as dessert.
We eat it AS dinner. There’s so much of it, even if everyone eats until kugel is coming out of their ears, more than half of it will be left-over. For this you will need two big covered plastic containers which you will store in your refrigerator. You can use it as a side dish with whatever you are eating the next day, give one of the containers to kugel-worthy friends, or wait until you just can’t eat any more of it and toss it.
The Duke strongly objects to any form of disposal unless he is the disposal unit.
Meanwhile I’ve got a bad tooth, a fever, I ache everywhere because my pain meds combined with the antibiotics aren’t a great combination, and I’m not planning to die yet. Oh, and loperamide is dangerous taken with clindamycin so if my stomach totally gives up on me, there’s nothing I can take. We got into a quibble about calories and kugel. I say it’s no more fattening than any other pasta-based dish. I have no proof that this is true, bui that’s what I think and I’m sticking with it.
LOKSHEN KUGEL (NOODLE PUDDING) FOR DINNER, DESSERT, SNACKS, WHATEVER I have an abscess. It's on the gum above what the dentist calls my upper number two tooth.
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Portugal 2018
Portugal 2018
I traveled to Portugal in June to fulfill a trip I have wanted to take for a couple of years. Joined a Rick Steves “Heart of Portugal” tour. This was my second Rick Steves tour and wondered in the first couple of days why Leila and I never took one together.
There were 28 of us that met up in Lisbon. Except for one couple from Toronto area, we came from all different parts of the U.S. Actually there were two other couples from the DC-area on this trip.
Rafael, our tour guide on the right
We stayed in Lisbon for 3 nights, and I arrived a day early so had an additional day to adjust without feeling I was rushed to meet the tour. I learned my lesson about showing up for my previous Rick Steves tour a couple of hours before the tour met up the first evening.
Highlights:
Lisbon - It is now the capital of Portugal becoming the capital when the reconquest was complete in the 13th Century, over a century before the Spanish reconquest. The city is vibrant with beautiful parks, vistas and is walkable, even though walking up to the castle for the amazing views is strenuous.
Subway art
Street Art
Not far from downtown Lisbon is the seafaring district of Belem which has a monument to the discoveries. It was Portuguese explorers including Vasco da Gama and Ferdinand Magellan with the support of Prince Henry the Navigator that opened the door for others, Spanish, Dutch and English, to explore the world. And, because of the wealth that was brought back from Africa, the nearby Jeronimos Monastery stands as a prime example of the religious connection to the exploration.
Belem Tower
We spent several hours in the amazing Gulbenkian Museum. The museum houses the personal collection of Calouste Gulbenkian, an early 20th Century oil tycoon. I was amazed at what he collected - antiquities Roman, Greek and Chinese; art; tapestries and whatever other types of art or sculpture you can imagine. And, had no idea prior to going to the museum who he was. This is worth at least half a day!
Central Portugal
Leaving Lisbon, we spent several days in the heart of the country and part of a day at a beach town.
One fascinating stop was at a cork oak farm where the family harvests cork, produces wine and olive oil. The matriarch’s grandson took us on a tour to see the oak trees. Cork is the bark of the cork oak and takes about 9-years to grow once you harvest the cork. I never fully understood how cork was harvested until this trip. The matriarch of the family is in her mid-90s and I mentioned to her and her grandson that she very much reminded me of Leila’s mother. She had the same energy at that age as my mother-in-law.
Obidos - we stayed two nights at a hotel directly outside the wall of this quaint walled city, We had time to explore the village as a group and on our own. It is an easy walkable village. Tasted a sour cherry liqueur; It’s sour cherry grapes infused with alcohol. Very tasty. I ended up buying the jam of the cherry, but not the liqueur.
Nazare - the fishing village and beach town is known to have some of the highest waves during the winter months. We were there in summer though, but it was beautiful to stroll along the beach front and explore the town.
Fatima - this is a Catholic shrine where local children supposedly saw a vision of the “Virgin Mary” in 1917. The pilgrims crawl on their knees to the shrine itself.
Coimbra - this is the historic capital of Portugal that houses a 700-year old university. The library of the school has over 30,000 books from the 18th Century and is one of the most amazing libraries I have seen. We also spent part of a day at Roman ruins dating to early in the common era. One stop for fun was at a ceramics factory where the trip ended up with each of us creating our own ceramic tile. I brought out my inner Picasso for my tile.
After attending a Fado show, we were able to watch the second half of a Portugal World Cup game in a square with hundreds of Portuguese. It was thrilling experience even though Portugal simply tied and did not win the game.
As for Fado, we had dinner with a show in Lisbon, heard it in a cafe with fellow travelers in Porto and a street version in Obidos. 12 days and heard Fado 4 times.
Duoro Valley and Porto
A highlight for any person visiting Portugal is to go to the Duoro Valley, especially if you enjoy wine. This is the heart of the Portuguese wine (and port wine) region. You drive through terraced vineyards while looking up and down the river valley. We spent one night in a hotel in a small village along the river - the highlight was the view I had from my room and small balcony
We did stop at a vineyard to take a tour and have a marvelous group lunch. We learned about how the port industry has survived to send the grapes/wine down the river to Porto where it is sent out to the world.
Our final stop on the tour was to spend a couple of days in the city of Porto - the northern city that is one of the gateways to the nation. It is hard for me to decide if I prefer Porto over Lisbon or the other way. But, why choose? Go to both!
The most interesting aspect of the Porto local tour guide was her story that she recently found out she was part Jewish - on her mother’s side going back centuries to the conversion to Catholicism. She told us that may explain her mother’s family tradition - light a candle on Friday evening and attend Catholic mass on Saturday.
We had two walking tours of Porto - first was a food oriented tour going to a public market and tasting some of the Portuguese foods. The second with the tour guide mentioned above was a historic walk taking us to the old bourse and to the main cathedral. I ended the afternoon going through a historic museum that is part of Henry the Navigator’s birth house. The museum chronicles his life and the role of Porto in Portuguese history.
It was a fast and marvelous 12-day tour. The food, especially the “egg tart” was amazing. Our tour guide made sure we tasted it throughout the tour. He would show up during our local tours with a box or bags of them on several occasions. Got us through the day!
I would recommend Portugal and the Rick Steves tour to anyone thinking about going there. It is a charming country with beautiful vistas. Where next? Panama in November and back for another Rick Steves tour in 2019.
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How to Grow Cherries
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By Dr. Mercola
Cherries are a favorite summer treat with a number of valuable health benefits, thanks to their antioxidants and powerful anti-inflammatory compounds. If the steep price and limited availability of commercial cherries leaves you wanting each season, consider growing your own.
General Growing Guidelines
Cherry trees will grow about 1 foot per year, provided they get sufficient amounts of nutrients. They’ll start producing fruit in two to four years, and can produce anywhere from 150 to 300 pounds of cherries per tree per year once fully mature.
• Ideal soil conditions: Cherry trees need deep, loose, slightly acidic soil
• Light requirements: All cherry varieties need a minimum of six hours of full sun. Eight to 10 hours of full sun is better
• Fertilizer recommendations: Fertilize your tree three times a year: in early spring, when the tree starts to set flowers, and again in the fall. Worm castings and compost tea are ideal for early spring and flowering in the first year. In the fall, use a phosphorous-rich fertilizer to encourage root growth that will get the tree ready for dormancy. (For a more in-depth discussion on fertilizer usage, see the featured video)
• Water needs: After planting your tree, give it 1 gallon of water per day for the first three weeks. For the next two weeks, cut back to 1 gallon every two days. After that, make sure it gets about 1 gallon of water per week. You can gauge the tree’s water needs by keeping a close eye on the cherries as they begin to ripen.
Excessive dryness will cause the fruit to shrivel, while water logging will cause the fruit to crack and split. Certain cultivars are better suited for wet conditions, so look for a cultivar that resists cracking if you live in an area prone to heavy rains in the summer.
