Bottles ready for cultured foods and beverages

Bottles ready for cultured foods and beverages
Ten Green Bottles!!

Sunday 30 December 2012

FDA Quietly Pushes Through Genetically Modified Salmon Over Christmas Break - Read this and Weep | NationofChange

FDA Quietly Pushes Through Genetically Modified Salmon Over Christmas Break | NationofChange

 While you were likely resting or enjoying time with friends and family over the Christmas break, the United States Food and Drug Administration was hard at work ramming through genetically modified salmon towards the final acceptance process. Despite the frankenfish actually being blocked by Congress last year over serious health and environmental concerns, the FDA is making a massive push to release the genetically modified salmon into the world as the FDA-backed biotech giant and creator of the fish AquaAdvantage screams for profits.

Ticked Off About a Growing Allergy to Meat - ScienceNOW

Ticked Off About a Growing Allergy to Meat - ScienceNOW

Tick bites have long been synonymous with bad news, responsible for transmitting diseases such as Lyme disease, Ehrlichiosis, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever, but this must be a carnivore or BBQ lover's worst nightmare. A growing body of research suggests that bites from a particular tick are causing an unusual allergic reaction to meat.Allergy to Meat Following Tick Bite

Monday 17 December 2012

DIY Coconut Oil Moisturizer | The Coconut Mama

DIY Coconut Oil Moisturizer | The Coconut Mama



http://thecoconutmama.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/coconut21.jpg

So simple to make.........

Whipped coconut oil works wonderful as a moisturizer. It is easily applied and doesn’t harden when it’s cold. You can add essential oils for a nice fragrance if you like. I prefer the scent of virgin coconut oil so I do not add anything to it.

Thanks Coconut Mama for your ingenuity

Coconut oil makes a great hair conditioner and skin conditioner. A little poured into a bath makes your skin soft. Just be careful when you leave the bath tub as it can be slippery.

I always purchase my coconut products from Nature Pacific at the Gold Coast.

Unacceptable Levels - a film

More and more people are speaking out on toxins contained EVERYWHERE in our lives. Films are certainly the most impactful way of highlighting issues

A new film coming in 2013

Wednesday 12 December 2012

Chronic Infection


For the first time in history, chronic illness has overtaken acute disease as the major health problem around the world
Our experience and research has lead us to a different paradigm in medicine - one that understands that every person is different and their treatment needs to be individualised.

One of the strongest arguments put forth by the Institute of Functional Medicine in the United States is that "continuing to focus our resources on the acute-care model will not empower us to effectively address the outcomes and costs of the chronic disease epidemic—only a new model for understanding, assessing, and treating chronic disease will achieve that goal.



When I test my blood cholesterol what should it be ? - Dr Natasha

When I test my blood cholesterol what should it be ? - Dr Natasha

Tuesday 11 December 2012

How Butter is Made



Butter is better!! It's perfect if you make it yourself. It's much much better than artificially produced Canola Oil. Why would you eat something that is so far removed from your own digestive system. We are animals not plants!!

How Rapeseed Oil becomes Canola Oil



Have a look at this and see why using Canola oil is not such a good idea.

New Organic Beef Man at Northey Street Markets


On Sunday at Northey St Markets a new organic meat man with refrigerated van. www.kiallaorganic.com.au. His beef is from $12.99 per kilo. This man is agent for Kialla and lives at St Lucia. He's willing to do deliveries.
 
His contact number is 0421 078 154.
He's happy for you to order sausages without starches - any way you want them!!
 
 

The Meat Fix - book

The Meat Fix - How a lifetime of healthy eating nearly killed me.

http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/Meat-Fix-John-Nicholson/9781849544627

 The Meat Fix: How A Lifetime of Healthy Eating Nearly Killed Me

The Meat Fix charts one man's journey to the top of the food chain, uncovering in the process an alternate universe of research condemning everything we think we know about healthy eating as little more than illusion, guesswork and marketing. The body is a temple - but, as John Nicholson discovered, we may have forgotten how to worship it.

