It kind of all started with the realization that I need to lay off the almonds a bit. Sad but true. I seem to be having some nut issues lately and so I have wanted to start experimenting with more seed milks since I like to have some milk on hand for a smoothie, just to drink for a light snack or to use in cooking for my family. My kids don’t tend to drink the almond milk anyway unless it is masked in a strawberry shake so on I went with my experiment.

I love the combo of hemp and pumpkin seed milk! It is packed with nutrition from the hemp seeds being a complete protein, fantastic source of Omega 3 and Omega 6 essential fatty acids, iron, zinc, phosphorus and magnesium. Pumpkin seeds are high in protein, iron, zinc, phosphorus and have essential fatty acids.  The milk is super easy to make and you don’t need a nut milk bag!! So, no excuses not to give this one a go! The ratio is 1 cup seeds to 5 cups water.

Hempkin Milk

• 1/2 cup hemp seeds
• 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
• 5 cups water
• 2 pitted dates
• pinch sea salt
• 1/2 tsp vanilla(optional)

Put all the ingredients in your Vitamix and blend until smooth. Really you could just stop there and drink. If I am making this to drink immediately, I add 2-3 ice cubes so it is cold milk not warm. If I am not in a hurry, I will sometimes strain the milk to remove the very little amount of pulp there is otherwise, I don’t bother, fiber is good. I like the flavor of the milk with the dates and pinch of salt so I do not add vanilla unless I want a vanilla flavored shake.

Onto the choco maca part! For 1 1/2 cups of milk, I add 1 TBS cacao and 1 TBS maca powder. The cacao gives me a nice little pick up and satisfies any chocolate fix I am in need of. It also takes me back to my childhood when I liked drinking that brand with the bunny on the box of cocoa powder! This is so much better!! Cacao is a good source of antioxidents much higher than red wine and blueberries commonly talked about when antioxidents are mentioned. Cacao is also a neurotransmitter booster for endorphins, seretonin, phenylethylamine and anandamide. All of these play a role in the feeling of love, pleasure and bliss so they help reduce stress, make you feel good and are brain healthy not to mention helping with depression and pms. Cacao also contains magnesium for strong bones and sulphur for good looking skin, ahir and nails as well as helping in detoxing the liver. Maca is high in amino acids. It is a root vegetable that is more often being used as a medicine because of it’s adaptogenic qualities for hormonal balance. It can be an aid for increasing libido, fertility in men and women and increasing energy and stamina. It helps support the immune system, adrenal function and helps regulate the endocrine system. It can also be used to help alleviate chronic fatigue. ! TBS a day is sufficient and in our choco maca milk that is how much is called for!

One more thing I add to my mix is bee pollen. I only add 1 tsp otherwise I find it alters the flavor of my choco bliss and I can’t have that! Bee Pollen is full of vitamins, minerals, carotenoids, bioflavonoids, phytosterols, amino acids, fatty acids and enzymes.  It is often referred to as “natures perfect food”. It also helps eliminate free radicals, increase stamina, strengthens the heart, controls blood pressure levels, helps regulate body weight, and is a natural antibiotic. It can help reduce the amount of nutritional deficiencies one has and help the body to rejuvenate.

Yesterday, I was rushing around and neglected to make my choco maca milk and I was amazed that later in the day I was craving it! I still am this morning and can’t wait to make myself a nice tall glass of goodness.

For a single serving here is my recipe:

Choco Maca Milk

• 1 1/2 cup water
• scant 1/4 cup hemp seeds
• 1-2 TBS pumpkin seeds
• 1 pitted date
• very small pinch sea salt (optional)

OR

• 1 1/2 cup already made hempkin milk

AND

• 1 TBS cacao powder (you may want to start off with half this)
• 1 TBS maca powder
• 1 tsp bee pollen (optional)

Blend it all up and pour in a glass. So easy and quick! So yummy and now, you may confidently drink to your health!!