Sweet Versus Tart Cherry
Conventional cherries can be divided into two primary categories: sweet and tart (sour). The Duke cherry is a hybrid mix of both sweet and tart. Sweet varieties are typically eaten fresh, while tart cherries develop a fuller flavor when used in cooking, which is why they're often used in baked desserts. Both kinds can be grown in your home garden, depending on your hardiness zone.1
• Tart cherry trees are self-pollinating, grow to about 20 feet in height and begin to bear fruit at an earlier age than sweet cherry. They can be grown in USDA plant hardiness zones 4, 5 and 6, and require about 1,000 chill hours below 45 degrees F during winter months. They tend to grow better in moderately heavy soil, and should be spaced about 20 to 25 feet apart for optimal growth.
• Sweet cherry is suitable for USDA zones 5 through 9, and need about 150 to 300 chill hours during winter months. Sweet cherry trees can grow up to 35 feet, unless you buy a dwarf variety. The type of soil you have in your yard can help guide your choice. If you have heavy soil, Mazzard sweet cherry is a good choice, whereas Mahaleb sweet cherry grows better in lighter soils. Damil is a dwarf variety of sweet cherry that can tolerate wetter, heavier soils.
Some sweet cherry cultivars are self-pollinating, including Stella, Black Gold and North Star. Others may need companion trees to ensure successful pollination. Van, Sam, Rainier and Bing cherries can pollinate any cross-pollinating variety except their own kind.2
Acerola Cherry
Since I live in Florida, my personal favorite is the Barbados or West Indian cherry, more commonly known as the acerola cherry,3 which is a phenomenal source of vitamin C. Each acerola cherry provides about 80 milligrams (mg) of natural vitamin C, and since the recommended daily allowance for vitamin C in the U.S. is a mere 75 to 90 mg, just one of these cherries can provide you with all the vitamin C you need for the day!
Acerola cherries cannot tolerate transportation and storage, so you won’t find them in the store. Deterioration can occur within four hours of harvesting and they ferment quickly, rendering them unusable in five days or less. Unless you intend to use them for juicing, they also do not fare well being kept in the freezer. If you live in a subtropical climate like Florida, you can easily grow them, however, and eat them straight off the bush as they ripen for several months out of the year.
Growing Cherry From Seed
If you have the patience, you can grow your cherry tree from seed.4 To do this, simply collect the pits from the cherries you eat — ideally bought from a local grower to make sure they’re suitable for growing in your area. Commercial cherries also produce less reliable results due to the way they’ve been transported and stored.
Soak the pits in a bowl of warm water for five minutes, then lightly scrub off any remaining fruit flesh. Let the pits dry on a paper towel in a warm area for three to five days, then place them in a tight-lidded container and refrigerate for 10 weeks. The refrigeration mimics the winter chill period required to trigger germination.
Before planting, allow the seeds to thaw to room temperature. Place two to three seeds in a small pot and water them into the soil. Keep the soil moist until the seeds begin to sprout. Once the seedlings reach a height of about 2 inches, remove the weakest plants so that only one plant per pot remains.
Continue keeping the seedling in a sunny window until the last frost has passed, at which point you can transplant it into your garden. If planting multiple trees, space them at least 20 feet apart. Add mulch to encourage water retention and slow down weed growth.
Propagating Cherry From a Cutting
Another option, and a far easier and more reliable one, is to propagate your cherry tree from a semi-hardwood or hardwood cutting. Both tart and sweet cherry can be propagated this way. Gardening Know How offers the following instructions:5
“Semi-hardwood cuttings are taken from the tree in the summer when the wood is still slightly soft and partially mature. Hardwood cuttings are taken during the dormant season when the wood is hard and mature. First, fill a 6-inch clay or plastic pot with a mix of half perlite and half sphagnum peat moss. Water the potting mix until it is uniformly moist. Select a branch on the cherry that has leaves and two to four leaf nodes, and preferably one that is under 5 years of age.
Cuttings taken from older trees should be taken from the youngest branches. Using sharp, sterile pruning shears cut off a 4- to 8-inch section of the tree at a horizontal angle. Strip any leaves from the bottom two-thirds of the cutting. Dip the end of the cutting into rooting hormone. Make a hole in the rooting medium with your finger. Insert the cut end of the cutting into the hole and tamp down the rooting medium around it.
Either place a plastic bag over the container or cut the bottom out of a milk jug and place it over the top of the pot. Keep the cutting in a sunny area with a temperature of at least 65 F. Keep the medium moist, misting it twice a day with a spray bottle. Remove the bag or milk jug from the cutting after two to three months, and check the cutting to see if it has rooted.
Tug the cutting lightly. If you feel resistance, continue to grow until the roots fill the container. When the roots have encompassed the pot, transfer the cutting to a gallon container filled with potting soil.”
As with most other plants, allow the tender cherry tree to acclimatize to the outdoors by placing it in a shady spot during daytime hours for a week before transplanting it in the ground, following the directions given previously. The featured video will also talk you through the key planting points.
Common Pests and Diseases
Waterlogging causing the fruit to crack and birds emptying the tree of fruit are two common problems. For the former, ensure proper drainage. To keep birds from flying away with your harvest, cover the tree with netting as the fruit starts to form. Planting mulberry trees nearby can also help lure birds away from your cherry trees, but won’t prevent them from eating your cherries as well.
As for insect infestations and plant disease, cherry tends to be more vulnerable than tart cherry, although both can fall prey to a number of pests and diseases, including the following. For tips and tricks on eliminating these pests, see provided references:
Cherry fruit fly6
Green fruit worm7
Peach tree borer8
Mites9
Plum curculio10
Shothole borers11
Black cherry aphids12
Pear thrips13
Brown rot14
Bacterial canker15
Black knot16
Cherry leaf spot17
Health Benefits of Tart and Sweet Cherries
Tart cherries contain two powerful compounds, anthocyanins and bioflavonoids, which help prevent and relieve arthritis and gout. Sweet cherries such as Bing are also useful against gout, as they lower both uric acid and C-reactive protein levels.18 In one study,19 gout patients who ate a one-half cup serving of cherries per day for two days had a 35 percent lower risk of a subsequent gout attack. Those who ate more cherries, up to three servings in two days, halved their risk.
Tart cherries may also be useful for general muscle soreness. A study20 involving long-distance runners found that tart cherry juice significantly reduced post-exertion pain. Other research has confirmed tart cherry juice is a valuable endurance sports drink.21
Thanks to their high vitamin C content, both sweet and tart cherries may also help stave off exercise-induced asthma, the symptoms of which include cough, wheezing and shortness of breath when exercising. A meta-analysis22 from Finland found vitamin C may reduce bronchoconstriction caused by exercise by nearly 50 percent.
Sweet Cherry Nutrition Facts
Sweet cherries are a great source of potassium,23 which is important for maintaining normal blood pressure. It plays an important role in your fluid balance and helps offset the hypertensive effects of sodium. Sweet cherries also contain a number of antioxidants and plant compounds with medicinal benefits, including:
Beta carotene, which converts into vitamin A (retinol), important for healthy vision.
Vitamin C, the “grandfather” of the traditional antioxidants, the health benefits of which have been clearly established. It’s a powerful antioxidant that helps neutralize cell-damaging free radicals.
Anthocyanins, including quercetin. Sweet cherries have three times the amount of anthocyanins than tart cherries, and those with deep purple pigments (opposed to red) have the highest amounts.
Quercetin is among the most potent in terms of antioxidant activity and has been shown to be an effective antiviral, capable of warding off influenza and a number of other viral illnesses. As a group, anthocyanins have been shown to promote cell cycle arrest and apoptosis of mutated cells, thereby reducing your cancer risk.
