I’m stoked, finally after many attempts I have made successful crackers! These little crunch bombs are bloody addictive and reminiscent of the long forgotten vegetable thin- only way better. These are totally adaptable you guys, so if your not into toasted cumin you prefer rosemary or sesame or onion, you could definitely subtract the cumin and add those in, respectively. I adore the brilliant yellow turmeric imparts, not too mention the various health benefits. Toasted cumin gives these bright yellow crackers an Indian flare and reminds me of my beloved pappadam. Paleo and vegan cheese and crackers shazzam everyone is pleased!
The green goddess cashew cream cheese is the perfect accompaniment to these crackers and it’s a cinch to whip up. Did you know raw cashews are great for alleviating depression and anxiety? Cashew cheese makes me happy! This green goddess version is spiked with green onion and cilantro, and of course garlic, it didn’t last very long in our house. The cashew cheese is also really nice smothered on sourdough toast or as a sandwich base.
Being the spaz that I am, I often forget key kitchen tools like, all the time, case in point, parchment paper. This is why my other cracker attempts flopped into a sea of crumbs. You need parchment to roll the crackers out, the dough is just way too sticky to not have a protective parchment barrier below and above. Aside from that, anyone can whip up the toasted cumin and turmeric crackers. The good news, like most health freaks, I do not own a dehydrator (not that I don’t want one) SO these crackers won’t take 800 hours, they bake up just perfect in under 15 minutes, presto.
For cashew cheese 1 C RAW cashews, soaked for minimum 2 hours, drained
1 Tbs lemon juice
2 garlic cloves
2 Tbs olive oil
½ tsp salt
handful chopped green onion
handful chopped cilantro
Instructions
Heat oven to 350F
For the crackers, combine dry ingredients in a large bowl, almond meal, tapioca flour, salt and turmeric.
When the flax is egg like and viscous in texture (about 30 mins of soaking) combine it with olive oil and toasted cumin.
Mix into the dry ingredients until thoroughly combined. Separate into two equal parts.
Roll out one section of dough between 2 pieces of parchment until its about ⅛ inch thick. Use a pizza cutter to gently trace squares or diamond shaped crackers. Transfer bottom parchment to a baking sheet and repeat this process with the other half of dough.
Bake @350F for 12-15 minutes until golden brown. Let crackers cool before serving.
For the cashew cheese, combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth
TA-DA! Winter doldrums be gone, chocolate cream pie has arrived to banish you until next week! For real, what’s better than a hazelnut-almond shortbread crust topped with decadent chocolate laden with a top secret ingredient, layered with airy whipped coconut cream?
Secret ingredient: Sweet potato has passed the test and gone completely undetected by my guinea pig, twice. Have no fear, the small amount of sweet potato adds oomph and body without any characteristic taste whatsoever. Kinda like sweet potato brownies, only better.
Plus you don’t even have to bake it and the longer it stays in the fridge the better it gets, win and win.
Another excellent cure for the bare bottomed blues of winter is to rearrange all the furniture in your entire house.
My house is very small so this was easy and deeply satisfying. Not a bad excuse to clean sneaky lurking dust bunnies either. I realized there was a giant pointless shelf in my kitchen which did nothing but occupy space and clutter. Be gone useless shit, I don’t need you anymore.
Have you ever rearranged a room and thought, how did I ever not have it this way? How the hell could I ever have lived with this room any other way?!
Sitting in my newly arranged living room, noshing on a luscious creamy piece of pie and watching my giant wolf dog allow my baby to hug his neck, life doesn’t seem like it could get much better. But just like the way the furniture was fine before, things can always get better.
1 C roasted hazlenuts ( you can substitute for almonds or almond meal if you wish)
2 Tbs coconut sugar or raw cane sugar
½ C coconut oil, melted
¼ C raw cacao paste OR powder
1 C raw cashews, soaked for at least an hour and up to 8
½ tsp vanilla extract
⅓ tsp sea salt
½ C sweet potato, steamed or roasted
3 Tbs honey or maple syrup
1 can coconut milk, thoroughly chilled to separate the coconut cream from the liquid
Instructions
In a blender or food processor, pulverize the almonds and hazelnuts into a fine meal consistency. In a large bowl mix with sugar and 2 Tbs coconut oil. Press this mix into a pie plate making sure to bring it up nice and high on the sides and press firmly to set in place. Set aside in the fridge or freezer while you make the filling.