Our process:

We gather about a half-dozen berry clusters, stuff them into a pitcher, pour a half gallon or so of cold water over them, massage them for a few minutes by hand to release the flavorful coating on the seed, and let the concoction rest in a cool, dark place. The longer you steep the sumac, the stronger the flavor. When the flavor is developed to your taste, strain the mixture using a nut milk bag or cheesecloth to remove any fuzzy seeds or other plant matter.  Try it before adding any sweetener – I prefer it this way, though the kids do like a dollop of raw, local honey in their glasses.

Some tips for working with sumac:

Pouring boiling or hot water over the berries leaches tannins from the stems, causing the drink to become bitter. Once you have done and strained the cold infusion, however, you can heat it for a lovely, tart cup of tea on a cool, fall day. Or add the infusion to smoothies or raw soups to enhance the flavor and nutritional profile of the dish.

To enjoy this natural source of Vitamin C in the winter, cut and dry seedheads when they turn a deep, rich crimson.  In CT this occurs primarily during August, but ripe drupes can be found in late July through late September. Place them in a dehydrator or hang them out of direct sunlight in a dry, well-ventilated space until dry, then store, whole, in a brown paper bag.

Rain can wash away some of the flavor, so be sure to gather the berries when it hasn’t rained for a few days. Depriving a tree of all its seed clusters can have detrimental effects so harvest lightly – no more than 4 or 5 per tree.   Birds such as cardinals and grosbeaks dine on the dried drupes that remain on the tree throughout the winter, so rest easy that those seeds will be put to good use.

A warning:

As a cousin of cashews and mangoes, sumac is likely unsuitable for those with sensitivity to those foods. Poison sumac is uncommon, grows in wet areas, has smooth leaves and does NOT have the signature red seed head of the staghorn variety. However, poison ivy can share the same habitat as the staghorn, so watch your feet when getting close. As always when harvesting wild edibles, be sure not to clip plants on the side of a busy road to avoid toxins.

So — take a hike! And treat yourself with a refreshing glass of gorgeous pink Rhus-ade!

Into the fridge I went……. I came out with a new favorite sweet treat that truly makes me blush. Almond butter seems to have that warming effect on me.

I scooped a big dollop of raw almond butter into a bowl and topped it with strawberry sauce and a nice dollop of whipped cashew cream. Ooooo wheeeee! It is quick and easy!

I used the cashew cream recipe in Ani Phyo’s Raw Food Essentials since I have it on loan from the library right now. This book also has the wonderful crepes mentioned earlier.

Strawberry Sauce

• 2 cups fresh strawberries or 15 oz frozen strawberries
• 1-2 TBS ground chia seeds

1. Mash the strawberries in a bowl. I use a potato masher.
2. Grind chia seeds in a spice or coffee grinder
3. Mix ground chia seeds with strawberries until well combined
4. Leave to sit 5-10 minutes.

The chia seeds absorb moisture. Chia seeds also help to keep you hydrated since they absorb so much water. Adding more or less ground chia seeds allows you to reach a sauce consistency or a jam like consistency. This stays fresh in the fridge 3-5 days.

Go ahead and be creative! place sliced bananas on the bottom of your sundae or over banana ice cream. Add different toppings like chopped walnuts, whole chia seeds, cacao nibs, buckwheaties or dried coconut.

Have a sundae party and put everything in it’s own bowl and let everyone make their own. Especially fun for kids!

Enjoy!

It seems that now is the time that there is so much raw goodness out there and available. Just in your own backyard there is enough to create lovely salads and add-ins to smoothies to make one smile.

A favorite activity of ours is going pickin’!! We love going berry and fruit picking to eat up the sun-kissed fresh fruit. I love seeing the kids explore the farms and see how the food grows. Is it a tree, a bush, low to the ground? What do the leaves of the plant look like?

The plan is always to pick enough to freeze. We haven’t quite been able to accomplish this because we eat every last little berry we pick. It is also a good lesson in what is in season and local to us.

Another high point for us is the local farmer’s markets. They are all so different from one another. A favorite used to be Coventry Farmer’s market when we lived closer to it. Lots of great vendors including our very close friend Hurricane Farm!! Coventry also has guest speakers and it is so fun filled.