Cyanidin,24 an organic pigment compound with powerful antioxidant activity. By promoting cellular differentiation, it reduces the risk of healthy cells transforming into cancer cells. One study found cyanidin isolated from tart cherries was superior to that of vitamin E and comparable to commercially available antioxidant products.25
Ellagic acid, this polyphenol “prevents the binding of carcinogens to DNA and strengthens connective tissue,” thereby preventing the spread of cancer cells.26 It also inhibits DNA mutations and inhibits cancer by triggering apoptosis (cell death) in cancer cells.
Melatonin,27 a powerful antioxidant and free radical scavenger that helps lower inflammation and associated oxidative stress. It also plays a vital role in sleep, cancer prevention and general regeneration.
Based on daily environmental signals of light and darkness, your pineal gland has evolved to produce and secrete melatonin to help you sleep. Research suggests consuming tart cherry juice increases your melatonin levels, thereby improving time in bed, total sleep time and sleep efficiency. According to the researchers:28
"… consumption of a tart cherry juice concentrate provides an increase in exogenous melatonin that is beneficial in improving sleep duration and quality in healthy men and women and might be of benefit in managing disturbed sleep."
from HealthyLife via Jake Glover on Inoreader https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2018/03/16/growing-cherries.aspx
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21 Days of Things to Do with A Picky Eater
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21 Days of Things to Do with A Picky Eater
What to do with a picky eater in 21 days!
We know you want your kids to eat the healthy food you provide them. We also know it’s frustrating when you embark on a new healthy eating goal, only to find your kids are not on board with change! When kids are picky eaters, it’s difficult to stick with your resolve to improve things. It’s maddenig when you spend good money on healthy food and it gets wasted! It’s unfair when you see your friends kids eat well, yet your child won’t deviate from noodles and cheese!
We want you to be confident that what you are doing is right, and we want your kids to be willing participants along the way. So, we’ve developed the slow, easy going, non-complaining, baby step approach to healthier eating for you and even the pickiest of your kids!
We’ve selected 21 days of activities and a variety of experiences to help train your child’s palate, help them to become connected with the source of their food, and help them to make decisions on their own.
In feeding your kids, it’s your responsibility as the parent to:
Choose and prepare the food
Provide regular meals and snacks
Make eating times pleasant
Show proper mealtime and food behavior (manners, as well as setting an example for trying new foods)
Not allowing grazing
One overlooked concept for parents is that there are so many ways to offer fruits and veggies. Frozen, blended, dried, canned, juiced, smoothies, raw, roasted, steamed, etc! So many kids have texture issues! My daughter won’t eat applesauce, but loves apples . But the trick is to offer fruits and veggies in their various forms because it might not be that they don’t like broccoli- maybe they just don’t like it steamed.
With my kids being older now (they are 14, 12, and 10), I can honestly say, it just takes time! In fact, for some foods, it took A LOT of time! My oldest son has had vegetables on his plate almost every night for the better part of his life. He didn’t start asking for salad until the last few years. He complained about it from the time he could talk, till he was about 9 years old. Did I ever give in and tell him he never had to eat vegetables again because he complained? Of course not! I left them on his plate every single night and never gave up.
The key to our success is that over time, your kids will understand that healthy eating is a part of life. It is said that by the time they are 10 years old, they will likely have the dietary habits that will carry them into their adult life. So, don’t give up! It’s worth it to stick with the goal of them enjoying healthy food!
SO- Let’s Get Started~
DAY 1- FOOD FIELD TRIP
Take your kids on a food field trip to the grocery store, or Farmer’s Market. As a parent, I know getting your groceries alone is much easier. However, plan special trips to the grocery store just for your kids to browse the produce section of your store. While there, talk about the different fruits and vegetables they can identify.
Ask them which fruits and veggies they’ve tried before, which ones are their favorites, and which new ones seem intriguing enough to test out. Let each child choose 1 fruit & 1 veggie that is their favorite, and one that they want to taste that is brand new. Take them home and taste them all.
DAY 2- CLEAR THE CLUTTER-
While we are all about balance and moderation in our homes (a little sugar here and there), there are some foods that take away a child’s ability to appreciate whole foods. Foods that are high in sugar, salt, and artificial ingredients retrain their taste buds to prefer fake foods. When you get rid of these foods in favor of a whole foods diet, they actually begin to enjoy the flavors and textures of whole foods. Take the opportunity with your kids to get rid of any foods in your pantry that contain:
Artificial dyes such as Blue, Yellow, or Red.
High Fructose Corn Syrup
Hydrogenated Vegetable oils.
DAY 3- DRINK A GREEN SMOOTHIE
Smoothies and are a great way to ensure your kids are getting the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables in a day. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends for children ages 2-8 of 1 1/2 cups of fruit per day and 1 1/2-2 cups of vegetables per day. Starting your kids with a green smoothie each morning helps them get right on their way!
Picky eater tip- We sometimes freeze our green smoothies into a popsicle mold. I did anything to make sure they at least got 1 cup of greens every day, and popsicles are an easy way to make this happen. You can start with less greens if it’s new for your kids, and slowly add more greens each time you make it!
Beginners “Green” Smoothie: (it’s really purple, not green at all)
1 cup orange juice
1 cup spinach
1 cup frozen mixed berries
1 Tablespoon Flax meal
(makes enough for 2 people)
Blend until smooth! Each time you make this add a few extra leaves of spinach, until you are up to 1 cup per person.
For more Smoothie options, check out our template here.
DAY 4: EAT 4 VEGGIES TODAY
The challenge today is to eat 4 servings of vegetables! This can be ANY 4 vegetables! The first time I issued this challenge to my kids, they ate 4 baby carrots. And that is OK! It’s like exercising a muscle, except this muscle is their taste buds. Eating four vegetables today (and more days if you choose), will start training those “muscles”.
DAY 5: PREPARE A CRUDITES TRAY
Washing and cutting the vegetables for your kids, so they are available and ready to eat, is paramount in getting kids to eat their vegetables.
Arrange carrots, celery, broccoli, and peppers onto a platter, and leave out on the counter or table for snacking throughout the day. When your kids come to you “hungry”, direct them to the veggie tray.
If you want a dip to accompany your vegetables, Ranch has always been a popular choice among kids. We make ours with 1 cup of light sour cream and the following seasonings:
1 teaspoon dried chives
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried dill weed
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
DAY 6: BALANCE MEALS 101
Using a paper plate and markers, let your kids divide their plate into four equal sections. Fruits, Vegetables, Grains, and Proteins. Have them draw pictures right on the plate identifying the food group. Talk about why it’s important to eat foods from each food group each day!
Protein helps us build muscles.
Grains gives us energy
Vegetables gives us minerals that make the systems in our body work the best.
and Fruits give us vitamins that keep us from getting sick.
For a blank MyPlate coloring page, download it here. Also, check out our Kids Plates that reinforce the balanced meal approach.
DAY 7: HAVE A SALAD BAR FOR DINNER
The first time I offered a salad bar for dinner, my pickiest eater said she would not participate. Upon demanding that she sit with us through dinner, she changed her tune! She said to me after seeing the spread: You mean we get to CHOOSE what we put on our salads? Then she had several helpings without complaint!
Letting kids make choices between two healthy foods gives them ownership and independence. Our salad bar usually includes:
croutons
cherry tomatoes
peppers
chopped chicken (leftover from Sunday’s dinner)
carrots
cheese
hard boiled eggs
black beans
Romaine lettuce
pineapple
DAY 8: DRINK WATER
Emphasize WATER. The 2010 Dietary Guidelines emphasize that we drink more water instead of sugary drinks. The best way to make this happen is not to have the sugary drinks available to your children. People I interview that exhibit extraordinary healthy lifestyles have mentioned there were no soft drinks or sugar drinks in their home growing up. Talk to your kids about the importance of water as part of their diet, and do not accepting inferior beverages as a substitute.
