Cranberry Almond Loaf

¾ cup creamy roasted almond butter, at room temperature
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 large eggs
¼ cup arrowroot powder
1 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ cup dried apricots, chopped into ¼ inch pieces
½ cup dried cranberries
¼ cup sesame seeds
¼ cup sunflower seeds
¼ cup pumpkin seeds
¼ cup sliced almonds, plus 2 tablespoons to sprinkle on top
olive oil for greasing
blanched almond flour for dusting

1. In a large bowl, blend almond butter, olive oil and eggs with a handheld mixer until smooth
2. In a medium bowl, combine arrowroot powder, salt and baking soda
3. Blend arrowroot mixture into wet ingredients until thoroughly combined
4. Fold in apricots, cranberries, seeds and sliced almonds
5. Grease a 3 ½ x 7 ½ x 2 ¼ inch loaf pan with olive oil and dust with almond flour
6. Pour batter into loaf pan and sprinkle remaining sliced almonds on top
7. Bake at 350° for 40-50 minutes until a knife inserted into center comes out clean
8. Let bread cool in pan for 1 hour, then serve

Yield 1 loaf

 

Courtesy of Elena’s Pantry Blog:  http://www.elanaspantry.com

1/11/11

 

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Cheese Pucks

(-From “Secret Spoonfuls. Confessions of a Secret Mom” CD Booklet)

Ingredients:

1 cup arrowroot powder

1 cup grated cheese

½ cup butter

1 cup cream cheese

½ tsp salt

½ tsp white or cayenne pepper

Mix arrowroot, salt and pepper; add butter and cheese to form dough. If it is too dry, add more butter; if too wet, add more arrowroot. Roll into a long snake, wrap in wax paper and chill for one hour. Cut into ½ inch rounds. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 400 degrees for 5-10 minutes.

These are good hot but remain fresh for weeks, so they are wonderful on trips and for school lunches.

 

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It’s Sunday Morning Pancakes!! Gluten-free Style

In a food processor, blend the following ingredients:

2 cups almond flour

8 free range eggs

1 tablespoon maple syrup

2 teaspoons vanilla

½ teaspoon Celtic salt

½ teaspoon baking soda

Butter a hot griddle or cast iron frying pan and when good and hot, ladle a small amount of batter on to the sizzling surface.   Keep the amount small as these pancakes don’t have gluten, so they don’t have the “glue” to keep them from breaking. Fragile, but delicious!

Load with rich, raw butter and local  maple syrup, then serve with organic bacon and a glass of cold raw milk.  Yum.

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Homeopathy Useful for Motion Sickness

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The Best Eggnog Recipe Ever; No, I Mean Real Eggnog

I’m not talking about the stuff that comes out of a carton. Yuck!

I mean the kind that’s loaded with live enzymes, nutrient dense vitamins and  of course delicious good cheer.

The most important ingredient is that the ingredients be important.  That is, preferably raw, organic milk and cream and free range egg yolks. Here’s one of my Christmas favorites:

12 free range eggs
6 cups raw milk
2 cups heavy, raw cream
1/2 cup raw honey.  If you don’t like the flavor of honey, consider maple syrup or succanat
2 teaspoons freshly ground nutmeg

Traditional Eggnog Directions

Submerge the eggs (still in the shell) in a large bowl of near boiling hot water plus a few drops of dish soap. As the water cools; wash, rinse then wipe the eggs dry.

Separate the egg yolks, place in a mixer with the honey and beat for 10 minutes.

Allow to cool in the refrigerator for up to 8 hours
30 minutes before you plan to serve, mix the milk into the chilled yolk mixture.If you plan to add brandy, this is the time to incorporate it.
Stir in 1+ 1/2 teaspoons ground nutmeg.
On high-speed, in a separate bowl, beat the cream until the cream forms stiff peaks.
In yet another bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
Gently fold the egg white mixture into the egg yolk mixture.
Gently fold the cream into the egg mixture.
Ladle into cups and sprinkle with the remainder of nutmeg.

 

Serves: 8

 

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My Hair Do is From the Pantry;

Or How to Stay Lovely With Wholesome Products

Before venturing on the holistic path to wellness via homeopathy over 25 years ago, I was exquisitely chemically sensitive.    Compelled to examine the ingredients in the products I was using, I discovered that most of them included  unpronounceable and questionable ingredients.

At first, I looked to health food stores for goods that didn’t include chemicals and fragrances, but was disappointed to find that although marketed to the whole health industry, most were only packaged differently; not manufactured purely.

There must be methods that women used before the advent of the beauty market, I reasoned.  Where would a woman look for her beauty products if not in a store? …why the home!  And so  I began an exploration in  my pantry. When we step outside our comfort zone, vistas present.