You can download an audio interview from the ABC site

 http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/lifematters/the-meat-fix/4255018

I've really enjoyed reading this book. His detailed descriptions of his visits to doctors about REAL FOOD.

Highly recommended

Thursday 15 November 2012

Fermentation Pot

Here it is, just arrived, my new fermentation pot. If you haven't tried one of these for fermenting kraut or other foods, you're really missing out!! Totally anaerobic environment makes a wonderful kraut with no fungus, mould or anything else to upset your brew. These are so well priced compared to other brands available in Australia



Sunday 11 November 2012

"The ideal balance of beneficial to pathogenic bacteria in your gut is about 85 percent good bacteria and 15 percent bad. Maintaining this ideal ratio is what it's all about when we're talking about optimizing your gut health. Historically, people didn't have the same problems with their gut health as we do today for the simple fact that they got large quantities of beneficial bacteria, i.e. probiotics, from their diet in the form of fermented or cultured foods, which were invented long before the advent of refrigeration and other forms of food preservation.

You can ferment virtually any food, and every traditional culture has traditionally fermented their foods to prevent spoilage. There are also many fermented beverages and yoghurts. Quite a large percent of all the foods that people consumed on a daily basis were fermented, and each mouthful provides trillions of beneficial bacteria—far more than you can get from a probiotics supplement.

Here's a case in point: It's unusual to find a probiotic supplement containing more than 10 billion colony-forming units. But when my team actually tested fermented vegetables produced by probiotic starter cultures, they had 10 trillion colony-forming units of bacteria. Literally, one serving of vegetables was equal to an entire bottle of a high potency probiotic! Fermented foods also give you a wider variety of beneficial bacteria, so all in all, it's your most cost effective alternative"

 
Here's cheers to all those Demented Fermenter.s who are busy making their own cultured vegies and kefir milk - an easier and inexpensive way to make your own probiotics.
 

Eumundi Butchers

I've just spent a week away in the north coast hinterland and had a trip to the Eumundi Markets..
They have a great food section where you can purchase fresh made butter (made by the splendid Frenchman Camille), homemade kimchi and sauerkraut, yummy cheeses and of course fresh fruit and vegies.

Also at Eumundi, is the Eumundi Butchers which has a huge range of meats and poultry, offals, cheeses, fresh milk and cream - all top stuff! Bought heaps of lamb's fry to bring home as it's so easy to cook and gain benefits from this often discarded but sacred food.


If you're up that way, do call in

9 out of 10 adults over 30 years old have gum disease...

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Monday 5 November 2012

Easy Coconut and Pineapple Icecream

This certainly looks yummy and ever so easy to make. Just buy some Tropical Traditions coconut cream concentrate and process some fresh or frozen pineapple. For less sugar, process pawpaw and add.


 http://www.freecoconutrecipes.com/index.cfm/2011/8/31/easy-creamy-coconut-pineapple-ice-cream

 
 Easy Creamy Coconut Pineapple Ice Cream photo


Servings: 2
Place about 1 cup of pineapple in your food processor and process until smooth.
Add coconut cream and continue to process until well mixed.
You can double for more servings.

Sunday 4 November 2012

Jimmy and the Giant Supermarket

This is a really interesting programme. Watch Jimmy try to make high welfare animal products for Tesco.

http://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/video/2294845015/Jimmy-And-The-Giant-Supermarket-S1-Ep1-Meatballs?fb_action_ids=164093647067830&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_source=aggregation&fb_aggregation_id=288381481237582

Monday 29 October 2012

Bellini Intelli Kitchen Master

Intelli Kitchen MasterI've had my Intelli Kitchen Master on layby and it's now at home. I love the Thermomix but the price is very cost prohibitive mainly because there is only one distributor for all of Australia - I think that's called a monopoly.

So I've just made some fresh pesto and the machine is quite easy to use. I understand that a $400 machine is not going to do what a $2000 machine does - I'm just hoping it performs well and I'm able to use it frequently.

I'll keep you updated on our progress.