Now we are in a different location and we have been checkin’ out the scene. My new favorite is Ashlawn Farm in Lyme, CT. They are open Fridays from 3-6pm and Saturday am 9-noon. There are two organic vendors with fantastic veggies and flowers.  Hidden Brook Gardens is a new favorite. They have lush greens and are passionate about what they do. I have gotten some great tips about growing and different ways to use the produce.  The Hay House has gorgeous flowers and extras of greens and veggies that have not gotten used for their CSA. Scott’s is not organically certified but uses organic sprays when possible and has a huge variety of fruits and veggies. They are happy to answer questions about their goods and their practices. There is yet another vendor that is not organic and does uses sprays I care not to partake of so be sure to ask. They also have fresh baked items as well as a fresh seafood vendor and meat vendor. Ashlawn farm is a beautiful farm that is super friendly and it is fun to sit on a chair or blanket after getting your goods to watch the animals or go into their little store to buy a fresh made smoothie.

Get into the swing and find your local farmer’s markets and go check them out. Be sure to visit all the local ones as they truly are each unique and offer different goods.

So, What is your favorite market?

Did you know that you aren’t limited to enjoying the dancing orange beauties with only sight and smell? The petals taste delicious as well! You can pull them off and toss them in salads whole or sliced. Or you can stuff them with whatever you think is tasty — flavored rice/quinoa/millet, chopped fruit or a slaw-ish salad. The greener end where the flower is attached to the stem is bitter, so you’ll want to leave it on your plate, but YUM! We ate most of the salad (a kale-cabbage-carrot slaw with a lemon tahini dressing) stuffed into all of the lilies in the picture as dinner one night.

Since borage and heartsease were also blooming in the garden, the kids picked them and tossed them into for good floral measure. I think there were some sliced rose petals in there as well. As you can see, the salad bordered on the garish, it was so colorful!  Currently, our gorgeously crimson bee balm is flowering — you can pull the petals off those and toss them into salads for some beautiful color and taste, and our nasturtiums, started from seed a little late, have also started to flower. Both leaves and flowers add a peppery bite to a green salad that needs no other adornment. When I started researching what flowers could be safely consumed a couple of years ago, I was astonished at how many I already had in my yard! I have bookmarked this list of edible flowers and use it to double check plants I’m not sure about.

Back to day lilies. One afternoon Dante announced that he had something special planned for dessert. Since raspberries and wild black raspberries were also in season, he and Lucia collected a basket of berries and some day lily blossoms and disappeared into the kitchen, forbidding me to follow. He chopped up some sorrel and berries, mashing this all together a bit with some finely diced apples and the juice of half a lemon. He stuffed this mixture into the blossoms, and lay them on a plate. He put the rest of the chopped fruit mixture into the Vita-Mix to make a sauce, which he drizzled over the blossoms. We devoured this treat and wished we had more.

One caution — eating too many day lily flowers in one sitting can cause digestive upset in some people. Proceed with care until you know how many you can handle, or plan to stay close to a bathroom the next day!

If you are lucky to have a thick patch of these nearby, you can also harvest and eat the shoots  raw or cooked in the early spring. Once leaves are 8-12 inches high, they will become too fibrous to enjoy. Unopened buds can be prepared much as you would green beans, and spent flowers that bloomed the previous day can be added to soups, stews, or stir-fry. The tubers at the tips of the rhizomes are also edible all year long, but the general consensus in our wild edibles books seems to be that unless you are in a survival situation, they are simply not worth the work.

Be sure to identify stands of them this summer. Otherwise, if you find a likely patch in the spring, dig up a clump and look at the root system. The underground stems (rhizomes) that end in  tubers distinguish them from poisonous lilies. As with all wild edibles, you must be sure that they are free from contamination — roadsides and farms or yards that use chemical pesticides and herbicides can taint nearby wild edibles with toxins.

Happy foraging!

It wasn’t available in retail packets in the US (it’s  Canadian), but several sites sold it online in 1lb bags. I bought both the mozzarella and cheddar style. We made some pizza, we broiled some nachos, and most of us were delighted to find something that filled that need for cheese. Lucia didn’t care for it at first, but now that she’s had it a few times, she’s delighted with Daiya like the rest of us.