Give them access. Do your kids have their own water bottles? Their own cups? Do they know how to get a drink by themselves? This can be taught at a very young age. Most toddlers that visit my home LOVE to drink water because we have the little dispenser on the front of the fridge. They love to do this themselves.
Explain the pee test to your kids. I had been misled to believe my children would simply drink when they were thirsty. The newest recommendations for the amount of water we drink, is to check the color of your pee. Dark.. drink more. Light…good to go!
Flavor it up. Lots of people, including adults, prefer flavored water. There is nothing wrong with this. Add a squeeze of lemon, a drop of mint, or a handful of frozen cherries to their water. Delicious!
DAY 9: JUICE YOUR GREENS
We call this our science experiment! We just use fruits and vegetables of all different colors, and the kids make their own concoctions by combining them in any way they please. They love to do mix and match and they really love challenging their siblings to try their “New and amazing drink”.
For the variety of colors we juice:
Carrots
Berries
Kale
Apples
Peaches
Lemons
Yams
DAY 10: START SPROUTING
Sprouting is our mini version of gardening. Kids get the harvest in just a few days, and they can appreciate the fact that they grew it themselves. Alfalfa seeds are the perfect seed for first time sprouters.
Add 1-2 TBL of alfalfa seeds into a mason jar with a lid that allows you to drain (cheesecloth or mesh also works)
Rinse seeds in water and soak overnight.
Drain water and let sit on the counter covered with a towel.
2-3 times a day let the kids come by and rinse the seeds.
Once the seeds sprout, remove towel and put jar in the light to develop the chlorophyll.
Place in fridge to stop the growth . (usually after day 4 or 5)
(Also try sunflower sprouts- details here!)
DAY 11: CREATE A CRUNCHY SNACK FRIDGE BOX
Easy, accessible, available, and ready to eat- that’s the goal! Create a box in the fridge of pre-washed and cut veggies that kids can snack on anytime they get hunger pangs. Everyone is more likely to snack on vegetables that are ready to eat if they don’t have to wash or peel. Have the kids make the snack box with you, and choose what should go inside. (check out our fridge tour here)
DAY 12: STEAM A VEGETABLE
Serving fruits or vegetables in different forms, textures, and temperatures will actually help children develop a mature palate, which is more accepting to a wider variety of new foods. Training kids tastes and appetites will help them develop a love of real food. Don’t hesitate to offer fruits and veggies fresh, frozen, dried, canned, juiced, pureed, blended, etc!
So, in order to introduce a new taste or texture (and not to mention the perfect texture for new eaters and toddlers, is steamed veggies. One popular steamed vegetable is green beans! To steam without a vegetable steamer, simply add 1-2 cups of green beans to a microwave safe dish with a lid. Add 1-3 tablespoons of water to the dish. Put the lid on and microwave on high for 5 minutes. Optional: You can always rinse with cold water to stop the veggies from cooking and keep them slightly crisp at the end.
DAY 13: SUGAR FREE CHALLENGE DAY
A major contributing factor to kids refusing to eat their vegetables is their familiarity with highly sweetened foods. When you cut refined sugar out of your diet, suddenly fresh vegetables actually taste better! While we always recommend moderation, sometimes a reset is in order! Just for one day, challenge your family to not eat added sugar. Not in cereal, yogurt, granola bars, or even condiments. Just for one day! Real food always tastes better after a day of abstaining. We have a great list of no- or low sugar snacks here!
DAY 14: HIGH PROTEIN DIP
Beans are amazing for little growing bodies! With the perfect mix of protein, fat, carbohydrates, and fiber, beans are a great food to include in your family’s regular diet. If your kids aren’t keen on the beans yet, start with our favorite homemade hummus plus something they do like! If that’s bread, let them dip chunks of bread in the hummus. If they like carrots, let them dip carrots. You choose (or better yet, let THEM choose!)
Homemade Hummus
1 1/2 cups of Garbanzo beans (or chickpeas)
1 clove garlic
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 ounce lemon juice
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 dash of salt.
Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
DAY 15: SERVICE DAY- BRING A MEAL TO A FRIEND
One way to instill and solidify a new behavior is to share it with others! Sit down with your kids to plan your Sunday meal and double to take to a neighbor, or to invite friends over for your meal! We have found our favorite meals to share is soups, packed with vegetables. Let your kids help plan, make, and deliver the meal.
Noodles
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups white flour
2 eggs
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup fat-free evaporated milk
Soup:
4 cups water
2 (14.5 oz) cans chicken broth
2 teaspoons minced onions
1 large chicken breast
1/2 cup carrots, diced
1/2 cup celery, diced
Instructions
Mix noodle ingredients together until blended. The dough should be fairly stiff, but soft enough to knead.
Flour your surface and roll out dough as thin as you can.
Take a pizza cutter and cut out noodles into desired sizes. Let dry on the counter for 2 hours. Flip noodles after 1 hour.
For soup: Pour water, chicken broth and onions into a stock pot and heat until boiling.
Boil chicken breast in mixture until cooked (~10 mins)
Remove chicken and cut unto bite size pieces.
Add noodles, chicken and veggies to broth.
Boil 15-20 mins, until noodles and vegetables are tender.
Salt and Pepper to taste.
DAY 16: SPROUT HARVEST
If you’ve been taking care of your sprouts, they should be ready to enjoy today! Add them to a sandwich at lunch, or top a salad with the sprouts.
Choose what herbs you want to try to grow in a pot next.
DAY 17: ENJOY A RABBIT PICNIC
It’s picnic day! Sometimes, food is just more fun to eat on a blanket! If it’s too cold outside, plan an indoor picnic, but don’t forget the blanket, and you must sit on the floor!
A rabbit picnic involves any stuffed animals your kids own, and a bowl full of carrots and lettuce. Wash, pat dry, and tear your lettuce leaves into bite sized pieces. Chop carrots into sticks or circles. Mix together in one big bowl that everyone shares. Bring the stuffed animals on your picnic, as they will enjoy the rabbit treats as well.
DAY 18: DRY VEGGIES (MAKE KALE CHIPS)
As we mentioned on steamed veggie day, serving your vegetables in a variety of forms including raw, cooked, steamed, pureed, juiced etc. is how our kids develop their palates for a variety of foods. So, today, we want them to try Kale Chips!
KALE CHIPS
1 bunch Kale
2 TBL grapeseed oil
1 TBL lemon juice
1/4 tsp. sea salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Chop kale into 1/2 inch pieces. Place all ingredients in a large bowl and massage the oil, lemon juice, and sea salt into the kale using your hands. Place on parchment lined baking sheets for 12 minutes.
DAY 19: MYSTERY FOOD CHALLENGE
Wearing blindfolds, let the kids taste different foods that they may or may not be familiar with. After each food, they can write down (or tell an adult) what they think they tried. We did this at a recent birthday party, and all the kids tried everything I offered. I had a paper bag for each food item. The kids had blindfolds on. They tasted something from bag #1 first, until they tried foods from each bag. We had carrots, dried apricots, pomegranate seeds, slice of cheese, and a chunk from a pear. Some of those kids would have never tried these foods if it wasn’t part of a game! They all had a blast.
DAY 20: FOOD NAMING PARTY
A recent Cornell Study showed that when lunch workers changed the name from common carrots to “X-Ray Vision Carrots”, consumption increased from 32% to 66% ! Go through your fridge and decide what names you want to assign your vegetables for future consumption! Some ideas from the study included:
X-Ray Vision Carrots
Power Punch Broccoli
Tasty Tree Tops (Broccoli)
Silly Dilly Green Beans
DAY 21: PLAY 2 GET HUNGRY
The hungrier a person is, the more likely they will eat (and enjoy) whatever is offered. If you can imagine how you would enjoy a crisp juicy apple after you’ve just finished a Thanksgiving meal? Not much! In fact, it wouldn’t even taste good. But if you just ran race and haven’t eaten all day, that apple would probably be the best tasting thing to ever pass your lips!