In a blender or food processor add cashews, sweet potato, cacao, coconut oil, vanilla, salt and honey or maple syrup. Blend until smooth and add about 2 Tbs of the liquid from your coconut milk. Pour onto the crust and allow to set in the fridge for half and hour at least.
To make the coconut whipped cream, add the separated cream to a stand mixer or whisk by hand until light and fluffy. Pour over chocolate layer and chill before serving.
Hey guys, woweeee it’s officially 2015, happy new year to you all and I hope it’s the best yet! I’ve seen a lot of talk around of people starting their cleanses and whole 30 resets come January so I thought I would start the year off with a delicious salad recipe suitable for any of your new years challenges. I myself really need to give my adrenals a break and stop drinking so much coffee. Aside from that, I’ve really questioned my belief in setting new years resolutions this year. Every day is an opportunity to set goals and make changes. Every moment a chance to change and improve.
It’s been awhile since I made a real shin diggery of a new years affair. Last night was no different, though we did have a little dance party with classic hits on much more retro, kool and the gang anyone? When we got close to midnight my dad tried to turn on Dicks countdown but instead got stuck on some interactive channel where you find santa, the credits were already playing by the time we got to the right channel. Kisses and hugs and a tired baby wondering why everyones clobbering him ensued. We’ve been having such a wonderful visit with the family, I came here prepared to be productive but it’s all fallen to the wayside. Food photography on location isn’t our strong suit but hey, it’s a learning curve. We have been eating some amazing food, including a brined turkey, which I wanted to post on but it got gobbled up too fast to take any photos. I will recreate it to share, promise, it was just too good not to.
This salad is super simple and it has all those lovely pad thai flavours. Normally when I make this dressing I add all sorts of thai flare like lemongrass and fish sauce but here at my parents those ingredients weren’t so handy, so I simplified it and it’s still delicious. There’s a huge snow storm today so our trip home has been postponed until further notice. In the meantime I’ll just imagine i’m perusing the amazing food markets of Thailand.
Happy Solstice everyone! The longest night is upon us, and I think we’re all ready to welcome back the light. This time of year, for me, is all about inner reflection, looking back on the last years happenings. It’s an exciting time to realize the potential that you can harness in 365 days. This time last year I had a little baby bump and had no idea what to expect but now I have this sweet little angel and it all seemed to happen in the blink of an eye. I am so in love with life and the capacity for us all to achieve great things, to full fill our wildest dreams, to learn new skills, practice old ones and reformulate our outlook so that it serves us all the better.
After a day of frolicking around the city, people watching in the busy shopping mall and running around trying to get all the last minute goodies taken care of, I’m so glad that we’re celebrating solstice this year. The mad rush of the 24th is no longer looming because it just doesn’t matter, phew. Tomorrow morning we’ll get up slow, drink baileys and coffee, make a quiche or a giant frittata and open gifts while my dad films the whole thing. We’re roasting a beautiful free range turkey, complete with all the fix ins, and for the one and only time this year our entire family will sit down together and share a meal. I’m so incredibly grateful for all of this, I know what a monumental blessing it is to have a loving family, I wish everyone had that.
Now without further adieu, these little imitation ferrero rochers are delightful and a great little treat to spread joy with to all. I like to plop them into an egg carton for a makeshift box of chocolates. Of course, these beauties are free of unknown nasty preservatives or other weird ingredients, and I personally like them better than their commercial counterparts. All they need is some fancy gold wrapping and a little stick, et voila!
It’s official folks, sauerkraut and other lacto/wild fermented/cultured veggies are officially more potent than expensive probiotic supplements. The benefits of making your own sauerkraut are huge! This humble and ancient food has never been so appealing, consuming sauerkraut could literally change your life and help heal chronic problems. It’s easy, cheap and powerful, learn how to make your own delicious sauerkraut and reap the benefits.