3 cups fresh basil leaves
4 cloves garlic
1/2 - 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese (grated)
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup pine nuts or walnuts or pecans
1/3 cup fresh parsley or kale (optional)
sea salt
juice of 1 lemon

Combine all ingredients in processor and blend to a smooth paste. Add more oil if necessary. Load into jars. Pesto can be frozen to have on hand

Wednesday 17 October 2012

Beef Jerky made from Mince

I prefer my jerky made from mince - beef, lamb, veal. I found that ordinary jerky was just a tad chewy and some young friends of mine thought the same.

So I make my jerky from beef sometimes mixed with organic lamb mince. You then have thin slices of very tasty protein that doesn't exercise your teeth and jaw quite so much. The kids really love this one!!

 Here's how I make it.

1.5kg organic mince (you can use chicken or turkey but turkey is probably a little too low fat)
Raw Apple cider vinegar
Sea Salt
2 Carrots, grated
2 Zucchinis, grated
Spices of your choice (I generally use cumin)
Tamari sauce

Throw mince into large bowl and pour over apple cider vinegar to cover. (Raw apple cider vinegar is unfiltered and contains floating strands and particles, which is called the "mother of vinegar.).  Leave to marinade overnight. Mince is ready when it is not red or pink anymore. The acid of the vinegar cooks the meat so the meat is not damaged through heating.

When the mince is a brown colour (not red or pink) turn onto strainer and squeeze out the liquids.

When this is done, place onto paraflexx sheets and score into mouth size pieces.

Place into dehydrator and dry at 68 degrees C or 155 degrees F for approximately 8 hours. Check jerky after this time as it may very well need more time to dry.

When you think it's finished, leave out to cool. Once cooled, check to see if it's cooked fully. Properly dried jerky when bent, should crack but not break.

In our hot climate (Queensland) you do need to store your jerky in the fridge. I always carry a small container in my handbag and I've never had problems leaving it out of the fridge for a few days.



Prepared mince with vegies and spices





This is mince that has been in apple cider vinegar. It has been cooked by the acid of the vinegar

Liquid from the mince is then squeezed out. I use a strainer for this

Jerky mince scored ready for dehydrator

Fully dried jerky



Monday 15 October 2012

Arsenic in your Food

Here's some interesting reading on Consumer Reports. Their analysis found varying levels of arsenic in more than 60 rices and rice products.

Arsenic in your Food

I found this particularly interesting as I carry a load of arsenic which showed up in tests and often wonder how I managed to consume enough arsenic in the first place. Asparagus does contain very high levels of arsenic but the organic arsenic in asparagus is healthy and needed for our bodies.

Though rice isn’t the only dietary source of arsenic—some vegetables, fruits, and even water can harbor it—the Environmental Protection Agency assumes there is actually no “safe” level of exposure to inorganic arsenic.

They also discovered that some infant rice cereals, which are often a baby’s first solid food, had levels of inorganic arsenic at least five times more than has been found in alternatives such as oatmeal. Given their findings, we suggest limiting the consumption of rice products.


Sunday 14 October 2012

Chicken Liver Pate

What an easy way to have offal every week. Lovely fresh organic chicken livers at Northey Street Market today and they're already converted to pate. As I'm only one person in my home, I've found that pate freezes really well.

I'm using the pate on my seed crackers. Three of these with pate, fill me and I'm not likely to snack on anything else.

Here's my easy, easy recipe.

500 gr organic chicken livers
5 slices nitrate free bacon rasher
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
slurp Brandy
Sea Salt
Dried herbs (thyme or Herbs de Provence)
Butter

Add butter to pan and quickly frizz the bacon, onion, garlic. Add chicken livers, salt, herbs and lightly cook until livers are brown on outside and pink on inside.

Add to food processor along with Brandy (or Sherry) and blitz to your taste texture. I like mine left a little coarse, but some like their pate very smooth. If it needs smoothing out some more, you can pour in some duck fat. This is a fast and easy recipe and very tasty and nutrient rich.