The same is true for kids. Many kids graze all day on food, and never truly get hungry. So, when dinner rolls around, it’s easy for them to refuse a healthy meal. However, if they stop eating a few hours before dinner, and better yet- PLAY outside, burning off energy from food earlier in the day, they will be more than ready to eat, and more likely to eat what you offer.
So, today, on your last day of the challenge, close the kitchen at least 2 hours before dinner, and send the kids out to play and be active. See how things change for you and them at dinnertime!
YOU DID IT! THE 21 DAYS IS OVER.
Look over the calendar and choose some of your favorite activities to continue with your family.
NEED MORE IDEAS FOR HEALTHY MEALS? Our healthy meal plans are written to incorporate these ideas! Keep the momentum going by signing up today!
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Blog 4 - Fermentation & Preserved/Pickled Foods
Why Fermented Foods Matter!
Long before refrigeration was available, Lacto-fermentation was the method used to preserve food from the time of harvest into the winter months. It has the side benefit of actually increasing the nutritional value of certain foods and of keeping our guts optimally healthy. The gut is where more than 95% of our digestion and absorption of nutrients take place, after all, so this is vastly important.
Thus, here are ten reasons why you should eat at least one fermented or cultured food every day:
Fermenting vegetables increases their nutritional content
Fermented foods heal the intestinal tract from damage and restore optimal health
Beneficial bacteria provide enzymes which aid in digestion
Lactic acid bacteria stimulate and support the immune system
Lactic acid bacteria fight off pathogenic bacteria
Fermented and cultured foods taste good! (Think lox, cream cheese, pickles – these are fermented foods!)
Fermenting and culturing your own food is cheap and easy
Fermented foods are better than supplements
Fermented food promote dental health
You can ferment pretty much anything to increase its nutritional value (as well as increase its shelf life)
So with this task presented to us by Professor Jean-Pierre Centeno of our Theory of Food Class, it was off to Kensington Market we went on July 9th, 2017. To forage for some common ingredients, but for some other uncommon ones as well.
We started our search at the corner of Nassau & Bellvue - where years ago I had my own catering company. It was a wee little place, but it worked for several years. However, as we are told by JP-Centeno - know when to get out.
I was sad to see that Zimmerman’s had gone - at least it was converted into a natural foods store and not yet another vape-lounge.
I began my search here and soon found some likely candidates for what I had in mind for this blog...
Ontario sour cherries would have been delicious as a preserve or a compote.
As would have, these fresh Ontario Scapes. and yes I am sure they would have been. Unfortunately, they ended their plant-lives on my supper table that evening.
After a quick stop for a restorative cup of coffee - back at it.
Another landmark was gone, alas St Andrew Poultry has flown their proverbial coop.
Also while this tea smoked duck is delicious - it is not fermented, preserved or pickled, and that is what this assignment was all about.
Home and the ingredients and recipes will now be revealed!!!
So having the ingredients sort - what to do about the actual recipes?
Before starting this rather grand endeavour, I shall say that we had been given several months notice... So, let us begin.
Recipe 1
THIS INDIAN LIME PICKLE RECIPE MAKES YOUR MICROBIOTA HAPPY
Indian lime pickle is all up in your face with intensely sour, hot, spicy, salty flavours. It refuses to be ignored. If you’re eating anything sort of bland or boring, like lentils for instance, just add some of this lime pickle!
PRESERVED FOODS AND THE GUT MICROBIOME
We like naturally fermented stuff because it’s good for our gut. Right? Or so everyone tells us. This science of the gut microbiome is still in its infancy, and it’s pretty fascinating. It’s pretty clear that the makeup of microorganisms in our gut is related to our health in significant ways. For instance, did you know that:
Infants born via Cesarian section delivery have a significantly lower bacterial richness and diversity in their little baby guts than children born via vaginal birth. Apparently, it’s true. You get your first bacteria from your mum, and not just from breast milk and swapping spit. And getting this bacteria is important. For instance, there is demographic evidence that suggests that people born via Cesarian section have a higher incidence of Celiac Disease than the rest of the population. Consequently, some researchers suggest slathering c-section babies with their mother’s microbes to compensate.
People with a more diverse gut microbiome tend to be leaner than people with less diverse microbiota? It’s true. Imagine this: researchers take identical twins, one of whom is lean and one of whom is obese. And they insert some gut bacteria from each into some mice. The mice who got the obese twin’s gut bacteria gained more weight and fat than the mice who got the lean twin’s gut bacteria.
It’s possible to treat and even cure some diseases via gut microbe transplants from another person to import good bacteria into the sick person’s gut. It’s a little nasty to think about (ahem! faecal transplants), but it’s been done.
There have been rare cases where a person’s gut get’s overrun with Saccharomyces cerevisiae (brewer’s yeast) to such an extent that every time that person eats a lot of carbs that person’s gut literally ferments those carbs into alcohol, making that person drunk! Hey, I’m not making this shit up! It’s called Auto-Brewery Syndrome, and while it sounds like a cheap way to catch a buzz, I bet it sucks!
The diversity and richness of gut microbiota in humans who have had relatively little contact with the modern world is vastly richer than that of the typical modern American, who eats processed foods, takes antibiotics, and sanitises the hell out of everything. This is horrible. Many of the critters in our guts are dying out, and a lot of them are beneficial, and this very well may have a lot to do with many modern ailments.
There’s a growing body of evidence that suggests that the makeup of the gut microbiome is related to auto-immune inflammatory diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis (which I have), Crohn’s disease, Celiac disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and type 1 diabetes. It may also be implicated in cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, and type 2 diabetes (which I also have). And we already mentioned obesity. These tend to be modern Western diseases, and it’s highly likely that the increasingly impoverished modern Western gut microbiome is a contributing factor.
The rub is no one really has a good idea about how all of this works. What microbes are good? What ones are bad? How do they work in combination? How to we attract or combat them? We’ve barely begun to scratch the surface. There’s a lot of research going on, so the next decade or so should be very interesting.
That brings us to Nimbu Ka Achaar and this Indian Lime Pickle Recipe, which is a fermented food that is probably good for your gut.
Prep time 15 Mins Cook time 8 Mins Total time 23 Mins Nimbu Ka Achaar: An Indian Lime Pickle Recipe that's easy to make and good for your gut microbiome. It adds a spicy-hot, salty-sour kick to food.
Ingredients 5 - 7 Limes (whatever fits in a quart jar) 2 Tablespoons Turmeric Powder 1 Tablespoon Paprika 1 Tablespoon Cayenne 1 Serrano Chili, chopped 1 Cup Kosher Salt 1 Tablespoon Mustard Seeds 1 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds 4 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1 Tablespoon Cayenne
Method 1. Sterilise a litre sized canning jar. 2. Wash, and completely dry the limes. Keeping moisture off of the limes from now on is key. They’re not submerged in a brine like other pickles. Rather, is the high salt content that inhibits mould and other spoilage. 3. Cut the limes in half, then quarter each half (i.e., you’ll get 8 segments out of each lime). 4. Lay the lime sections in a glass casserole dish and sprinkle with two tablespoons of salt. Then sprinkle on the spices and the chilli. Mix well.
5. Place a layer of limes in the canning jar (or crock). Layer on a thin layer of salt. Repeat with layers until all the lines are in the jar. 6. Seal the lid loosely and leave the jar in a warm place where it gets sunlight for three weeks. Shake the jar daily to mix the lime. The limes should begin to turn brown by the end of the three weeks. 7. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet and add the mustard and cumin seeds. Cook until the seeds begin to sizzle and pop.