Fast forward to this summer, and Daiya has hit US markets — it’s in Whole Foods, local health stores, and our food coop catalog. Yipee!

Why are we excited? Because we avoid dairy, we now skip traditional “treat” foods that include grilled cheese sandwiches, tacos, burritos, pizza, nachos and more. Daiya allows us to enjoy all those foods with a cheese substitute that isn’t as heavy, rubbery or greasy as your standard pizza or nacho cheese, it’s made with ingredients that aren’t liked to cancer and other health conditions, and it MELTS!

I let the pizza cool too much to get a good stretchy picture, but you can visit the Daiya website for some lovely images of just that.

Daiya Shreds are made entirely from plant-based ingredients and are FREE. Oh, was that misleading? No, not like you’re hoping (it costs around $5 for 8 oz in stores), but check this list out:

• Cholesterol free
• Trans Fat free
• Dairy free
• Free of all animal products (Vegan)
• Free of common allergens including:
  • Soy, Casein, Lactose, Gluten, Egg, Wheat, Barley, Whey, Rice, and Nuts
• Free of Artificial Ingredients
• Free of Preservatives
• Free of Hormones & Antibiotics

The full list of ingredients for the cheddar style shreds are as follows:

Filtered water, tapioca and/or arrowroot flours, non-GMO expeller pressed canola and /or non-GMO expeller pressed safflower oil, coconut oil, pea protein, salt, inactive yeast, vegan natural flavors, vegetable glycerin, xanthan gum, citric acid (for flavor), annatto.

By no means am I suggesting this this is something to eat to bring about optimal health and nutrition. This isn’t a product to consume on a daily basis, and I’m still wary of ingredients listed as “natural flavors” even when they’re preceded by the word “vegan”. Ditto  for glycerin, xanthan gum and citric acid. This is a processed food, something we avoid on a regular basis. However, when invited to a pizza party, it’s much easier on the kids if they have pizza to eat, and easier on me if I am not concerned about the effects of wheat and dairy on their systems.

You can see the pizza before we cooked it — Bob’s Red Mill GF Pizza Crust (made with ground flax instead of eggs) topped with tomato sauce and mozzerella Daiya. See all the lovely individual shreds? Honestly, it smells better and tastes better to me than most of the rubbery stuff you can get in the local supermarket, be it Kraft, Sargento or Organic Valley.

Then we cooked it — we baked the crust for about 15 minutes first, then pulled it, added the sauce and cheese, and popped it back in for 5 more minutes or so until the cheese was melty and bubbly. Click on this picture to see the enlarged version. If you have cut dairy from your diet for health or ethical reasons, but miss the meltiness and tanginess of cheese topping on your pizza, this is some serious food porn.

Yum, yum and more YUM!

As you can see, shortcake had unanimous support, and I made a sour cherry smoothie to wash it down — mostly cherries, with a little water, one banana and 2 dates. To  prepare for this colorful treat, we picked oodles of fat blueberries at Belltown Hills Orchard in Glastonbury.  Afterward, we followed Matson Hill Road to the end and went for a walk in the woods and dip in the water at Cotton Hollow. Then onto the Glastonbury library (to reluctantly relinquish their overdue copy of David Wolfe’s The Sunfood Diet Success System) and Whole Foods where we found organic strawberries on sale.

I hem and haw (gee, that seems silly in print) about buying organic berries from California, but everything I have read on the topic makes me feel very strongly that even washed berries contain high levels of pesticides and chemical fertilizers. You remember the invaluable resource we mentioned back in February — Environmental Working Group’s Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides. Like this article today from Rodale:  Coming Soon to Your Strawberries: Newly Approved Carcinogenic Pesticide. Aside from those grown in my yard, I have yet to find a good source of local organic berries, especially strawberries. Last year we drove out to the lovely and amazing Kristin Orr’s organic blueberry patch at Fort Hill Farms in Thompson, CT. A gem of a woman, a very special farm, it was worth the trip and we picked 10lbs of organic blueberries! If you know of another organic pick-your-own or farm stand in CT, please pass that info on!

I avoid buying food from across the country when local alternatives are present, but we wanted us some strawberry shortcake.  We had several bowlfuls of homegrown strawberries this year (well, those that actually made it into the bowl, that is, and weren’t gobbled up by my two garden gremlins), but we only made shortcake once.