Read what Chris Cosentino has to say on the topic. http://www.offalgood.com/what-is-offal

Offal is truly a highly nutrient dense food which is becoming strangely unfashionable. Livers are an excellent source of vitamin A, which promotes healthy skin, teeth, and eyes, as well as full of iron, zinc B vitamins, vitamin C and vitamin D. Beef liver contains huge amounts of copper and good amounts of healthy fatty acids.

Wednesday 10 October 2012

Seed Crackers

Here's the seed crackers that I make as they are low carb and starch free.Nuts and seeds are high in protein and contain healthy oils (Omega 3's) Vitamin Bs and other essential minerals like magnesium, potassium, copper and iron.

Because they are packed with protein and high in oils, kilojoules add up quickly!! We only need small amounts of these crackers. If I'm eating avocado or liver pate's, I'll only have 4 for the day. They are very filling.



How to make seed crackers

1 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup flaxseed
1/2 cup chia seeds
1/2 cup sesame seeds
Dulse Flakes (1/4 cup)
Tamai
Sea Salt
Herbs de Provence (optional)

Place all seeds except sesame seeds into food processor and grind. Add these to a large bowl along with sea salt. Cover with water and leave for 6 hours or overnight. You need to check a couple of times and add more water.

Mix in dulse flakes and Tamari (to taste) and any dried herbs of your choice. Using an Excalibur dehydrator (http://www.vitality4life.com/shop/details.php?id=Food_Dehydrator_Excalibur), add teaspoonfuls onto parraflex sheets. The mixture will be quite mucilaginous and will naturally hold a form on the trays.

Dehydrate for 20 hours at 63 degrees or bake in low, slow oven.

Absolutely delicious and very filling

Monday 8 October 2012

Fresh Food from Prahran Markets

What a lovely fresh food market at Prahran in Melbourne. Lots of lovely fresh and crispy food. Our heat in Queensland really knocks around our food. If it's grown fresh here it suffers from the heat and if it is transported here from other States, it suffers from the heat.

We didn't have a lot of time to spend there and it was really difficult to just rush past the cheese stall. I just love cheese........

 
Kohl rabi is a perennial vegetable and has a mild-flavoured taste.. It has the texture and crunch of a radish and something of the taste of a mild turnip, cauliflower or broccoli stem, making it a tasty addition to summer salads and stir-fries. It'sfrom the brassica family with the base of its stem swelled into a slightly turnipy globe. Great just to cut and eat raw.

I know this isn't a food but we don't see any Lily of the Vally in Queensland (again something to do with heat) and it smelled so sweet.

Multi coloured radishes. I rarely see the pink and white ones around here. I'd like to have been able to taste one as I find most radishes these days lack any decent flavour or heat. Often pithy inside and disappointing to eat as I remember how tasty and crunchy they were years ago.

My Very Own Chicken

I've always wanted chickens but my little courtyard is definitely not suitable - too small and brick pavers. But, I've found a solution. When I visited the Prahran food markets in Melbourne recently, this classy lady was waiting for me. She's very low maintenance and very quiet - please welcome Marilyn!!

Marilyn in her new home - she's very content

Friday 5 October 2012

Cuppa Cottage in Sandringham Victoria

We found this exciting little cafe in Sandringham when we were on our Melbourne exploration trip. The front window is full of freshly baked artisan breads and that's what made us walk inside. Imagine our surprise to find all these wonderfully colorful homewares along with great food. We just managed a scone, jam and clotted cream each with a pot of tea as the servings were very generous. The young lady who took our order told us "if you order 2 scones each, you'll explode" and she was right.
We did manage to purchase some homewares and very much enjoyed our visit. I couldn't take my eyes or camera off all the colours and patterns - a great place for a cuppa






Sunday 30 September 2012

Spice and Herb Store in Carlton/Melbourne

I was recently in Melbourne and discovered this little gem of a spice and herb store in Carlton. It was started by two young women and has such interesting herbs, spices, peppers and the largest range of salt in Australia. They have an online store as well and are expanding into other areas. Hopefully, Brisbane is in their sights.

Shop Front

Black Salt


Oma Rosa's Gulash Herbs
Recipe on their website

http://www.gewurzhaus.com.au/about-us

5 Devices Physicians Need to Know About

I know this is a food blog but sometimes I come across really exciting news on health.