8. Add the pickles to the skillet and cook for an additional 2 - 3 minutes.
9. Place in another clean, sterilised jar and refrigerate. If everything is sterile they’ll keep for six months to a year. You can leave them unrefrigerated if you are willing to eat them within the next two or three months.
Recipe 2 - Moroccan preserved citrus.
Preserved lemons enhance the cooking of North Africa with their pronounced saltiness and a sourness that is oddly mellowed, rather than enhanced, through fermentation. Even with no other ingredients but salt and lemon, preserved lemons take on other unique and complex flavour profiles that can become even mint-like over time and after proper fermentation.
While you can buy them at speciality stores and online for up to $15 for a jar, you can make them yourself with just a little investment in salt, lemons and time.
Ingredients
2½ pounds lemons, (preferably Meyer lemons)
¼ cup unrefined sea salt
I added limes and grapefruit to one batch in order to see how they would fare under the same method.
Method
Trim the ends off lemons, taking care not to cut into the flesh, then slice the lemons as if to quarter them - keeping the base of the lemon intact.
Sprinkle the interior of the lemons with unrefined sea salt then layer in your mason jar, crock or fermentation device. Sprinkle with unrefined sea salt then mash with a wooden spoon or dowel until the rinds of the lemon begin to soften and the lemons release their juice which should combine with the salt to create a brine conducive to the proliferation of beneficial bacteria.
Continue mashing, salting and mashing until your lemons fill the jar and rest below the level of the brine.
Ferment at room temperature for three to four weeks. Lemons can be kept for one to two years.
Recipe 3 - Masala-Spiced Pickled Guavas
Ingredients:
– 12-15 crisp, barely ripe pineapple guavas (also known as feijoa)
– 3 tablespoons of pickle masala (available at Indian grocery stores)
– kosher salt (if masala is unsalted)
– ½ cup sugar
– 1 ¾ cups white wine vinegar
– ¾ cups water
Method
Combine vinegar, water and sugar in a small saucepan, bring to a boil, reduce and simmer for 20 minutes uncovered. Cut guavas into quarter slices and pack into sterilised jars within an inch of the top.
Add masala spice to jars, about 1 tablespoon per 16 ounces. (The jar shown here is 26 ounces.) If masala is unsalted, add a pinch of salt to each jar.
Pour hot pickling syrup over guavas, leaving a half-inch of head space at the top of the jar. Gently tap jars to remove any air bubbles trapped between the guava slices.
Wipe rims and apply lids and rings. If preserving for shelf stability, process the jars by carefully lowering them into a boiling water bath for 15 minutes.
Otherwise, wash jars once cool, and store in the fridge. (We went this route.)
It’s always snack time somewhere, right?
Recipe 4:
PINEAPPLE TURMERIC SAUERKRAUT
HEALTH BENEFITS
This sauerkraut is full of health benefits. The turmeric and ginger make it a powerful anti-inflammatory. Other benefits include…
Probiotic – fermented foods like this sauerkraut contain more probiotics than a probiotic pill and research has shown that the good bacteria are more likely to survive the digestive system than ones from a pill.
Enzymes- the enzymes in fermented foods help assist in breaking down food, making meals easier for your body to digest.
Fibre – sauerkraut is rich in fibre and feeds the friendly bacteria in your gut, moves food through your digestive tract and makes you regular (poo).
Relieves diarrhoea and constipation – the friendly bacteria in fermented foods balance the inner ecosystem in the digestive tract.
It also relieves gas, heartburn and improves mood and mental health.
The brine from the sauerkraut is packed with beneficial bacteria and enzymes. If you have an upset stomach or nausea, try a shot and it will calm your stomach. It will also give your immune system a boost. The gut shots are a quick way to get the benefits of fermented foods and they taste great too. Try mixing it with soda water for a bubbly spritzer or really let loose and mix it with champagne like my friends and I did over the weekend. Cheers!
I am really proud of this recipe. It tastes great and packs a super punch of health benefits. You have to try this kraut. I think it could turn people who don’t normally eat fermented foods into a fermented food lover. Make it this weekend and if you have any questions, leave a comment below.
INGREDIENTS
1 head of cabbage (shredded)
½ pineapple (chopped)
1 tbsp ground turmeric
1 tbsp fresh ginger (grated)
1 tbsp sea salt
Brine:
1 tbsp Sea Salt
1 tbsp Raw Apple Cider Vinegar
4 cups purified water
Other Tools:
2 Quart Size Mason Jars or 1 half gallon mason jar
Method
Shred the cabbage in a food processor, mandolin or chop with a knife. Add it to a big bowl.
Chop the pineapple into small chunks and add it to the bowl with the cabbage.
Add the grated ginger and sea salt to the bowl.
Massage the cabbage mixture with your hands for 5 minutes or until it starts to break down and become soft.
Let it sit for 15 minutes in the bowl.
After the 15 minutes, the cabbage will become very soft and wet. If you squeeze it now, the juice will come out.
Add the turmeric to the cabbage. You can either mix it with your hands or a spoon. The turmeric could stain your hands and fingernails orange so you may want to use a spoon.
Pack the cabbage halfway into the mason jars if you are using two or halfway into the large mason jar if you are using one.
Now we are going to make the brine and add it to the jars for the gut shots.
Make the brine by combining 1 cup of hot water with the sea salt. Once the sea salt dissolves add the remaining water and the apple cider vinegar.
Pour the brine into the mason jars, leaving about an inch from the top.
Stir the brine and cabbage together in the jar so it's all combined.
Place a lid on the jar loosely so gas can escape as fermentation takes place.
Set on the counter for 4-7 days in a cool, shaded place.
During fermentation, the sauerkraut will bubble a little and become cloudy. If scum appears, remove it with a spoon.
Every day or two, shake the mason jar up so the cabbage submerges under the brine and doesn't develop mould.
Place in the fridge and serve cold.
Gut Shots: The extra brine from the sauerkraut is the gut shots. Pour the extra brine into shot glasses and don't forget to share with friends and drink to your health.
*** Note - I also added toasted fennel seeds to this recipe as I am interested to see how the aniseed flavour works with the others.
Recipe 5:
Easy Kimchi Recipe | Simple Fermentation
This recipe used only the super potent, smelly and strong ingredients to set the flavour, including daikon radish, leeks, garlic, ginger and chillies. That is medicinal power, not to mention a gorgeous rainbow of goodness.
I massaged the bejesus out of this mix until it got soft and juicy. Packed it into a jar, and let it sit for about five days. It started to foam at one point but I just scraped that off and let it sit a few days more until it was soft, fermented and, I gotta say, so delicious!
And so here is my super easy, almost fool-proof, kimchi recipe. I say almost fool proof as you really can't give any guarantees when it comes to fermentation. Every time around is an experiment. That's just part of the fun.
Ingredients
1 head napa cabbage, cored and shredded (makes about 8 cups)
1 leek, chopped
2 carrots, grated
1 daikon radish, grated
5 garlic cloves, minced
3 Tbsp grated ginger
2 Tbsp sea salt
3 Tbsp chilli flakes or 1½ Tbsp chilli powder
Homemade fermented Ghost Pepper sauce - from a friend.
Method
Prep all vegetables as directed in ingredients and place in large bowl. Add salt and chilli flakes. Use a larger bowl than you think you might need, as it leads to better veggie massaging.
Massage cabbage mix for about 10 minutes and then set aside. While resting, the salt will help the veggies to 'sweat', releasing some of their water.
Return to massage for another 10 minutes, until cabbage and other veggies are softened and a few tablespoons worth of water has been released.
Divide the mix between two 1 gallon/1 litre mason jars.
Press kimchi mix down, helping get out any air bubbles and ideally have some of the liquid come to the top.