One of my first considerations was  sugar and water  as a substitute for hair spray… When I was little I had a friend who had a doll with a dress that was stiff .  My friend told me the  dress had been  dipped in a sugar and water mixture that kept the fabric inflexible and in place. It had possibilities, but I  had images of swatting at yellow jackets  at a picnic  in a rigid  1950’s hair do. On to another idea.

Next, I considered a  cornstarch and water mixture.  The same image presented.   And at one point I whipped up egg whites and vinegar and tried to put it  through a misting bottle. ‘Just in case you’re tempted to try this;  don’t.   It doesn’t fit.

So after various trials and errors, I’ve distilled my methods to the few below.  You might try following my  tips that are natural, easy and fun and toss away the chemicals into the kitchen trash on your way to the pantry.  Here are the methods that have worked for me so far.

• I start with a simple , fragrance free shampoo.   I’ve experimented with techniques for using a combination of baking soda, plain castile soap and other fundamental soaps, but find that our harsh , hard water keeps me from successfully using them.   Instead, I rely on Real Purity Shampoo…..(1.800.253.1694),  RealPurity.com.
• Next, I rinse with an ounce or so of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water. I keep this mixture in a bottle to which I’ve added 4 pills each of  Silica 6x, Nat mur 6x and  and Kali sulph 6x from Hyland’s Homeopathy at  http://www.hylands.com/cellsalts/. The vinegar removes  soap residue and provides a luster while  the homeopathic remedies  keep the scalp conditioned and the hair thick and healthy.
• After allowing my hair to air dry, I usually set it with hot rollers to give it a little bend and fullness. Here’s the best part.  After years of searching for a gel or spray that didn’t have fragrances and other dubious ingredients, I finally analyzed what the main ingredient was in styling gels.  It’s alcohol.  So I put vodka in a spray bottle!  ‘Easy to use,  fast drying, clean smell…what else did I need?  As I engage each strand of hair, I spritz it with my  80 proof vodka that holds in the roller and then dries instantly for a longer hold.  ‘Love it!
• After  a minute, I remove the roller then  scoop an almond sized lump of 100% coconut oil,  soften it between my hands for a few seconds , then  run it through my hair.  Not unlike other hair conditioners, it  offers shine, manageability and a little volume minus the chemicals.
• Lastly, instead of hair spray, my friend, Nancy shared her secret  of using Aqua Gel; A Real Willard’s Water Product (1.800.447.4793). It’s an aloe vera supplement intended to be eaten daily, but I dip my fingers into it to sculpt and hold specific strands in place. ‘Infinitely better than the commercial version sculpting gel. And it holds all day.

Not only do each of these kitchen products afford me safety and wholesomeness, but they cost a fraction of the price of costly commercial products.  Yet, most of the fun is  in knowing I figured it out on my own.

I’ll bet you have your own homemade products too.  Pretend it’s a pajama party….. and let’s have some fun!  Pass along your natural or homemade beauty secrets.

 

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Gluten Free Bread

(Similar to traditional banana bread)

This recipe allows for almond flour purchased from a health food/gourmet store or  for a more nutritious and alive product follow instructions  below for  *soaked almonds.

2 cups almond flour

3 organic bananas; store frozen bananas kept for just such an occasion

5 free range eggs

3-4 T organic coconut oil

1t vanilla; I make my own. Check forthcoming blog for recipe

1t almond oil extract (optional)

1 t baking soda

¼ t Celtic or other whole salt

¼ to ½ cup organic raisins or other organic dried fruit

½ cup unsweetened dried coconut

¼ cup coconut flour (this is not necessary but adds to the rise and nutrition)

Grind the dried fruit in the food processor until it can be ground no further and  add the remaining ingredients. If too wet, add a bit more coconut or almond flour, being mindful that  if blended too  long, the batter will yield  a more dense bread.  So, easy on the blending.

Butter a glass baking or bread dish, pour in the batter and bake for 50+ minutes, at 340 degrees. Check for completion with a toothpick. Allow to cool a bit before serving.

Lovely with raw butter as an accompaniment to stew. Even though a bit crumbly for sandwiches; it’s still good.

*Soaked Almonds: Place 2 cups of nuts in a bowl and cover with enough water to  cover 2 inches above the almonds. Set out on the counter for 12-24 hours. The next day, drain thoroughly and assemble the almonds on a cookie sheet or 2 to dry in a 100-120 degree oven for 24+ hours or  until they’re thoroughly dry. Try to distribute them one layer only.

When thoroughly dehydrated, the almonds should  be very crispy.  If not, return them to the oven. In a food processor, grind the almonds to a light flour. If the consistency is more like a meal than  flour, you didn’t dry them long enough.   Use them anyway;  it will taste fine, but won’t  yield a bread.

This is a variation on a recipe given to me by my client and friend, Theresa Lasaca

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