Have a look at this video on how Smart Phones are saving lives. Dr. Eric Topol, Director of the Scripps Translational Science Institute and Editor-in-Chief of Medscape Genomic Medicine and theheart.org in this series will detail the driving forces behind what he believes is the biggest shakeup in the history of medicine.

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/765017?src=ptalk

Tuesday 11 September 2012

Benriner Turning Slicer

Have you seen this little kitchen gadget?? It's brilliant. Great idea for salads, make zoodles (zucchini noodles). Get the kids involved in food preparation and then they'll eat their vegies.

Monday 10 September 2012

Organic Markets this week

 I found some fresh, yummy different greens this week at Northey Street Markets. Collard greens are hard to find in Queensland but there they were at Northey Street Markets. Collard greens are vegetables that are members of the cabbage family and close relatives to kale. It's very important not to overcook collard greens. Like other cruciferous vegetables, overcooked collard greens will begin to smell sulfurous. To help collard greens cook more quickly, evenly slice the leaves into 2cm slices and the stems into 2 cm pieces. Let them sit for at least 5 minutes to bring out the health-promoting qualities and steam for 5 minutes. Serve with a dressing.



Collard Greens

Chicory was also available grown right there at Northey Street Farm itself. Best steamed or flash fried in a wok. This is a slightly bitter herb and we need much more bitter tastes in our day to day consumption of food. When we eat more bitter in our diet, we are less inclined to crave sweet flavours.

Chicory

Saturday 8 September 2012

Kids in the Kitchen

My three granddaughters are very interested in cooking and eating. I'm so glad that I've had some small influence in their ingredient choices. Earlier this year, my eldest granddaughter took her domestic science teacher to task when she recommended using margarine. Her comments to teacher were "why would you use that when it's just one molecule away from plastic!!"!! On ya young lady

These girls have all done Kids in the Kitchen cooking class at the Powerhouse at New Farm which was heaps of fun. Unfortunately it's less value for money these days. The first two girls attended when another chef was in charge and they made fresh pasta with a sauce and salad and delicious dessert.

These days, they make pizza and green salad and no dessert and the price has tripled. Oh well, that's life.


Monday 3 September 2012

Monday 27 August 2012

Besan Crackers

I've just found this wonderful recipe on www.themindfulfoodie.com and want to share it.


    1 cup (250 ml) chickpea (besan) flour
    1 cup (250 ml) almond meal
    2 tbsp (30 ml) ground linseeds (flaxseeds)
    2 tsp roasted, ground cumin (optional)
    ½ tsp sea salt
    2 tbsp (30 ml) extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil
    100–120 ml water

Preheat oven to 180C/350F (160C/320F fan-forced)
  1.   In a bowl whisk together the dry ingredients.
  2.   Add the oil and gradually add the water.
  3.   With clean hands form a dough. The dough should not be sticky — it should come together easily to form a ball.  If it’s sticking to the bowl, add a little more chickpea flour. If the dough is too dry, you can add a little more water.
  4.  Halve the dough. Roll one half between two sheets of baking paper (so it doesn’t stick) until ~2 mm thick. 
  5. Cut into squares and spread on lined baking tray
  6. 6  Bake for 15–20 minutes until lightly browned. Cool on wire rack before serving.

    Repeat with remaining dough.
All ready to go

Mixed ready to roll out

Ready to go into the oven

Ready to eat with a yummy pate
I'll

Enneagram Retreat

I've just spent the past four days in an Enneagram Retreat at Byron Bay in N.S.W. There were 18 wonderful people who attended along with Robert and Mackayla who are the facilitators.

The setting is quiet and peaceful and very restful. The programme leads you down the path of self knowledge and self awareness and understanding of yourself and others. You are asked to looked intensely at yourself and your personality and behaviours. An entirely interesting and self probing four days.

Robert and Mackayla are very experienced facilitators, gentle, compassionate and bring together the teachings of many spiritual teachers.