Seal jar loosely and place in a warm spot (like on top or beside your fridge). Let sit for 4-5 days. If foam starts to form, you can skim that off. After about 4 days, taste the kimchi (with a clean fork, never double dip) and decide if you want to let it ferment longer or you're ready to enjoy it.
Once ready, seal the jar and store in your fridge. Will keep for 2-3 months sealed.
The fruits of my labours:
Left to right: Pineapple Turmeric Sauerkraut, Pickled Masala Guavas, Traditional Moroccan Preserved Lemons, Lime Pickle, Preserved Lemons, Limes & Grapefruit and finally Kimchi.
Respectfully submitted for Professor Jen-Pierre Centeno - GBC Theory of Food class.
vimeo
As I had a jar left over and some of the German cabbage, I decided what better way to fill up that jar than with some traditional Lacto-Fermented Sauerkraut.
Tangy, crisp, flavorful sauerkraut is so refreshing on a hot day! It makes the perfect side to many grilled types of meat. Culinary benefits aside, it’s also healthy for you! In my recipe, I share a little secret that makes for a no pound sauerkraut. No more pounding your cabbage for 15 minutes in this recipe! It’s so easy.
First, make sure that all dishes used for this project are very clean. You will need a crock or a large nonreactive bowl, such as the glass one I used, a plate that fits snugly inside and something to weigh the plate down. I used a food grade plastic bucket full of water, a mason jar full of water, another bowl full of water, or a jug full of water, are all options.
1-Shred cabbage (if you have one, a food processor makes this step a cinch) and place in the bowl or crock you will be fermenting in. Toss with the salt and cover with some kitchen towels. Leave for 15 minutes to an hour to allow the salt to draw out the juices of the cabbage. This is the secret that makes this recipe pound free. I learned it in a Russian cookbook.
2-Using a mallet, or whatever you have on hand gently pound the cabbage down so that it’s tight fitting in the bowl. Place the clean plate on top and weigh it down with whatever you are using for the purpose. Press down gently, but firmly. The liquid from the cabbage should rise to the top. You will want the liquid to cover the plate with room to spare within in 12-24 hours. If it hasn’t risen above the plate by that point, make up some salt water my mixing one cup of filtered water with one teaspoon of sea salt and use as much as you need. Cover with kitchen towels or a clean pillow case to protect it from flies and dust.
3- Each day you will remove the plate, and rinse it. If there is any “scum” on the surface of the water, remove as you much of it as you can with a spoon. Start tasting the sauerkraut after a few days. It will start to sour within a few days and will continue to “ripen” as the days go on. How quickly it ferments will depend on the temperature of your house. I like it after about ten days. Before that point, I just think it lacks the depth of flavour we want. But the lovely thing is that you can stop the fermentation process when it tastes good to you.
4-When it’s fermented enough for your taste, Bottle it up in clean mason jars, and place in the refrigerator where it will keep for a long time.
When this is ready to be jarred I will post more.
Oh and a footnote - I have stumbled upone another preservation method at home... drying. I usually buy a lot of fruits and quite often I do not use them so i took to dehydrating them - mainly citrus.
Yes, those are also dried avocados! When friends come round, they usually make fun of me for doing this, i just think they look kind of interesting. Then the other day I stumbled upon a middle eastern/persian website which list dried limes as ingredients...
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/02/dining/02power.html
Who knows, maybe i will find a use for dried avocados as well. Until next time.
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Cherries — A Potent Super Food Dr. Mercola By Dr. Mercola Cherries are a favorite summer treat with a number of health benefits. Harvest season runs from May through July, and with high susceptibility to disease and a short shelf life, cherry season is a short one. An exception is if you grow your own Barbados or West Indian cherry, more commonly known as the acerola cherry. I have several acerola trees and harvest cherries nearly nine months of the year. Acerola cherries1 also are one of the highest sources of vitamin C. Each acerola cherry provides about 80 milligrams (mg) of natural vitamin C with all the other important supporting micronutrients, unlike synthetic vitamin C. When I have a bountiful harvest and eat more than 100 cherries, I get close to 10 grams of vitamin C. The recommended daily allowance for vitamin C in the U.S. is a mere 75 to 90 mg for women and men respectively, so just one of these cherries can provide you with all the vitamin C you need for the day. You pretty much have to grow acerola cherries on your own, though, as they cannot withstand transportation and storage. Deterioration can occur within four hours of harvesting and they ferment quickly, rendering them unusable in five days or less. Unless you intend to use them for juicing, they also do not fare well being kept in the freezer. Sadly, they only grow outdoors in subtropical climates like Florida. Tart Versus Sweet Cherries Conventional cherries can be divided into two primary categories: sweet and tart (sour). Sweet varieties such as Bing cherries are typically eaten fresh, while Montmorency tart cherries are typically sold dried, frozen or as juice.2 Tart cherries develop a fuller flavor when they're used in cooking, which is why they're often used in baked desserts. As noted by the Cherry Marketing Institute:3 “When it comes to nutritional science and cherries, most studies involve tart Montmorency cherries. In fact, more than 50 studies have examined the potential health benefits of Montmorency tart cherries, and the research is continuing. This research strongly supports the anti-inflammatory qualities of Montmorency tart cherries, as well as the benefits of muscle recovery and pain relief from conditions like arthritis. Studies have also found that Montmorency tart cherries contain [m]elatonin, a naturally occurring substance that helps regulate sleep patterns.” One 8-ounce glass of tart cherry juice will give you:4 62 percent of your recommended daily intake (RDI) of vitamin A (about 20 times more vitamin A than sweet cherries) 40 percent of your RDI of vitamin C 14 percent of your RDI of manganese 12 percent of your RDI of potassium and copper 7 percent of your RDI for vitamin K Sweet cherries are a great source of potassium,5 which is important for maintaining normal blood pressure. It plays an important role in your fluid balance, and helps offset the hypertensive effects of sodium. Sweet cherries also contain a number of potent anticancer agents, including: • Beta carotene, which converts into vitamin A (retinol), important for healthy vision as well • Vitamin C, the “grandfather” of the traditional antioxidants, the health benefits of which have been clearly established. It’s a powerful antioxidant, which helps neutralize cell-damaging free radicals • Anthocyanins, including quercetin. Sweet cherries have three times the amount of anthocyanins than tart cherries, and those with deep purple pigments (opposed to red) have the highest amounts. Quercetin is among the most potent in terms of antioxidant activity and has a wide range of other health-promoting properties as well. As a group, anthocyanins have been shown to promote cell cycle arrest and apoptosis of mutated cells, thereby reducing your cancer risk • Cyanidin,6 an organic pigment compound with powerful antioxidant activity. By promoting cellular differentiation, it reduces the risk of healthy cells transforming into cancer cells. One study found cyanidin isolated from tart cherries was superior to that of vitamin E and comparable to commercially available antioxidant products7 • Ellagic acid, this polyphenol “prevents the binding of carcinogens to DNA and strengthens connective tissue,” thereby preventing the spread of cancer cells.8 It also inhibits DNA mutations and inhibits cancer by triggering apoptosis (cell death) in cancer cells Mind Your Portions Just beware that cherries, both sweet and tart, are relatively high in fructose. One cup, about 10 pieces, contain about 4 grams of fructose. It's important to take this into account if you’re tracking your fructose consumption. I recommend keeping total fructose below 25 grams per day if you’re otherwise healthy, or as low as 15 grams if you struggle with health issues associated with insulin resistance. The good news is you don’t need to eat much more than a handful to get good amounts of antioxidants. Alternatively, if you have confirmed that you are burning fat as your primary fuel and are engaging in cyclical ketogenesis, then, on the days that you are strength training (about twice a week), you can increase your net carbs to 100 or 150 grams, so you can have larger amounts of cherries on those days. Just be sure not to binge on large amounts daily for the entire cherry season as you are just asking for unnecessary metabolic challenges. Tart Cherries — A Natural Endurance-Boosting Super Food In one recent study,9 Montmorency tart cherries, taken in