I scoured the grocery store Wednesday after teaching my 4 p.m. yoga class desperately looking, but unwilling to ask, for peanut sauce. I couldn’t even find a Jiffy and sugar version of peanut sauce! Not that I would have stooped so low…

So I trudged home, hungry and still dreaming of grilled chicken with steamed greens dipped in peanut sauce. They say hunger is the root of all tasty recipes… and so it was the case on Wednesday. I measured and mixed and taste tested until I came up with this recipe, a recipe Elav said triggered a childhood memory. I think that’s a good sign.

I invite you to test this recipe and leave comments! But first, a confession: at the Savvy Recipe Development talk (just one of the wonderful events at the Nourished Food Blogger Conference) it was recommended to test a recipe three times before publishing it. And I only tested my recipe, um, once. My only excuse is that I haven’t had time to get through 10 servings of really, really good Peanut Sauce since Wednesday. But I’ve made a huge dent.

Enjoy!

Peanut Sauce

Makes 10 servings

Ingredients

3/4 C Peanut butter (or other nut butter)
1/4 C Coconut Milk
1 1/2 Tb Lemon Juice
1 1/2 Tb Liquid Aminos
1 1/2 Tb Water
1 Tb Honey
1 Tb Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Tb Garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp Fish Sauce
1 1/2 tsp Ginger powder
1 tsp Yellow Curry powder
1/2 tsp White Wine Vinegar
1/4 tsp Real Salt

Directions

1. Using a food processor, like this Cuisinart Food Processor, mix all ingredients.
2. Taste test and adjust as necessary.
3. Use on top of free range, organic broiled or grilled chicken or as the marinade for free range, organic pork chops.
4. Enjoy and…
5. Leave your comments below!

Linked to: Real Food Wednesday

Chocolate, cinnamon and yerba maté mix to create a strong, distinctive and slightly bitter (that’d be the yerba maté) truffle. Yerba maté is said to help rejuvenate the body, increase libido, focus, creativity, strength, energy, and endurance. So eat up this Valentine’s Day and enjoy the benefits of Chocolate Maté Truffles.

Chocolate Maté Truffles

Ingredients

8 ounces Bittersweet Chocolate
1/2 C Coconut Milk
2 Tb loose Yerba Maté Tea
1/4 tsp ground Cinnamon
1/2 C unsweetened Cocoa Powder

Directions

1. Fill a saucepan halfway with water and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Place a small metal bowl on top of the saucepan to create a double boiler. Add the chocolate to the bowl and melt over moderate heat.
2. Pour the coconut milk into a second medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add the tea and cinnamon, cover and remove from heat for 5 minutes.
3. Using a fine-mesh strainer and cheesecloth, strain the coconut milk mixture directly into the chocolate. DIscard the tea leaves.
4. Whisk the chocolate mixture until the chocolate is uniformly melted and the coconut milk has been incorporated. Refrigerate the chocolate until firm, about 2 hours.
5. Sift cocoa in a bowl. Using a measuring spoon, scoop up 1 tsp of chocolate and quickly roll into a ball about 3/4-inch across. Drop into cocoa; roll each truffle in cocoa to coat.
6. Serve chilled. (Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.)

Original Recipe from Whole Foods.

Parties I’m linked to: Tuesday’s Tasty Tidbits, Tasty Tuesdays, Tuesdays at the Table, Traditional Tuesdays, The Hearth and the Soul Hop, Fat Tuesday, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday

I know it’s past the Egg Nog season, but I hardly got my fair share in last season because I was beginning the GAPS diet.

I use raw milk because my digestive system does well with raw dairy. Coconut milk or kefir work as well.

It’s important to know your eggs are farm fresh and organic (not fed soy!) when you are consuming them raw.

Spur of the moment I decided I needed some Nog and this is what I did.

Egg Nog

Serves 2

Ingredients

2 cups Real Milk or Coconut Milk or Kefir
3 farm fresh Eggs
2 Tb Honey
a dab of Vanilla
Nutmeg

Directions

1. Separate egg whites and egg yolks.
2. Beat the whites until soft peaks form.
3. In a separate bowl, beat the yolks and honey until frothy.
4. Fold the yolk-and-honey mixture into beaten whites, then fold in the vanilla and coconut milk, milk or kefir.
5. Pour into cups and sprinkle with nutmeg.