If you want more understanding of yourself, family and close friends - embrace this Enneagram work.

http://enneagramsydney.com.au

The Enneagram is a powerful approach to understanding the psychology, emotions and behaviour of ourselves and others.

 

The Enneagram symbol, a nine-pointed diagram (ennea is the Greek word for 'nine'), has its origins in many different traditions. In the last four decades it has been combined with modern psychology, evolving to describe the nine fundamental personality types of human nature. The modern Enneagram is a condensation of universal wisdom, commonsense philosophy and psychology which provides extraordinary insights into human behaviour, particularly our own. The primary goal and purpose of the Enneagram is self knowledge; its ancillary benefit is that it allows us to understand the behaviour of others, and with that understanding, to be more accepting and compassionate.
The Enneagram is a reminder that we do not have to remain captive to the dictates of personality, but can relax into the awareness of true essence and the experience of Love.

The Enneagram is not a religion and it will not interfere with any religious orientation.



Tuesday 21 August 2012

Spicy Sunflower Seed Cake/Slice

I love experimenting with food and have been making cakes/slices with no flours/starches. Today I made this cake to take away for a weekend at Byron Bay where I'm spending four days in an Ennegram Retreat.

2 ½ cups       Sunflower seeds, soaked for 2 hours and wet
2 Tbsp           Coconut Oil melted
1 Tbsp           Butter melted into coconut oil
1/3 cup          Raw Honey or Kitul Syrup
4                   Free range eggs
1 tsp              Sea Salt
1 tsp              Cinnamon
½ tsp             Cloves
½ tsp             Nutmeg           
½ cup            Currants

Sesame seeds or dessicated coconut optional for topping

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C.
Puree wet sunflower seeds in food processor until smooth.
Add all ingredients except the currants
Blend well.
Remove blade from food processor and fold in currants.
Pour into greased 30cm roll tin. Bake at 180 degrees C for 50-60 minutes.
Test with knife or toothpick inserted in the center.  If it comes out clean, it’s done.
Cool on rack and then slice into squares

Makes approximately 25 servings.




Monday 20 August 2012

Sally Fallon on lacto-fermented foods

 

Sally Fallon author of "Nourishing Traditions" - the only recipe book you'll ever need.

Sally bases her recipes on REAL FOOD and the writings of Weston A Price who travelled the world and visited 14 traditional cultures to see what food they ate that allowed them to be caries free with broad jaws that allowed full growth of their teeth and jaws.

Friday 17 August 2012

Coconut Yogurt



Coconut is such a delicious and healthy food. Just look at how easy it is to make this highly nutritious food. Coles actually sells young coconuts for $2.00. Keep on practicing opening them - it gets less difficult over time.

Monday 13 August 2012

Raw Milk Black Market

What an interesting and accurate report on raw milk. Cleopatra's milk is great for bathing in..........

http://au.news.yahoo.com/video/queensland/watch/30255915

Tuesday 7 August 2012

Sunday 5 August 2012

Fresh Herbs at Markets

Had an interesting morning at Northey Street Organic Markets today. There are some lovely fresh vegies - greens in particular - that are produced by some Asian growers. They always have baskets of freshly picked herbs. I want to show you Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum)  which has been used for over 2,000 years as an herbal remedy for a variety of ailments, particularly liver, kidney, and gall bladder problems. Silymarin has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and it may help the liver repair itself by growing new cells.

It's the Mother Herb of the Liver. You can see why it's named milk thistle as the plant is very milky looking.

A young Asian woman was choosing this herb along with Stinging Nettle as she was making juice for her mother who has gall bladder problems. What a simple and traditional way of making our own medicine.


Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica and the closely related Urtica urens) has a long medicinal history. In medieval Europe, it was used as a diuretic (to rid the body of excess water) and to treat joint pain.

Stinging nettle is used in many forms, including as teas, tinctures, fluid extracts, creams and soups.
 
The use of herbs is a time honoured approach to strengthening the body and treating disease. Herbs, however, can trigger side effects and can interact with other herbs, supplements, or medications. Do take care with herbs and do your research or find an expert who can advise.



This was a delicious salad mix, freshly picked in the early hours of this morning.