the form of a juice concentrate, were found to improve athletic performance and recovery among semiprofessional soccer players, decreasing post-exercise inflammation and muscle soreness. Similarly, athletes consuming tart cherry juice prior to long-distance running experienced less pain than those who did not.10 Other research has confirmed tart cherry juice is a valuable endurance sports drink. As noted by Running Competitor:11 “The best way to accelerate muscle recovery after exercise is to prevent muscle damage from occurring during exercise. And one of the best ways to do [sic]prevent muscle damage during exercise is to consume the right nutrients before exercise. Tart cherry juice does just that. This was demonstrated in a 2010 study published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports. Twenty recreational runners consumed either cherry juice or placebo for five days before running a marathon, then again on race day, and for two days afterward as well. The lucky runners who got the cherry juice exhibited less muscle damage immediately after the marathon. They also showed lower levels of inflammation and recovered their muscle strength significantly quicker.” Cherries, courtesy of their high vitamin C content, may also stave off exercise-induced asthma, the symptoms of which include cough, wheezing and shortness of breath when exercising. A meta-analysis12 from Finland found vitamin C may reduce bronchoconstriction caused by exercise by nearly 50 percent. Interestingly, another powerful and natural strategy to accelerate muscle recovery is photobiomodulation. I have a 1-foot by 3-foot panel of red (660 nm) and near-infrared (850 nm) LEDs that I use every day for about five minutes. The bed is a few thousand dollars but you can achieve similar results with a smaller near-infrared device from Amazon.13 It just takes longer as it has fewer LEDs. You also need to remove the plastic lens and put black electrical tape over the green photodiode so it will turn on in the daytime. On the days that I lift heavy enough to cause muscle challenges serious enough to make it difficult to sit down or use the toilet the next day, I use the light bed for 10 minutes and that is enough to completely abort the post-exercise stiffness and pain. It is an amazing mitochondrial support; every time I use it, I’m surprised that I can avoid the post-exercise pain and stiffness. Cherries Are Potent Anti-Inflammatories Tart cherries contain two powerful compounds, anthocyanins and bioflavonoids. Both slow down the enzymes cyclo-oxyygenase-1 and -2, which helps to relieve and prevent arthritis and gout.14Gout occurs when the metabolic processes that control the amount of uric acid in your blood fail to do their job effectively. The stiffness and swelling are a result of excess uric acid-forming crystals in your joints, and the pain associated with this condition is caused by your body's inflammatory response to the crystals. Dr. Nathan Wei, a nationally known rheumatologist, recalled this story about the powerful effect of cherries on gout:15 “Dr. Ludwig W. Blau, relating how eating a bowl of cherries one day led to complete relief from pain, sparked off the interest in cherries in the treatment of gout … Blau's gout had been so severe that he had been confined to a wheelchair. One day, quite by accident, he polished off a large bowl of cherries, and the following day the pain in his foot was gone. “[Blau] continued eating a minimum of six cherries every day, and he was free from pain and able to get out of his wheelchair … Blau's research led to many other people suffering from gout who reported being helped by cherries.” In a study16 of over 600 people with gout, those who ate a one-half cup serving of cherries per day for two days, or consumed cherry extract, had a 35 percent lower risk of a subsequent gout attack. Those who ate more cherries, up to three servings in two days, halved their risk. Other studies have found: Eating two servings (280 grams) of sweet Bing cherries after an overnight fast led to a 15 percent reduction in uric acid and lower nitric oxide and C-reactive protein levels (which are associated with inflammatory diseases like gout).17 The researchers noted the study supports "the reputed anti-gout efficacy of cherries" as well as "evidence that compounds in cherries may inhibit inflammatory pathways" Consuming tart cherry juice daily for four weeks may lower your levels of uric acid18 By reducing inflammation, the anthocyanin and bioflavonoids in cherries may also help reduce: Migraine headaches. These compounds are actually known to have similar activity to aspirin and ibuprofen Pain from inflammatory osteoarthritis.19 According to one study,20 women with osteoarthritis who drank tart cherry juice twice daily for three weeks had significant reductions in markers of inflammation and a 20 percent reduction in pain. The researchers noted that tart cherries have the "highest anti-inflammatory content of any food" How Cherries Support Healthy Sleep Interestingly, cherries contain natural melatonin,21 a powerful antioxidant and free radical scavenger that helps "cool down" excess inflammation and associated oxidative stress. It also plays a vital role in sleep, cancer prevention and general regeneration. Based on daily environmental signals of light and darkness, your pineal gland has evolved to produce and secrete melatonin to help you sleep. Research suggests that consuming tart cherry juice increases your melatonin levels, thereby improving time in bed, total sleep time and sleep efficiency. According to the researchers:22 "…consumption of a tart cherry juice concentrate provides an increase in exogenous melatonin that is beneficial in improving sleep duration and quality in healthy men and women and might be of benefit in managing disturbed sleep." Other Health Benefits of Cherries Tart and sweet cherries also have a number of other important health benefits. For example, they’ve been found to: • Improve risk factors associated with diabetes and heart disease. In one animal study, rats fed tart cherry powder along with a high-fat diet gained less weight and accumulated less body fat than rats not fed tart cherries. They also had lower levels of inflammation and triglycerides, suggesting a role in heart health.23 Quercetin is also known to have a beneficial impact on cardiovascular health by reducing your blood pressure. According to a study investigating the effects of quercetin in hypertension, “The results of this meta‐analysis showed a significant effect of quercetin supplementation in the reduction of blood pressure, which suggest that this nutraceutical might be considered as an add‐on to antihypertensive therapy”24 • Reduce your risk of stroke. Tart cherries activate peroxisome proliferator activated receptors (PPAR) in tissues, which help regulate genes involved in the metabolism of fat and glucose. PPAR activation has a beneficial effect on blood pressure, cholesterol levels, diabetes, heart disease and stroke. In fact, research suggests eating cherries may provide heart benefits similar to prescription PPAR agonists,25 drugs prescribed for metabolic syndrome. The problem with these drugs is that while they may improve risk factors associated with heart disease, they may increase your risk of stroke instead. As reported by Science Daily, 26 “… [R]esearch from the U-M Cardioprotection Research Laboratory suggests that tart cherries not only provide similar cardiovascular benefits as the prescribed medications, but can also reduce the risk of stroke, even when taken with these pharmaceutical options” • Lower your risk of dementia. Inflammation and oxidative stress are associated with an increased risk for dementia. The polyphenols in tart cherries effectively combat both, thereby lowering your risk of cognitive decline. As explained in one recent study,27 “[P]olyphenols from dark-colored fruits can reduce stress-mediated signaling in BV-2 mouse microglial cells, leading to decreases in nitric oxide (NO) production and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression. [T]art cherries — which improved cognitive behavior in aged rats … may be effective in reducing inflammatory and OS-mediated signals” • Lower your risk of colon cancer by substantially reducing formation of heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs) when added to hamburger patties. It also slows meat spoilage.28 HAAs are potent carcinogenic compounds created when food is charred, and have been linked to an increased risk of colon cancer. Hamburger patties with just over 11 percent tart cherries in them contained anywhere from 69 to 78.5 percent less HAAs after cooking, compared to regular patties Storage and Washing To retain the best flavor, consume fresh cherries within two days if kept at room temperature, or store in the refrigerator for longer shelf life. Avoid washing them before storing, as this accelerates deterioration. Instead, wash them immediately before eating. As mentioned, growing a few cherry trees or bushes29 in your backyard can provide you with this potent super food for several months out of the year. Relying on commercially-available cherries will limit them to just a few weeks a year. I eat a few acerola cherries every day, right from my own organic garden.
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