Recipe from: Internal Bliss, recipes for those following the Gut and Psychology Syndrome diet.

Photo caption: Soaking oatmeal in whey.

Hot cereal is an easy, healthy breakfast food, as long as the grains are properly prepared.  The hulls of nuts, seeds, and grains contain phytic acid.  Humans or non-ruminant animals can’t digest phytic acid because we lack the enzyme phytase.  When non-ruminant animals are fed grains and legumes, the phytate from the grains and beans are unavailable for absorption and the unabsorbed phytate passes through the gastrointestinal tract, elevating the amount of phosphorus in the manure (poultry, swine, etc). Excess phosphorus excretion can lead to environmental problems such as eutrophication (artificial or non-artificial substances that get into fresh water that cause a rise in phytoplankton).

The most effective way to reduce phytic acid includes soaking or sprouting grains in a slightly acidic medium. Whey, yoghurt, kefir, buttermilk, lemon juice and vinegar are acidic so they work to activate the enzyme phytase.

Hot Cereal

Ingredients

1 Cup Steel Cut Oats, Quinoa, or Regular Oats
1 Cup room temperature, filtered Water plus 2 Tb whey, yoghurt, kefir, buttermilk, lemon juice or vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt
1 Cup Water

TOPPINGS
Plenty of butter or cream.
A natural sweetener like Rapadura, date sugar, maple syrup, maple sugar or raw honey.
Crispy nuts.
Dried coconut flakes.
Nut granola.
Real milk or coconut milk.

Directions

1. Soak oats with the water mixture 7 to 24 hours, covered and in a warm place.  It is easiest to remember to soak oats before bed.
2. In the morning, bring a cup of plain water to a boil with salt, add the soaked oats, reduce heat, cover and simmer for several minutes.

Source: Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats and Wikipedia

Myth: “All fat is bad fat.”

Truth: An avocado is NOT the same fat as potato chips.  “A combination of monounsaturated fats (olive oil, avocado, peanut oil and olives), polyunsaturated fats (nuts and seeds) and saturated fats (butter, coconut oil and palm oil) is the best. All of these fats and oils should carry the label cold pressed or expeller pressed to ensure that heat or chemical processing has not damaged these fragile fats and oils. Buying organic fats and oils to eliminate pesticide and hormone residue is even smarter. For cooking, use peanut oil, coconut oil or palm oil for higher heat and olive oil and butter for sautéing at low heat.” (Nutritional Weight and Wellness)

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Myth: “You can lose weight if you cut out all fat from your diet.”

Truth: Your body’s preferred energy source is healthy fats.  When you cut out healthy fats from your diet, your body can’t function as well.  When you avoid fat, you eat more carbohydrates and protein both of which increase insulin levels in the blood and actually causes your body to take the excess sugar and store it as fat.

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Myth: “Consuming saturated fat will make my cholesterol high, clog my arteries and lead to heart attacks.”

Truth: Dozens of studies have looked at a low-carb diet versus the low-fat, low-calorie diet and have shown the heart disease risk factors improve on a low-carb diet (Gary Taubes, Reader’s Digest Feb 2011).  Many studies show there is NO direct relationship between consumption of saturated fats and higher incidences of heart disease.  In fact, Americans have cut back on saturated fat and cholesterol and still the incidence of heart disease increases.

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Myth: “Science blames saturated fat for heart disease, so?”

Truth:  Actually, science is not conclusive on the link between saturated fat and heart disease. “Prominent researchers have periodically examined the inaccurate 1950’s nutritional data blaming saturated fat for the increase in heart disease only to find no association between saturated fat intake and coronary heart disease.” (Nutritional Weight and Wellness)

• 1974: Dr. Walter Willet and Associates found “no association between saturated fat and coronary heart disease.”
• 1992: Dr. William Castelli, director of the famous Framingham Heart Study found, “The more saturated fat one ate, the more cholesterol one ate, the more calories one ate, the lower the person’s serum cholesterol and weight.”
• 1995: Dr. Walter Willet and Associates stated, “Data do not support the strong association between intake of saturated fat and risk of coronary heart disease.”

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Myth: “Fat in my food will lead to fat on my body.”

Truth: There is NO good evidence that links dietary fat with excess weight.