This is a picture of our first attempt at almond flour drop biscuits which I actually made as drop biscuits. Ignoring the directions, I scooped out a bunch of dough, dropped it on the pan and baked it. Dante chopped  and slightly mashed up our berries with a little wood sorrel and Voila!  We sliced them in half and added the berries, but since they were so big, the texture of the biscuits left something to be desired and we didn’t have the abundance of berries so much biscuit required. Since they were tasty, we tried again.

I followed the directions and used my 1/4 cup measuring cup to scoop the dough, and flattened it once it came out on the baking sheet. Much better! Here’s the recipe, once again using almond flour so entirely gluten free and without that odd aftertaste that we find in many GF flour mixes that involve beans and loads of tapioca or corn starch!

Gluten Free Almond Flour Classic Drop Biscuits

• 2 1/2 cups blanched almond flour
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp. lemon juice

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees; line baking sheet with parchment or grease the baking sheet.
2. Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Mix the wet ingredients in a medium bowl. Combine wet into dry until thoroughly mixed.
3. Drop the batter in scant 1/4 cups onto baking sheet (will make 8-10 biscuits). Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.

She called for grapeseed oil and agave, and we replaced each egg with 1 Tbs ground flax mixed with 3 Tbs water, allowing it to stand until thickened. I mooshed the dough into my 1/4 cup measure, and it came out nicely onto my sheet. I then pressed it down a bit into the shape you see on the right and popped them in the oven.

I whizzed some blueberries and chia seeds in the Vita-Mix, and once smooth I added another couple handfuls and ran the blender gently to chop them a bit to give the sauce a chunky texture. Blueberries thicken on their own, as anyone who has left a blueberry smoothie to stand for a while can attest, but I added the chia to accelerate this and boost the nutrition of the dish.

I started 1 cup of cashews soaking before I mixing shortcake dough or chopping berries. I rinsed these well, drained and added them to the rinsed blender with some water, several dates, the juice of 1 lemon and a pinch of Himalayan sea salt and whizzed til smooth to make a cream sauce to top our shortcake. I didn’t measure, and did this to taste, adding a little water gradually until the blender was able to do it’s job and I achieved the consistency I was looking for.

Our red, white and blue shortcake was a big hit with the family, and some had seconds. The shortcakes were tasty, and I want to try them with little or no sweetener perhaps mix in some chives or other herbs and serve them with a savory dish for dinner. We used to make a veggie stew with cheesy cheddar biscuits, and I think these would be a lovely sub. We’ve even found a replacement for the cheese that melts, stretches and taste delicious! More to come soon on that!

The garden beckons, and the heat wave demands a pilgrimmage to a local body of water, so I’m off!

Happy high garden season!

Today is a day of red, white and blue and celebration of America’s independence. Happy Birthday America!

We were headed to a family gathering by the lake to have a cookout, swim and celebrate the fourth. While everyone else was planning on grilling I wanted to make sure we could join in while still keeping in line with our choices for food. So we broke out the sunshine burgers and tossed them on the grill to heat for a minute towards the end of the rest of the family cooking their various meats. We piled the burgers high with lettuce tomato and melted Diya cheese on millet bread. They were great and the kids loved them. It teamed up perfectly with the Waldorf Salad I brought and our Aunts potato salad.

They real highlight was dessert! I made a new favorite.

Berries N’ Cream

In a bowl, layer sliced strawberries, cream and then blueberries on top. Get it, red, white and blue!

Cream:

3/4 cup walnuts
3/4 cup cashews
2 TBS maple syrup
1 TBS honey
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 -3/4 cup water

Put all cream ingredients in vitamix and blend until smooth, scraping sides down as needed.

You can use any nuts you would like including all walnuts or cashew, pecans, macadamia or a combo. Also, feel free to use dates (about six) in place of the honey or maple syrup. You could also use all honey or maple syrup.

Add the water slowly so it stays nice and thick. Change it up a bit by adding some lemon zest or orange zest, or coconut water to make new flavors.