“We had it analyzed. We found in a 4-6 ounce serving of fermented vegetables there were literally ten trillion bacteria”
A 16oz jar of home made sauerkraut is the equivalent to 8 bottles of a standard probiotic supplement! WOWZA!
Cultured Vegetables are the ultimate superfood!
10 reasons to eat sauerkraut
1. They are delicious the combinations of vegetables, herbs and spices are endless.
2. 85% of your immune system lies in your digestive wall it is our bodies first defence against illness. If our gut bacteria is compromised we are far more susceptible to disease.
3. Helps maintain a healthy weight because when your digestion is healthy and your body has all it’s fundamental nutrients you’ll be less inclined to binge on unhealthy foods.
4. Protects you from nasty parasites as well as candida overgrowth, pathogenic viruses and bacteria.
5. Preserves food when it is at its peak production. Instead of buying a cabbage out of season in the middle of winter, how about cracking open a bottle of kraut that you made when that cabbage was in season?
6. Fermentation makes nutrients easier to absorb. It has been proven that cabbage, once fermented, contains 200X more vitamin C than it does when consumed raw.
7. Protect yourself against depression and anxiety by consuming cultured vegetables. Researchers have shown a link between unhealthy gut flora and the incidence of depression. In one study they found using blood analysis, 35% of people with depression were found to have leaky gut syndrome. Gut bacteria also regulates the release of the feel good hormone dopamine.
8. Keep Alzheimers at bay research shows increased incidence of alzheimers in people with leaky gut syndrome. When certain gut bacteria escape into the bloodstream such as H.pylori they can affect our brains and instigate the build up of plaque.
9. Improved Digestion nobody likes feeling lethargy and discomfort after a meal, you should feel energized and nourished. If your gut bacteria are in balance your digestion should be efficient and painless.
10. Beautiful skin has a defined affiliation with balanced healthy gut flora. Many studies have been done showing this connection including one Russian study where they found 54% of acne patients had significant alterations to the gut flora.
Anything you want to add to the list?
Now don’t you want to start making your own delicious sauerkraut?
It’s super easy, and incredibly affordable, especially when compared to fancy probiotic supplements.
Make sure not to overdo it if you are just starting out. Fermented foods are very cleansing and can result in a healing crisis if too much is consumed at once. I recommend starting slow, with a teaspoon of cultured vegetables at every meal. You can work your way up to a heaping tablespoon over the course of a week or two.
I am sending you over to the master- Sandor Katz, if you want to learn more check out his books, author of Wild Fermentation and the Art of Fermentation both very comprehensive and insightful books on fermentation wisdom, history, and recipes.
Here is the basic sauerkraut recipe,which I use as a template for all my sauerkraut antics, but feel free to add the following…
peppercorns
dill
cumin seeds
coriander seeds
caraway seeds
carrot
radish
sea vegetables
other types of cabbage
My Basic Sauerkraut Recipe
Equipment
Ceramic crock or food-grade plastic bucket, one-gallon capacity or greater OR One-gallon mason jar or two 500 mL mason jars with lids
Plate that fits inside crock or bucket
One-gallon jug filled with water (or a scrubbed and boiled rock)
Cloth cover (like a pillowcase or towel)
Homemade Sauerkraut Directions
Chop, grate or slice cabbage, you can use red or green, if you combine the two, the preferred method of Sandor Katz author of multiple books on the topic) you’ll end up with a beautiful pink sauerkraut.
Sprinkle the cabbage with salt as you go, this draws moisture out of the cabbage through osmosis, creating the brine which will allow your kraut to preserve itself and the probitics to proliferate.
At this point you can choose to add other vegetables, herbs and spices which I’ll talk about below, or you can leave as is.
Pack the salted cabbage into your vessel, whether you’re using a crock, bucket or jars place small amounts of cabbage at a time and pack down using your fists or another sturdy tool. You want to make it as compact as possible to help force the water out of the cabbage.
Once you’ve packed down all your cabbage, cover with a plate or for jars use the “butt” end of the cabbage to push it down and allow the liquid brine to cover the cabbage. Use your weighted water bucket or heavy stone on top of the plate to keep the kraut submerged.