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For more information read: Know Your Fats : The Complete Primer for Understanding the Nutrition of Fats, Oils and Cholesterol Dr. Mary Enig, and Good Calories, Bad Calories: Fats, Carbs, and the Controversial Science of Diet and Health (Vintage) by Gary Taubes.

This blog will help you learn how to prepare nuts and seeds (and beans and legumes) to make them more digestible to your body. It’s the phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors that make seeds and nuts difficult to digest, maybe causing a little bloating or gas. Or both. What is that drug used to keep you from having gas? Oh yeah, Beano. Some users of Beano complain of abdominal swelling, nausea, abdominal pain, and belching. Maybe all they need to do was sprout their grains, legumes, nuts and seeds!

By following a few simple steps, you can aid in your body’s digestion and feel better about the food you eat.  If you are interested in reading more about phytic acid, click here to be read “Living with Phytic Acid” by Ramiel Nagel.

Sprouting Seeds, Nuts, Beans and Legumes

Ingredients

Seeds, nuts, beans, or legumes
Filtered water
Sea Salt (2 Tb per 4 C water)

Equipment

Cheesecloth

Directions

STEP 1–SOAKING

1. Place your seeds, nuts, beans or legumes into a ceramic or glass bowl leaving at least an inch of empty space at the top.
2. Add filtered water to the bowl, just enough to cover the top of the seeds, nuts, beans or legumes.
3. Add sea salt :: 2 Tablespoons per 4 Cups of water.
4. Cover with cheesecloth or flour sack towel for at least 12 hours.

You may consume your nuts, seeds, legumes or beans after this step if you eat them within 2-4 days. If that’s not possible, step 2 will keep your food longer.

STEP 2–DEHYDRATING (SEEDS AND NUTS ONLY)

1. Rinse seeds and nuts. Then either
1. use a dehydrator: set the temperature (if you have the option) to 105°F for 18 – 24 hours or until seeds and nuts are crunchy OR
2. use an oven: cover a pan with a baking sheet and place seeds and/or nuts on the pan. Bake at 150°F for 12 – 18 hours or until seeds and nuts are crunchy.
2. Then place in an airtight container for storage and your product will last for months.

If you do not dehydrate the nuts, they are more susceptible to spoiling and will need to be refrigerated and consumed within 2 to 4 days.

STEP 3–NUT FLOURS AND NUT BUTTERS

Equipment needed: Food Processor

• FLOUR: put the nuts into your food processor until the consistency is similar to that of flour.
• BUTTER: put the nuts into the food processor until the consistency is similar to that of butter.  This will take a much longer time and is dependent on the quality of your food processor.

1. Put 1 cup of your seeds or nuts into a blender.
2. Add 3 cups of filtered water and blend until the nuts and seeds are finely ground and the water has turned a nice milky color.
3. Use a cheesecloth or a fine sieve to separate the milk from the pulp.  (Pulp may be used for future milk making, or dehydrated and blended into fine powder for flour.)
4. You may drink the milk as is or…

Options to add while chilling: vanilla extract, honey, dates, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, fresh fruit.

Internal Bliss – GAPS Cookbook (Recipes designed for those following the Gut and Psychology Syndrome Diet)

Have you ever had Amy’s Thai Coconut Soup?  It is so tasty, but for $3 – $4 for a can of soup I like to make my own.  Plus, Amy’s contain soy, evaporated cane juice (why sweeten something that doesn’t need sweetening?) and contains NO animal protein. Often it’s best to simply find a comparable recipe.

This Coconut Chicken Curry is simple to prepare and within 40 minutes you can be sitting down to your own “Amy’s” Coconut Soup and have leftovers for lunch tomorrow.

Coconut Chicken Curry

Ingredients

1 can Coconut Millk
3 Cups Chicken Broth (or 3 Cups water with 1 bouillon cube)
1 inch piece of Ginger, peeled and chopped
1 Tablespoon fresh Basil Leaves
1/2 teaspoon Green Curry paste
the juice of a Lemon or 2 Limes
Chicken, cut into bite sized pieces

Directions

1. In a medium pot, add all ingredients except the chicken. Bring the contents in the pot to a boil, then set to simmer for 30 minutes.
2. In a 9″ pan, brown the chicken pieces on all sides.  When there is 15 minutes left on the timer for the pot, add the chicken to the pot.
3. Add: sweet potatoes, carrots, green beans, onions, shiitake mushrooms, salt to taste, garlic, shallots, or rice (optional).