For the top, I fan cut a strawberry and placed it in the center. Garnishing it this way added a nice splah of color and the kids thought it was cool to cut the strawberry this way.

So simple and beautiful. I ate 2 helpings while I was there and a nice snack of it when we got home. Gatlin stated, “I am so full of this but would eat it all if you made it again sometime.” My husband ate a huge container of it. Ok, so I don’t recommend that, but the point is, it is that good!

No need to worry about missing out on that whipped cream experience anymore. This one is sure to please.

We love it’s lemony tartness in salads, sandwiches, smoothies and soups. Once the tomatoes come in, lunch often consists of tomatoes chopped with wood sorrel, basil, a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of Herbamare or salt. Simple, quick and oh so satisfying. And literally mouth-watering. Seriously. Try a bite. I defy you not to salivate! This is a handy trick when hiking with thirsty kids.

Leaves are a sunny light green and are divided in three heart-shaped leaflets with a center crease that allows the leaves to fold down at night or under stress. Although sorrel leaves are lighter green, their shape is otherwise quite similar to those of clover. Flowers are a bright golden yellow, with five petals. Other varieties of this weed have pink or white flowers, but in our area, yellow is the dominant color.

Medicinally, wood sorrel is a wonderful source of comfort for several ailments. As with plantain or yarrow, you can crush the leaves and put them on wounds or burns to promote healing. An infusion is helpful for digestive maladies, as well as for reducing fevers.  High in niacin, thiamin, riboflain and Vitamin C, wood sorrel can be a nutritious addition to your diet . A note of caution, however — it does contain oxalic acid  (also found in spinach, rhubarb, parsley, etc) and should be used in moderation. Those with gout and other conditions that are irritated by oxalic acid should probably forgo the pleasures of this mouth-puckering herb.

If you aren’t already familiar with wood sorrel, you will soon discover that it’s lurking about in shady spots all around you. Find a spot that is unlikely to be contaminated by pesticides, auto exhaust, etc and enjoy!

Wakame Hemp Power Slaw was so easy to prepare and will last 3-4 days in the fridge. Mine didn’t last but two. Proud to say, my hubby even took some to work the next day he liked it so much. I also brought some to share with Sioux to get her review. So, my kids didn’t like it so much but I think they would after a few exposures. I read the other day it can take 15 exposures to a new food before taking to it. So, one down, 14 to go because mamma will be making this one again with all it’s flavor and creamy goodness.

I think we have all heard of the wonderful benefits of kale but what about wakame? Sea veggies are powerhouses. Wakame is high in calcium, protein and chlorophyll. Sea vegetables add essential nutrients and minerals to our diets. They are very versatile and are great in salads and soups. Nori is a common seaweed used as the wrapper for sushi. Dulse is a great salt substitute as is kelp granules. Here is a yummy to add more of these treasures from the sea into your diet.

Wakame Hemp Power Slaw

slaw:

• 1/2 head kale, ribs removed and torn into bite sized pieces
• 1/4 head red cabbage, cored and thinly sliced
• 2 scallions (I used chives from the garden)
• 1/2 c dry wakame
• 1/2 c hemp seeds

power dressing

• 3/4 c brazil nuts (I was out so I used some almonds and cashews)
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 TBS grated ginger (I didn’t measure and just threw about a 1 inch hunk in)
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 c hemp oil (I used olive oil but hemp or flax would be delish!)
• juice of 1 lime, about 2 TBS
• 1/4 c water

1. For slaw, tear kale into bite sized pieces and put in a bowl with the thinly sliced cabbage, scallions or chives and wakame.
2. To make the dressing, use food processor to process nuts, garlic, ginger and salt. Add remaining dressing ingredients and process until smooth. I just put it all in the Vitamix and whizzed it up until smooth.
3. Pour or scoop dressing into bowl with slaw and toss until well incorporated.
4. Top with hemp seeds

The slaw does have very interesting flavors. The lime and ginger in the dressing combined with the creaminess hold up very well to all the flavors of the kale cabbage and wakame. This salad doesn’t need to stand off to be labeled a side dish but is a perfect meal type salad and can hold it’s own in the spotlight. Enjoy!