Press down on the weight every few hours as the salt draws more moisture from the cabbage. You want the brine to be above the plate. If the brine still isn’t above the plate by the next day, add one cup of pure water combined with one tsp salt and add it to the kraut. If you’re using jars there are some nifty contraptions that seal out oxygen but allow Co2 to release, a worthwhile investment.
Cover with a cloth to let it ferment and come to life.
– See my original article at: http://realfoodies.org/food/how-do-you-make-sauerkraut/#sauerkraut-recipe
My Super Mineral Kraut
For this version I mix 1 Tbs. dulse flakes with my 3 Tbs of himalayan salt. You could use other flaked seaweeds too, like nori, arame, kombu…
This version is great for adding more iodine into the diet which is protective against radiation. Seaweed is also high in B vitamins, particularly B12. The mineral content of seaweed is impressive, and fermentation increases the bioavailability.
I think it’s really important to consume foods that are rich in minerals in this day and age. With the levels of soil depletion we are seeing, our foods are supplying less and less nutrient value thanks to modern agriculture and unsustainable farming practices.
My Super Spicy Immune Boosting “kimchi” Kraut
I have a recipe for authentic kimchi here, it’s elaborate and time consuming, plus you need a particular type of cabbage and daikon radish. Not to say it’s not worth it because trust me, it is. However if you want a cheat version that is equally delicious and uses plain old green cabbage then this is it. This is a fantastic food to eat when your feeling under the weather.
Follow the directions for plain sauerkraut but mix in the following additions…
1 Tbs red chili flakes
1 inch piece of ginger, grated
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbs fish sauce
My East Indian Inspired Kraut
Around our house we eat alot of indian curries and pickles. I find classic sauerkraut doesn’t quite jive with Indian cuisine, but I still like to get a dose of probiotics and healthy enzymes. Plus turmeric is incredibly healing, check out some of the reasons you should incorporate more turmeric into your healing practices.
Follow the directions for plain sauerkraut but mix in the following additions…
If a magic genie granted me three wishes, one of them would be to peer inside the growing flesh of fruit of a pomegranate. They are such and interesting fruit with their many pockets filled with little surprises. Garnet jeweled seeds, this ancient fruit is rumoured to have been the real forbidden fruit. The sheer pleasure in eating a pomegranate fruit is worth the cost every now and then. Usually it coincides with a conscious moment of how very far some of our food travels. Our family certainly wouldn’t mind living somewhere pomegranates grow, maybe someday. Until then, a luxurious raw chocolate bark adorned with the fruit of royalty will do the trick.
Health Benefits of Pomegranates
-1 pomegranate is equivalent to about 40% of the daily recommended intake of Vitamin C
–Antioxidants in pomegranates are powerfully protective against free radicals which wreak havoc on our cells. Pomegranates have more antioxidants than blueberries, acai berry and grapes.
– Reduce Inflammation One study discovered pomegranate actually decreased production of a cartilage destroying enzyme, potential use as a treatment for osteoarthritis and maintaining joint integrity and proper function.
–Heart health Pomegranate juice has been shown to slow the formation of arterial plaque and even reverse it. They’re also beneficial for those suffering from high blood pressure.
1 C raw cacao paste OR ¾C cacao butter + 6 Tbs cacao powder
⅓ C maple syrup or honey
1 tsp coconut oil
¼ tsp sea salt
1 pomegranate, flesh removed
Instructions
In a double boiler melt cacao paste (or butter) with maple syrup and coconut oil. Mix in the cacao powder once everything is melted (if your not using cacao paste).
Prepare a baking dish lined with parchment paper, pour your chocolate mixture onto the paper and spread evenly.
Top with pomegranate seeds and sea salt.
Allow to set for an hour or so in the fridge.
Store the bark in the fridge if you live in a warm climate.
Hey I'm Chantelle, my alter ego would be a mermaid if I wasn't such a terrible swimmer. I love writing authentically and cooking in my pyjamas. My favourite pastimes include eating avocados, travelling the world and hanging out with a toddler.
